Philharmonic Society of Selangor
- Not to be mistaken for the Selangor Philharmonic Orchestra
| The Philharmonic Society of Selangor | |
|---|---|
| Choir | |
| Founded | 15 January 1958 |
| Location | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
| Music director | Koh Tian Yi |
| Website | www.thephil.org.my |
The Philharmonic Society of Selangor, also known as the Selangor Philharmonic Society or, colloquially, the Phil,[1] is an amateur choral and instrumental group[2] based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and is one of Malaysia's oldest musical societies.[3]
History[edit]
The society was launched on 15 January 1958 by a group of eleven British expatriates[1] amateur musicians in the card room of the Selangor club with the aim of staging performances and encouraging the arts.[3] Its first conductor was Major Leonard Sharp,[4] and its first performance was The Mikado, in July 1958. It takes its name from the state that Kuala Lumpur was located in before the Capital Territory was created.[5]
Originally it was an auditioned choir but in 2009 it began to accept members without audition.[1][3] In the 1980s it began to practise all year long rather than only in preparation for performances.[1] For the first 35 years of its existence, it performed only foreign works, but in 1993 it performed its first Asian-origin performance.[6] By 2005 it was regularly performing Malaysian works as well as Western ones.[7] As of 2015[update] the choir had up to 300 members[1] and had already staged more than 50 performances. Proceeds from its performances are donated to charity.[8] The choir has toured outside Malaysia, including in Australia and India.[9][1]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f Kurian, Shiba (27 August 2015). "Notes from the East". The Hindu. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
- ^ Witham, Lynn (1988). Malaysia: A Foreigners' Guide (illustrated ed.). Hornbill Books. p. 336. ISBN 0945908008. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
- ^ a b c Lin, Rouwen (22 January 2018). "Philharmonic Society Of Selangor hits 60 with big plans for the year". Star2. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
- ^ Moss, Peter (2004). Distant Archipelagos: Memories of Malaya. iUniverse. pp. 60, 159. ISBN 0595325564. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
- ^ Nightingale, Bruce (1996). Seven Rivers To Cross: A Mostly British Council Life. The Radcliffe Press. p. 139. ISBN 1860641318. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
- ^ "Unknown". Asiaweek (27–51): 43. 1993. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
- ^ Brisbane, Katherine; Chaturved, Ravi; Majumdar, Ramendu; Chua, Soo Pong; Tanokura, Minoru (16 Aug 2005). The World Encyclopedia of Contemporary Theatre: Volume 5: Asia/Pacific. Routledge. ISBN 1134929773. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
- ^ Rouwen, Lin (22 July 2015). "Philharmonic Society of Selangor sings crowd favourites at benefit concert". The Star. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
- ^ Len, Evelyn (30 Dec 2011). "Charity concert featuring The Phil an event to remember". The Star. Retrieved 15 October 2019.