KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 8 — Malaysian music prodigy, piano virtuoso and youth brand ambassador of the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO), Tengku Ahmad Irfan Tengku Ahmad Shahriza, is all set to return to the podium for a jazz-infused Ravel piano concerto at Dewan Filharmonik Petronas (DFP), KLCC.
The MPO will dazzle in a programme that focuses on two composers — Schumann, from the early 19th century, and Ravel from the early 20th century.
The concerts will open with four pieces from Carnaval, Schumann’s staple of the piano solo repertory.
The MPO will then close the concerts with Schumann’s Symphony No. 2 in C, a work filled with motoric power, sublime beauty and visceral excitement.
Written between 1845 and 1846, the work reflects the composer’s state of mind, directly connected to the mental tragedy that ended his career much later.
The programme will also feature the musicianship of Irfan for the performances of Ravel’s piano concerto in G, one of the best known from the 20th century.
Irfan, who was first introduced to the piano at the age of seven, made his debut with MPO in 2009 at the early age of 11.
He went on to perform with the MPO in numerous concerts, including tours to Sabah, Sarawak, Vietnam and Japan, and last month, the MPO’s north tour to Perak, Kedah and Penang.
The 21-year-old talented pianist has also performed with the Malaysian Philharmonic Youth Orchestra in 2015 and made his conducting debut at DFP with this young orchestra in December 2017 before touring to Singapore together that same month.
Irfan is a renowned pianist, composer and conductor in the international music scene, and has been praised by The New York Times as “eminently cultured.”
He has also achieved the impossible in 2013 after winning the first prize in the Aspen Music Festival Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 2 competition.
Throughout his career, Irfan has collaborated with orchestras such as the Singapore Symphony, São Paulo State Youth Orchestra and Aspen Philharmonic Orchestra, and luminaries such as Neeme Järvi, Nikolai Alexeev, Evan Rogister, Claudio Cruz and Darrell Ang.
Get ready to be caught up in rapture with the MPO on August 17 and 18 at 8.30pm and 3pm respectively.
Click here for ticketing and information.
