First of all, NTGravity Zone would love to extend my gratitude to Sarawak Tourism Board for inviting us [ Sarawak Bloggers members] to have our hands-on experience for the 17th edition of the Rainforest World Music Festival [ a.k.a. RWMF or RainFest]. This festival is one of the 25 best international music festivals based in music magazine, Songlines.

I was at Borneo World Music Expo [ a.k.a. BWME ] few days earlier. This expo featured conferences, workshops, meetings, a trade fair and music showcases. The Expo is open to all delegates who have registered whilst the public is welcome at the evening showcases. If you want to read about it, click the [HERE] link below..

(^-^*)/ｺﾝﾁｬ! Borneo World Music Expo 2014 | An Ideal Platform For Budding Musicians [HERE]

(^-^*)/ｺﾝﾁｬ! Borneo World Music Expo 2014 : Its Started Today [HERE]

(^-^*)/ｺﾝﾁｬ! Borneo World Music Expo 2014 | Be Professionalize [HERE]

(^-^*)/ｺﾝﾁｬ! Borneo World Music Expo 2014 | Speed Dating [HERE]

What do you think of it? Call Aisyah at +60138286137 or visit inaiaisyah.blogspot.com

Once everything is done, it’s time to go to Damai Beach hotel where the Media Centre for this festival is located. After done with registration, collect my media pass and goodies! 

Hello!! こんにちは〜v(￣∇￣)v

Since June 16 until 18, 2014 - NTGravity Zone was at the Hilton Hotel in Kuching, Sarawak to attend a 2nd edition of Borneo World Music Expo. NTGravity Zone would like to acknowledged +Sarawak Tourism Board and +Sarawak Bloggers for this opportunity.

This expo will feature conferences, workshops, meetings, a trade fair and music showcases. The Expo is open to all delegates who have registered whilst the public is welcome at the evening showcases. Artists scheduled this year come from Sarawak, West Malaysia, Kalimantan, India, Java, Myanmar, and Thailand.

The event is open for all professionals within the music field who want to increase their contacts, pick up new skills and exchange ideas in dynamic conference sessions. The expo also welcomes those who would like to present their wares, product or music.


My Past Entries :

(*´ ˘ `*).｡oO Borneo World Music Expo 2014 | An Ideal Platform For Budding Musicians
[Read]

(*´ ˘ `*).｡oO Borneo World Music Expo 2014 | Its Started Today
[Read]

(*´ ˘ `*).｡oO Borneo World Music Expo 2014 | Be Professionalize
[Read]

My Past (Year) Entries :

( ´・ω・)つ Opening Night for Borneo World Music Expo 2013
[Read]

( ´・ω・)つ Borneo World Music Expo 2013 : Conference and Showcase
[Read]

( ´・ω・)つ Borneo World Music Expo 2013 : Great Finale
[Read]

It's the final day of the Borneo World Music Expo for this year...

The session starts with the title...

How It All Works: International Touring.

This session will share some information on procedures, contacts, how to apply, what to expect and developing realistic expectations about earning.

Some tips on how to prepare for an international tour...

Touring
Learn what you can about the country you are going to and the conditions they present for performing. If you can, talk to people who may have toured there.

Seek to discover what you can about travel within the country, what it will be like with the instrument and what you may need to bring along that your destination might not have or provide.

Venue
Know before you go... Is it a festival? Club? Concert hall? Indoor? Outdoor? Rock venue? a nightclub?

If its a festival - what music does it specialize in? Will there be any conference and expo too?

How big an audience is expected?

Payment

Negotiate the payment in currencies you are allowed to bring home or exchange at home country. Be aware that many countries are obliged to deduct taxes from your fees. Avoid unpleasant surprises by knowing before you go if the money you will receive is inclusive or not inclusive of these taxes from the negotiated fee.

Repertoire or Song list

Prepare your song list with the correct spelling of all song titles.

Include the name[s] of the composer[s], lyricist, arranger and publisher.

Do state if the music is traditional or if the arrangement is yours as many countries that will give you rights.

Promo Material

Bring CDs, DVDs [if the performance is well filmed, okay! Not from hand-held smartphone video], a professional-looking press kit and please don't ask promoters to pay for CDs...

Tell the organizer if you are available for press interviews. Be sure to have a translator if you need one.

and many more!

Before we take a break for lunch.. the second session title World Music as an Upcoming and Integral Segment for Malaysia's Home Grown Events.

This session will discuss how music, culture and events are used to attract leisure, ecological and business tourists to Malaysia.  This session also will discuss how the support of these sectors will help local artists, businesses and entrepreneurs. The overall Malaysian strategy will be presented along with a discussion on how that strategy is applied in Sarawak.

Like last year, the Speed Dating session is back! This 15 minutes session is open to all delegates for a one-on-one meet with as many guests as the time can fit in. You ask for advice, hand over materials, chat or just up close with the programmers and concert bookers.

Imagine in the real world, you have to make an appointment to meet them personally that only might happen in what? three months? 

Only at Borneo World Music Expo, this can be your 'shortcut'.


Please be informed that we [Sarawak Bloggers' members] very rarely meet face to face, but we quite a chatterbox in the chatroom on social media so it's not so surprising if we didn't realise how fast the time has passed...

...because we missed the first showcase from Geng Wak Long! *bummer*

I personally looking forward to watching their performance... Luckily Geng Wak Long will also be performing during Rainforest World Music Festival few days from today.

When we arrived, Din Yi Music Company from Singapore just about to begin...

Previously known as Arts Sphere Chamber Ensemble has been recognised as one of Singapore’s most prodigious Chinese chamber music ensembles. 

Captivating audiences with its distinctive approach to music-making and its dedication to showcasing a vast repertoire that ranges from traditional Chinese music to contemporary avant-garde interpretations and cross-genre works, the ensemble has also premiered many compositions by award-winning composers. It has also collaborated with prominent musicians such as Min Huifen and Lu Chun Ning in many well-received concerts and received accolades from critics and audiences alike.


The final showcase came from Java, Indonesia.... they are called Manjalin Raso.


Manjalin Raso is an artistic community dedicated to conserving local culture and its traditional music by harnessing the inherent strength within history, community and continuity. They do this, in part, by promoting the playing of the Saluang (a large flute) as the main element in an assortment of musical crafts. The flute is an important instrument within the culture, binding together various artistic disciplines by way of the senses.





The community views culture and tradition as fluid, ever-changing but rooted. Given this, they approach their music openly, free to experiment, innovate and integrate various other modes of playing, even non-traditional instruments. Given this, the Manjalin Raso Community can perform traditionally as well as in a highly contemporary manner. In every show, an element of innovation is always displayed in two forms, in an exhibition of instruments (traditional Minangkabau) and in more modern, even experimental ways created by the Manjalin Raso Community themselves. As such, they group performs with the saluang flute, ‘digeridu’, varied forms of percussion like the rebana, gape and drums, along with violins and cello. With this, the Manjalin Raso community bequeaths their culture and performing arts to the future.



Wow... how time flies ... but I can not wait for the arrival of Friday...

RAINFOREST WORLD MUSIC FESTIVAL is coming to town!!

NTGravity: I hope to be invited again to attend this expo...
Haiitt~!!

1. Musicians
2. Managers
3. Labels
4. Music Venues
5. Music Professionals
6. Cultural Ministries
7. Entrepreneurs
8. Technology Companies
9. Artists - who want to professionalize and reach ever-wider audiences - domestically, regionally and internationally.
10. All Professionals within the music industry - who want to increase their contacts, pick up new skills and exchange ideas in the ASEAN region.
11. Who want to present their wares, products and music to their colleagues.

We're actually a bit late for the first session which the title is...

New Asian Networks and Local Markets: Who They Are, How They Work and How to Approach Them.

Programmers from festivals throughout Asia will talk about what they look for and how best to approach them. New networks are being created – learned about what they are accomplishing.



Soon after their done answering Ana's questions - the first session is done and we are all taking short breaks before the second session commenced in the same room but with different moderator and panellists.

Second session -

Professionalize - How artists should present themselves to labels, Journalists, Venues, Festivals.

Mostly they give their tips and advice on how to create demos and recordings, how to write captivating press kits and bios to how to prepare for photoshoots and how to work with management, get bookings and many more...

Please... please join Borneo World Music Expo next year! It usually happens a few days before Rainforest World Music Festival... 


Night Showcases....

Korphai, Thailand - Korphai means "a bunch of bamboos" and was established by Anant Narkkong in 1980. At this expo, Korphai will be performing a selection of Thailand folksongs from 4 major regions - North, South, Northeast and Central. Musical content will range from lullabies, love songs, storytelling and theatrical songs.


Aye Su Kyaw, Myanmar.

Aye Su Kyaw is one of the most brilliant female singers and harpists in Myanmar. The harp is almost mythical in the country. Legend has it that is an instrument “cuddled against the chest, but is not a child; has a crooked tail but is not a monkey; has a beard but is not a man; is able to produce sweet sounds, but is not a maiden…”

Burmese music is divided into 2 major types: outdoor music played with instruments that have the volume to carry (percussion, oboe) and then mostly classical repertoire with its performances of Thai Yok Tabin (puppets), music for Royal processions and for religious festivals. Meanwhile, in a complementary manner, chamber music provides a counterpoint and highlights the remarkable instruments of Myanmar, ones include an indigenous oboe and flute and all manner of percussion.


Finally, the Ensemble includes traditional dance, which are supple, graceful, elaborate and well-refined. Every dance movement resembles an exquisite floral design. A flower is like a dancer. The bloom is the dancer’s head. The leaves are the hands and the stem is the body. When the breeze comes, the flower becomes alive and starts to dance to the accompaniment of music, the gentle breeze.



The last performers for the second night are.. Tuku’ Kame’

Sarawak Contemporary Music Band. Founded in 1998 at the Sarawak Cultural Village, the group is led by Rashidi Narawi, SCV Music Arranger and Composer. It features renowned Sape player Jerry Kamit. They combine traditional music from various ethnic groups of Sarawak as a platform to produce new and contemporary music.

Tuku’ Kame’ has travelled the world extensively with the mission to introduce the art and culture of Sarawak to the international scene. They have performed in Canada, the USA, Australia, various Middle Eastern countries, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Brunei, Japan, Germany, Korea, Monaco and others.

They have released two albums, Rhythm of the Rainforest, in 1998, and Gadong in 2001.