The Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra closes its historic 2021 comeback season with a symphonic tribute to Malaysia's legendary composer S. Atan — and the spirit of Hari Raya Aidilfitri at Dewan Filharmonik Petronas.
There is something fitting about the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra closing the first chapter of its 2021 live return with a Hari Raya concert. The MPO had been dark for over a year when conductor Naohisa Furusawa stepped onto the DFP stage in April to the sound of the first live applause in 13 months. A month later, the orchestra closes May with something altogether more celebratory: a symphonic tribute to S. Atan, one of Malaysia's most beloved composers, with three of the country's most treasured vocal artists filling the hall with the music of the season.
Senandung Lebaran is precisely the kind of concert that reflects the MPO's broader mission — not merely to present the great works of the Western canon, but to be a cultural institution rooted in Malaysian life. S. Atan's festive compositions are part of the national musical vocabulary: songs that generations of Malaysians associate with balik kampung, the smell of ketupat, and the particular joy of Syawal. Heard with the full weight of the MPO behind them, they become something larger.
S. Atan's festive compositions are part of the national musical vocabulary — heard with the full weight of the MPO behind them, they become something larger.
— Pass the PopcornConductor Ahmad Muriz Che Rose — a familiar and warmly received presence on the DFP podium — leads the orchestra through a selection of S. Atan's most beloved works. The concert features a repertoire of iconic festive songs, among them the eternally nostalgic Balik Kampung, the uplifting Cahaya Aidilfitri, and the anthemic Indahnya Beraya Di Desa. These are songs that need no introduction to any Malaysian audience; they are the sonic markers of a celebration the whole country shares.
Dato' Jamal Abdillah is one of Malaysia's most decorated pop and Hari Raya vocalists — a voice synonymous with the season and instantly recognisable across generations of listeners. Jay Jay and Azlina Aziz complete a lineup that speaks directly to a broad Malaysian audience: artists whose voices carry the warmth and familiarity that makes a Raya concert feel like a homecoming.
For an orchestra that had spent over a year finding new ways to connect with audiences through digital performances and social media — including a Tanah Pusaka tribute video that garnered more than 620,000 Facebook views during the 2020 MCO period — the return to live performance with an Aidilfitri celebration represents something full-circle. The MPO, at heart, is an orchestra that belongs to Malaysians. This concert is a reminder of why.
For tickets and the full Season 2021 concert schedule, visit mpo.com.my. Health and safety protocols including socially distanced seating will be in place for all live concerts.