Our Milestones
From humble beginnings to an advocacy platform today, our journey over the past years has not been the easiest. However, with support from the community and our partners, we have continued to deliver inspiring and impactful outreach projects throughout Sarawak. Learn about our milestones or support us here.
From humble beginnings to an advocacy platform today, our journey over the past years has not been the easiest. Scroll to learn about our milestones or support us here.
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Apr
- Band Director invited to perform with the Sunway University Ensemble (SUE) at their first post-pandemic live concert entitled ‘Re:kindle 2022’
- Band Director invited to perform with the Selangor Philharmonic Orchestra (SPO) and Triplet Orchestra Collaboration Concert at KL Gateway Mall
Jun
- A recording project comprising 3 music videos featuring famous pop ballads that were arranged, recorded and edited by members of the Band (not published yet). This project is supported under the Sarawak Youth Creative Industry Fund (SYCIF) by the Ministry of Youth, Sports And Entrepreneur Development Sarawak
Jul
- Band Director invited to perform with the Kinta Valley Wind Orchestra (KVWO) Ipoh for their 10th Year Anniversary Celebration Concert
Aug
- Band Director and Percussion Leader were invited to conduct a Winds and Percussion workshop for the Taylor’s Symphony Orchestra (TSO)
- Band Director invited to perform with the Selangor Philharmonic Orchestra (SPO) ‘Chapter 18: Eroica Concert
Sep
- The Band Lab’s held its first post-pandemic live, sold-out concert — a POP-UP Picnic Themed Concert held at and in collaboration with The Old Court House, Kuching
- The Band was invited by The Spring Mall Kuching to perform at their Tsukimi Mid-Autumn Celebration-themed event
- The Band was invited to perform at the reception as well as the Networking Dinner of the International Conference on Responsible Tourism and Hospitality (ICRTH) 2022 (organised by Responsible Borneo) held at UCSI Hotel, Kuching
- The Band was invited to grace the opening and arrival of the VIPs at the World Tourism Day 2022 (Sarawak) with the National and State Anthems at Raia Hotel & Convention Centre Kuching
- The Band was invited to conduct a woodwinds workshop at Sainsku Winds involving students learning the flute, clarinet and saxophone
Oct
- The Band was invited to perform at Haus Kuching’s Art Weekend Festival — Seni Kita, in conjunction with What About Kuching (WAK) at the Old Court House, Kuching
- Band Director invited to perform with Malaysia’s finest Wind Band, Philharmonic Winds Malaysia (PWM) at the ’Discovering Malaysian Folk Music’ Concert, featuring new arrangements of local folksongs by local composers Isaac Chia and Yeo Chow Shern
- The Band’s Saxophone Quartet was invited to perform at the Malaysian Institute of Estate Agents (MIEA) Sarawak Branch‘s 7th Annual Dinner.
Nov
- The Band was invited to perform at Sarawak Energy Berhad’s (SEB) 2022 Leadership Conference with the theme ‘Participative Towards Inspirational Leadership’
- The Band was invited to perform a VIP Arrival Fanfare at the Business Events Tribal Meet FAM Trip 2022 organised by BESarawak
Dec
- The Band Lab’s first-ever Big Band (Jazz Ensemble) debuted at Aeon Mall Kuching and Vivacity Megamall, featuring three Christmas Classics such as ‘Here Comes Santa Claus’ and ‘It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year’.
May to July
- Premiered our first YouTube video series comprising the following videos:
- INTERVIEWS
- PERFORMANCE
- EDUCATIONAL
Aug
- The Band Lab Percussion was awarded the OVERALL CHAMPION in the Percussion Ensemble (Senior Division) at the Malaysia International Virtual Band Championships (MIVBC) 2021 with their cover performance of ‘Tom-tom Foolery’ by Alan Abel.
- The Band Lab Mixed Ensemble was awarded the GOLD AWARD and the OVERALL FIRST RUNNER-UP in the Mixed Ensemble (Open Division) at the Malaysia International Virtual Band Championships (MIVBC) 2021 with their cover performance of ‘Sakura Song’ by Yosuke Fukuda’.
Sep
- Recipient of the Pakej Rangsangan Industri Kreatif Malaysia (PRISMA) Music Equipment Financing and Online Streaming Grant to the value of RM6000.
Oct
- Premiered our Music Video Cover of the piece ’Highlights of The Greatest Showman’ by Michael Brown in collaboration with Sarawak Energy.
Dec
- Premiered our first full scale, aviation-themed virtual friendship music concert – ‘2021: A View from the Skies’ in collaboration with 10 other art groups locally as well as from Singapore and Hong Kong, drawing audiences from Malaysia, United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, France, Belgium, Netherlands and Spain.
- Premiered our first dance M/V collaboration with a La Danse Sarawak on the hit solo single ‘LALISA’, named after the artist herself.
Jan
- Fourth Batch of Members (20 members)
- Total membership to the Simfoni Orkestra Negeri Sarawak (SONS)
reached 13 members
Feb
- President and Vice-President of The Band Lab were invited by Men of Winds from Hong Kong to perform with them at the Royal Brunei Airlines Southeast Asian Concert 2020 as guest performers
Mar
- Initiated online instrument and music appreciation classes for members of The Band Lab Community Band Program with invited guest tutors from Malaysia, Singapore and the United Kingdom.
May
- Premiered our first Facebook live educational series ‘Back to Basics’ in collaboration with young professional musicians from Malaysia, Singapore and the United Kingdom. (Total of 4,949 views as of 31st October 2020)
Jun
- Premiered our first Facebook live talk show series ‘Insider’s Spotlight’ in collaboration with guests from Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Australia. (Total of 6,129 views as of 31st October 2020)
Aug
- Premiered our first full-band telework (virtual ensemble) production in collaboration with young professional musicians from Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Finland. This video has garnered over a total of 5000 views in a month and has even drawn viewers from Japan, Australia and America.
Sep
- Recipient of the Sarawak Youth Creative Industry Fund to the amount of RM30,000 by Sarawak’s Ministry of Youth and Sports
Jan
- Third Batch of Members (22 members — max capacity)
- Debut Performance at Godown Amphitheatre Waterfront, Kuching
Apr
- First Year Anniversary Celebration
May
- Joint Recipient of the Malaysian Wind Music Prize 2019 (Ensemble Edition), supported by the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM)
- Awarded the Gold Award (Div. III) at the Kuching Concert Band Festival 2019
Jul
- Educational Exchange and Saxophone Ensemble Practices with the internationally award-winning St. Joseph’s School Band, Kuching
Aug
- Band Outreach & Educational Camp with 1st Bintulu Brigade Band
- Co-hosted a Saxophone Ensemble Workshop with Ms Michellina Chan, a professional Saxophone Player from Singapore at the SMA Creative Heritage Innovation Centre, Kuching with participants from SM Sainsku Winds and St. Joseph’s School Band, Kuching
- Premiered Sarawak’s first Saxophone Quartet Recital at the SMA Creative Heritage Innovation Centre, Kuching
- 5 members from The Band Lab’s Community Band Program sat for the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) Grade 5 Theory Exam, achieving a distinction average of 92.6%
- Collaborated with Music Elements, Singapore’s one-stop music store to host a 3-day citywide onsite professional instrument repair and display in Kuching
- Collaborated with members of the Yong Siew Toh (YST) Conservatory and the Malaysian Philharmonic Youth Orchestra (MPYO) to:
- Host a free woodwinds workshop for all Band Members in Kuching
- Hold a mini showcase and an instrumental workshop with students of the St. Joseph’s Private School Concert Band, Kuching; and
- Perform in a local woodwinds recital — the ‘Summer Winds Recital’
Nov
- Established Partnership with Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA)
- The Band Lab Saxophone Quartet invited to perform at the SMA Open Day as part of the performance panel which included notable groups such as the internationally-renown ‘At Adau’
- The Band Lab Saxophone Quartet introduced as an SMA-startup and invited to perform at the SMA Office Launching Day in front of the current Chief Minister, Abang Abdul Rahman Zohari bin Tun Abang Haji Openg as well as over 40 other notable Ministers and figures from Sarawak
- Total membership to the Simfoni Orkestra Negeri Sarawak (SONS)
reached 7 members
Dec
- Hosted Kuching’s first Statewide Wind Band Educational Clinic — ‘Kuching Youth Band Fiesta 2019’ involving over 80 attendees from all over Malaysia and over 200 audience members for its Finale Concert. This event also:
- Kickstarted the region’s first large-scale international collaboration between local band directors, members and Professional Youth Tutors from Singapore, the YST Conservatory as well as the MPYO
- Involved a collaboration with SMA to reduce costs and increase the accessibility of the event to participants from lower-income families in Sibu and Bintulu and with Kuching’s St. Joseph’s School Band to conduct open pre-event practices
Apr
- Founded The Band Lab (Persatuan Wind Orkestra Kuching)
- First Batch of Members (12 members)
Jun
- Co-ran the Miri Tutti Project 4.0 (Jesmond) — A community project realised as an annual week-long music training program conducted by professionals from around the country (e.g. MPO) and internationally
Jul
- Band Outreach & Public Performance with 1st Sibu Boys’ Brigade Band
- Malaysian Government matched crowd-funding of a total of RM150,000.00 on crowdfunding platform, Actyvate Malaysia
Aug
- Second Batch of Members (18 members)
Dec
- Established Partnership with Malaysian Global Innovation & Creativity Centre (MaGIC) and Borneo744
