Asia+ Festival Returns with 'Traditions Recast' Theme, Featuring Musical Performances

The Asia+ Festival, which celebrates the cultural diversity of the region, particularly nations connected by China’s Belt and Road Initiative, is back for its fourth iteration under the theme “Traditions Recast,” according to the South China Morning Post. The festival, organized by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, continues until the end of November. Two main performances are highlighted for capturing the spirit of fusing ancient music with visual art and choreography.

Canvas of Sound, a performance that merges real-time calligraphy with improvised music, will debut in Asia at the Sai Wan Ho Civic Centre on October 23 and 24. This production was commissioned by the Aga Khan Music Programme, an interregional music and arts education initiative established in 2000 and based in Geneva, Switzerland. The audience is expected to experience a meditative event, which involves an artistic, intellectual, and emotional exchange between Tazeen Qayyum, a visual artist of Pakistani-Canadian descent, and two musicians: Feras Charestan, who plays the qanun zither, and Basel Rajoub, who plays the duclar – a reed instrument – saxophone and percussion.

Qayyum uses brush and ink to translate the sounds into physical choreography, moving deliberately across a large canvas while creating calligraphic strokes in Arabic, Persian, and Urdu scripts in response to the musicians' improvisations. Charestan noted that while the performance is unscripted, it is structured around predetermined core pieces centered on the system of melodic Arabic modes, allowing for spontaneity within a shared musical language. Rajoub concurred, stating that spontaneity arises from the interaction among performers who prepare by knowing the music and being ready to react to onstage events.

For the Hong Kong audience, Qayyum expressed hope that the performance offers a break from uncertain times, inviting viewers to pause and reflect amidst pressures to be quick and hardened.

Another featured performance, Taksu – The Spirit of Gamelan, is scheduled for November 6 and 7 at the Sha Tin Town Hall auditorium. This percussion-focused show is described as louder but shares a respect for spirituality and humanity, exploring the Balinese concept of taksu, which signifies divine inspiration and spiritual energy that sparks artistic expression. Bernard Goh, the founder and artistic director of Hands Percussion from Malaysia, collaborated with actor and director Ghafir Akbar and master composer and ethnomusicologist I Wayan Sudirana to create a fusion of contemporary and traditional percussion styles.

The central theme is set by Indonesia’s Gamelan Yuganada, a percussion style originating from ancient royal courts and temples in Java and Bali, Indonesia. This is combined with the 24 Festive Drums, a tradition established in 1988 within the Chinese community of Johor Bahru, Malaysia, which is based on lion dance. Goh stated that merging these two traditions required understanding and respecting the originality of the sound, rhythm, and technique for each instrument before adapting that knowledge to others.

The staging reflects the spirituality of Balinese gamelan, with ensemble members positioned on a raised platform appearing “uplifted,” while drummers remain grounded below to allow space for their dynamic movements. Goh commented that the gamelan, despite being made of metal, possesses the capacity to sound gently, quickly, and elegantly, comparing the instruments to armor and skin moving across similar contours in an intercultural musical conversation.

Achieving a cohesive performance necessitated a process of “unlearning” for both groups of musicians. Goh mentioned that his members, who were proud Chinese drummers skilled in dynamic movement and grand hand gestures, had to adapt to the Balinese gamelan, which requires remaining stationary while playing intricate, fast-paced rhythms. Members of The Hong Kong Children’s Choir’s Chamber Youth will also contribute by singing a reimagined, gamelan version of the Chinese folk song “Jasmine Flower,” alongside its Malaysian counterpart, “Bunga Emas” or “Golden Flower.” Vivian Ip, conductor of Chamber Youth, noted that for choristers accustomed to Western classical repertoire, this performance offers both a challenge and an opportunity to expand their creative horizons, as the cultural context of these compositions can feel remarkably foreign despite their geographical proximity.