The Perak Museum Department, with the Taiping Heritage Society, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and The Crafting Music Pianos Kuala Lumpur, staged the Memories And Music concert last Sunday, closing the inaugural Legasi festival on a high.

Conceptualised by the Taiping Heritage Society, the event formed part of the wider three-day Legasi 2025 programme that began last Friday, held at several locations in Taiping, including the Maxwell BaseCamp and Taiping Public Library.

Perak Museum Department director Mohd Nasrulamiazam Mohd Nasir said the initiative aims to turn museums into active hubs for developing heritage and artistic ideas, moving beyond their traditional role as mere places to exhibit artefacts and bringing them closer to the community.

"We want the public to see museums as living institutions with a new, dynamic function, not as static places confined to exhibitions and artefacts alone," he said.

Pianist Jojo Yap performing on a 'denim-clad piano' crafted by Taiping-born maker Henry Chan of The Crafting Music. Photo: Bernama

Mohd Nasrulamiazam highlighted the diverse audience, from Kuala Lumpur and nearby states to visitors who travelled from Singapore for the show.

"What we witnessed was a symbol of unity. People from all backgrounds came together without prejudice, united through the concept of music," he added.

Mohd Nasrulamiazam noted that while his department provided the venue, facilities, and programme management, the independent Taiping Heritage Society fully funded the costs.

"I hope that more music programmes like this can be held on a larger scale, perhaps as mini concerts involving orchestras and a wider variety of musical instruments," he said.

With the museum as backdrop, Koh Sin Kit (left), Haziq Muhyidin (centre) and How Dim Sy brought the 'Memories And Music' show to life at the Perak Museum in Taiping on Sept 14. Photo: Bernama

The hour-long Memories And Music production was led by Dr Ang Mei Foong, an award-winning soprano and Head of Music at UPM. The programme traced voyages from Europe to Malaya with “journeying songs” of the 1800s before moving into Malay and indigenous traditions.

The Dendang Suara Serantau group, made up of UPM students, performed a musical "walkthrough" tour that guided the audience through the Perak Museum galleries.

The audience enjoyed melodious vocals and harmonies amid heritage displays, with classical songs and local folk medleys creating a captivating experience.

He added that the Department of Museums Malaysia highly encourages collaborative programmes across its network of 22 museums, and that future partnerships with the Taiping Heritage Society and Crafting Music Pianos Kuala Lumpur would also be proposed.

"This initiative aims to jointly promote cultural and arts programmes, leveraging the expertise and resources from various organisations. 

"These strategic partnerships have significant potential to enrich the nation's artistic and cultural treasures while attracting more visitors to museums and their events," he said. - Bernama