A filepic of the Blues Gang in 1983 celebrating a music award from its record label WEA. From left: the late Jim Madasamy, Julian Mokhtar, Ito Mohd, Abdul Ghani Datuk Abu Talib and the late Shaik Karim. The remaining band members will be appearing at the Ipoh Music Symposium concert this Saturday. Photo: The Star/Filepic
If you are a Malaysian music historian, a curious pop fan seeking more knowledge or a student of the arts, the fifth edition of the Ipoh Music Symposium (IMS) series, which is set to take place from Oct 6-8, is an event not to be missed.
The upcoming IMS programmes, with the theme Malaysian Pop Music From 1975-1985, are set to take place in various locations in Ipoh. These free admission events (register here) include the main symposium, music workshops, a pop-up exhibition, music book discussions and a main concert evening.
The main venues for this year's IMS include PORT Ipoh, Dewan Kampar, Hotel Travelodge and Ipoh Convention Centre.
IMS is one of the annual arts initiatives by PORT (People Of Remarkable Talents), a cultural agency that is funded by the Perak state government (since 2011).
Exploring a defining decade
One thing that is quite significant with regards to Malaysian popular music throughout the 1970s to 1980s was its rich diversity, not only in terms of the various genres of music (pop, disco, rock), but also the emergence of artists from various ethnic backgrounds.
The development of Malaysian music during this period was also influenced by several major events that occurred before, such as the separation of Singapore from Malaysia in 1965, the racial riots in 1969, the drafting of the Rukun Negara in 1970, and the formulation of the New Economic Policy and the National Cultural Policy in 1971.
Among those involved in the forums and discussions at IMS this weekend are Datuk S. Atan, Datuk Habsah Hassan, Datuk Freddie Fernandez, Associate Prof Dr Muhammad Takiyuddin Ismail, Dr Raja Iskandar Raja Halid, Mohd Azman Anzaruddin, Az Samad, Mustafa Ahmad Hidzir (aka Tapa), Fareeq Alias, Radhi (OAG), Azmyl Yunor, Dr Mohamad Fitri, Afad Raihan, Paul Augustin, Nor Hazlin Nor Salam, and others.
Tomorrow's programme (in Bahasa Malaysia and English) highlights include the forums Malaysian Pop Music From 1975-1985, and Casting A Light On The Lost Trails Of Malaysian Music In The 1970s And 1980s.
On Saturday morning, the keynote speech for this symposium will be delivered by legendary composer Tan Sri Dr Ahmad Khan Nawab Khan, better known as Ahmad Nawab, 91. A veteran in the industry, he has composed over 2,000 songs and produced over 200 albums for popular artists such as Uji Rashid, Hetty Koes Endang, Khatijah Ibrahim and Sudirman.
Symposium topics on Saturday include the pop culture-based Artis Dan Aspek Muzikal and Lirik Dan Filem.
For the IMS Concert happening at Ipoh Convention Centre on Saturday night, the 1970s and 1980s music line-up is spot on with acts such as Francissca Peter, Atai, Blues Gang, Headwind, and Alleycats.
Besides music, the symposium also includes a variety of showcases, documentary screenings, workshops and forums. This is part of the event’s initiative to invite scholars, researchers, musicians, cultural observers, artists and anyone who is interested to write and present their studies, experiences and observations around the theme.
Previous themes for IMS include Muzik Independen, Rock Kapak, Muzik Nusantara and Muzik Pop 1960-an: Emulasi, Revolusi & Legasi.
More info on PORT Ipoh and the schedule for IMS 2023 available here.
