Latest news with #DFP
The Star
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Star
KL strikes a chord as Tokyo Symphony debuts and KL Orchestra Fest lifts off
The Tokyo Symphony Orchestra (TSO) is set to make its Malaysian debut with a concert at Dewan Filharmonik Petronas (DFP) in Kuala Lumpur this Sunday (June 1), marking a new milestone in cultural collaboration between Japan and Malaysia. Japanese Ambassador to Malaysia Noriyuki Shikata said this aligns perfectly with the TSO's Asia Project philosophy of embracing diverse cultural values and promoting mutual understanding through music. Comprising 80 musicians, the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra will perform under the baton of Naoto Otomo, who has also appeared in orchestras outside of Japan, including with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra and Orchestre National de Lorraine. "Western classical music has had a profound and enduring impact on Japan's cultural landscape since its introduction into the school curriculum as part of the Meiji government's modernisation policy efforts nearly 150 years ago,' Shikata said in a statement. Award-winning Japanese pianist Tomoharu Ushida will take the DFP stage in Kuala Lumpur to perform Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 1 In E minor with the TSO. The evening continues with Mussorgsky's iconic Pictures At An Exhibition, brought to life in all its vivid, orchestral colour. Founded in 1946, TSO regularly performs operas and ballets at Tokyo's New National Theatre and has played 79 concerts across 58 cities worldwide. Shikata added he has fond memories of attending concerts by the City of Kyoto Symphony Orchestra in Kyoto during his school days. "After starting my diplomatic career, I had the wonderful experience of attending classical music concerts conducted by global icon Seiji Ozawa at the Boston Symphony Orchestra. "Since then, I have frequently attended classical music concerts in Tokyo, as well as in Washington DC, Paris, London and Beijing,' he said. Strings across the capital Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) will host the 2025 Kuala Lumpur Orchestra Festival (FOKL) from May 31 to June 29 at selected venues across the city. In a statement, DBKL said the annual festival aims to promote orchestral music regionally and offer inclusive, world-class cultural experiences. "Throughout the month-long programme, the public can experience a unique blend of Western classical music and traditional local instruments, performed by local and international orchestras, celebrating the richness and diversity of Malaysia's distinct culture," the statement read. Now in its second edition, FOKL 2025 goes beyond music to celebrate culture, community, and unity, reinforcing Kuala Lumpur's identity as a culturally vibrant global city. This year's expanded programme is presented in partnership with the Kuala Lumpur Society, with a vision to position the capital as a South-East Asian hub for orchestral music. In addition to orchestral performances, FOKL 2025 will host masterclasses by the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra (TSO), giving local musicians and educators valuable access to world-class training. The festival also highlights youth participation, with school students across Kuala Lumpur given the opportunity to perform on a professional stage alongside seasoned musicians. DBKL will hold a charity concert for the Malaysian Association for the Blind on May 31 at Auditorium Bandaraya, and invite over 60 Kuala Lumpur schools to free selected performances, expanding access to live orchestral music. To ensure inclusivity, DBKL is partnering with the OKU GNB Welfare Association to facilitate the attendance of persons with disabilities. FOKL will also host a regional forum on orchestra management, uniting music leaders from across Asia, including the Association of Japanese Symphony Orchestras, Beijing-based critics and conductors from Bangkok, to help strengthen the regional orchestral ecosystem. "The forum will serve as a dynamic platform for exchanging insights, addressing challenges, and sharing best practices in contemporary orchestra management, while jointly shaping strategies to advance the orchestral music industry across East and South-East Asia," the statement added. – Bernama
New Straits Times
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- New Straits Times
#SHOWBIZ: 'La La Land' comes alive
THE magic of Damien Chazelle's 'La La Land' came alive at the Dewan Filharmonik Petronas (DFP) recently. The Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO) delivered a dazzling live-to-film performance that transported the audience straight into the heart of Los Angeles' dreamy, jazz-soaked landscape from the 2016 movie. Concertgoers revisited the Academy Award-winning film, starring Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone and John Legend, in a swoonworthy live-to-film concert experience. The movie showcases the captivating story of Seb, a promising pianist, and Mia, an aspiring actress, who cross paths and fall in love while attempting to harmonise their career journeys in the city of stars. The concert featured a full orchestra and jazz band performing the soundtrack alongside the screening of the movie. This allowed attendees to experience the vivid musical moments central to the film, including the unbelievable piano solos, all played live by the MPO. A stellar performance Gerard Salonga conducted the orchestra, which breathed new life into Justin Hurwitz's Oscar-winning score. From the exhilarating opening number, 'Another Day of Sun', to the poignant finale, the MPO displayed both technical precision and emotional depth. The seamless synchronisation between the live performance and the on-screen visuals was a feat in itself, allowing the film's story to unfold naturally while adding a richer, more immersive musical experience. Particularly captivating was the performance of 'Mia & Sebastian's Theme,' with the piano melodies soaring above the strings, evoking the tender romance and heartbreak at the film's core. The jazz sequences, especially those featuring 'Herman's Habit' and 'Start A Fire', were performed with vibrant energy, bringing the spirit of classic Hollywood and contemporary jazz into perfect harmony. An extraordinary afternoon Visually, watching 'La La Land' on the big screen at the concert hall setting was a treat, but it was the MPO's passionate performance that elevated the afternoon into something simply extraordinary. The audience responded with thunderous applause, a testament to the enduring power of great music and storytelling. For fans of the film, jazz enthusiasts, or anyone who appreciates the magic of live music, 'La La Land in Concert' with the MPO was a breathtaking reminder of cinema's ability to move, uplift and inspire. MPO's cinematic season This recent concert was part of the MPO's Season 2025 run, which includes more cinematic treats for movie lovers. In January, the MPO presented 'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in Concert'. Film and music fans can also look forward to catching a classic Hollywood gangster movie during 'The Godfather Live' concert on June shows provide the audience a unique opportunity to relive the magic of movies on the big screen while the symphonic orchestra brings the iconic scores to life. While orchestral music has long been associated with the upper echelons of society, collaborations with blockbuster films like these can be seen as an interesting method to bring orchestral music to a much wider audience. Judging from the packed hall on the day I attended the show, with a rather mixed crowd of young and not-so-young people, I'd say it was quite a success for both the MPO and DFP in bringing the masses to enjoy live orchestral music.
The Star
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Star
No popcorn, no problem: MPO hits all the right notes with film concerts
These days, when you browse through the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra's (MPO) annual programme, you'll find special shows that take your movie experience to the next level at Dewan Filharmonik Petronas (DFP) – where your favourite films come to life with live music by the MPO. Since 2010, when it first screened Alfred Hitchcock's classic thriller Psycho, the MPO has been delighting film lovers with its cinema-inspired programmes. MPO and DFP chief executive officer Hassina Begam Abdul Gani said the orchestra began exploring film-with-live-orchestra programming as a way to diversify its music offerings and reach a newer, younger audience. 'The positive response from the public, evidenced by sold-out shows, has demonstrated a clear appetite for this type of programming, which has now become a 'signature series' for the MPO,' says Hassina. By pairing orchestral music with popular films, the MPO has made classical music more accessible, offering an entry point for those who might not usually attend such concerts. To date, the MPO has presented nine film-with-live-orchestra concerts, including Raiders Of The Lost Ark, Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and the recent La La Land, which saw additional shows added due to high demand. 'For me, it's a less daunting introduction to classical music. While I'm not naturally inclined toward traditional concerts, a show like La La Land – though not strictly classical – provides a more accessible way to experience orchestral music,' says Adrian Yap, who attended La La Land at DFP, following his first experience with the format at Ratatouille (also at the DFP) in 2016. A view of the 'La La Land In Concert' series presented by the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra earlier this month at Dewan Filharmonik Petronas in Kuala Lumpur. Photo: MPO 'Watching a film I enjoy while observing how the orchestra performs the score makes me more receptive to attending a traditional classical concert in the future,' he adds. Rizal Johan, a fan of the film-with-orchestra format, recalls the Raiders Of The Lost Ark concert at the MPO in 2019 as a standout experience. 'The orchestra played flawlessly from start to finish. It was a unique experience – watching a film with live music and realising how challenging it is for the musicians to stay in sync as the mood shifts from action to comedy, suspense to romance. It was truly captivating,' he says, hoping the MPO will one day give a Star Wars film the full live-orchestra treatment. Opening the symphonic door MPO resident conductor Gerard Salonga notes that the movie screening concert series offers a distinct experience compared to the orchestra's usual performances. 'It's not like ballet or opera where the singers and dancers can hear the orchestra – the film stops for no one. In film music, normally the precision of the musical accents is down to a matter of a few frames which are fractions of a second,' says Salonga. Another challenge is that, although the music is usually well-known, it is not typically part of the repertoire that professional musicians have been playing for many years. 'For example, the first violin part of Don Juan by Richard Strauss is incredibly difficult, but violinists are expected to know the piece well, and have been playing it since they were very young," says Salonga. Next month, the MPO's film-and-orchestra series will feature the classic movie 'The Godfather', starring Marlon Brando. Photo: Handout 'The violin part of John Williams' ET score is also very hard, but musicians would not have spent the same amount of time with it throughout their lives, making the learning curve steeper due to the shorter time to learn it. For a symphony orchestra like the MPO, it makes for an exciting and musically rewarding challenge for both the performers and the audience,' he adds. The Filipino conductor-composer agrees that film concerts are an excellent way to engage audiences with symphonic repertoire. "In films scored by John Williams, the music is directly influenced by great composers such as Mahler and Stravinsky, so these concerts serve to introduce the audience to their orchestras and form a connection with the artists on stage through sharing a profound experience," says Salonga. 'So I hope for our audience members, these film concerts can unlock the door to the world of symphonic music and encourage them to discover the riches that await,' he concludes. For Father's Day on June 14, experience The Godfather Live at DFP. Watch Francis Ford Coppola's classic 1972 film in high definition while the MPO, led by Salonga, performs Nino Rota's legendary soundtrack live – bringing every haunting note and emotional moment to the forefront. More info here.
Rakyat Post
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Rakyat Post
The Godfather Comes To KL: An Orchestral Crime You Can't Refuse
Subscribe to our FREE Legendary filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola's masterpiece The Godfather will make its Malaysian debut this June at Dewan Filharmonik PETRONAS (DFP), with the full might of the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO). The cinematic landmark will screen while Italian composer Mark your calendars for 14 June, when 'There is little film music as instantly recognisable as Nino Rota's opening music played on trumpet,' says American composer/conductor The marriage of these two masterpieces on stage will be a visual and aural treat like nothing else. Make It Your Business To Be There For those keeping score (pun intended), Rota's soundtrack ranks #5 on the The film itself needs no introduction—it won three Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and is frequently cited as the greatest film ever made. This isn't just another movie screening—it's a made-for-event that combines cinema's most powerful family saga with the raw power of a live symphony orchestra. Whether you're a cinephile, a music lover, or just someone who appreciates an elegant evening of entertainment, this is one sit-down you don't want to miss. The event you can't refuse: Date: Saturday, 14 June Time: 8:00 PM Venue: DFP, PETRONAS Twin Towers Tickets: RM298 to RM648 Available at: Share your thoughts with us via TRP's . Get more stories like this to your inbox by signing up for our newsletter.
1News
07-05-2025
- Business
- 1News
US expands attempt to break up Google with an adtech teardown
The US Justice Department is doubling down on its attempt to break up Google by asking a federal judge to force the company to part with some of the technology powering the company's digital ad network. The proposed dismantling coincides with an ongoing federal effort to separate Google's Chrome browser from its dominant search engine. The US government's latest proposal was filed in a Virginia federal court two-and-a-half weeks after a federal judge ruled that its lucrative digital ad network has been improperly abusing its market power to stifle competition to the detriment of online publishers. In a 17-page filing, Justice Department lawyers argued that US District Judge Leonie Brinkema should punish Google by ordering the company to offload its AdX business and DFP ad platform, tools that bring together advertisers, who want to market their products, and publishers, who want to sell commercial space on their sites, to bring in revenue. The US government is also seeking other restrictions, including a 10-year ban on Google from operating a digital ad exchange, to undercut the power of a 'recidivist monopolist.' Not surprisingly, it's an idea that Google vehemently plans to oppose when the penalty phase of the antitrust case —known as remedy hearings — begins in late September. Google already has vowed to appeal Brinkema's ruling that the technology powering the ad network has been breaking the law, but can't do that until the judge rules on its punishment in a decision expected late this year or early next year. The Justice Department's proposal 'would cause economic chaos and technological dysfunction resulting in harm to millions of advertisers and publishers, and in so doing, degrade the experience of internet users,' Google said in a court filing late Monday. In its counterproposal, Google outlined a plan that it believes will bring more transparency to its ad network and eventually foster more competition. Google proposed the appointment of a trustee to oversee its behaviour for three years. The attempt to tear down Google's ad network comes on top of the Justice Department's ongoing effort to have the company part with its popular Chrome browser and impose other restrictions to curtail the power of its ubiquitous search engine, which another federal judge branded an illegal monopoly in a ruling last August. The remedy hearings in the search case are scheduled to conclude later this month, with a ruling from US District Judge Amit Mehta expected by Labor Day. If the Justice Department is able to persuade the two different judges to order its proposed dismantling of Google, it would be the biggest breakup of a US company since AT&T was forced to spin off its phone service into seven separate regional companies more than 40 years ago. Google's Play Store for apps running on its Android software that powers most of the world's smartphones was also declared an illegal monopoly by a federal jury in 2023 and is battling a judge's order that would require it to overhaul a commission system that generates billions of dollars in annual revenue. But hobbling its search engine and digital ad network would be far bigger blows because they are the key cogs in a business that generated US$265 billion in revenue last year. Google is confronting the breakup threats at the same time the advent of artificial intelligence is changing the way consumers are using technology and seeking information online — a shift that could also siphon traffic and money away from a powerhouse that began in a Silicon Valley garage in 1998. Despite the adversity, Google is still delivering robust financial growth to its corporate parent Alphabet Inc., which is currently valued at US$2 trillion. Alphabet's share dipped by less than 1% on Tuesday to close at US$163.20.
