WORLD music fans will be in for a treat at this year’s Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) 2022 from June 17 to 19 where they will be introduced to the unique sounds by performers from more than 15 countries.
An example of the very diverse sounds in store are that of two musicians from Madagascar and Finland.
Madagascar-born Clément Randrianantoandro – also collectively known as Kilema – is renowned for blending a fusion of traditional and world music.
Influenced by his upbringing living among string instruments and African rhythms, the early days of Kilema started when its founder met Justin Vali, one of the great Malagasy musicians established in Europe. Together, they toured with the renowned WOMAD Festival, founded by musician Peter Gabriel, to perform ethnic music from all over the world.
Described as a “mix between Asia and Africa with a melody from one continent and rhythm from the other”, Kilema is not only music but a concept too.
With Malagasy instruments like the Marovany, Kabosy and Katsa along with guitars and percussions, the sound blends rich and rhythmic heritage with Kilema’s world experience, drawing from diverse musical styles to produce a sound entirely his own.
With over 20 years in the world music circuit and three records released, Kilema has graced some of the most prestigious festivals in Sweden, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, Switzerland, France, Portugal, Finland, Sardinia, Taiwan, Spain and now Malaysia at the RWMF 2022 at the Sarawak Cultural Village.
Also making his presence felt at RWMF 2022 is Timo Väänänen, Finland’s most influential and famous soloist of the Kantele, a traditional Finnish lap harp which is also the national instrument for the Northern European nation. He plays both traditional and modern versions of the Kantele.
“Sophisticated and emotional, but also strong an expressive” is a way to describe Timo’s music. With the electric Kantele, he branches out towards an ethno-ambient genre. He also performs together with dancer Paivi Jarvinen who uses movement to express the feelings of the music.
Timo has toured extensively in over twenty countries in Europe, America and Asia. He was a featured soloist in the Disney film The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe in 2005.
In 2009, he performed the Kantele Concerto by Gillian Stevens with the Mikkeli Symphony Orchestra. The concerto was later produced into an album in 2015.
Rainforest World Music Festival 2022
The Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) is back once again, celebrating its 25tth anniversary as a hybrid event for the first time since the beginning of the music festival in 1998 from June 17-19 with the physical concert taking place at Sarawak Cultural Village while viewers can also livestream it from their homes via an online platform.
With the theme “25th Legendary Rainforest Celebration”, RWMF will feature a host of international performers from Canada, India, the US, Finland, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore, Japan, Australia, Madagascar, Ukraine, China, Bhutan and Seoul, among others while showcasing a string of Malaysia’s own talents such as Alena Murang, At Adau from Sarawak, Bamboo Woods from Sabah and many more.
Activities at the Festival
The festival is back with its familiar format of daytime workshops and evening converts with an array of activities planned throughout the festival. Festival-goers can enjoy craft fairs featuring the best of Borneo handicrafts or savour a diverse choice of traditional delicacies from the food bazaars.
The musical workshops bring together diverse musicians from many disciplines, drawing together these talents under unifying themes to showcase, jam and create unique music in the setting of the Sarawak Cultural Village.
Among the activities to look out for are a Sape Gathering’ that brings together anyone who can strum a sape in Sarawak and a kiddie’s workshop to bring on the next generation where they can play with instruments, create art and enjoy the festival ground to their hearts’ contents.
Rainforest World Music Festival tickets
Festival-goers can choose from the different ticket categories at pre-sale prices: adult One-day pass (RM165); adult three-day Pass (RM405); child one-day pass (RM85); child three-day pass (RM195) and one-day family package pass of two adults and two Children (RM440). The virtual tickets are priced at RM25 per one-hour block. — May 31, 2022
