Young talents shine at SONS Junior musical showcase

KUCHING, 20 December 2025 – tHe Spring Shopping Mall was filled with festive cheer this afternoon as 76 young performers from Majlis Seni Sarawak (MSS) took centre stage for the SONS Junior Musical Showcase, delighting shoppers and visitors with music, dance, and choral performances.

The event, officially launched by Deputy Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak, Datuk Snowdan Lawan, featured a lineup of 40 musicians from the Simfoni Orkestra Negeri Sarawak (SONS) Junior, 16 dancers, and 20 choir members. The young artists performed a diverse repertoire that included Christmas carols, modern music pieces, and classical works that captivated the audience.

"SONS Junior Musical Showcase this afternoon can be one of the shoppers and even tourists attraction to tHe Spring Shopping Mall, creating festive atmospheres and engaging the public by bringing live music, dance and choir," said Snowdan in his speech at this afternoon's music showcase.

"People love to see this sort of entertainment, especially when it involves young talented performers," he continued.

The showcase is part of MSS's ongoing commitment to nurturing young talent in the creative industries. This year alone, the organisation has worked with 1,488 participants in all divisions, providing them with technical proficiency training, creative confidence building, and opportunities to participate in state-level competitions and performances.

The young performers, who had been practicing and rehearsing since last week, are students from MSS's Kelas Bimbingan Seni (KBS), which offers classes ranging from dance, vocal, musical instruments, painting, theater, and acting.

Acting CEO of Majlis Seni Sarawak, Awang Ikman bin Awang Sepian praised tHe Spring Shopping Mall for its partnership and noted that the venue's support demonstrates strong corporate social responsibility in promoting local music, arts, and culture.

The event drew comparisons to similar initiatives overseas, including performances by the Orchestra of Opera North at Trinity Leeds shopping centre in the UK and the Lundaland Philharmonic Orchestra's flashmob in a Swedish mall. This highlights Sarawak's participation in a global trend of bringing live arts to public spaces.

With Christmas approaching, the showcase came in at the perfect timing, and shows that Sarawak is serious in investing in its young artistic talent, promising a bright future for the State's creative industries.