FALL 2025 CONCERT
Spice, Magic & Mystique
Rituals are deeply woven into the fabric of Southeast Asian life. They mark the turning of seasons, the honoring of ancestors, and the rhythm of everyday living. Through ritual, communities reaffirm connection—to the land, to one another, and to the unseen forces that guide life’s cycles. At the heart of these rituals lies music: an inseparable pulse that gives voice to prayer, accompanies celebration and mourning, and transforms ordinary gatherings into moments of shared meaning.
This concert takes its title and inspiration from Spice, Magic & Mystique, a collection of Southeast Asian choral works compiled by Dr. André de Quadros, one of the pioneers in introducing the region’s choral traditions to audiences beyond Southeast Asia. The collection celebrates how ritual music transcends borders, reminding us that shared song can connect communities across cultures and through time. Its spirit mirrors the heart of Suara’s work: to give suara (“voice”) to stories rooted in Southeast Asian communities yet universally resonant.
As Suara enters its second season as an independent community choir, this program reflects a renewed commitment to connection—both within and beyond the ensemble. Internally, we are nurturing the bonds, infrastructure, and development work that sustain our choir; externally, we are seeking to share our voice with new communities. By centering songs of ritual, we honor the communal spirit at the heart of Southeast Asian music, inviting singers and listeners alike to experience how music—like ritual—gathers us, grounds us, and reminds us of our shared humanity.
Join us on November 8, 8 PM at the beautiful St. Basil Catholic Church for an immersive, interactive choral experience that celebrates the living traditions of Southeast Asia.
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Trad. Dayak Kenyah, Arr. Yu Hang Tan
Leleng is a traditional song of the Dayak Kenyah people of Borneo, an Indigenous group primarily residing in Indonesia, with communities also found in Malaysia. The Kenyah are often grouped with neighboring mountain peoples such as the Kayan and Kelabit under the collective term Orang Ulu (“upstream” or “interior people”), though linguistically their language shares affinities with other North Bornean tongues like Dusun and Tidong rather than the Kayanic family.
This Leleng celebrates community, family, and the circular dance traditions central to Kenyah gatherings. Its strictly pentatonic melody, open harmonies, and sustained drones reflect the hallmarks of early Bornean music. In this arrangement, the piece opens with a baritone solo that is echoed by different voices in an aleatoric manner, capturing both the improvisatory spirit of the original folk song and the vibrant energy of the turning dance it accompanies. The chosen verse for this performance tells of a child reuniting with their parents after a long separation—a story that embodies the deep communal ties and emotional warmth at the heart of Kenyah life.
Text and translation
Leleng, uyao along leleng
Menjat pesong lo' telu tuyang layan
Batong layan batong osa
Jawai kenai lo’ ini tuyang lulu’
Songai lulu' songai lemon//
While dancing, we turn round and round
Rarely do we have time to meet
To meet with our beloved father
Tears of longing fall from the cheeks of our beloved mother -
P. Ramlee, Arr. Yu Hang Tan
Kenek-Kenek Udang is a lively Malay folk song traditionally sung at weddings, where music and dance bring entire communities together in celebration. Performed in the Negeri Sembilan dialect, its playful and repetitive “uwa-uwa” refrain captures the teasing joy of a village wedding. The song’s infectious energy later inspired the official theme song for Visit Malaysia 2026, linking its timeless spirit of festivity to a vision of national pride and cultural connection.
This arrangement pays tribute to the late Tan Sri P. Ramlee (1929–1973), one of Malaysia’s most beloved composers, filmmakers, and cultural icons, whose works shaped the golden age of Malay music and cinema. Echoing his gift for blending traditional idioms with modern sensibilities, the piece is set firmly in the joget style, with rebana-like (Arabic frame drum) and accordion-like vocal textures traded playfully between voices. At its heart lies a paluan kompang duet built on the melalu (flowing) and menyilang (crossing) beats—rhythms commonly heard at kenduri (Malay wedding) celebrations. The choreography pays homage to the joget dance tradition.
Text and translation
Kenek-keneklah ode,
Lembu patoh tanduk ah.
Cek Mek kenalah gode,
Cik Awe kena tumbuk.
Uwa, uwa, uwa, uwa
Malaysia yang unik,
Kaya dengan budaya.
Destinasi menarik,
Mari semuanya.//
The kenek-kenek (both onomatopoeia and a reference to the action of grinding shrimp) shrimp,
A cow broke its horns, ah!
Cik Mek was seduced,
Cik Awek was punched in the face!Uwa, uwa, uwa, uwa (nonsense syllables)
Malaysia is unique,
Rich in culture,
An exciting destination,
Let’s all go! -
Trad. Burmese, Arr. Nyi Nyi Myin
Trad. Burmese, Arr. Nyi Nyi MyinMama Wawa (“The chubby sister”) is a beloved Burmese nursery rhyme traditionally taught to young children as an introduction to the Burmese language. The lyrics tell of a young sibling who wishes to dance with their sister. As with many folk songs across Southeast Asia, its melody is short and repetitive, but there lies the charm and educational value of this nursery rhyme––its catchiness. Notably, this arrangement is one of the very few Burmese choral works ever published, making its performance here a rare opportunity to give voice to a tradition seldom heard in choral settings—a reflection of the spirit and heart of this concert.
In this arrangement, Burmese composer and conductor Nyi Nyi Myin characterized this simple melody with contrasting textures. The piece opens with each voice repeating its own motif, later shifting between homophonic and canonic singing. When the treble voices carry the melody, the lower voices provide repeated motifs that echo the textures of the hsaing waing (traditional Burmese gong-chime) ensemble, where melodic lines are supported by steady rhythmic patterns from gongs and drums. Throughout, subito piano (suddenly soft) moments punctuate the music, evoking the sudden dynamic shifts typical of hsaing waing performances—often mirrored by dramatic changes in dancers’ movements.
Text, transliteration, and translation
မမ ဝဝ (mama wawa)
ထထ က (tata ka)
အ က ပထမ။ (aka pha-tama)
ကပါ ကပါ (kapa kapa)
မမရာ (ma ma-ya)
ညည လသာသာ။ (nyanya la sa sa)
ညအခါ (nya a-ka)
ငါ စာရ (nya saya)
မမ ဝဝ (mama wawa)
ထထ က။ (tata ka)//
Chubby sister,
Come dance.
She’s the best at dancing.
Dance! Dance!
Sister,
Under the bright moon at night.
In the evening,
After I finish studying,
Chubby sister,
Come dance. -
Trad. Malaccan-Portuguese, Arr. Chow Shern Yeo
Jinkly Nona is a playful, flirtatious love song in Kristang, the Portuguese-Malay creole of Malacca. Both a folk song and a branyo dance rhythm, it embodies the transcultural exchange that defines Malaysian folk music—blending the Portuguese folk dance corridinho from the Algarve with local languages, instruments, and musical style.
Since as early as 1511, the Straits of Malacca in modern-day Malaysia has been one of the busiest shipping lanes in the Malay Archipelago (referring to modern-day Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia), attracting traders, scholars, religious leaders, and colonizers from around the world. This confluence of cultures made Malacca a hub for cultural exchanges, and music became a record of such exchange and adaptation. Yeo’s arrangement of Jinkly Nona preserves the infectious branyo rhythm (1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2), introduces body percussion to evoke the energy of communal dancing, and closes with a playful whisper of “Jinkly Nona!”
Text and translation
Jinkly nona
Yo kere kaza
kaza nunteng potra nona kai logu pasa.
Teng kantu teng kantu teng fala nunteng,
Amor minya amor
amor minya korsang//
Fair maiden
I want to marry you
Your house has no door
How can I enter
You’ve got what you’ve got
However much you have, you say you have nothing
My love, my dear, my heart -
Anonymous (18th century), Extraliturgical Filipino, Arr. Cheyenne Simon
Music in the Philippines is shaped by constant mediation between tradition and encounters with external artistic influences. Music, as an integral part of religious rituals, was often used as a tool to show devotion to the Catholic Church, and therefore––in the eyes of Spaniards from 1565 to 1898––loyalty to the Spanish Crown.
Letra en Tagalo (“Lyrics in Tagalog”), an 18th-century extraliturgical piece composed by an anonymous composer, is one of the earliest musical manuscripts from the Spanish occupation in the Philippines that demonstrates how the local Tagalog speakers embraced and incorporated European tonal structures into their musical sensibilities. While this hymn is completed with seventeen coplas (“couplets”) and an affixed doxology-like refrain set entirely in classical Tagalog, the musical writing is idiomatically European Baroque. For example, the cantus firmus (melody) exhibits clear Baroque-style voice leading, with melodic motion that is often stepwise; and toward the end of each phrase, hemiola (a temporary change to the music's regular rhythmic pattern, changing groups of three beats into groups of two) is employed, adding rhythmic interest while intensifying the melodic rhythm.
In this arrangement, adapted for Suara’s performance this evening, an organ accompaniment and solo trumpet further enhance the way this piece might have been performed in cathedrals while adding ritualistic character through the trumpet.
Text and translation
Ang mahal na Larawan, ating igalang.
Na pinag tatak buhan ng bilang tanan.Ang tumubos sa atin, Diyos na maa wain.
Si Hesu Kristo Anakin ating sambahin.
Mga bata’t matanda, Mayama’t dukkha.
Huwag Kayong mahiya kayo, e, pa ata.Kung may hirap, may damdam, may kasukalan.
Tambig inyong daingan ng kaawaan.[Refrain]
Tunghan mo’t patawarin ang dumaraing.
//
The precious Image, let us revere,
the refuge and shelter of all.
He who redeemed us, the merciful God,
Jesus Christ the Lord, let us worship.
Children and elders, the rich and the poor,
Be not ashamed –– ome forward.If there be hardship, sorrow, or sin,
here is your refuge, fountain of mercy.[Refrain]
Lord, have mercy and pardon those who cry out to You.
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Wichian Tantiphimonphan, Arr. Praewpraw S.
ออเจ้าเอย Or Jao Oei originates as the theme for the 2018 mega-hit television drama Love Destiny, which captivated over 10 million viewers in Thailand alone. In 2023, this series was recognized by the Thai Ministry of Culture as “an example for Thai soft power.” Set in 17th-century Ayutthaya during the reign of King Narai, the series follows a 21st-century archaeological student who dies young, only to be reborn in Ayutthaya as a grown woman, navigating the rituals of the royal court. Through its light-hearted yet historically grounded plot, the show introduced audiences to Ayutthaya’s courtly ceremonies, traditional costumes, archaic Thai language, and historic landmarks.
While Or Jao Oei is a love song at heart, its setting within the series allows listeners a glimpse into the rituals and communal life of Ayutthaya’s royal court. Praewpraw S.’s arrangement, one of the most celebrated versions of the song and performed internationally at the World Choral Expo in Istanbul, brings these elements to life in choral texture. This evening’s performance features a solo on the ซอด้วง (saw duang), a traditional Thai two-stringed bowed instrument, performed by Dr. Supeena Adler, Ethnomusicology Professor and director of the Thai Ensemble at UCLA.
Texts, transliteration, and translation
ออเจ้าเอย เคยรู้หรือไม่ (Ochao oei Khoei ru rue mai)
ตรงนี้ยังมีใคร ฤทัยห่วงหา (Trong ni yang mi khrai Ruethai huangha)
ออเจ้าเอย งามประกายนภา (Ochao oei Ngam prakai napha)
ขอมองไม่ยอมนิทรา ขอชื่นตาให้พี่ชื่นใจ (Kho mong mai yom nitthra Kho chuenta hai phi chuenchai)กลัวฉันกลัวว่าจันทร์จะลาจากฟ้าไกล (Klua chan klua wa chan cha la chak fa klai)
กลัวฉันกลัวว่าใจจะขาดเมื่อร้างลา (Klua chan klua wa chai cha khat muea rangla)
กลัวฉันกลัวออเจ้าจะไกลไม่เห็นหน้า (Klua chan klua ochao cha klai mai hen na)
กลัวชะตาจะมาพรากเรา (Klua chata cha ma phrak rao)เพียงลับตากระวนกระวายและร้อนรน (Phiang lap ta krawonkrawai lae ronron)
เพียงมืดมนพี่จะทานทนได้รึเปล่า (Phiang muetmon phi cha thanthon dai rue plao)
เพียงยิ้มมาหัวใจเบิกบานคลายทุกข์เศร้า (Phiang yim ma huachai boekban khlai thuksao)
เราหนอเรา คะนึงถึงออเจ้าเอย (Rao no rao Khanueng thueng ochao oei)//
Oh, my dear. Do you know?
There's someone here, thinking of you.
Oh, my dear. You're so beautiful.
Let me look at you instead of sleeping. Let me look at you to soothe my heart.I'm so scared that the Moon will disappear from the Sky.
I'm so scared that my heart will be broken when you disappear from me.
I'm so scared that you, my dear, will be far away.
I'm so scared that destiny will come to separate us.Just being apart from you for a second, I'm worried and anxious.
Just as the night begins, will I be able to tolerate the darkness?
Just your smile, my heart's delighted and my sorrow's relieved.
Oh, I miss you, my dear. -
An Original Composition Based on Cak Nem and Ratu Anom by Dewa Ayu Larassanti
Cak Anom, commissioned by Suara Southeast Asian Choir, explores the rich relationship between rhythm and voice in Balinese music. Its name reflects its roots: “Cak” comes from Kecak, the iconic Balinese vocal percussion tradition, and “Anom” means youth—together, the piece celebrates young people united through rhythm, energy, and song. Drawing from the traditional Cak Nem format, Cak Anom incorporates polos and sangsih patterns alongside Ratu Anom, a beloved Balinese folk song about a young royal awakening to the sound of the suling (bamboo flute), historically composed by I Gusti Ngurah Made Agung, King of Denpasar VI.
Kecak itself originated as a form of collective healing, bringing communities together through chant and percussion, and evolved over time into theatrical storytelling, sometimes misrepresented as the “Monkey Chant” by outsiders. Cak Anom honours these traditions while presenting them in a contemporary choral context, inspired by generational practice at Sanggar Çudamani, a non-profit arts organization in Pengosekan, Bali.
Texts and translationRatu anom metangi meilen-ilen
Dong pirengang munyin sulinge di jabaEnyen ento menyuling di jaba tengah
Gusti Ngurah Alit Jambe Pemecutan//
Ratu Anom wakes up and becomes aware of a sound.
Let’s listen to the sound of the flute in the yard.
Who is playing the flute in the central yard?
It’s Gusti Ngurah Alit (the person’s name) from Jambe Pemecutan (a place).