Chia Cheng Kok is currently working as a percussionist/ timpanist in the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) based in Istana Budaya, Malaysia. He is also a music educator of various school and university orchestras.
As an active percussionist, Chia has either performed or conducted in numerous concerts, music festivals, and commercial video shooting such as the Japan International Music Festival, Japan Shizuoka Symphonic Band Music festival, Spain International Music Festival, Jiayi City International Music Festival and Klang Music Festival Malaysia. He also played ensemble music, chamber music, musicals, and opera theatre with Asian China Youth Symphony Orchestra at Cambodia, MPO, PJ Youth Symphony Band, and KLpac Symphony Band.
Chia founded the very first percussion ensemble in Malaysia, Percussion Ensemble of National Symphony Orchestra with the support of the National Symphony Orchestra, Malaysia, and J.S. Music in 2013. PENSO comprises of eleven members who are mostly teachers and university students.
In the year 2015, PENSO had won the champion in Winter Guard International (WGI) in International Open Categories and National Open Categories in Malaysia with the collaboration with the well-known drumline Batteryheadz. Besides that, PENSO also had a collaboration concert with a well-known percussion ensemble from Singapore, the Singapore Wind Symphony Percussion Ensemble.
Interview Highlights
1. Instead of using online applications like Zoom or Skype to teach pupils, Chia Cheng Kok uses recorded videos to demonstrate to his students and evaluate students’ performances during the pandemic.
2. Bass drum is the first percussion instrument Chia Cheng Kok plays and has fallen in love with percussion ever since. It is also the instrument that represents him.
3. Orchestras usually have 1 week to rehearse. Before they perform the concert in front of the audience, they have to sight-read in the first or second day, do a run through and have a full dress rehearsal with lighting and staging.
4. If you have the chance to go travel to Malaysia, please do visit the Percussion Store and check out its the awesome owner and percussion instruments. Address: No.6 2nd Floor, Jalan Panggong, Kuala Lumpur City Centre, 50000 Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
If you wish to review the whole inspiring interview, please visit our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/102925561388705/videos/988294398294778
Tap on Pacific hearts,
Strike up Asia.