2018 Judges’ Profiles

MUSIC

 

NG CHOR GUAN

Executive Judge

Chor Guan started his career as professional music composer during his years in London. His diverse professional credits include music for concert, film, theatre, dance, exhibition and multimedia. His music has been performed in a wide variety of mediums including orchestral, choral, chamber, and electronic music, demonstrating an excellent integration of the classical and the contemporary. In 2006, he collaborated actively with Malaysian theatrical artists on productions like Antigone and The Lost and The Ecliptic, and with choreographers on dance collaborations like The Curse of The Forbidden Palace, Peony Dream, Tale of a Healthy City and Ballet Nutcracker. In 2008, Chor Guan was nominated Most Promising Artist at the 6th BOH Cameronian Arts Awards.

 

ADIL JOHAN

Adil Johan is a research fellow at the Institute of Ethnic Studies at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. His background in jazz performance, music education and cultural anthropology led him to pursue a doctoral thesis in ethnomusicology, awarded by King’s College London. His forthcoming book, Cosmopolitan Intimacies: Malay Film Music of the Independence Era published by NUS Press, examines postcolonial nation-making, cultural intimacy and the cosmopolitan music of Malay-language films in 1950s to 1960s Singapore and Malaysia. As a musician, Adil currently plays saxophone in the folk-rock collective, Azmyl Yunor & Orkes Padu, as well as Malaysian cultural-fusion band, Nadir.

 

ANN SALINA PETER

Ann Salina Peter is a graduate in Music from Universiti Malaya, where she majored in voice. She previously participated in performances and concerts as a member of both the National Choir of Malaysia and The Choristers. From 2005 to 2011, she performed with and composed for the gamelan ensemble, Rhythm in Bronze, performing at concerts, festivals and workshops. In 2012, she founded the all-women acapella ensemble, The Vochale Project, leading as its music director and arranger. Ann currently heads the Vocal Division in Cempaka Schools and is the Assistant Head of Performing Arts for the Damansara campus, where she trains the main cast for the school’s musical productions.

 

DR. ANDREW FILMER

Dr. Andrew Filmer is a violist and musicologist. He is a member of the Sutera Ensemble, and has taken on guest roles with Ensemble Virama. His role as an educator has led him to adjudicate for competitions of the MYOF, the Ipoh Music Festival, the Borneo Arts Festival, and the Euroasia Strings Competition. He is also a prize-winning public speaker, and has been narrator for the Selangor Symphony and the Song Weavers. Andrew was a member of the jazz band The Troubles, whose inaugural album was released by Rattle Records, and has performed with New Zealand country artist Matt Langley. He holds a PhD in musicology from the University of Otago, and a master’s degree in viola performance from Indiana University South Bend. He is currently a lecturer at Sunway University.

 

AZMYL YUNOR

One of the hardest gigging and prolific Malaysian indie/underground musicians for the past decade and a half, Azmyl’s songs are candid observations on life and living, with biting commentary to boot. A storyteller and former street musician, he has performed live at venues and festivals internationally including Australia, Singapore, South Korea, Japan, Laos, Indonesia, and Thailand. Azmyl is also an academic who has written and published work about Malaysian music subcultures and makes regular appearances on local radio and television stations for both his music and his take on Malaysian popular music, cultural politics and society.  

 

KHOO KHE SIN

Khoo Khe Sin received her Bachelor’s degree in music from UCSI University, and her Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts from West Virginia University (WVU). A multi-award recipient, Khe Sin served as graduate assistant, studio accompanist and piano instructor to the WVU Opera and Theater Department. Her achievements include winning the 2006 WVU Young Artist Competition, and serving as staff accompanist at the National Association of Teachers of Singing Tri-States Regional Competition, and at the International Flute Symposium at WVU. Khe Sin is currently an adjunct lecturer at UCSI University Institute of Music and the music director of EightTwelve Ensemble.

 

DANCE

 

FOO CHI WEI

Executive Judge

Chi Wei has been a dance practitioner for over 20 years. He studied the Graham Technique briefly under Eugenie Knox of The Dance of Life while pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Visual Communication at RMIT in Melbourne. He had his first taste of dancing in a production during the Spoleto Fringe Festival. In Malaysia, he studied Odissi under the tutelage of Ramli Ibrahim at Sutra Dance Theatre from 2002 to 2012. His interest in Butoh propelled him in taking numerous workshops, most notably with Butoh master, Yukio Waguri. As a performer, Chi Wei has worked with Donna Miranda, Rithaudin Abdul Kadir, Nibroll Dance Company, and Nyoba Kan.

 

ALLA @ AZURA ABAL ABAS

Alla holds a Diploma in Dance from the National Art Academy, and a Bachelor’s degree in Dance from Universiti Malaya, where she also pursuing her Master’s and was a part-time lecturer from 2011 to 2016. She has more than 25 years’ experience as a performer, teacher, trainer and choreographer in traditional and contemporary dance, sharing her expertise in TV talent shows like HMI, Zoom in, Akademi Fantasia, Sehati Berdansa, Mari Menari, Muzik-muzik, and JuaraLagu. Alla has also served as a juror and facilitator for dance workshops and competitions organised by the National Department For Culture And Arts (JKKN).

 

RATHIMALAR GOVINDARAJOO

Rathi specialises in Indian classical Odissi, Bharatanatyam and modern contemporary dance. She spent her formative years with Sutra Dance Theatre for over two decades and worked full-time as one of the pioneer dancers of Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company in London. She was a Fairview International School Dance Educator for the Middle Year Program (IB) for two years, and is currently a Dance Educator Specialist for the GCSE Secondary & Primary syllabus at Help International School. Rathi continues to contribute her extensive dance experience towards the performing arts and education in Malaysia and abroad.

 

LOW MING YAM

Trained at the Central School of Ballet in London, Ming Yam has danced professionally as an independent contemporary dancer in Germany, Ireland, France and the UK. He co-founded Bi Ma Dance Company with Loh Pit Fong in 1991 and touring extensively in Europe, Taiwan, Malaysia, Japan, Egypt, and the US from 1991 to 1999. Ming created his own work and also in collaboration with other artists on The Little Man, Game Over, A Song Within, and From Soho to Shinjuku. Half Man Half Myth. He has been involved in local dance and musical productions and teaches at the Kwang Tung Dance Company, DPac Dance Company and the DPac Dancers Training Programme.

 

YUNUS ISMAIL

Yunus Ismail is professionally trained in Malay and Chinese folk and classical dances as well as Indian Bharatanatyam. He has previously worked under Datuk Ramli Ibrahim of Sutra Dance Company and other Malaysian contemporary dance choreographers like Umesh Shetty, Joseph Gonzales and Choo Tee Kuang. Between 2012 and 2014, he performed as the principal dancer under the ASWARA Dance Company in productions such as 3 Faces, Take Off, and Crossing Borders in Bharatanatyam, as well as collaborating and performing internationally in Singapore, Thailand, South Korea and the UK. Yunus is currently a full-time lecturer at the National Academy of Arts, Culture and Heritage (ASWARA) while pursuing his Master’s degree at Universiti Malaya.

 

BILQIS HIJJAS

Bilqis Hijjas writes about dance, produces, performs and teaches in Malaysia. She holds degrees from Harvard University, Australian National University, Victorian College of the Arts, and New York University. Currently the President of MyDance Alliance, a membership organisation supporting dance in Malaysia, she has produced the popular Dancebox performance series and was artistic director of MyDance Festival 2011 and 2013, and Tepak Tari in 2015. Bilqis also directs the dance programme at private arts centre Rimbun Dahan, which offers residencies for choreographers and hosts the site-specific event Dancing in Place. Bilqis is also Vice President for Southeast Asia of the World Dance Alliance Asia-Pacific and coordinates the annual Southeast Asia Choreolab for emerging contemporary dance choreographers from the region. Bilqis lectures in dance criticism at the University of Malaya and is editor of Critics Republic, a platform for critical analysis of arts in Malaysia.

 

THEATRE

 

DR. WONG OI MIN

Executive Judge

Dr. Wong Oi Min has a PhD in Arts. She is an actor, director, drama/theatre educator. Currently, she is a full-time lecturer at the National Academy of Arts Culture and Heritage (ASWARA) in Malaysia. She mainly teaches Physical Theatre & Applied Theatre as her orientation of the subject is in promoting and developing theatre arts and education. She believes in crossing boundaries towards multicultural co-existence in her work.

 

CHRISTOPHER LING

Trained in Drama and Theatre Arts at Middlesex University and the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain, Christopher Ling is the co-founder and artistic director of theatre collective, theatrethreesixty. Christopher’s directing credits include the Malaysian premieres of Angels In America and Every Brilliant Thing. His directorial work has been seen in Malaysia, Singapore and the UK. In 2009, Christopher received the Anugerah Seni Negara’s Young Talent Award for Theatre Directing, and was awarded Best Direction in Musical Theatre at the 2012 BOH Cameronian Arts Awards.

 

MEGAT SHARIZAL

Megat Sharizal has been acting and directing since college with notable performances in PGL the Musical, P Ramlee the Musical, and Bangsawan Dendam Laksamana. His accolades include Best Director at the Malaysian Theatre Festival 2004, and Best Director for Short+Sweet Theatre Festival 2009. In 2010, he co-founded Playground Productions and produced their first film, Terbaik Dari Langit, that received the Special Jury Award at the 2015 Malaysian Film Festival. Megat’s short film, Bingit, won the 2015 Kuala Lumpur 48-Hour Film Project and was chosen to represent Malaysia in Atlanta.

 

PAT CHAN LAI NGO

Pat Chan holds a Master’s in Actor Coaching & Training from the Central School of Speech and Drama at the University of London, and an Advanced Certificate from the British Academy of Dramatic Combat. She is also a senior lecturer at Taylors University where she teaches and coaches acting and directs theatre and musical theatre productions. Pat Chan is the artistic/managing director of her own dance company, Dance Force Production. Her involvement in theatre productions includes Aladdin, A Tribute to Tun Mahathir, Broken Bridges, Cinderella, Nagraland, Palpitation, and Peter Pan.

 

SYAHRUL FITHRI MUSA

Syahrul Fithri Musa is a senior lecturer in Theatre at the Film, Theatre and Animation Faculty of Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM). He began theatre in 1996 with Grup Teater Anak Melaka (G-Team) and in 2005, he represented the country at the Korea-Asean Future-Oriented Cooperation Project in Seoul. He has contributed as director, playwright or actor in productions like Rabak X, Jerejak, Muzikal Destini Anak Bangsa, and Gugurnya Kopiah Putih. Syahrul is also active in TV and film, producing and directing his first short film, Epal Hijau Di Luar Pagar, in 2011 with the support of the National Film Development Corporation of Malaysia (FINAS). His second short film, Parvai, was self-produced in 2018. Syahrul is currently pursuing his PhD at Universiti Malaya.

 

MUSICAL THEATRE

 

MICHAEL XAVIER VOON

Executive Judge

Michael Xavier Voon is our longest serving judge, beginning with the inaugural Awards in 2002. A graduate with degrees with Fine, Graphic and Performing Arts from Colorado Mesa State University, Michael’s work has taken him to Brunei, Sydney, Singapore, Vietnam, and the US. He received the 2012 BOH Cameronian Arts Awards for Best Choreographer, and the 2012 Short+Sweet Dance Festival Award. Other highlights of his career include Bodyguards, Storyteller, KL KO, HipHopera, and Shout! The Mod Musical. Michael has also worked as a performance coach on TV talent shows like Malaysian Idol I & II, One in a Million, and So You Think You Can Dance Malaysia, and for stage companies like the Young KL Singers, KL Children’s’ Choir, Wicked Pitches, Aspects of Broadway, and Tapestry.

 

COLIN KIRTON

Executive Judge

Colin is the artistic director of Kirton Call Productions and touring theatre company, Footstool Players. His theatre acting credits include Broken Bridges – The Musical, P Ramlee The Musical, Paper Crane, and Crazy Little Thing Called Love. His directorial credits include Follow The Light and Crazy Little Thing Called Love. Colin was nominated for Best Vocal Performance (Solo) at the 2007 BOH Cameronian Arts Awards for Broken Bridges, and received Best Group Performance (Theatre) at the 2009 BOH Cameronian Arts Awards as part of the ensemble for Crazy Little Thing Called Love. Colin is also heavily in demand as a theatre-skills trainer, and his voice is also frequently heard on commercials, documentaries, educational multimedia materials and animation projects.

 

DOMINIC LUCIEN LUK

Executive Judge

Dominic Lucien Luk has a Bachelor’s in Music from LASALLE College of the Arts in Singapore, majoring in vocal performance and pedagogy. He later went to Brandeis University in Boston, where he obtained his Master’s degree in musicology while studying singing for musical theatre and had extended training in choral conducting at Harvard University. Dominic currently lectures at Universiti Teknologi MARA and Universiti Putra Malaysia where he teaches voice and performance. He is also co-founder and creative director of Monday Show Entertainment, which focuses on the education and production of theatre and musical theatre. Dominic’s stage credits include Kiss of the Spider Woman, The Wizard of Oz,  Broadway Bites, Angels In America, A Language of Their Own, and The Weight of Silk on Skin.

 

MERVYN PETERS

Executive Judge

Mervyn began his career in the 1970s as choirmaster of St. Francis Xavier Church and with the Malaysian Drama Council as a chorus member and musical director. He also conducted most of The Philharmonic Society of Selangor’s choral concerts and productions including Oklahoma!, Guys and Dolls, and The Mikado. Mervyn was also resident conductor with the KL Symphony Orchestra and after a director’s course with the British Theatre Association, he joined the The Actors Studio as a lighting designer and general manager/technical director. He has since worked on musicals like Tunku: The Musical and Ismail: The Last Days, which received Best Musical Direction at the 2009 BOH Cameronian Arts Awards. Mervyn has served as orchestra manager for the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra and now, the Selangor Symphony Orchestra.

 

SANDRA SODHY

Executive Judge

Sandra is a founding member of the Instant Café Theatre Company and was with them for a decade. As managing director of the Straits Theatre Company, she produced, publicised and acted in critically-acclaimed plays by Huzir Sulaiman and other award-winning playwrights. In 2006, she wrote Jalan Impian as a platform for children and co-produced it for charity with Farah Dato’ Seri Sulaiman. She was a member of the 2006 International Writing Program under the auspices of the US State Department, and has had her plays staged in the US. She has enjoyed over 35 years in theatre and TV, in Malaysia and abroad. Today, Sandra teaches theatre and musical theatre, trains people in the corporate sector and media industry, writes and edits, and performs whenever she can.