KYS Orchestra – the journey to a glorious night

By Amira Zulaikha, Damia Qistina, and Amar Shah Ghazalee

Music is an art, a passion that fills the world with colours that a simple understanding of this art could never decipher. As Kahlil Gibran once said, “Music is the language of the spirit. It opens the secret of life bringing peace, abolishing strife.” The Kolej Yayasan Saad Orchestra (KYSO) is known to put up a spectacular concert every year, but in order to put up a performance of such calibre, they would have to go through a grueling journey like no other.

Orchestra Camp

This would be the first orchestra camp in three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic that restricted our efforts in conducting face-to-face practices. Students woke up as early as 5.30 a.m. to get their prayers and breakfast done. It might seem a tad bit early for many but rest assured that we were flaring ready to kickstart our journey.

We were given ample time throughout the days to do activities such as masterclasses, sectionals and rehearsals to polish our playing for the upcoming concert. We also had fun playing games like charades and guessing games to help us understand our pieces better and to get intervals between sessions.

With the time given, we got to improve on many musical components such as rhythm and harmony. In addition to that, we also got to familiarise ourselves with the instrumentation which made us more resilient in a way where despite being worn out, we still hung on until we broke through every obstacle and were finally satisfied with the outcome of our hard work. 

Tan Sri Halim Saad’s Visit

The camp was not the only chapter we had in this wonderful journey leading up to the annual concert. A few weeks passed by, filled with continuous hard work and endless commitment and the KYS Orchestra (KYSO) successfully put up a spectacular performance in honour of Tan Sri Halim Saad’s visit.

The repertoire of the performance included Chanson du Toreador from Carmen Suite No.2 and Theme From E.T. Chanson du Toreador, composed by Georges Bizet, tells the story of a bullfighter experiencing various situations in a bull ring. The piece Theme From E.T., a product of John William’s brilliance, is from a prominent movie of the 80s which encourages acceptance and fosters kindness.

Once we were informed of the performance, the orchestra members gave their utmost best. We did face some challenges, being scared and anxious that we would most mess it up, but we managed to make it work as we worked hard together and gave our all.

On the real day, we all had our lunch and quickly moved to the venue with our instruments for a light rehearsal at 2 p.m.  As we were informed of Tan Sri Halim Saad’s arrival, we calmed our nerves and hoped for the best. Even with all the doubt in our heads, we pulled off a performance that was enjoyed by Tan Sri Halim Saad and the guests.

All of us thought we were done until the guests requested one more piece for us to perform. It was a little nerve-racking as we were put on the spot but we prevailed. We decided to play the song Rasa Sayang, a Malay folk song well-known locally. The song not only rekindled nostalgia among the guests but also brought everyone’s inner childhood dreams to life. It was truly a memorable experience.

At the end of the day, the camp achieved its objectives and the members successfully managed to go through the entire camp having gained lots of experience, memories and knowledge that will forever be etched in our minds and hearts.

As an ohana, we choose to stand together in the face of any adversity. It was an experience that filled our days with hardship and satisfaction which also played a part in making this magical performance. We truly hope that we will get amazing experiences like this again to finally show the world what the Kolej Yayasan Saad’s orchestra team is made of.