Sabah
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Signing a Book for CK Wong, Photographer
CK Wong is a photographer in Kota Kinabalu. His work appeared in my blog SabahSongs, as we were all covering performing musicians in the heyday of ten years ago. I was writing about them and photographers were covering events. The other day I was chatting to CK although I didn’t recognise him because we were… Continue reading
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Our Short Film JACKS Screens at KKIFF!
JOEL STEPHEN FLEMING’S crime comedy short film ‘JACKS’ screened at the Kota Kinabalu International film Festival, and I was “repping” — as Joel says — for our film! Yikes! I didn’t want to let him down! So how did it go? It was a blaaast! Here’s Ronald Ng, very funny emcee and well-known Sabah Tourism… Continue reading
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KKIFF: Watching ‘The Sight of Borneo Kirin’
I was so excited to see the film ‘The Sight of Borneo Kirin’, by Pentium Tee! It was Day 2 of the Kota Kinabalu International Film Festival (KKIFF) and Yap had a ticket for me. He warned me, “I’m in this film, okay?” No kidding! This film is a documentary about the Hakka Chinese Unicorn… Continue reading
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Playing for Datuk CL Chan’s book launch – audio
I was so pleased to be able to play background piano for the book launch for Datuk CL Chan’s book ‘Family Ties’, which is a history of five generations of his family, from their journey from China to Sandakan to Kota Kinabalu. Datuk Chan is the founder of Natural History Publications (Borneo) and he published… Continue reading
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English tea, Sabah style
My cousin made English tea in a teapot! (I never do this but my friend Mariana would approve). Served with char siu buns — pork, mushroom, hard boiled egg and Chinese sausage (lap cheong). Continue reading
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Jude Day, Festival Director — Kota Kinabalu International Film Festival
The Kota Kinabalu International Film Festival (KKIFF) runs September 17 – 25 in 2022. Founder and festival director Jude Day got on Zoom with me, to talk about what’s coming up. I was going to write a long post, but Jude is so effervescent, her passion for film and the people that write and make… Continue reading
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Our movie JACKS is going to Kota Kinabalu!
JACKS — the crime comedy short film by Joel Stephen Fleming of 13th Street Films has been selected by CINEBALU – Kota Kinabalu International Film Festival 2022! The reason I’m ecstatic is that Kota Kinabalu is in Sabah, Malaysia — the birth place of my parents, and where I spent four years before coming to… Continue reading
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SabahSongs book in Tanjung Aru new library
Thank you Emmanuel “Nuk” Chee for sending me this photo. A new library has just opened up in the Tanjung Aru area of Kota Kinabalu. Nuk saw the SabahSongs book on a trolley. Let’s hope they place it where everyone can find it! Yay! Thanks again Nuk ♥️🤗 Continue reading
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Datuk Peter Pragas
When I first visited Datuk Peter Pragas, he welcomed me with a gentleness which made me feel quietly delighted and humbled. We shared a plate of biscuits and soft drinks at his daughter Jeanette’s home, off Jalan Bundusan. The living room was heaving with evidence of the Datuk’s musical achievement in Sabah: newspaper articles, publications,… Continue reading
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Tian Long – the Hakka Singer
After a decade of challenges in the Malaysian music industry, graphic designer Tian Long had given up on making a living through music. Then he made a funny animated video about being a Hakka Chinese guy pleading with his girlfriend not to go to England. His YouTube inbox was flooded with messages from thousands of… Continue reading
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Sophie Van Aerde
In 2008 Dr. Sophie Van Aerde arrived in Sabah from France. Two weeks later, I arrived in Sabah from England. We soon formed a violin-piano duo called Klasik Elastik. Here, Sophie talks about the French education programme which helped her musical talent flourish in the most natural way. [Excerpt from: Funk, Joanna. SabahSongs: Contemporary Music… Continue reading
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Sunset Symphony – music in a Kudat paradise
The photographs in the book were better, supplied by the Sabah Tourism Board. But Kudat manages to shine, even with what I have here. [Excerpt from: Funk, Joanna. SabahSongs: Contemporary Music in Sabah. Kota Kinabalu: Opus Publications, 2013. 44-50. Print.] The story was first published in my blog SabahSongs before the blog became a book.… Continue reading
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The man who brought Chinese orchestra to Sabah
My friend Yap Keng Vui translated all the conversations with Teo Seng Chong, and I have so much to thank him for. Teo Seng Chong arrived in Sabah in 1986 at the invitation of Tshung Tsin Secondary School (TTSS), to bring Chinese orchestral music into Sabah. He is now Head of Music at TTSS, and… Continue reading
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Ethnomusicology scholars pick up my book!
Ethnomusicology scholars have picked up my book SabahSongs: Contemporary Music In Sabah. 😀 The 5th symposium of the International Council of Traditional Music study group on Performing Arts Of South East Asia (PASEA) held their event in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah from 16-22 July 2018. Thank you Yap KV for showing me these lovely photos. Yap… Continue reading
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My book seen at a public library in Sabah
My friend Yap sent me a photo of my SabahSongs book in the Penampang (Sabah, Malaysia) Public Library today. Great to see 👍. Thank you Yap! Continue reading
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Sabah holiday 2015. The Hakka Association in KK
Yap Keng Vui and Chua Chun Kiong brought me to meet curator Allen Lin at the newly-built Hakka Association building in Kota Kinabalu. Continue reading
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Sabah holiday 2015. Meet oboist Howard Ng VIDEO
Despite having a list of accomplishments as long as your arm, oboist and conductor Howard Ng can tell a good yarn, and be self-deprecating in the nicest way. Continue reading
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Sabah holiday 2015. I’m here!
Australian schools break up for the year-end holidays, and I’m back in Kota Kinabalu, capital of Sabah. It’s hot and humid, and my skin needs no moisturizer because it’s like a sauna here. But I use plenty of sunscreen, just as I would in Australia. I had laksa for breakfast at Yee Fung Kopi Tiam… Continue reading
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The Johnny Rodgers Band got my book!
The Johnny Rodgers Band musos have my book, SabahSongs: Contemporary Music in Sabah, courtesy of book sponsors the Society of Performing Arts Kota Kinabalu, Sabah (SPaRKS). So nice! Continue reading
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Music is a thing of beauty; it brings good things to your life – Raphael Lustchevsky
Steinway artist Raphael Alexandre Lustchevsky performed a Chopin recital in Kota Kinabalu on May 8, 2010 as part of the worldwide celebrations “Chopin2010”. 2010 was the 200th anniversary of the birth date of Frédéric François Chopin. I chatted with him after his masterclass, and he said: Music is a thing of beauty; it brings good… Continue reading
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Discovering their music: The Johnny Rodgers Band
I’ve been awake since 4.00am, my mind racing with anticipation of the days to come. I bought a Roland digital stage piano for gigging, a keyboard amp and gig bag; I pick it all up on Friday. I’m happy and punch-drunk with possibility. It’s nice. So I think I’ll share something. Here’s the Johnny Rodgers… Continue reading
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Sophie Van Aerde – violinist, doctor
This was written for my first blog, but Sophie is a big part of my life, so here it is again. In August 2008 Dr. Sophie Van Aerde arrived in Sabah from France, to marry her husband-to-be. Two weeks later, I arrived in Sabah from England, to marry my husband-to-be. Serendipity brought us together, and… Continue reading
About Joanna
Joanna is British Australian. She worked mainly in financial news in London. In her forties she moved to her parents’ birthplace, Sabah, a Malaysian state on the island of Borneo. She became a pianist at the Jesselton Hotel in Kota Kinabalu and wrote a blog about musicians, which was popular among Sabahans at home and abroad. The blog was turned into a coffee table book when the Ministry of Tourism and Culture expressed interest. Joanna came to Australia in 2012. This is her second blog.
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