In the face of an impending risk to the Penang House of Music, the educational and music communities have joined forces to launch a public petition geared toward saving the music historical past museum and useful resource centre, from the brink of closure.
The George Town-based establishment, established in November 2016, is a repository of music memorabilia, uncommon paperwork, books, vinyl, devices, and interactive displays, relationship again to pre-war Malaya.
On Feb 13, the Penang House of Music (PHoM) took to social media to break the information of its impending closure due to monetary challenges, which may occur in a matter of weeks.
“It’s been an exquisite seven-and-a-half years and we’re proud of this labour of love, however alas, simply ardour alone isn’t sufficient generally, and the shortage of monetary and institutional help has made it a bit of too troublesome to proceed,” learn the PHoM assertion.
Per week has handed for the reason that announcement, however there have been no concrete choices made by the varied stakeholders and politicians who’ve weighed in on the event.
The tutorial group, recognising the invaluable function such museums and repositories play in preserving and disseminating musical historical past, has taken a passionate stand alongside musicians, educators, and music fanatics to rally help.
Launched not too long ago, the petition – Save Penang House of Music on Change.org – serves as a collective plea, resonating with the shared sentiment that the closure of this museum would symbolize a big loss for each academia and the broader group.
“PHoM has always been a beacon of hope and inspiration for enthusiasts of music and the performing arts across the world. PHoM educated local, regional and global visitors about the diverse tangible and intangible heritage of art found in Penang and Malaysia. It is currently one of very few organisations in the country that have been actively collecting and archiving music artefacts from Malaysia and the surrounding region. Thus, it has provided music researchers like myself (and my colleagues) an invaluable resource for research on the rich cultural past of the nation and the South-East Asian region,” says Dr Adil Johan, senior lecturer, the Department of Music, Faculty of Creative Arts, Universiti Malaya.
The tutorial group highlights PHoM’s function as a novel experiential studying area. Music educators argue that the museum additionally serves as an extension of the classroom, providing college students a tangible connection to the theoretical points of their research.
“In Malaysia, few institutional archiving repositories have the extent of engagement with the general public that PHoM has had in its comparatively brief seven years, by its use of audio-visual and interactive displays. Its digital archive can also be a treasure trove for teachers and researchers alike, that’s community-based slightly than the top-down constructions one finds in most public establishments. It can also be serves as a group centre or assembly level for native musicians, previous and new, to reunite or bridge the gaps between generations, not like some other locations throughout the nation,” says Azmyl Yunor, senior lecturer and programme chief, Department of Film & Performing Arts, School of Arts, Sunway University.
PHoM’s impression has gone past the music group. Even cultural activists and musical therapists share widespread floor right here, emphasising the significance of preserving the cultural legacy embedded throughout the museum’s displays, which inform tales of the connections and reminiscences throughout the group.
“PHoM should not be closed. It has provided a venue for those interested in the traditional arts to rehearse, perform and document their works. Ombak Potehi (traditional glove puppetry), for instance, has been able to collaborate with the traditional Potehi masters to document the stories that are no longer performed. More importantly, the documentation is archived and is accessible to the performers and to the public,” says Dr Tan Sooi Beng, Professor of Ethnomusicology, School of the Arts, Universiti Sains Malaysia.
As signatures pour in, help has additionally come from the worldwide group.
“The PHoM is a cultural gem, documenting the musical and cultural heritage of the area. Importantly, the archives at PHoM serve as an educational tool for musicians, scholars, academics, and therapists and others who want to use the music of Penang in authentic and culturally sensitive ways,” says Lori Fogus Gooding, Associate Professor in Music Therapy, Florida State University and former President, American Music Therapy Association (2020-2023). Gooding visited PHoM final yr.
“Exploring the PHoM and its online resources has helped me, as a foreigner, glimpse the rich musical and cultural life of Penang. It helped me better understand the numerous influences on music and culture in Penang and the contributions the arts have had on life on the island. It would truly be a loss for Penang and all of Malaysia if the PHoM did not continue, so I urge you to come together in support for the archives and its mission of instilling awareness and pride for the talent and beauty of Malaysian music and musicians,” she provides.
