Aubrey Suwito steps into the spotlight after 30 years behind the music

For over three decades, Aubrey Suwito has been the driving force behind some of Malaysia's most beloved music. From writing, arranging, and producing hits that have become part of the Malaysian pop culture landscape, the 60-year-old composer has now earned a well-deserved spotlight. On October 2nd and 3rd, the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) paid tribute to his talent by producing a concert titled "NSO with Aubrey Suwito: Pop Meets Symphony" at Panggung Sari, Istana Budaya.

Sixteen of his compositions, including classics like "Gemilang", "Seribu Impian", "Memori Tercipta", "Gemuruh", and "Lebih Indah", were reimagined with symphonic arrangements, giving these familiar songs a new scale and sweep. Aubrey's pride in this recognition goes beyond personal acclaim; he feels a deep appreciation for the team of composers, arrangers, and producers who often work behind the scenes, but receive little attention.

As a recipient of 26 Anugerah Industri Muzik (AIM) awards, Aubrey's career has been built on both technical mastery and innate instinct, honed through years of disciplined practice. His latest composition, "Jodoh", was performed publicly for the first time at the concert, performed by Shiha Zikir.

The concert provided an opportunity to showcase a different side of Aubrey, as he shared his ideas during rehearsals and discussions with the NSO. Performance director Fairuz Tauhid, referred to as Cikgu Fee, described Aubrey as generous with ideas, despite his decades of experience. The biggest challenge, said Fairuz, was striking the right balance between pop music, which is close to the public taste, and orchestral music, which can often be perceived as exclusive.