Penang Philharmonic Orchestra

In the first week I got connected with musicians and joined the Penang Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO). I borrowed a viola from the orchestra and put new strings on it and I bought a cheap violin and also restrung it. The concert featured up-and-coming 21-year-old soloist Elias Moncado (from Penang and lives in Germany) who was fabulous and played the Beethoven violin concerto. We had a guest conductor, Tan Tor Song, also a German-Penangite who really rehearsed us well, every evening over the course of a week spanning about 20 hours in an old mansion turned university. We played to an audience of about 300 in the Penang Performing Arts Center of Penang at Straits Quay just next door to me. The level of players was quite similar to my home Redwood Symphony, also a community group with many music teacher professionals.

The program also included the Tchaikovsky "Mozartiana" and the Mozart "Titus" Overture.

Photos with the conductor, the soloist, and my viola buddies:

And here is the beautiful building (former mansion, now a university) where we got to rehearse: