The following new committee of The Philharmonic Society of Selangor for 2008/09 was elected during the recent AGM of the Society. Congratulations!
Chairperson: Cheryl Teh
Vice Chairpeson: Richard Yeoh
Secretary: Erin Lee
Treasurer: Alain Boey
Committee Members: Wong Wing Thim, Pan Swee Chin, Joanne Mah, Elaine Lee, Nichole Lam
The choir of The Philharmonic Society of Selangor sang for the sisters at the Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, on December 21st, under the baton of Cheryl Teh. The performance was followed by tea, catered by choir members (and with the delicious contribution of specialty teh tarik by one of the sisters!)
Some photos from the event are posted below. Here's wishing all a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year!
(1) The choir... 
(2) An appreciative audience..
(3) The small group on Still a Bach Christmas
....
(4) Wishing all a Merry Christmas... 
(5) Sister Anne addresses the choir
The 51st Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Society will be held as follows:
Date: 20 December 2008
Venue: 19, Persiaran Basong, Damansara Heights, 50490 Kuala Lumpur.
Time: 7.00 pm
A complimentary dinner for all fully paid up members shall follow the AGM. Guests are welcome at RM30.00 per person.
Kindly RSVP by 15 December 2008 to selangor.phil@gmail.com / SMS 012.383.1654 (Cris) or 012.260.3802 (Wai Leng)
Please note that the 50th Anniversary Dinner earlier scheduled for December 14th, 2008 has been postponed to a date in early 2009. Further information will be provided on this blog in due course.
At the Preview of Hey Mr Phil! @Metrojaya Mid Valley, Saturday 28th June 2008 (photos taken by Kelly Teh)
Get your tickets to Hey Mr Phil! now!
(Fri July 4th 8.30pm / Sat July 5th 8.30pm / Sun July 6th 3pm)
Call/SMS (017) 659 4583 or email tickets@thephil.org.my
From http://www.star-ecentral.com/news/story.asp?file=/2008/6/26/soundnstage/21632100&sec=soundnstage
Thursday June 26, 2008
Get your phil
By N. RAMA LOHAN
The Philharmonic Society of Selangor celebrates its 50th anniversary with ... what else but a whole lot of great music.
THE uninitiated may think that the nation’s classical music pursuits began with the formation of the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra in 1998. On the contrary, half a century ago, the Philharmonic Society of Selangor (The Phil) had already begun its sojourn of bringing enthusiasts of classical music and performing arts together, an initiative instigated by expatriates living in the country then.
The Phil is one of the oldest and most established performing arts societies in Malaysia. From its humble beginnings in 1958 as a group of music lovers who got together to put up shows, it now counts among its successes productions like The Sound of Music, The King and I and Guys and Dolls. Classical offerings from the organisation include Rutter’s Requiem, Haydn’s Creation and Orff’s Carmina Burana and contemporary treats such as Music from Movies and Musicals and In The Mood. Imagine this, it all began with eight men and three women, a dream and the then sum of RM179.44 in a bank account.
Conductor for the night, John March, leading the troupe through rehearsals (pic).
It’s not all about history lessons though as The Phil looks to celebrate its golden anniversary in style, according to Alain Boey, chairman of the movement. Hey, Mr Phil!, the first of The Phil’s upcoming productions in conjunction with its anniversary, kicks off the festivities from July 4 to 6.
“The songs are a collage of the productions over the last 50 years. It’s basically all the songs from the musicals. There’ll be some opera, excerpts from classical compositions and some modern music as well, all done in a medley sort of fashion,” Boey revealed.
“In August, we’ll have Phil It Up! – A Three Course Recital, which is basically a collage of a few genres ... classical, jazz and contemporary. This will be performed by the past members of The Phil, some of whom are very senior and returning just for the show. Over the past 50 years, the Phil has developed many talents ... like Maya Karin, Peter Williams, Adibah Noor, Doreen Tang and many more,” he continued.
Alain Boey (pic): ‘The songs are a collage of the productions over the last 50 years.’
This year looks to be a busy one for the Phil and it culminates in the staging of The Boy Friend (staged across the months of November and December and directed by Philip Chai), a particular favourite of Tan Sri Khoo Kay Peng, Group Chief Executive of the MUI Group, the main sponsor for the arts society. “For Boyfriend, which is set in the French Riviera, we’re bringing in new talents.”
While the settings for most of the productions have a more global touch to it, the Phil will be looking to giving it a feel that’s closer to home. “We’re trying to adapt some of the music into more local settings, for example, some of the medleys will be from Sound of Music, Guys and Dolls, Les Miserable and so on, but there’ll still be a local sense about it,” Boey explained.
While the Phil’s endeavours over the years have not gone unnoticed, retaining recognition hasn’t been all that simple. “In the earlier days, The Phil was the only society catering to performing arts but as the industry developed over the years, there have been many more foreign productions coming in and a lot of our talents have made it into various other productions as well. So in terms of awareness to our work, I would say it was stronger during the early years but in the 1990s, as Malaysia began bringing in more foreign productions, things have picked up.”
Naturally, this has affected the level of interest among potential members as well. “In terms of recruitment, all members have to go through a series of auditions. In terms of spectators, it’s hard to garner interest, but where singers are concerned, it is slightly challenging because there are a lot more productions these days, and too few singers to go around, especially with conflicting schedules.”
Hey Mr Phil! will be staged at Panggung Bandaraya, Kuala Lumpur, from July 4 to 6. For ticketing details, e-mail tickets@thephil.org.my or call 017-659 4583. For more information, visit www.thephil.org.my.
Book your tickets now for the following three shows in celebration of The Phil's 50th Anniversary!
@ Corus hotel KL on December 14, 2008
Proudly supported by 
The Phil’s programme for 2008 kicks off with “Hey Mr. Phil!” from 4 – 6 July at the Panggung Bandaraya under the baton of John March. Essentially a musical trip down memory lane, “Hey Mr. Phil!” will showcase excerpts from the musicals that have been produced by the society in the 50 years since its inception. This will be followed in August by “Phil It Up!” on August 16th, a one-night-only concert at the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPAC) showcasing The Phil's talented members past to present - The Penang Trio, Eddy Chin, Timothy Ooi, Zalina Lee, Janet Lee, Cris Yap and the Swinglow Singers. The grand finale performance of the year will be Sandy Wilson’s “The Boy Friend”, produced and directed by Philip Chai to be staged from 10 – 17 November at the Panggung Bandaraya.
Do join us in our 50th annversary celebrations - watch this space for info on ticket sales!
Meanwhile, do sign up for the Pranayama Breathing Technique for Singers & Actors workshop with Dominique Lonchant on June 14 & 21!
About The Phil
The Philharmonic Society of Selangor, or “The Phil” as it is affectionately known, is one of the oldest and most established performing arts societies in Malaysia. From its humble beginnings in 1958 as a group of music lovers who got together to put up shows, The Phil now counts among its successes productions like The Sound of Music, The King and I and Guys and Dolls, as well as classical offerings such as Rutter’s Requiem, Haydn’s Creation and Orff’s Carmina Burana and contemporary treats including Music from Movies and Musicals and In The Mood. The Phil also organises regular workshops to provide education in the performing arts through its Theatre Education Programme. As it celebrates its 50th Anniversary in 2008, The Phil aims to continue to provide accessible opportunities for learning, producing and presenting quality performances in the performing arts through fellowship, activities and education.
The Phil's objectives have always been to share the pleasure of singing and to support organisations in worthwhile community projects. Over the years, proceeds from The Phil’s productions have been donated to various charitable organisations such as the National Stroke Association of Malaysia, the National Cancer Society of Malaysia, the Malaysian Association for the Blind, Bethany Home and Persatuan Kanak-Kanak Istimewa Kajang.
The Philharmonic Society of Selangor's Theatre Education Programme is organising a two-session workshop on the Pranayama breathing technique with 'breathing master' Dominique Lonchant. Those who have attended Dominique's sessions have observed marked improvement in singing and vocal projection and breath control (speak to anyone who was involved in Broken Bridges The Musical, Tunku The Musical... )
Do come explore the art of breathing well with Dominique Lonchant!
The workshop consists of 2 two‐hour sessions:
Session 1: Saturday June 14, 2008, 10.00am – 12.00pm
Session 2: Saturday June 21, 2008, 10.00am – 12.00pm
Venue (both sessions):
Studio 5, Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPAC)
Workshop Fee: RM 180 per participant (for both two‐hour sessions)
Please email selangor.phil@gmail.com to register.
Please see below for information on the workshop facilitator, and the Pranayama technique.
About Dominique Lonchant:
Dominique Lonchant is the man behind the success of many entertainment personalities. Having acquired and mastered the Pranayama Yoga technique (the extension and control of the breath) in Pondicherry, South India almost three decades ago, Dominique has since been travelling around the World and has taught breathing techniques in five continents; India, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, USA, Brazil, Africa, Australia, and Europe.
A French native now based in Kuala Lumpur, Dominique is currently working with artistes in preparation for their plays, shows or musicals. Some of the world‐class celebrities Dominique has taught are Hugh Grant, Elizabeth Hurley, Karen Mulder, John Lone, Leslie Chung, Ursula Andress, Robert Redford and Jim Carrey.
Dominique’s distinctive and efficient style of teaching focuses mainly on the breathing techniques since he feels it is an important aspect that is being overlooked in most Yoga classes. He firmly believes in the immense power and real benefits proper breathing has on any individual of any profession.
“Any form of Yoga begins with the breath. And it is when we understand and master the Art of Breathing that we can achieve whatever we’ve decided to achieve. I have been teaching for more than 28 years and very early on I discovered the benefits of good breathing. Recently I discovered that by mastering these techniques, artistes and athletes (singers, musicians, actors and anyone practicing sport, whether intensively or not) were able to obtain very good results in their own art: tremendous effects on the voice, better practice on wind instruments, and better performance on running, diving, etc,” explains Dominique.
In Malaysia, Dominique has worked in Puteri Gunung Ledang – The Musical. That led him to work on another musical, Broken Bridges, directed by Joe Hasham and produced by Datuk Faridah Merican, in 2006. That resulted in more work with Faridah and the cast of the play Ah Steve, staged in Penang. He has also worked in The Magic Flute, staged at the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre.
More on Dominique Lonchant:
Breathe Again – The Star, April 11, 2007:
http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2007/4/11/lifefocus/20070410171341&sec=lifefocus
In blogosphere ‐ Meeting Dominique Lonchant:
http://sushisalmon.blogspot.com/2006/07/meeting‐dominique‐lonchant.html
Launch of Dominique Lonchant’s Book Pranayama – The Art of Breathing Well:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KwkFi_wlew
Books by Dominique Lonchant:
1999 The Art of Breathing (Published in Thailand)
2001 L'Art de Respirer (Published in France)
2005 L'ABC de la Respiration (Published in France)
2007 The Art of Breathing Well (Published in Malaysia)
Information on Pranayama, the Art & Science of Breathing
Pranayama is a Sanskrit word that means control (yama) of the life force (prana). It is also commonly used to describe various yogic breathing exercises that help give the practitioner control of the life force, or Pranayama. It was originally expounded by Patanjali, an ancient Hindu philosopher and yogi, in his Yoga Sutras, a text on yoga philosophy and practices.
"Prana" is the life‐force that exists in everything around us in the air, in our food, in all creatures and plants, in absolutely everything. Our ancient ancestors knew about Prana, and they knew our bodies depend upon Prana for vitality in life, and that we receive most of our Prana from the air we breathe. They knew how to control intake and use of this life force by means of breathing control (called Pranayama), incorporating it into their daily life. The way we breathe dictates how much "Prana" we receive, and therefore how alive and vital we are.
Unfortunately, over thousands of years, most of humanity has forgotten this knowledge of how to consciously take in "Prana". The result is most people are shallow breathers, causing many of the negative conditions found in the human bodies today. Many of our physical disturbances, such as asthma, nervous disorders and various allergies are actually caused by some form of respiratory deficiency. The result is often the slow degeneration of bodily functions, according to ancient Indian knowledge, which has been scientifically proven.
When we breathe shallowly, the "Prana" doesn't reach special receptors deep within our lungs. Controlled deep breathing stimulates these inpiratory and expiratory receptors, causing feedback from the lungs to the respiratory centre of the brain. This centre governs not only the inhaling and exhaling of the breath, but the ability to hold the breath in and out. To gain control over this centre is a conscious art of "Pranayama Yoga", the art of breathing.
General Yoga ‐ Yoga is an ancient science of self‐knowledge and understanding. Through many different practices one can directly experience their own essence and goodness. The Tantric philosophy regards everything as sacred and all our experience as that of the Divine experiencing itself. In this way we are all Spirit showing itself in endless variation and beauty. The practice of yoga allows us to cultivate our connection to all the life around us and explore our own unique expression of this life. There is an array of different yoga methods out there, with names like Ananda, Jivamukti, and Kundalini ‐ from the sedentary and introspective to the strenuous, there's a style for everybody.
Breathing Control ‐ Breathing Control covers four major areas and each breathing exercise affects different vital functions:
Abdominal Breathing ‐ The Abdominal Breathing, if done incorrectly, can cause problems with the digestive system, kidneys, liver, piles and blood circulation.
Thoracic Breathing ‐ The thoracic breathing has to do with the cardiac system, and strengthening of the heart.
Clavicular Breathing ‐ The clavicular breathing clears the lymphatic channels under the armpits and helps to prevent breast cancer.
General Breathing ‐ The General Breathing coordinates the other three breathing techniques and allows one to achieve the "Yogic Respiration".
Being able to control one's breathing also results in the control of the emotional state, but for each person, the results will be different. Working with breath is very simple; after the workshop only five to ten minutes practise daily is all that is required. After two months completing all the sessions just once a week will be enough to be able to breathe "naturally". Everybody can do it.
AUDITION CALL
Sandy Wilson’s
The Boy Friend
The Philharmonic Society of Selangor will be reviving as part of its celebrations for its 50th Anniversary, the musical “The Boy Friend” first performed in London in 1953 and by the Phil in 1978. In 2006/2007, the musical was revived in an highly acclaimed production at the Open Air Theatre at Regent's Park, London .
Set in the carefree world of the English upper class in the French Riviera “The Boy Friend” is a parody of the personalities, fashion, behaviour, slang and lifestyle of the Roaring 20s. The musical contains some of the most memorable showtunes ever written like “I Could Be Happy With You”, “Room In Bloomsbury”and “Its Never Too Old to Fall in Love” and many dance sequences including the cheerful, rip roaring, “Won’t You Charleston With Me”, “The Riviera” and the title song “The Boy Friend” to the dance styles of the era such as the Charleston, the Shimmy and the Bunny Hug.
“The Boy Friend” to be staged by The Phil in November and December this year will be directed by Philip Chai and choreographed by Farah Sulaiman who was in the Phil’s production in 1978!! Both director and choreographer intend this production to be a showcase of the styles of the 20s and have carried out extensive research to recreate as best as possible the mood, styles and attitude of the flapper generation.
Date : 11th April 2008
Time : 7 pm
Place : 41 Jalan Utara, Petaling Jaya, 46200 Selangor
1. Present one song (to be sung from memory). PLS BRING ACCOMPANYING MINUS ONE TAPE OR SHEET MUSIC. (NO A CAPPELLAS PLS)
2. Perform a short dance routine in the style of the Charleston.
PLS BRING MUSIC IF AUDITION PIECE PREPARED; and
3. Read a role
Registration for auditions required. Please register by sending email to selangor.phil@gmail.com or SMS to 012-383 1654.
AUDITION CATEGORIES
PRINCIPAL (TEENS/YOUNG ADULTS (BELOW 30 YRS)
Polly Browne, Tony
- Romantic lead couple, 4 songs and ensemble
Maisie, Bobby
- Supporting lead couple, strong dance skills required, 7 songs include 3 solos
Dulcie
- Good dance skills; more than 7 songs including 1 solo with Lord Brockhurst
Fay, Nancy, Marcel, Alphonse, Pierre
- Good acting and dance skills; more than 7 songs
PRINCIPAL (ADULTS (30 YRS ON)
Mdm Dubonnet
- possess French flair and ability to speak English with a French accent convincingly, 3 solos
Percival Browne
- Polly’s father/Dubonnet’s ex lover, outwardly stuffy Englishman, 2 solos
Lord Brockhurst
- Aristocratic “dirty old” English man, 1 solo
Lady Brockhurst
- Wife of Lord Brockhurst
Hortense
- French maid, must possess French accent, 1 solo
SPECIALITY DANCERS
Pepe/Lolita
- Star performers of the Carnival Tango
CHORUS/MINOR PARTS
Gendarme
Waiter
4 teen/young adult couples
6 adult couples
Dear Members, Friends and Supporters of the Philharmonic Society of Selangor,
Greetings and Gong Xi Fa Cai!
2008 marks the 50th Anniversary of the Philharmonic Society of Selangor. The committee has lined up an interesting programme to celebrate the Society's 50th Anniversary. The program for 2008 is as follows:
April - May: Recitals @ KL Performing Arts Centre
July: The Selangor Phil's 50th Anniversary Retrospective @ Panggung Bandaraya
Oct: The Boyfriend @ Panggung Bandaraya
Nov: 50th Anniversary Gala Dinner @ Corus Hotel
50 years ago, the Society performed its first musical, The Mikado, at Panggung Bandaraya. This year, we have managed to secure some dates at Panggung Bandaraya where we will bring you down memory lane with the SPhil Retrospective. This will be followed later by a musical, The Boyfriend, which will be conducted by Mr Philip Chai.
We will be sending out more information on the 50th anniversary celebrations soon.
I look forward to all your assistance and support for this year. The Phil is one of the oldest and most established performing arts societies in Malaysia, and would not have gone this far without your support.
We are also seeking volunteers to come forward to assist in the Ticket Office, Gala Dinner, Backstage and General Administration.
May the Year of the Rat bring good health, abundant wealth, great prosperity and happiness to you and your family.
Regards,
Alain Boey
Chairman 2007/08
Our annual chopstick- (and roof-)raising makan fest is back!
The Phil's 2008 Annual Yee Sang Dinner will take place as follows. See you there!
Date:
Saturday 23 February 2008, 7.00pm
Venue:
Sri Melaka Restaurant, Taman Tun Dr Ismail
(No. 24, Jalan Tun Mohd Fuad, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, 60000 Kuala Lumpur)
RM40 per head.
Please RSVP by this Thursday Feb 21st to Alain Boey 012.438.6248
Menu:
1) Norwegian Salmon Yee Sang
2) Three Combo Platter
3) Eight Treasures Sharksfin Soup (Vegetarian Sharksfin)
4) Salted Egg Prawns
5) Assorted Vegetables with Brocolli
6) Deep Fried Grouper in Superior Soya Sauce
7) Special Crispy Chicken
8) Iced Longan & Sea Coconut
- Chinese Tea OR Iced Lemon Tea
- Steamed Rice
AUDITION NOTICE:
THE PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY OF SELANGOR is auditioning for performers to take part in its 50th Anniversary variety programme that will showcase the past productions of the society. We are looking for singers (choral as well as solos) and dancers to bring to life excerpts from Musicals and Operettas such as The King & I, Sound of Music, The Mikado (just to name a few). For a full list of past productions, do visit http://www.thephil.org.my/prevprod.htm
Audition details:
Date: 18th, 25th Feb and 3rd March 2008
Time: 8 pm onwards.
Venue: KLET Studio 2-2 (2nd Flr),Jln 4/109E, Taman Desa Business Park, 58100 Kuala Lumpur
Map: http://www.klensemble.com/contactus.html
Audition format:
Please prepare a piece from musicals for audition. A playback device will be provided if you wish to use recorded accompaniment. Please SMS to 012.383.1654 for an audition appointment with your name and type of audition (singing/dancing) and date preferred.
