KUALA LUMPUR, June 10 — The soothing sound of Keroncong music has always been part of Malaysian culture.
However, it seems to have lost its way in the passage of time as Keroncong hasn't been getting as much exposure as it should have.
In an effort to bring the genre back to its former glory, local traditional music studio and organiser, Irama Studios is putting forth the Konsert Apresiasi Irama Keroncong Malaysia. It is taking place at the prestigious Istana Budaya on August 5 and 6.
The concert will see performances by local Keroncong songstress Datuk Yusni Hamid and evergreen singer Datuk Khadijah Ibrahim. They will be joined by well-known rocker Datuk Awie and 2019 Big Stage winner, Han Byul from South Korea.
The unusual lineup is part of Irama Studios’ effort to bring exposure towards Keroncong music, especially to the younger generation of music lovers.
According to Irama Studios’ founder, Mahzan Manan, he’s confident that the mixture in the lineup can attract new listeners to the genre and he believes that each one of the artistes can further popularise Keroncong.
"Like Awie, although he’s known as a rock singer, he’s also a versatile singer.
"As for why we chose Han Byul, I believe that this is the time for us to show that Keroncong music is not just made to be heard locally but we can also bring it to international audiences,” he said.
Although taking on Keroncong music will not be an easy feat for Awie, he’s excited to hear himself performing in Keroncong melody.
"As an artist who appreciates Keroncong music and having grown up with it, I hope I can give a new variation by presenting Keroncong music Awie-style,” he said via a press release.
A fan of local traditional music, Han said that he’s honoured and thankful to be part of the lineup and he’s both nervous and excited to be performing alongside prominent local musicians.
Meanwhile, Yusni is proud to be given the opportunity to once again bring Keroncong music to mass audiences.
She shared that there have been very few big concerts on Keroncong and she hopes that the upcoming concert will be able to turn it around.
Other artistes performing at Konsert Apresiasi Irama Keroncong Malaysia include Datin Alyah, Rizal Ahmad, Jamilah Abu Bakar and Rasyidah Abdul Rahim.
The one-hour and 30 minutes concert will see these artists performing a total of 16 songs including Keroncong versions of well-known pop and rock songs.
The concert, which is supported by Mycreative Ventures will be accompanied by a 40-member team from the Orkestra Keroncong Irama Perindu.
Tickets will go on sale starting from June 12 at http:// ilassotickets.com, with ticket prices from RM88 to RM588.
