YSDAF2025_site icons_causes

Causes

YSDAF2025_site icons_music

Music

YSDAF2025_site icons_fest highlight

Festival Highlight

Spice, Magic and Mystique

11.00 am - 12.00 pm

Main Stage (G1)

#Festival Highlight. Fresh from winning the coveted Best Of, BOH Cameronian Arts Awards 2025, Young KL Singers’ Spice, Magic and Mystique is set to be a highlight of the YSDAF 2025 Urban Tour at all three locations.

From Northern Sumatra to the Cordillera Mountain Range, the Eastern coast of Peninsular Malaysia to hilly Chiang Mai, The Young KL Singers invites you on a mysterious journey with a selection of choral songs on folklore and folktale from South East Asia under the direction of Mak Chi Hoe and Ian Chow with choreography by Zhafir Muzani.

The performers will form a circle around audiences who will bear witness to this unique performance and also to be part of the magic. As they sing songs that have been passed down from one generation to another like Chua-ay and Cikala Le Pong Pong, get a glimpse of the Igorot tribe from the Philippines pounding rice and working the fields and the Pakpak people of Northern Sumatra. Sample a slice of their culture as some songs are accompanied by dance and movement such as Janger from Bali, Tarian Saman from Aceh and Ulek Mayang from Terengganu. The production’s 2023 premiere which sold out was co-presented by klpac & The Actors Studio Seni Teater Rakyat with the support of Yayasan Sime Darby.

About the Artiste / Group

Founded in 2002, the award-winning Young KL Singers (YKLS) is one of Malaysia’s most active community chamber choirs with over 30 concert productions to date and numerous sold-out shows. They perform and explore a myriad of musical genres from Malaysian music, Period & Early Music to Rock, Jazz and unique artists like Bjork.

The choir has competed in and won Gold in several international choral competitions such as the World Choir Games 2010 and the Malaysian Choral Eisteddfod International Choral Festival 2018. Praised for their imaginative and innovative programming, each YKLS production is a unique and beautiful concert experience. The choir has worked and collaborated on numerous occasions with acclaimed Malaysian ensembles such as WVC Jazz Ensemble and Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO) to name but a few.

YKLS members come from all walks of life and share a common passion and love for music, singing and performing on stage. The choir is also committed to helping the underprivileged whenever possible by performing at charity events and dedicating one show of their annual productions to charity. Organizations which they have been privileged to host at their charity matinees are Rumah Hope, Rumah Impian, the National Autistic Society of Malaysia, the Malaysian Parkinson’s Disease Association, The Malaysian Association of the Blind, and the Dignity for Children Foundation.

Achievements

BOH Cameronian Arts Awards :
2019: Best Group Performance – Vocal, The Young KL Singers for Jóga (Homogenic, 1997) in YKLS’ Aurora : A Tribute To Björk presented by Young Choral Academy & The Actors Studio Seni Teater Rakyat
2013: Best Group Performance – Vocal, The Young KL Singers for “Sinaran” in Popzzical, musical direction by Susanna Saw & Tracy Wong, presented by The Young KL Singers
2009: Best Group Performance – Voice, The Young KL Singers for “Sin Sin Si Batu Manikam” in Rhythmic Roots; musical direction by Susanna Saw San San, presented by The Young KL Singers

Language

English, Bahasa Malaysia, South East Asian languages

Team

Director: Ian Chow
Music Director, Co-Director: Mak Chi Hoe
Choreographer: Zhafir Muzani
Dancers: Zhafir Muzani & Farisha Aqilahuda
Featuring: Young KL Singers