2015 - A Night of Buddhist Music @ BGF Ara Damansara


The beautiful backdrop on the stage depicting the Gandharvas (from Sanskrit, possibly meaning "fragrances") refers to a group of low-ranking male nature deities that appear in both Hinduism and Buddhism. In both traditions the Gandharvas are closely related to the wilderness as well as the creative arts, particularly music. In the modern age now. Gandharvas plays the guitars, entertains crowds and sings for you. So do enjoy the singing Gandharvas of BGF!

I attended the 3 hour beautiful musical night which was brought to the public for the first time by Prof. Datuk Seri Victor Wee, the President of Buddhist Gem Fellowship at Block D-G-2, Block D Jalan PJU 1A/3K, Taipan 1, Ara Damansara, 47500 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia. Phone: +60 12-486 6617. Admission is free.

I was delighted to hear the best of the original English and Mandarin Buddhist songs from the super groups: Wayfarers, i.gemz, Metronome’z, Melody of Truth & Beauty and The Bodhi KL. In addition we have singer from Ipoh, Leong Kin Onn the original singer of Yo Zhan Den and Oh Kim Leng from Malacca. A lovely evening indeed and I enjoyed every moment of their performances. After the show, we were taken up to the rooftop for some food under the thousand stars.


We would thank the emcee, Fong Xiao Thoong for a job well done.


A puja was performed before the start of the singing. The practice of Pali language chanting goes back to the days of the Buddha, when writing was not common. His teachings were memorised by monks in chant form and passed on. This was how the Buddha’s words were transmitted for several centuries. They were finally written down on ola (palm) leaves in the first century AD in Sri Lanka.


The entire Pali language collection of teachings is known as the Tripitaka (meaning three baskets) and comprise the vinaya pitaka (disciplinary rules for monks), sutta pitaka (discourses) and abhidhamma pitaka (higher teachings).




Bro. Oh Kim Leng on wheel chair talking to Dr Tan Ho Soon, the founding member of Nalanda Buddhist Society Malaysia.


Speech by Organising Chairman, Bro.Daniel Kwok Tak Hoong.


The i.gemz members are: Daniel Kwok Tak Hoong, Fong Xiao Thoong, Tiffany Lee Rouyen, Devi K Suhardi and Poh Wee Fah.


The i.gemz presenting a song "Dhamma Shines in Me" with Devi K Suhardi, Tiffany Lee Rouyen and Poh Wee Fah at Buddhist Gem Fellowship.


"Dhamma Shines in Me" by Devi K Suhardi, Tiffany Lee Rouyen and Poh Wee Fah.


The i.gemz is well regarded a popular Buddhist musical group in Malaysia which aims to promote the teachings of the Buddha through inspirational music, as well as to inspire spiritual friendship amongst listeners.
 
The opening song: "Dhamma Shines in Me" by i.gemz



Speech by Prof. Datuk Seri Victor Wee the President of Buddhist Gem Fellowship, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia welcomed all attendees and thanked the singers for making a successful Night of Buddhist Music at BGF.
 
Speech by Prof. Datuk Seri Victor Wee


The Metronome'z (L-R) Daniel Jai Eu, Metta Tan, Mudita Tan and Karuna Tan Yi Wen. Datuk Seri Victor Wee presenting souvenir to the group at Buddhist Gem Fellowship.


The Metronome’z ia a band of friends that wanted to spread their love of Buddhist music to the world.


The Wayfarers (L-R) Poh Wee Fah, Datuk Raymond Yeoh and Datuk Victor Wee. On the right is Daniel Kwok Tak Hoong.


Datuk Raymond Yeoh receiving a token of appreciation from Datuk Victor Wee. On the right is Daniel Kwok Tak Hoong.


The Wayfarers is a group of Buddhist singers and musicians who express their inspiration in the Dhamma through songs. They consider themselves committed to walk the Buddha’s path or the Middle Way. They think of themselves as “travelers” with the noble intentions to bring about inspiration and spiritual upliftment with their sweet singing voices. The Wayfarers (L-R) Poh Wee Fah, Datuk Raymond Yeoh, Datuk Victor Wee


Wong Choon Tat receiving a token of appreciation from Datuk Victor Wee.


The i.gemz (L-R) Tiffany Lee Rouyen, Devi K Suhardi, Xiao Thoong, Poh Wee Fah, Daniel Tak Hoong Kwok and Victor Wee




Melody of Truth and Beauty members - Heng Wei Khang, Ariel Siow and Teh Shing Yi


Singer from Ipoh was Bro. Leong Kin Onn, the original singer of Yo Zhan Den.


All the singers for A Night of Buddhist Music at BGF.

The Metronome’z: "A prayer" sung by Karuna Tan

The Metronome’z: Padamu Buddha Dhamma Sangha and Triratana Puja
 
The Wayfarers: 1)Truth Within You
2)The Flower of Mankind 3)The Bodhisattva


Bodhi KL members (L-R) Wong Kah Kent, Ng Bakkim, Yusanne Chong, Vincee Lai and Lim Chee Hoong at Buddhist Gem Fellowship.

The Bodhi KL presented 3 Chinese Buddhist songs.
 
i-gemz @ BGF Ara Damansara

Melody of Truth and Beauty presented Chinese Buddhist songs.
 
Melody of Truth and Beauty together with
The Bodhi KL presented Chinese Buddhist songs.



From Ipoh, Bro. Leong Kin Onn the original singer of Yo Zhan Den
 
Bro. Leong Kin Onn presented a Chinese song.



About the Wayfarers:Their songs were composed by their leader, Victor Wee, Tan Huat Chye as well as other song writers. They have five albums to their credit, namely, Moments of Inspiration, The Sunrise Comes, Nirvana Sweet Release, A Light in the Darkness, and Sasanarakkha - Guardian of the Sasana.
 
The Wayfarers: 1. I have found eternal refuge
2. A light in the darkness 3. Sasanarakkha



Swee-Pin Fun and Poh Wee Fah


The Wayfarers had a large following in different parts of the country and their albums were distributed to various countries with English speaking Buddhist communities such as Singapore, Australia, India, Sri Lanka, United States of America, and United Kingdom. The Wayfarers had performed in concerts in throughout the country and Singapore.






Bro. Oh Kim Leng another wonderful singer all the way from Malacca.
 
Bro. Oh Kim Leng presented Softly Blew The Breezes.


















click below to view:
Wayfarers 'Collected Works Vol.1' (1998) Buddhist Devotional songs in English songs from the first two albums of the Wayfarers - "Moments of Inspiration (1982)" and "The Sunrise Comes (1983)". Since their release, the songs continue to be much loved and sung. Even after all these years they have not lost their magic more to download.
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2 comments:

  1. What great Memories! Thank you for preserving them here!

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  2. I really like it whenever people come together and share ideas.
    Great site, continue the good work!

    ReplyDelete