09 September 2013 – The Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur said today that in line with its thrust to showcase Filipino talents in Malaysia and to promote peace and friendship between the two countries, it will present a Philippine Cultural Night (PCN) on September 11 in Penang, in cooperation with the Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
The show will be held at the USM's Dewan Budaya at 8:30 p.m. as part of the university's Peace Week celebrations.
“As with our previous cultural programs showcasing the best of the Philippines and the Filipino to our Malaysian friends, and to promote the culture of peace in our two countries, we are staging a Philippine Cultural Night in Penang. It is Penang's turn to experience why, as our tourism slogan goes, 'It's more fun in the Philippines',” Ambassador J. Eduardo Malaya said.
The show will feature the Maguindanao-based Magui Moro Master Artists (MMMA) and the Penang-based Filipino jazz band De Leon Jazz Experience.
The MMMA are cultural bearers and masters of Maguindanaon music, dance, ritual, history, epics, and traditions. They are known for their expertise in gong music, compelling rituals, refined cultural dances and intricate textiles in vividly colorful traditional regalia.
Their music performance is historically and culturally inspired by the sound of rain, wind, and waves of the sea, as well as epic life stories which they depict through the use of kulintang and other musical instruments like agong, gandingan, babandir, and dabakan.
Penang-based Filipino jazz group De Leon Jazz Experience is composed of father and sons trio of Ronald, Vince and Gabriel De Leon. The group is well-known around Malaysia, performing in venues such as the Penang Mutiara Beach Resort, Shangri-la Hotel Penang, and Star Cruise Pisces and Virgo and in other ASEAN countries. They are coming from a performance in Australia before the event.
The father, Ronald, is a music teacher in Prince of Wales Island International School in Balik Pulau, Penang. Older son Vince plays jazz piano, violin, saxophone, clarinet, metal guitar, drums, organ and bass. He finished his Grade 8 in Alto Saxophone in 2011, the youngest to achieve this in Malaysia. He and brother Gabriel placed second in the ROLAND Piano Fest in 2008 in the Jazz Trio Category, which was participated in by musicians much older than them. Younger son Gabriel finished his Grade 8 in Drums at the Trinity Rockschool at age nine, and is certified by Malaysia Book of Records as the Youngest Malaysian to Finish a Professional Drum Course. He plays the piano, electric bass and sings as well. He won second runner-up honors in the ROLAND V-Drum contest in Kuala Lumpur in 2011.
“These performances will hopefully demonstrate the richness of the Filipino and the Bangsamoro culture, and underscore the importance of culture in the peace-building process. Music and dance are expressions of the soul and unite peoples and cultures,” Ambassador Malaya stated.
The show is open to the public. Gates open at 8:00 p.m. END