THE criticisms by Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng (May 15) on the enormous cost of maintaining the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO) are valid.

While music lovers amongst us are clearly fortunate to be able to enjoy world class classical music at subsidised costs, one wonders if this is the most effective way of developing better appreciation for music and better musicians.

The major beneficiaries are of course people living in the Klang Valley, with very little impact on other states. The MPO has performed in Penang on only two occasions and held one musicians workshop in the last 10 years.

Lately, it has set up a junior training programme for talented musicians training in Kuala Lumpur. But what long term effect will all this have when there is so little attention given to nurturing musical talent at the school level and no local conservatory of music for locals to pursue further training?

When the MPO started, 99% of its musicians were foreign. Today, 10 years later, the figure is 95%.

Instead of encouraging state level performances and workshops to develop local talent and interest, it spends enormous sums on international tours in the spirit of “Malaysia Boleh”. I am not sure if this has any impact on the international commu-nity when they see the distinctly non-Malaysian character of the orchestral musicians.

Music is an important component of a nation’s cultural life and I do not deny that these activities need subsidies.

However, we should start thinking of how best to develop our own in the long term instead of spending a fortune merely to “show off” what is essentially a “foreign orchestra on hire” as our own.

I believe in Malaysia Boleh, but not in the way we are fooling ourselves!

Dr Choong Sim Poey,
Past organising chairman
Penang State
Symphony Orchestra and Chorus

Source: The Sun – May 20, 2008