You can find daytime workshops and evening concerts plus an array of activities at the Rainforest World Music Festival from June 17-19.
KUCHING: For music and culture enthusiasts, the most awaited music festival in Malaysia – the Rainforest World Music Festival – is back once again, celebrating its 25th anniversary as a hybrid event for the first time since its inception in 1998.
This year, the music festival themed 25th Legendary Rainforest Celebration is being held from June 17-19 and takes on a hybrid format, with the physical concert taking place at Sarawak Cultural Village while viewers can also purchase tickets for the livestream concert to watch from their homes via an online platform.
RWMF will feature a host of performers from Canada, India, the US, Finland, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore, Japan, Australia, Madagascar, Ukraine, China, Bhutan and South Korea, among others while showcasing a string of Malaysia’s own talents such as Alena Murang, At Adau from Sarawak, Bamboo Woods from Sabah and many more, with Majlis Seni Sarawak mixing traditional Sarawakian music with international flavours opening the three-day show in a first-time musical collaboration with the Sarawak Tourism Board.
From around 300 spectators for its first-ever concert back in 1998 to becoming the first hybrid festival of its kind in Malaysia, the festival – a homegrown product of Sarawak Tourism Board – has indeed a come a long way.
Concertgoers who miss the feel of the physical concert can come together in mutual appreciation of world music, while those around the world can enjoy world music live from the comfort of their own homes.
The festival is back with its familiar format of daytime workshops and evening concerts with an array of activities planned throughout.
Festival-goers can enjoy craft fairs featuring the best of Bornean handicraft or savour a diverse choice of traditional delicacies from the food bazaars.
The musical workshops bring together diverse musicians from many disciplines, drawing together these talents under unifying themes to showcase, jam and create unique music in the setting of the Sarawak Cultural Village.
Among the activities to look out for are a sapé gathering that brings together anyone who can play a sapé in Sarawak and a children’s workshop to unite the next generation in a place where they can play with instruments, create art and enjoy the festival grounds to their hearts’ contents.
The public can choose from the different ticket categories at pre-sale prices at www.rwmf.net:
> Adult one-day pass (RM165)
> Adult three-day pass (RM405)
> Child one-day pass (RM85)
> Child three-day pass (RM195)
> One-day family package pass for two adults and two children (RM440)
> Virtual tickets (RM25 per one-hour block).
Jazz in the jungle
Adding on to the festival, one of South-East Asia’s longest running international jazz festivals – the Borneo Jazz Festival – is back once again in Coco Cabana, Miri.
It brings together musicians of diverse cultural backgrounds to celebrate jazz music and empower the local community.
Borneo Jazz festival brings together musicians of diverse cultural backgrounds. – Pic courtesy of Steve Thornton
Themed Jazz in the Jungle, the 17th edition is also held in a hybrid format for the first time to reach out to the greater jazz-loving community worldwide and will be joined by performers from Singapore, Japan, France, Switzerland, the US, Hungary, India and more.
Jazz music enthusiasts can look forward to performances by Afro Asia featuring Steve Thornton, Asiabeat (Malaysia/Hungary), Gecko and Tokage Parade (Japan), Alemay Fernandez and Richard Jackson (Singapore/USA), Masia One (Singapore), QSound, DJ Estephe featuring Chris Stalk and Jules Vulzor with more to be announced in the run-up to the festival.
The one-day pass is priced at RM128 per ticket, two-day pass at RM228 per ticket and three-day pass at RM338 per ticket.
For students and senior citizens, the one-day pass is priced at RM88 per ticket, two-day pass at RM128 per ticket and three-day pass at RM188 per ticket.
For those who want to enjoy the Borneo Jazz Festival virtually, tickets are priced at RM25 per one-hour block.
Jazz music lovers can purchase tickets for the Borneo Jazz Festical from the official website (www.jazzborneo.com).
