Students at Kian Kok Middle School sing to members of the UCSI University Chamber Choir during the choir's cultural exchange trip to Sabah.

UCSI University Chamber Choir students at Green Connection Wildlife Park during the choir's cultural exchange trip to Sabah.

Kuala Lumpur, 04 March, 2011 - UCSI University Concert Choir is sharing its talent with the rest of the country. The 35-member group recently travelled to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, East Malaysia for a four-day cultural exchange and performance with students from Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS). During the visit, the choir gave a concert at the UMS School of Arts recital hall to an audience of 300 students, local choirs and the general public. The group, UCSI University’s premiere vocal ensemble, performed a wide range of music including works from Mozart, Thomas Worley and Eric Whitacre. 

The trip was the first time ever the group travelled outside Kuala Lumpur for a non-competitive performance. Choir Director Mr Ian Lim Kean Seng said the trip was an opportunity for students to gain professional singing experience as well as expose them to a different culture and education system outside of Kuala Lumpur. 

“Performance groups have to perform,” he said. “It’s good to showcase the talents of our students.”"

In addition to the concert, the students visited the choir at Kian Kok Middle School where the two groups took turns singing to each other and getting to know one another as part of a student exchange. University choir member Koh Tian Yi said the exchange was an opportunity to better understand students from a different part of the country.

“When we go on trips, we like to use music as a tool to communicate,” he said. “Even though it was the first day we met each other, after performing, we felt very close with the students.” 

Aside from music, the choir also had the opportunity to experience some of the culture in Sabah, including attending a local tribal cultural show and staying overnight in the mountains. The students also visited the Green Connection Wildlife Park where they were able to get up close to snakes, turtles and sharks and learn about animal preservation. 

Concert Choir Vice President Gan Hui Wan said it was her first visit to Sabah, and said the experience was very different than performing in traditional music competitions.

“It was like putting things you see on TV right in front of you,” she said. “It was quite an eye-opener for me.”

Taking part during its silver jubilee anniversary, the trip highlights the University’s “25 Years of Creating Experiences” and illustrates its commitment to providing students a comprehensive, blended-learning experience to develop its Graduate Attributes, including traits such as developing leadership skills, enhancing interpersonal skills and becoming engaged, global citizens. 

The UCSI University Concert Choir is the University’s premier vocal ensemble with a diverse repertoire ranging from the European Renaissance to Malaysian folk songs to contemporary music. The Concert Choir participates regularly in both national and international music competitions including the Malaysian Patriotic Song Competition, the Malaysian Youth Music Festival and the Voyage of Songs International Choral Competition in Thailand. In September 2010, the choir won a gold award at the International Choral Festival Orientale Concentus III in Taiwan.