The SainsKu Winds Orchestra performs at an event.
KUCHING: Plaza Merdeka Holdings and the Sarawak Heart Foundation with the support of Rotary Club of Kuching Central will hold the Sound of Music 2.0 charity concert at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) on Aug 27.
Award-winning St Joseph’s School Marching Band – which last year won the Division III A category at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey upstaging 53 other high school bands – will welcome VVIPs and lead them into the venue.
The concert proper will feature the South Norfolk Youth Symphonic Band from the United Kingdom, led by musical director Mike Booty.
Formed by Booty in 1974, the band has raised thousands of pounds for charities and regularly performs up to 30 concerts annually.
The band has twice played and been presented to the Princess Royal, once in the Royal Albert Hall.
Their performance of ‘Tubby the Tuba’, was narrated by the highly acclaimed British performer Roy Castle OBE.
Among the band’s achievements are third prize in the Valkenburg International Music Festival, Holland and the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in 2006.
The band toured Germany five times, most recently this year, as well as Singapore, Borneo and Thailand in August 2008; while in August 2012 formed the centrepiece of the Sound of Music 1.0.
Performing as separate units for specific segments of the concert will be award-winning local winds orchestra from SM Sains Kuching – better known as SainsKu Winds.
SM Sains is a Yayasan Khazanah Trust School for promising students from underprivileged families.
Since 2011, Booty has visited SM Sains and other Kuching schools to give his gift of music to local young musicians.
Both bands and young musicians will also perform together in a kaleidoscope of the brightest international young talents and a tour de force of musical magic.
Sensational Korean opera singer Sungbong Choi, 26, will also perform.
Made famous by ‘Korea’s Got Talent’ 2011 despite finishing first runner-up, the inspirational Choi went from orphaned street kid to opera prodigy.
Choi, who is working on a second album, has performed in many international venues including in London with Paul Potts, in the United States and recently with Psy in Korea.
He recently published his autobiography.
Choi is appearing courtesy of sponsorship from ACFM Holdings Sdn Bhd.
“I want to support such a noble cause,” he said.
Nisa Addina – Photo by Russell Ting
Choi will also perform with Sarawak’s own award-winning violinist Nisa Addina Taufik.
Funds raised by the concert will benefit lower income individuals requiring cardiovascular procedures.
Donations may be made to the Sarawak Heart Foundation and donations of RM100 and over will receive two complimentary tickets to the show.
Donors will also receive a tax deductible receipt from the Sarawak Heart Foundation.
For more information, to donate, or to obtain tickets contact the Rotary Club of Kuching president elect Clarence Yong (019-8571893), Dr Willie Lau (017-8096655), Pauline Kon (012-8891929), Major Francis Ng (012-4052430), Jennifer (016-8977151), Louis Yong (013-8112726), Eric Lim (012-88712880), Richard Wong (017-2220533), Councillor Taufik Abdul Ghani (019-8860070), Alan Tang (012-8869399), Izora Lim (019-8890010), Cheah Kheng Mun (012-4221168), Geraldine Lau (017-2282968), or Sam Avenido (012-8877568).
Information and tickets will also be available at the Concierge at Plaza Merdeka Shopping Centre from Aug 18.
The South Norfolk Youth Symphonic Band led by Booty.