CLASSICAL MUSIC CONCERT FOR MUSIC LOVERS IN KOTA KINABALU

KOTA KINABALU, 19 October 2007: For the 1^st time ever, Jesselton Philharmonic Orchestra (JPO) will present its “Debut Concert” at Tun Raffae Auditorium, Tun Haji Mustapha Building on 21 October 2007 (Sunday) at 7.30pm.

Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment, Y.B. Datuk Masidi Manjun will be present as the Honourable Guest and to inaugurate the Debut Concert besides enjoying the wonderful tune of classical music which is Y.B. Datuk’s most beloved genre of music.

JPO will be performing, under its Concert Band, symphonic works like Autumn Ridge, Cannon in D, Tao Hua Guo Du, Tico Tico, whereas under its String Orchestra are pieces such as Raiders March, Lullaby or Birdland, Suite from ‘Oklahoma!’ & The Sound of Music’.

For the last part of the concert, which will be performed by the Full Orchestra featuring music pieces like Coriolan Overture, My Neighbour Totoro, ‘Theme from The Butterfly Lovers Concerto’, Gunung Kinabalu, Jasmine Flower and last but not least the famous symphonic work by Beethoven - ‘Ode To Joy’ from Sympony No.9. The JPO will also collaborate with remarkable vocalists from various renowned choirs in Kota Kinabalu bringing the songs - Gunung Kinabalu, Jasmine Flower dan ‘Ode To Joy.

The mission of this orchestra is to create a significant musical contribution to the cultural life of the community, providing its members and audience with opportunities for musical growth through creative direction, excellence in performance and educational outreach. The driving force of forming this orchestra is to provide a conducive environment of ensemble playing for instrumentalists. The formation of this orchestra also gives a chance for both teachers and students to interact and play together in unity through music. It also provides trainings and practices for members, enabling them to possess a sense of pride, trust, harmony, understanding and cooperation through a series of constructive, creative and healthy orchestral activities. Thus, promote and enrich the musical education of people in this region and raise the standard of music in this part of the world.

Principal Conductor


Yap Ling is a versatile musician who performs, teaches, conducts and arranges music. After obtaining his LRSM in 1986, he secured a Yayasan Sarawak Student’s loan, which enabled him to enter the Royal Academy of Music, London (RAM). He was later awarded the Sarawak Foundation Scholarship and the RAM’s Alec Templeton Scholarship. At the RAM, Yap Ling studied under Clarence Myerscough (violin), Adrain Leaper & Denise Ham (Conducting) and Roger Steptoe (Orchestration/ composition).While in London he was the Concertmaster for the Chelsea Symphony Orchestra, the Chelsea String Quartet, The London Chinese Ensemble and the Piano Trio under the Amadeus Quartet’s tutelage. Upgrading and performances has taken him to Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei, Thailand, Hong Kong, Germany, Italy, France, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Moscow (Russia), China and USA.

In 1990, he has participated in the 1^st World Youth Music Camp in KL & the 1^st Pacific Music Festival in Japan (under the baton of Maestro Leonard Bernstein). He represented Malaysia as a violin tutor in the 1991 ASEAN Youth Music Workshop in Jakarta, Indonesia. He was a string tutor at UNIMAS & conducted their orchestra. He was the Artistic Director and Principal Conductor for the 1^st and the 2^nd Sarawak Music Camp in Kuching and Sibu respectively for 1999 and 2001. In 1997 he was conferred the Associate of the Royal Academy of Music (ARAM) in recognition for his contribution towards developing the music standard and promoting music in this part of the world.

He has also appeared as soloist with the Monash Simfonia in Monash University, Melbourne, Australia, the Penang Symphony Orchestra and the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) from KL playing the Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto. He also conducted the Violin Masterclasses for ABRSM in Malaysia and regularly giving violin masterclasses and orchestra workshops in Sarawak and West Malaysia.

Presently he is the conductor of Jesselton Philharmonic Orchestra (JPO), Kian Kok Youth Orchestra (KKYO), the Tshung Tsin String Orchestra and the Guest Conductor for the Miri Orchestra and Choir (MOC). As a chamber musician, his Duos partnership with Singaporean violinist Foo Say Ming has him performing on the viola too. Yap Ling is also the violinist for the MP3rio (Piano Trio), the Malaysian Ars Nova Ensemble (String Quintet with Piano) and the L’espressivo Trio (Vocal-Violin-Piano) which have performed regularly in various parts of Malaysia.

Associate Conductor

Chou Yang Ching, a freelance band instructor began her music career as a trumpeter and saxophone player during her school days. She attended many seminars and workshops which organized by Yamaha Music Malaysia and Singapore.

Now she is still taking band music arrangement course with Mr. Mitsuo Nonami from Japan. She is now coaching the concert and marching band of Kian Kok Middle School, Sabah Tshung Tsin Secondary School, SM Shan Tao and SM Lok Yu

Choir Instructor

Phoon Sook Peng was born in Penang, Malaysia. She studied in Trinity College of Music, London in 1982 under Ms. Elizabeth Hawes, and obtained her certificate of teaching and vocal performance. She returned to Malaysia in 1988 and taught for two years in Penang and later at the Malaysian Institute of Art in Kuala Lumpur.

In 1990, Sook Peng studied at the Royal Conservatorium in The Hague with Woul Oosterkamp on Opera then the Hochschule fur Music in Dresden with Prof. Christian Elssner. Later, she was based in the Netherlands as a singer where she also conducted private lessons in voice and piano. She is associated with the Netherlands Opera and has participated in more than twenty projects with the Dutch Radio Choir including the opening of the Amsterdam Arena and the prestigious Prinsengracht concert in 1996. Sook Peng performed in a series of shows with the Dama Orchestra back in Malaysia in 1997 and then a second series of concerts and released a CD called Spring Kisses and Lovers Tears in 1998. She moved back to Malaysia with her family in 2000 and is based in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. She had been a tutor in Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) since 2000 until 2002.

She has been very active performing in concerts with Yap Ling (Violinist/Conductor) and Grace Lee Sui Lin (Pianist) forming L’Espressivo Trio.

In 2006, Sook Peng and a group of friends and students successfully organised workshops, performing the famous “Yellow River Cantata” with 100 singers.


As at todate, there are about 60 multiracial members comprising players for strings, winds, brass, percussion; and sometimes, keyboard in JPO. Some of the JPO members are also members of the Malaysian Philharmonic Youth Orchestra (MPYO) under the supervision of the MPO members and conductors. JPO members also includes students from Institut Perguruan Gaya, Institut Sinaran, SJK Anglo Chinese, SJK Shan Tao, SJK St. James, SK Mutiara, SM All Saint, SM Ken Hwa(Keningau), SM Kian Kok School, SM Kota Kinabalu Tinggi, SM Lok Yuk, SM Maktab Nasional, SM Papar, SM Shan Tao, SM St. Joseph Papar, SM St. Francis, SM Tshung Tsin(Kota Kinabalu), SM Tshung Tsin(Tenom), SRS Datuk Simon Fung, UMS dan UNITAR. Choirs are formed by members and individuals from KK Philharmonic, NJC, STS, Suara Bayu, Sunrise, UMS dan UNITAR.

JPO wishes to be recognized as a premier all-volunteer full orchestra fostering music appreciation and the life-changing value to its members and listening audience.

Tickets at RM20 and RM30 are available from Sri Pelancongan Sabah (088-232121) or call Alice at 016- 833 3034