KUALA LUMPUR: Singer and sape player Alena Murang hopes traditional sape music will one day be recognised as a mainstream genre in its own right, rather than being confined largely to cultural and tourism events.
"I hope music made by sape could one day be taken as mainstream music all by itself," said Alena, 37, who is collaborating with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra for an upcoming concert titled Concerto for Sape and Orchestra.
While the traditional Bornean string instrument has gained increasing attention, she noted that it still occupies a space between different musical genres and settings.
"It's usually played at a lot of government functions, such as cultural or tourism events, or where representation is needed," she said.
"While we're grateful for this opportunity, I personally hope that one day it can be acknowledged as music by itself, and that is why I'm thrilled for this collaboration with the MPO," she added at a press conference held here earlier today to announce the concert.
Scheduled for Oct 31 at Dewan Filharmonik Petronas, the evening will feature the world premiere of a specially commissioned 20-minute composition for sape and orchestra.
Sabah-born musician Vivian Chua composed the piece, with Alena performing the solo part alongside the MPO.
Alena admitted to feeling both excited and nervous about bringing the composition to life, particularly because its structure differs from the familiar verse-and-chorus format of popular music.
"I'm both nervous and excited to see how we can bring this piece together," she said, adding that memorising the lengthy work would present another challenge.
The collaboration marks another milestone in Alena's musical journey with the orchestra.
She previously performed with the MPO two years ago for its Sounds of Borneo concert, and hopes the upcoming performance will help introduce the sape to wider audiences while demonstrating its potential far beyond traditional cultural settings.
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