“The ukulele may be a small instrument but it is a magical one. It’s so versatile, you can play any song on it and there’s just so much technique and skills you can showcase using the ukulele.
“It’s truly an underrated instrument and we want to show through this concert how great it is despite its size,” said Gan Zhengxin, 36, the principal and founder of Ferris Music Malaysia.
Gan added that more and more young people are learning the ukulele as their first musical instrument due to its versatility and convenience.
“The ukulele scene in Malaysia has been steadily growing over the years, which is great. We even picked up a world record a few years ago,” he said, referring to the 2019 Guinness World Record holder SJK (C) Kuo Kuang 2 for the largest music lesson with 2,869 participants learning how to play “Baby Shark” on the ukulele.
The Ukulele Song Concert 2023 will feature a stellar line-up of virtuosos, including various groups and the winners of this year’s and last year’s Malaysia Ukulele Song Competition, ages six to 16.
The players will perform classics and pop songs like “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”, Ed Sheeren’s “Shivers”, Billie Eilish’s “Bad Guy”, Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida”, Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep”, and some songs by Jake Shimabukuro, a renowned Hawaiian ukulele player and composer.
Four international ukulele artists will also grace the stage, highlighting the instrument’s global appeal – Indonesian YouTube sensation Chairia Tandias, Filipino fingerstyle star Leomar Requejo, Taiwanese master David Chen, and American veteran David Pray.
“When Gan announced the international line-up, I was thrilled. These are international ukulele stars in their own right. So, for any music enthusiast, whether they sing or play an instrument, or just enjoy live music, it’s going to be quite a show. I’m so excited to be part of it,” California-born Pray, 62, shared.
While the concert is the highlight of the event, with many exciting programmes preceding it that are free to the public.
Among them is a “Strumming to Success” talk by Gan in the afternoon. Discover the intricate world of ukulele orchestration, the inspiration behind organising such an event, and his own journey with the instrument, which he picked up at age 26.
The “Ukulele Xmas Jamming” begins right after the talk. Novice strummers and seasoned players alike are encouraged to bring their ukuleles and join in this musical symphony.
And finally, the “MUSC 2023 Ukulele Showcase” will feature performances by some of this year’s Malaysia Ukulele Song Competition participants.
More than just a musical spectacle, Gan pointed out the Ukulele Song Concert 2023 aims to build connections between different ukulele groups and ukulele enthusiasts from Negeri Sembilan, Johor, Penang and the Klang Valley through the power of music.
“Industry insiders would tell you that ukulele groups are sometimes divided. I just want everyone to be united, make friends and get to know ukulele players from other states,” said Gan, who will be performing “Lagu Ukulele Malaysia”, an original composition, at the concert.
Ultimately, the concert is poised to be a symphony of strings and friendships – an experience that will resonate long after the last chord is struck.
“We just want people to smile, have fun and feel good. The world is very tense now, with two major wars going on. Not to mention all the other problems we face. So, during the concert, you can put aside all your worries and just feel good about life,” Pray concluded.
Mark your calendars, grab your tickets and get ready to strum into a world of ukulele magic!
Malaysia Ukulele Song Concert 2023
Stage 1 Theatre @ PJPAC
1 Utama Shopping Centre
Bandar Utama
Petaling Jaya
Selangor
Date & Time: Dec 17 (Sunday) @ 5pm
Tickets:
RM96 (normal seat)
RM120 (VIP seat)
For bookings, click here.