GTF Summer School: Music Masterclasses

Following on similar initiatives in 2021, 2022 and 2023, the GTF Summer School: Arts Masterclasses series taps into the expertise of leading creative artists and arts educators to offer technical, creative and performance-related insights for arts practitioners in different fields, from keen hobbyists to potential professionals. There is a key focus for this year’s masterclasses: jazz. Participants will learn how to prepare effectively, how to practise their skills better, how to infuse their own performances with creativity, and how to be more professional in their approach to this creativity. There are four masterclasses as follows: (1) Rich Huang (drums), The Art of Jazz Drumming; (2) Tay Cher Siang (keyboards), Malaysian Real Book: Documenting Our Musical Heritage; (3) Alwagera (vocals), From Inspiration to Performance: The Journey of a Song; (4) Eddie Wen (trumpet), Music, Life, Trumpet and Jazz: Exploring the Versatility of Brass. The sessions are open to all those who have a keen interest in the arts, and preference is given to those who are practising creatives of any age with some level of prior experience.

Tay Cher Siang (Keyboards)
Malaysian Real Book: Documenting Our Musical Heritage
Tay Cher Siang is one of Southeast Asia’s finest jazz pianists, composers, arrangers and producers, and currently lives in Kuala Lumpur. With an early training in classical music, he took up jazz in his teens and began a musical odyssey as a jazz pianist. He studied with the well-known teachers James Miltenberger and Paul Scea in the United States, before returning to Malaysia to immerse himself in jazz education at a number of universities, while also teaching at his private studio and giving masterclasses and jazz clinics. As a pianist and composer, Cher Siang has toured extensively, performing in Asia, the Middle East, Europe and North America with both the multinational band Unit Asia, and with his own band WVC Jazz – one of Southeast Asia’s leading contemporary jazz ensembles. From Tin Pan Alley to jazz, from fake books to real books, from the sparks that ignited the making of the Malaysian Real Book. In this masterclass, Tay Cher Siang, one of the committee members that put together this historical document of Malaysian music history, shares his reflections on the history, the significance and the journey of this important and unique milestone.

Rich Huang (Drums)
The Art of Jazz Drumming
Rich Huang, widely known as Taiwan’s ‘Drum King’, is a legendary drummer with a career that spans well over five decades. Starting out in 1967, he went on to perform with the TTV Orchestra, and in the mid-1970s began working on film, television and commercial soundtracks, as well as recordings for jazz and percussion. He has contributed to tens of thousands of recorded singles, and his skill and versatility have led him to work with countless renowned singers and musicians, earning him acclaim as a top percussionist. Known for his mastery across genres, Rich Huang has been a prominent figure in pop, classical, jazz and traditional music, actively teaching and promoting jazz drumming in Taiwan. Committed to fostering international jazz exchange, he regularly participates in major jazz festivals, university lecture tours and cross-genre performances with orchestras. This masterclass focuses on the art of jazz drumming.

Alwagera (Vocals)
From Inspiration to Performance: The Journey of a Song
Alwagera is an educator, film composer, writer, arranger and singer. She also teaches at the College of Creative Arts, Universiti Teknologi MARA. She has produced original soundtracks and scored films including Tiga Janda Melawan Dunia, Kencing Malam, Handbag and the award-winning animation Batik Girl. As a celebrated singer, Alwagera’s forte lies in jazz, RnB, pop and ballads, and has also created numerous works that adapt traditional Malaysian music such as gamelan, folk songs, joget, asli and keroncong and has pioneered ethnic jazz fusion music. She released a single, ‘Hujan’, in 2020 to critical and popular acclaim. Alwagera actively performs with musicians such as Rizal Tony and has appeared at Simply Jazz, Jao Tim, Liberal Latte, Jazz Up9 and the Malaysian Jazz Piano Festivals, among others. This masterclass explores the creative journey of a song, from the initial spark of inspiration, images and paintings to the final performance. It delves into the various stages of song writing – finding inspiration, developing ideas, crafting lyrics and melodies, and executing it on stage. The session is designed to be engaging for both musicians and music lovers, offering insights into the creative process and magic behind a finished song.

Eddie Wen (Trumpet)
Music, Life, Trumpet and Jazz: Exploring the Versatility of Brass
Born in PJ with a strong music influence, Eddie Wen started to pursue trumpet as his career at the age of 15. At that time he was the first trumpet for KL Symphony Orchestra, PJ Youth Symphonic band, and a member of the National Symphony Orchestra. He has also performed at Lincoln Center in New York and the Royal Albert Hall in London, as well as in Taiwan, Hong Kong and China, and has worked with some of the best musicians and singers in Asia. He plays regularly with the WVC Jazz ensemble. 
Ever wondered how the same instrument can thrive in vastly different musical environments? In this masterclass, Eddie Wen takes you on a captivating journey through the diverse realms of music. He covers the disciplined world of orchestral performance, the spontaneous creativity of jazz improvisation and the high-energy spectacle of pop touring. Discover the technical demands, artistic nuances and personal experiences that define each style. This masterclass offers a unique perspective on the power and versatility of the brass instruments and especially the trumpet.