KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 14 — Non-profit arts organisation Pusaka has announced its inaugural university scholarship to fully support a traditional music student to pursue an undergraduate education at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI).
Irsyad Abdul Rahman is a young musician from Machang, Kelantan and will be pursuing his bachelor’s degree in music at UPSI.
The scholarship will last for four years, after which other candidates will be selected.
Pusaka said in a statement that Irsyad has been immersed in the music of Wayang Kulit since he was four, and started learning the music at the age of eight.
“Now at 21, he has already mastered the various drums of Wayang Kulit tradition, including gendang, geduk and gedombak.”
Besides traditional music, Irsyad also plays drums in an indie-music band called Parkingsong, founded with his elder brother Syafiq, who is the lead vocalist and bassist.
Irsyad began his undergraduate course earlier in October 2022.
UPSI’s music programme encompasses education from the classroom to the concert hall, and from faculty-led groups to those run exclusively by students.
