Dr. Amstutz (at the bottom left-hand corner) Performing the Piece from John Skeen

The Women's Choir and Bell Ensemble

KUALA LUMPUR, 11 July 2008 - Music is an international language that traverses across cultures regardless of race, religion or age. Realising this, UCSI has taken the initiative to expose their students to music from around the world to enable them to broaden their musical experience particularly for students pursuing their degree in Music. 

Over the past month, UCSI has played host to two international musical guests. They were the Women’s Concert Choir & Bell Ensemble from the Moody Bible Institute of Chicago (Illinois) and Dr. Peter Amstutz, Professor of Piano and Coordinator of Keyboard Studies from the West Virginia University.The Women’s Concert Choir and Bell Ensemble brought with them a unique set of instruments rarely seen in the Malaysian music scene - a set of tuned bronze handbells. Historically, the first tuned handbells were cast in England, by brothers Robert and William Cor. These handbells were first brought into the United States by Margaret Shurcliff in 1902. Handbells are traditionally associated with the church, but there has also been other groups who use them to perform contemporary numbers. The performers comprise girls who are studying music at the Moody Bible Institute. 

The Women’s Choir and Bell Ensemble, led by Ms. Hong Xiangtang, began with a well known favourite from Disney’s movie soundtrack, Pocahontas’ Colours of the Wind’ on the handbells. It was arranged by Paul A. McKlveen and Sue A. McKlveen. One of the pieces that delighted the audience that night was a bell and percussion ensemble, arranged by Jeffrey Honoré entitled, Beach Spring Stomp. The Women’s Choir and Bell Ensemble also performed songs from the popular Broadway musical, Wicked as an introduction to the American music scene. Altogether, the group performed 11 pieces, five of which were bell tunes which also included the Chinese folk melody, Song of the Flowers, arranged by Kevin Mazimas Ko. After the performance, the students approached the performers to learn more about the instruments. 

Another international guest musician who graced UCSI was Dr. Peter Amstutz, a Fulbright Scholar who had studied in Austria for two years with Dieter Weber and Noel Flores at the Vienna Academy of Music. A prize-winner in the Maryland International Piano Competition and medalist in the Casagrande International Piano Competition in Italy, Dr. Amstutz has received favourable reviews in the New York Times and the Saarbruecker Zeitung. Associate Professor Dr. P’ng Tean Hwa, Head of the Classical Music Department at UCSI was once under the tutelage of Dr. Amstutz. He was also responsible for guiding a deaf UCSI Malaysian student, Yew Choong Cheong, one of only four world recipient of the 2007 International Young Soloists Award to hone his musical talent (piano). 

At the UCSI Auditorium, Dr. Peter Amstutz’s performed William Bolcom’s The Serpent’s Kiss and Beethoven’s Sonata Number 32 in C minor. The pièce de résistance of the night however, was Dr. Amstutz’s rendition of John Skeen’s musical pieces; along with a slide show of Skeen’s paintings interwoven with his music score. The collaboration of both music and visual art inspired by haiku (Japanese poetry) was a refreshing difference in a master class performance. 

Another recent major musical performance was the UCSI and UPM orchestra collaboration, conducted by esteemed musicians and lecturers, Mustafa Fuzer Nawi (UPM) and Issac Chia Teng Hwang (UCSI). The combined concert enabled students from both universities to learn different styles and techniques from each other. 

Both renowned international and local musical maestros make regular appearances at UCSI, with master classes and concerts conducted regularly. This is on par with UCSI’s mission to generate new knowledge and discovery that infuses the learning and teaching of the university.