RAINFOREST WORLD MUSIC FESTIVAL - VOTED ONE OF THE 25 BEST INTERNATIONAL FESTIVALS 2013

NOTE : THE MUSIC PLAYER CONTROLS ARE AT THE BOTTOM BAR OF YOUR SCREEN AS YOU MAY HAVE TO PAUSE IT TO WATCH THE VIDEOS BELOW

British renowned world music magazine - "Songlines" in it's June issue voted Sarawak's Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) as one of the 25 Best International Festivals for the 4th consecutive year in 2013,. Only 3 festivals from Asia are on the list. the other two being theJeonju International Sori Festival, South Korea and Jodhpur RIFF, India. With this kind of stature it was no surprise that a cousin of mine with her friends was all excited to be going for the event and was already packing for it, with 18 days to go!

Songlines 25 of the Best International Festivals

Africa Festival, Germany  - EFWMF member 
Chicago World Music Festival, USA
Druga Godba, Slovenia  - EFWMF member 
Essaouira Gnawa & World Music Festival, Morocco
Ethno Port, Poland
Fes Festival of Sacred Music, Morocco
Festival on the Niger, Mali 
FMM Sines, Portugal
Førde Traditional and World Music Festival, Norway
Guca Trumpet Festival, Serbia
Jeonju International Sori Festival, South Korea 
Jodhpur RIFF, India
Kriol Jazz Festival, Cape Verde 
La Grande Rencontre, Québec
Musiques Metisses, France - EFWMF member
Oslo World Music Festival, Norway - EFWMF member
Rainforest World Music Festival, Borneo
Sakifo Festival, La Réunion 
Sauti za Busara, Zanzibar
Savannah Music Festival, USA
Sfinks Festival, Belgium - EFWMF member
Sommelo Festival, Finland 
Sziget, Hungary
Warsaw Cross Cultural Festival, Poland
WOMADelaide, Australia

Following are video highlights from the RWMF 2012 festival.

Rainforest World Music Festival stands among other renowned festivals like WOMADdelaide Australia and Ulsan World Music Festival, South Korea. According to the editorial team of Songlines the “Selection of the festival is based on the broad representation of the quality and scope of music festivals around the world”

The Festival, now in its 16^th year and held annually in Kuching, Sarawak has put Sarawak on the world map. It brings dazzling performances from across the globe attracting more than 20,000 international and local festival-goers to the magical land of Borneo for three days of daytime music workshops and action-packed nightly shows.  The event this year will be held from June 28-30. This festival has been one of the major contributors of tourist arrivals to the state. It has also won the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Gold Awards 2006 and ASEAN Tourism Association (ASEANTA) Excellence Award 2009. 

Following is the video highlights from the 2011 RWMF festival.

For the 2013 festival, watch the video below for the full line-up. 

Those who have gone for the previous festivals swear that it rocks! Many have made it as a yearly pilgrimage on their calendar. Resorts and Hotel rooms in Kuching are booked months in advance.

As a fringe event to the RWMF, Borneo World Music Expo will be held from June 24 to 26, 2013 in Kuching to position Sarawak as a potential destination for art, culture and music. The expo is specifically designed to expose Asian and ethnic musicians to the international market and will integrate a trade fair, musical showcases, conferences, exhibitions and networking sessions which would promote the culture and music. 

Resulting from the strategic promotional effort by Sarawak Tourism Board, total visitor arrivals to the state have increased 7.2% to 4.07 million tourist arrivals as of 31 December 2012, when compared to the same period last year. Foreign arrivals alone have continued to increase steadily at 12.4% to 2.6 million during the period. By having more events in the State, STB hopes to encourage more tourists to come.

This is  truly an event not to be missed, just to experience a truly memorable musical extravaganza amidst the lush green paradise of Sarawak. 

Tickets to the festival can now be bought online. For more information and updates please log on to www.rwmf.net.

Rainforest World Music Festival

28 Jun 2013 – 30 Jun 2013

This year’s Rainforest World Music Festival 2013 will gather music enthusiasts once again at the Sarawak Cultural Village with music by renowned world and indigenous musicians! With a line-up of 18 bands playing a diverse range of world music genres, the festival features seven different acts per night over three nights. For the afternoon session, there will be programmes such as informative workshops, ethno-musical lectures and jamming sessions. It’s a smashing time in the heart of the Borneo Jungle!

Venue
Sarawak Cultural Village, Kuching, Sarawak 

Time
10 a.m – 12 a.m
Visit website

Organiser
Sarawak Tourism Board (STB)

CELEBRITY CHEF'S @ WESTIN KUALA LUMPUR

THE BEST CELEBRITY CHEF'S "HATS OFF" WINE DINNER AT WESTIN KUALA LUMPUR

WESTIN KL'S "HATS OFF" GALA DINNER EMCEE'D BY XANDRA OOI WAS AN AWESOME NIGHT OF CULINARY DELIGHTS. HATS OFF TO THE MANAGEMENT OF WESTIN KL FOR ORGANIZING AN EVENT SUCH AS THIS.

GUEST WERE WELCOMED WITH FREE FLOW OF CHAMPAGNE, BEER, WINES AND SPARKLING JUICES PLUS 12 DIFFERENT CANAPES - FOIE GRAS, PEKING DUCK. SASHIMI TUNA, PRAWNS AND ALL.

A 6 COURSE DINNER WAS SERVED WITH WINE SPECIALLY SELECTED BY WESTIN'S F&B DIRECTOR CUM SOMMELIER HUZA RADZI. THE WINES WERE AMAZING AND WELL SUITED FOR THE DELIGHTS THAT WERE SERVED.

THE WESTIN WAITERS WERE SMARTLY DRESSED IN BLACK  AND WELL COORDINATED  WHEN SERVING, THAT THEY WERE A DELIGHT TO WATCH. SERVICE WAS EXCELLENT THROUGHOUT THE EVENING.

THE SIX COURSE DINNER WAS SIMPLY AWESOME WITH CARPACCIO, LOBSTER, DUCK, FISH, FOIE GRAS AND CHICKEN INSPIRED DISHES.

LOCAL CHEF RAJESH FROM THE SHERATON IMPERIAL ROSE TO THE OCCASION BY COMING UP WITH A WONDERFUL BLACK FOREST INSPIRED DESERT.

THE WESTIN GENERAL MANAGER HRATCH KHATCHANIAN & MR BEN ZAHN , THE HOTEL MANAGER, WERE AS USUAL VERY WARM HOSTS. MR. KHATCHANIANS ANTICS ON STAGE MADE IT NO NEED FOR ANY ENTERTAINMENT! 3 HOURS WENT BY UNNOTICED AS PEOPLE SAVOURED THE FOOD AND WINES

VERDICT - IT WAS AN AWESOME PRESENTATION BY WESTIN KL.!!!

LOOK OUT FOR THEIR CELEBRITY CHEF SERIES.

CHAINE DES ROTISSEUR @ SERI PACIFIC KL

THE BEST PRIVATE WINE DINNER - CHAINE DES ROTISSEURS WINE DINNER @ SERI PACIFIC HOTEL KUALA LUMPUR.

A MUST JOIN GROUP MUST BE THE CHAINE DES ROTISSEURS GROUP, THE KL CHAPTER HAD THEIR GALA WINE DINNER AT SERI PACIFIC HOTEL ON FRIDAY MAY 10, 2013

THEY REALLY KNOW HOW TO HAVE A GOOD TIME AND THIS WAS CLEARLY SEEN THROUGHOUT THE DINNER, WHEN MEMBERS SHOUT OUT TO TOAST VIVA LES CHAIN!!!.WHAT AN AMAZING EVENING OF GREAT FOOD, WINE AND COMPANY. THIS AMAZING MOMENTOUS EVENT WAS  EMCEED BY THE SERI PACIFIC HOTEL DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS PETER PADMAN,

Our Emcee Mr. Peter Padman

THE THEME OF THE EVENING WAS “MUSICALS”.  BEFORE EVERY DISH WAS PRESENTED A SNIPPET FROM A MUSICAL WAS PRESENTED BY THE STAFF OF THE SERI PACIFIC HOTEL.

Phantom of the Opera Food Presentation

THE EVENING STARTED AT THE LOUNGE ON THE 30TH FLOOR, WHERE GUESTS WERE RECEIVED WITH CANAPES AND CHAMPAGNE. IT WAS NOT SURPRISING TO SEE THE FAMILIAR FACES OF KL WHO ENJOYS GOOD FOOD AND WINES PRESENT AT THIS EVENT. AFTER A SHORT WELCOME SPEECH, GUEST WERE USHERED TO THE KOFUKU JAPANESE RESTAURANT

AT KOFUKU, DINERS WERE TREATED TO TWO TYPES OF WINES AND THREE SALMON AND PRAWN INSPIRED APPETISERS & SOUP THAT WAS TO DIE FOR. OOOHS! AND AAHHS! WERE HEARD ALL AROUND THE TABLE.

WHILE DINERS WERE FINISHING THEIR THIRD COURSE, SUDDENLY! THERE WAS A BLACKOUT! THE GENERAL MANAGER.  EN. HALIM MERICAN TOOK THE  MIC TO APOLOGISE TO ALL AND INFORM THEM THAT TNB HAD JUST INFORMED THE HOTEL THERE WAS A BLACKOUT AND THAT HOTEL GENERATORS WERE GONNA BOOT UP IN A FEW MINUTES. GUESTS SEEMED TO TAKE IT IN THEIR STRIDE BUT IN MY MIND I WONDERED IF THE HOTEL WAS TAKING A PISS AT THE OPPOSITION CLAIMED 'BLACKOUT' AT THE BENTONG VOTING CENTER!

ALL THE GUEST WERE THEN USHERED IN AN ORDERLY FASHION,  TABLE BY TABLE TO THE PACIFIC BALLROOM LINKED TO THE PWTC WING. AS WE WENT DOWN THE STAIRS WE COULD SEE THE LIGHTS COMING FROM THE COFFEE HOUSE,  IT THEN CONFIRMED OUR SUSPICION IT WAS A PLANNED BLACK OUT! (NOW WHAT ARE THE OPPOSITION GOING TO WRITE  ABOUT THIS BLACKOUT, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE SERI PACIFIC IS AN UMNO  PROPERTY!)

AT THE PACIFIC BALLROOM GUEST HAD TO GET A “PASSPORT” STAMPED BY AN“IMMIGRATION OFFICERS” TO ENTER. THE NUMBERED PASSPORT HAD DETAILS OF THE EVENT AND PICTURES OF EVERY SINGLE STAFF OF THE HOTEL THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE EVENT.

AS GUEST WERE TALKING ABOUT THE BLACKOUT, THE PACIFIC BALLROOM BLACKED OUT!, DAMN! NOT AGAIN!  THANKFULLY PETER PADMAN, THE DIRECTOR OF  OPERATIONS, THE WARM HOST AND EMCEE OF THE NIGHT GOT ON STAGE WITH ALL THE CHEFS WELCOMING THE GUEST WITH HIS OWN VERSION OF A SONG FROM A MUSICAL. WE KNEW HE COULD PLAY THE PIANO BUT SING AND DANCE TOO.

Peter and the Chefs from Seri Pacific Hotel

THE FIRST MUSICAL PRESENTATION THEN STARTED WITH “PHANTOM OF THE OPERA”.  FOLLOWED BY “CATS” , OLIVER"AND “THE KING AND I”. YUL BRYNER WOULD BE PROUD OF HIS REPLACEMENT! THE CHILDREN WERE SO CUTE IN THEIR THAI ROYAL COSTUMES. THE NIGHT WAS SIMPLY ENTERTAINING FROM START TO FINISH!

Scene from Olive Twist

Scene from Anna & The King

THE SEEKERS TRIO THAT USUALLY PERFORMS AT THE HOTEL’S CHEREZA LOUNGE GAVE AN OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE FROM THE CATS MUSICAL.  CATS STARTING COMING OUT FROM EVERY CORNER OF THE HOTEL BALLROOM! THE GUESTS WERE IN AWE LISTENING TO THE TRIO.

Scene from Cats The Musical

GUESTS WERE ENTERTAINED WITH THE MUSICALS AS THEY ENJOYED THEIR WAGYU BEEF AND MUSHROOM SPAGHETTI INSPIRED DINNER DISHES. LUCKY DRAWS WERE HELD AS THE NIGHT PROGRESSED.

A SPECIAL GUEST ARTIST WAS INTRODUCED - MALAYSIAN IDOL FINALIST ZAMIL IDRIS, HE SANG TWO SONGS,  FROM ANDREA BOCELLI'S ALBUM AND THE OTHER A RENDITION FROM MICHAEL BUBLE.

 HE THEN CAME BACK ON STAGE TO SING A DUET WITH MARIA JASMIN, WHO ALSO HAPPENS TO BE THE WIFE OF SERI PACIFIC’S CHARISMATIC GM MR. HALIM MERICAN

Zamil and Maria in a Duet

MIDWAY THROUGH THE SONG, THE PROUD HUSBAND WENT UP TO PRESENT HIS WIFE A SINGLE RED ROSE , THE GUEST GAVE THEM A WARM APPLAUSE.  EARLIER IN THE EVENING, HALIM’S THIRTEEN YEAR OLD DAUGHTER MARIA IZABELLE GAVE A WONDERFUL RENDITION OF “I DREAM A DREAM”.

The cute Maria Izabelle singing "I dream a dream"!

THE STAFF AND TRIO FROM SEEKERS THEN WENT ON STAGE TO DO A LATIN 'MERENGUE' DANCE. THEY THEN WENT INTO THE CROWD AND PULLED UP SOME SPORTING GUEST TO DANCE WITH THEM INCLUDING YOURS TRULY!

The Steff dancing Merengue!

SEEING THE ELABORATE COSTUMES AND PROPS, GUEST COULD TELL THAT THE STAFF AND THE HOTEL MANAGEMENT HAD MADE A LOT OF EFFORT TO PREPARE FOR THE EVENING.

THE HIT OF THE NIGHT MUST HAVE THE BEEN THE MUSICAL SNIPPET FROM THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, WHERE THE STAFF MADE AN ACTUAL BOAT SAIL ACROSS THE STAGE! THAT REALLY SET THE TONE FOR THE NIGHT.

Phantom on a boat!

WE WERE INFORMED LATER,  ,MS MARIA JASMIN WAS ACTUALLY A PROFESSIONAL SINGER AND STAGE ACTRESS. SHE HAS TAKEN SOME TIME OFF TO TRAIN THE LITTLE CHILDREN PARTICIPATING IN THE 'MUSICALS' AND PRODUCED THE WHOLE EVENT.

THE EVER APPRECIATIVE GUESTS GAVE THE STAFF A ROUSING APPLAUSE AT THE END OF EVERY MUSICAL. THE NIGHT ENDED WITH A STANDING OVATION FOR MS MARIA JASMIN, ZAMIL AND ALL THE STAFF AND CHILDREN OF THE STAFF, OF THE SERI PACIFIC HOTEL.

OVERALL THE NIGHT WAS A HUGE SUCCESS AND IT WAS NO SURPRISE WHEN THE MEMBERS OF CHAINE DES ROTISSEURS ROSE UP AND TOASTED  - VIVA LE CHAINE!!!!

The Cast and Crew of all the Musicals receiving a standing ovation!

KUDOS TO GENERAL MANAGER MR. HALIM MERICAN AND MR. PETER PADMAN FOR MAKING THE NIGHT SUCH A MEMORABLE EVENT. PERSONALLY,  I HAVE NEVER SEEN SUCH COMMITTED PARTICIPATION FROM ALL THE STAFF OF ANY HOTEL FOR A PRIVATE EVENT.  IT WAS 1MALAYSIA IN ACTION. STAFF AND THEIR CHILDREN FROM DIFFERENT RACES TOOK PRIDE IN COMING TOGETHER TO DO THEIR PRESENTATION FOR THE GUEST MADE UP OF LOCAL AND FOREIGNERS.

VERDICT: ONE SHOULD CONSIDER THE SERI PACIFIC HOTEL AS YOUR EVENT LOCATION OF CHOICE  & IF YOU ARE THE TYPE WHO ENJOYS GOOD FOOD, WINES AND GREAT COMPANY, YOU MUST APPLY TO JOIN THE CHAINE DES ROTISSEURS KL CHAPTER. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED PLEASE CONTACT MR. PETER PADMAN FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON BOTH AT +6016 - 411 2000.