The KYS Orchestra
It was the wish of our founder, YBhg. Tan Sri Halim Saad that KYS should have a school orchestra to mark the pinnacle of its music education. With much determination by the Music Department, the KYS orchestra, comprising of 80 musicians, with a full complement of strings, an extended brass and woodwinds section, keyboards and piano and a percussion section was successfully set-up in 1998. The inaugural orchestra concert was held on 20 November 1998 and was launched by Yang Berbahagia Toh Puan Dr. Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali, the wife of our fourth Prime Minister at the Great Hall of KYS.
The orchestra initial concept was a pops orchestra but has since moved steadily towards a more classical symphony orchestra since 2009. The orchestra has performed a varied and eclectic repertoire of music ranging from contemporary classical pieces to popular regional favourites. Since 1998, the orchestra has accumulated over 96 pieces in its repertoire. The orchestra always strive to project a varied programme in order to provide a more interesting mix of items for its performances. A favourite performance item in the repertoire is the music of the late Tan Sri P.Ramlee.
From 1998 to 2010, the KYS Orchestra has performed more than 20 times before very enthusiastic and appreciative audiences at various state and national functions throughout the country. The orchestra prides itself for the honour given to perform for members of royalty, government ministers, heads of states, distinguished local and foreign dignitaries and schoolchildren. In year 2002, the orchestra was invited to perform for the OIC ministerial conference delegates in Kuala Lumpur. The orchestra’s first performance outside Malaysia was in Bangkok on 20 February 2003 as part of the annual Vajiravudh College-KYS Friendly Rugby Match. The orchestra concerts are to showcase our students’ musical talents and as a flagship of the music education in Kolej Yayasan Saad. More than half of the musicians in the KYS Orchestra have no music background when they first enroll into KYS. Our cleverly designed music education have managed to produce musicians to make up the orchestra members year after year to replace the senior musicians who had to leave after completing their studies in KYS.
The orchestra management team consists of all the permanent staff and part-time staff of the Music Department as well as the Student Affairs Manager. Management of the day-to-day operations of the orchestra is vested in the Director of Music and the Associate Director.
Student governance of the orchestra is maintained under the auspices of the Music Club President and assisted by a concertmistress. Section leaders are appointed based on merit and seniority and together, they comprise the student leadership of the orchestra.
Since its inception in 1998, the Kolej Yayasan Saad Orchestra has been on its tour to showcase the orchestra to the various states in West Malaysia. This annual tour usually commences in either June or July. The orchestra usually conducts free concerts for the general public in the various towns in Peninsular Malaysia. With the performance in Rompin and Kuala Terengganu in 2007, the orchestra has completed its performances in all the states in West Malaysia, except the state of Kelantan. In 2008 and 2009, the orchestra perfomed in Melaka.
Over the years, various dignitaries has been invited to grace these annual concerts. Among them are the Menteri Besar of Perak (2006), the Minister of Science and Technology (2007) and the Yang DiPertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan (2007). The former prime minister, The Honourable Tun Mahathir graced the 2002 performance in the Istana Budaya.
