Spotlight on partnerships: Rondo Production
Rondo Production in Malaysia focuses on delivering innovative programmes that promote performances, artistic collaboration and access to quality music education. Our partnership focuses on their annual RondoFest Music Festival and Malaysian Wind Music Prize. For the first time this year we’re also piloting a mentoring programme for emerging composers based in Southeast Asia in partnership with RondoFest.
With preparation under way for the RondoFest 2024 and our new composer mentoring scheme we take a quick look back at last year’s activities.
RondoFest 2023 – Connecting the Dots
In June 2023, young musicians gathered in Penang to learn from world-class musicians and teachers from Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands and more. As well as providing students with a chance to develop musically, the festival creates a platform for cultural exchange, music-making and the pursuit of artistic excellence. The unique atmosphere allows professionals and participants to break down barriers, communicate through the universal language of music, and weave traditions and stories together into a “tapestry of global artistic expression”.
The theme for last year’s festival was Connecting the Dots, with workshops, masterclasses and panel discussions providing students with the knowledge they might need to navigate the music industry and become informed, well-rounded and culturally aware musicians.
Celebrating the old and the new
The week-long festival culminated in an orchestral concert featuring music by Grieg and Dvořák, as well as two new works. Simone Candotto’s piece was inspired by Holst’s The Planets and John Williams’ Star Wars, while Dots by Malaysian composer ZhiYong Tan is based on four Malaysian folk songs and was commissioned by ABRSM.
Tan, a participant in Rondo Production’s Young Composers Initiative, explained: “Dots is my first orchestra composition and it meant a lot to me to hear it performed in Malaysia and to debut it at a wonderful educational event like RondoFest … allowing me to feel more confident in my style as a composer.”
Sowing seeds for the future
For Rondo Production founder and Chief Executive Officer Kenny Ooi an important part of the festival is providing opportunities for a wide range of young musicians.
“ABRSM’s support ensured the success of RondoFest 2023 and opened doors for passionate participants across the region. As a result, hidden talents found a stage to showcase their skills and gain invaluable insights into music performance.
“The festival fosters a sense of commitment and community among participants and with ABRSM’s support we are sowing the seeds of a long-lasting musical legacy and nurturing the next generation of musicians in Malaysia and across Southeast Asia.”
What’s happening in 2024?
This year’s RondoFest takes place from 11 to 15 June in Penang with registration open until 24 March.
Find out how to register and audition for RondoFest 2024.
Our pilot composer mentoring programme for Southeast Asia runs from May to October 2024. It includes a two-day workshop series on 13 and 14 June at RondoFest in Penang, with a range of online sessions and one-to-one mentoring from leading educational composers.
Find out about our Southeast Asia composer mentoring programme and apply.
