#SHOWBIZ: Alena Murang teams up with MPO to take sape music mainstream
KUALA LUMPUR: Singer and sape player Alena Murang hopes traditional sape music will one day be recognised as a mainstream genre in its own right, rather than being confined largely to cultural and tourism events.
KUALA LUMPUR: Alena Murang, a singer and sape player, aspires to see traditional sape music gain mainstream recognition as a genre in its own right. During a press conference to unveil a concert titled Concerto for Sape and Orchestra, Alena expressed her hope that sape music could one day be appreciated as mainstream music on its own. The Bornean string instrument, which is frequently performed at government functions and cultural events, still occupies a transitional space between various musical genres and settings.
Alena, 37, is currently collaborating with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO) for the upcoming concert, which is set to take place on October 31 at Dewan Filharmonik Petronas. The event will showcase the world premiere of a specially composed 20-minute piece for sape and orchestra. The composition, written by Sabah-born musician Vivian Chua, features Alena performing the solo part alongside the MPO.
While Alena admitted to feeling both excited and nervous about the performance, citing the piece's unique structure and the challenge of memorising it, she remains committed to introducing the sape to wider audiences. She hopes the collaboration with the MPO will help showcase the instrument's potential beyond its traditional cultural settings.
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