Vision into reality at Pinetree Marina Resort

 

Two years ago, Johnny Lau, Senior General Manager of Group Hotel & Hospitality division, spoke to Johor Menteri Besar, Dato’ Onn Hafiz Ghazi, about the Tiong Nam Group’s shared vision for progress and innovation in Johor.

 

View of the Pinetree Marina & Resort
Puteri Harbour at Iskandar Puteri

Two years on, Lau was pleased to express his appreciation to the Johor Government for their support and collaboration in turning this vision into a reality.

 

Lau was speaking at the grand launch of the Pinetree Marina Puteri Harbour, a momentous event graced by the Johor Menteri Besar along with Johor State ExCo for Tourism, Environment, Heritage & Culture, Raven Kumar Krishnasamy, Member of Parliament for Iskandar Puteri, Datuk Pandak Ahmad, and Tiong Nam Logistics Holdings Berhad Group Managing Director, Ong Yoong Nyock.

 

Senior General Manager of Tiong Nam Group
Hotel & Hospitality, Johnny Lau, presenting 
his speech at the Grand Launch event
 

This event was aptly held on the quayside that borders the scenic Straits of Johor, overlooking the 76 berths of the public marina, designed to cater to a diverse range of vessels.

 

“Our vision is to establish this marina as a premier destination that will not only enhance the boating experience but also contribute to the growth and vibrancy of Iskandar Puteri.

 

Its prime location offers seamless access to key South East Asian maritime corridors, making it an ideal hub for boaters travelling from Phuket, Langkawi, Pangkor Island, Kota Kinabalu and Singapore,” said Lau.

 

Johor Menteri Besar, Dato' Onn Hafiz Ghazi
addressing the audience gathered to witness
the Grand Launch event at Puteri Harbour

The Tiong Nam Hospitality Group has undertaken comprehensive revitalization of the marina by blending sleek, modern design with upgraded facilities to elevate the docking experience to premium standards.

 

Lau said that this grand launch event not only marked a new chapter in luxury hospitality and marina services in the Southern region of Malaysia but also opened a gateway for global travellers into Johor.

 

He said that in addition to economic benefits to the region, the Pinetree Marina & Resort Puteri Harbour will create job opportunities and is a destination that will build lasting memories, both for the local community and visitors to Johor.

 

Ong Yoong Nyock and Johnny Lau presented
a token of appreciation to the Johor Menteri
Besar while Ravin Kumar [Left] looked on

In his response to Lau’s comments about their conversation two years ago, Dato’ Onn Hafiz graciously declared that he was ecstatic to celebrate this great milestone with the Tiong Nam Hospitality Group.

 

The Johor Menteri Besar said that the opening of the Pinetree Marina & Resort in Puteri Harbour bodes well for Johor as the Visit Johor Year will coincide with Visit Malaysia Year in 2026, with target of two million visitors to Johor.

 

Another significant development that should welcome more visitors to Johor he said, was that the agreement for the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), with terms that aim to resolve long-standing issues, is scheduled to be signed on 6 January 2025.

 

A simple ceremony was held at
 the edge of the wharf

Dato’ Onn Hafiz then commended Ong Yoong Nyock as a person who delivers and expressed his appreciation for the collaboration with partners like the Tiong Nam Logistics Holdings Bhd Group, to achieve success in the state.

 

He was also looking forward to September 2025 when another of Tiong Nam’s hospitality projects was scheduled to be ready to welcome guests to their unique hotel resort designed within two airplanes in Kempas, Johor.

 

The Johor Menteri Besar was pleased to share briefly about the State Budget with allocations to upgrade facilities in the Johor Zoo with a Night Zoo, the Istana Gardens, Bukit Timbalan, Museum Tokoh as well as nearby Kampung Sungai Melayu.

Another generous sum was allocated to upgrade tourism activities including the Malay cultural center at Yayasan Warisan Johor or Johor Heritage Foundation, that will be open to welcome visitors every weekend by June next year.

 

Johor Menteri Besar and guests on the upper
deck of private yacht to view the marina

Dato’ Onn Hafiz concluded his speech with warm wishes and sincere congratulations to Ong and his team at Pinetree Marina & Resort on their milestone event.

 

As a token of appreciation, Ong and Lau presented a souvenir to the Johor Menteri Besar in the form of a vintage galleon, encased in an acrylic box.

 

The grand launch event continued with a walk to the edge of the wharf where a simple ceremony was held, officiated by the Johor Menteri Besar. After a bunch of balloons were released into the air, 162 red groupers were released into the waters of the marina.

 

After a splashing jet-ski demonstration in the water, the Johor Menteri Besar and distinguished guests were welcomed on board a private yacht berthed alongside. From its upper deck, they enjoyed a good view of the marina.

 

Equipped with an array of practical and leisure facilities for both short and extended stays, Pinetree Marina is poised to be a key stopover for international boating enthusiasts.

 

The facilities include a fuel dock, buggy service, metered power supply (up to three-phase 425-Amp), 24-hours security with CCTV surveillance, gated marina access and Wi-Fi connectivity.

 

Visitors can also enjoy shower and toilet facilities, a laundry room, recreational amenities like swimming pool and gym, and a convenient shuttle service.

 

Guests gathered at the wharf of Pinetree Marina

To complement the marina, Pinetree Resort has 107 contemporary serviced apartments in a 25-storey building, each designed with a fully equipped kitchenette, laundry room and Internet TV to provide visitors with a home-away-from home.

 

As part of its active engagement with the regional boating community, Pinetree Marina recently hosted over 30 vessels that participated in the annual Sail Malaysia rally with a sail route from Johor to Rebak Island Resort & Marina in Langkawi.

 

To fortify its position as a top-tier destination for boating and leisure, expansion plans are already in place to develop more than 200 berths in the marina.

 

Pinetree Marina & Resort Puteri Harbour is at Jalan Persiaran Tanjung, Puteri Harbour, 79100 Iskandar Puteri, Johor.

 

Photo Credit: BrandCulture PR & Marketing Communications and my own.

Return to where it all started...

 

When my friends in JB Drums invited me to a drum show as the finale of their Annual Performance and Primary School Exchange Camp, I noted that this show would be held in their alma mater, Foon Yew High School Johor Bahru.

 

Inside the Dewan Sekolah Foon Yew

JB Drums is a professional drum troop, established to preserve and promote the art of the 24 Festive Drums, a globally renowned performing art that had its humble beginnings as a school drum troop in Foon Yew High School.

 

Over the years, I have covered countless stories on the art of the 24 Festive Drums and co-founders, the late Tan Hooi Song and Tan Chai Puan, who have promoted this performing art nationwide and abroad since its founding in 1988.

 

I have never entered the premises of the Foon Yew High School, the largest independent Chinese high school in the nation and the largest Chinese education secondary school outside of Mainland China, so I must say that I was looking forward to both: entering this highly regarded bastion of education and enjoying the drum show in the place where it all started some 36 years ago.

 

Facade of the hall, Dewan Sekolah Foon Yew

Armed with an e-parking ticket, I was welcomed smoothly into the carpark reserved for visitors and simply followed the visitors ahead of me who were heading to the entrance of Dewan Sekolah Foon Yew, which appeared to be the event hall.

 

I must clarify that I do not read Chinese and have limited command of the language so on arrival at the lobby, I was pleased to see some familiar faces whom I had met at the Drum Shows previously staged at the Permaisuri Zarith Sofiah Opera House.

 

When I received my tickets, I was also directed to enter by which door to find my seats which, I was told, were clearly marked with my name.

 

My entrance ticket

So when the doors opened and I entered the hall, it was easy to spot my name pasted on the back of the chairs because all the other seats were labelled in Chinese.

 

In the next few minutes, the seats in the hall quickly filled up and when Tan Chai Puan arrived, he took his seat next to me.

 

After we exchanged pleasantries, I asked Tan about how he felt about returning to his alma mater, the place where the first drum troop was formed in Johor Bahru.

 

This question seemed to open the floodgates to his memories as Tan started by sharing about this very hall which was a gift, presented by the late rubber plantation tycoon, Tan Sri Lee Kong Chian.

 

Tan recalled that it was probably 1966/67 and he was in his second year of Junior High School when this hall was opened with a celebration that included the staging of a drama show.

 

My seats in the hall, clearly labelled

This drama had a character of a naughty boy and it so happened that they needed a student to play this role so Tan was tasked to step into it.

 

It was an unforgettable experience for Tan because this role entailed getting his ear pulled and he recalled the agony of his ear being often pulled – from rehearsals to the actual showtime.

 

This unfortunate experience, however, sparked his interest in stage and drama and Tan eventually became the Vice-President of the school’s Drama Society.

 

In 1988, Tan collaborated with Tan Hooi Song to stage a performance for the opening ceremony of the Ninth National Dance Festival in Johor Bahru, with their creation of a dramatic drums show that developed into a global sensation.

 

Tan, a gifted poet and cartoonist, wrote the poetry and created the choreography while Hooi Song, a renowned musician, composed the music for the theme song of the festival.

 

These cultural activists, popularly known as the two Tans, shared their vision in using drums, a musical instrument that traditionally echoed the rhythm of life, to create a festive mood. 

 

This first performance by nine drummers on nine drums at the festival, was the humble beginnings of their creation of the dramatic art of the 24 Festive Drums.

 

Tan fondly recalled that in 2000, he along with Hooi Song and Tan Ching Swee, organized the grandest performance in Johor school history for a fund-raising dinner with 700 tables, held on the school field.

 

He explained that there was a quota for Chinese independent high schools since the 1940’s so it was significant for Chinese education when a branch of the Foon Yew High School was officially opened in Kulai in 2005.

 

Then it was time to turn our attention to the live performances on the stage of this school hall that holds a treasure trove of memories for Tan.

 

The Xi Yau Drum team presented
their performance of Teng-Fei, or 'Flying'

As always, Tan helped to translate the all-in-Chinese drum show programme into simple English for me to learn that there will be eight performances that featured two guest drum teams, with a brief intermission in between.

 

I enjoyed the familiar sight and sound of the JB Drums troop who opened the show with a classic performance of the art of the 24 Festive Drums, complete with dramatic drumming and creative choreography.

 

Then the Xi Yau Drum team, made up of drummers whose ages ranged from 15 to 50 years old, presented their performance of Teng-Fei, simply translated as “Flying.”

 

This drum troop reflected the spirit of determination in drummers who committed themselves to train for a public performance such as this, regardless of age or gender.

 

The Stone Percussion team from Seremban presented two pieces titled, ‘Big Rock’ and ‘Hot Day in the Summer’ that creatively blended the traditional art of the 24 Festive Drums with the additional use of Malay musical instruments like the gong.

 

While the art of the 24 Festive Drums was the original source of this dramatic art of drumming, professional drum troops established throughout the country have taken drumming performances to the next level with the creative incorporation of traditional percussion instruments from our multi-cultural community.

 

The evening’s showcase came to an end with a visually spectacular grand finale performed by the JB Drums troop along with their two guest drum teams.

 

Presenting a token of appreciation to
the guest drum troop

Then all the drummers came on stage to take their final bow.

 

While the leaders of the three teams formed the first row, JB Drums presented a token of appreciation to the guest teams for their partnership in this year-end showcase.

 

As drumming enthusiasts in the audience made their way out of the hall, many paused to capture photo mementoes with Tan and members of the drum troops.

 

It was very encouraging to see a healthy interest from drumming enthusiasts as families continue to support young people in their training with drum troops to hone their skills and to proudly perform in drum shows such as this.

 

The JB Drums troop trains regularly at their center located at 11-2, Jalan Permas 11/1C, Bandar Baru Permas Jaya, Johor Bahru. For more info, email: jbdrums.24fd@gmal.com or Tel: +6016 797 3533.

 

Note: My story on the Art of the 24 Festive Drums is featured among the Johor brands in My Johor Stories 3: Proudly Johor, Then and Now, the third and final instalment in the trilogy of My Johor Stories.

 

My Johor Stories books are available from MPH bookstores nationwide and online from mphonline. In Johor Bahru, some books are available in JARO, shortform for Johor Area Rehabilitation Organisation.

Seaside Saturday Indulgence

The was no better way to kick off the year-end festive season than with an indulgent Saturday brunch at Sea.Fire.Salt, a charming venue by the sea that comes with balmy breezes and panoramic views of the South China Sea.

 

Panoramic sea views from Sea.Fire.Salt
at the Anantara Desaru Coast Resort & Villas

The sunny skies bade us a warm welcome on this bright December day as we made our way to the beachfront restaurant at the resort.

 

My eyes were riveted to the bright pink colours that stood out in stark contrast to the lush greenery by the infinity pool and on arrival, I soon discovered that Flamingo Pink was the theme featured here.

 

Guests in the pool were almost outnumbered by large pink flamingo floaties while a mini pink flamingo floatie and festive tinsel decorated each table in Sea.Fire.Salt.

 

Splashes of eye-catching pink spotted at
the infinity pool by Sea.Fire.Salt

The eye-catching pink theme continued in the shirts worn by serving staff that carried a bold print of graceful pink flamingos, matched with pale pantaloons and casual thong slippers. [Later, I also learnt that even those slippers had pink flamingos designed on them.]

 

Our welcome was completed with specially curated cocktails with non-alcoholic and alcoholic versions, in the pink theme: Pink Flamingo (RM38+) and Flamingo Fizz (RM58+).

 

While sipping our cocktails, we took time to study the Brunch menu, giving due consideration to the Appetizers, Soup and Pastries set out in the buffet, the choices of pasta and oysters from the live-stations and selections of main course items in the A La Carte menu, from which we could repeat orders.

 

Pink-themed cocktails next to
mini pink flamingo floaties

I liked the concept of ordering from a small A La Carte menu with the invitation to repeat any order of our choice. It will not only ensure that each dish will be freshly-made but also reduce any food wastage.

 

We may also place orders at the live-stations for freshly shucked oysters and homemade pasta folded in lobster bisque, topped with poached pieces of lobster and plump scallops.

 

So while waiting for our orders of the main course items to be served, we helped ourselves to the Appetizers of Beef Bresaola Salad, Marinated Veal Bacon and fresh greens.

 

Spread on the Cheese board were assorted cheese, mixed cold cuts, dried fruit and nuts to savour with Lavash – a thin flatbread – and cheese crackers.

 

Topping fresh salmon eggs on fresh oysters

A small group had gathered in front of the live-station for fresh oysters while the serving staff worked hard to pry open the oysters one-by-one for diners to top with the sauce or garnish of their choice. I observed that fresh salmon eggs were a popular choice of topping to savour on the opened oysters.

 

As a true fan of lobster bisque, I was – I must confess – first in the queue at the live-station to place my order for a freshly-made serving of pasta in lobster bisque.

 

Chef Hadi presenting my order of pasta in
lobster bisque with poached lobster and scallops

Chef de Cuisine, Azmarhadi Omar, better known as Chef Hadi, responded promptly and wasted no time to prepare my order.

 

At my first bite, I thought that its agreeable creamy-spicy taste clearly meets with the tastes of the Malaysian palate.

 

While its level of spiciness was just right for me, I will advise diners who do not like the taste of too much heat, to let the chef know when their order was being placed. I am sure the chef will accommodate every wish to reduce the heat to the diners’ liking.

 

A serving of tender Braised Wagyu Beef Ribs

Then one after the other, our main course orders were served. The Braised Wagyu Beef Ribs with Truffle Mousseline and Basil Jus was tender and juicy while the Harissa Lamb Cutlet on a bed of Cauliflower puree was gently cut from its bone.

 

In between the servings of main course items, we helped ourselves to the buffet items of soup, fresh fruits and the platter of pie-tee hats stuffed with crab meat and coriander, topped with a dollop of roasted coriander seed mayo.

 

It was good to linger over our meal and end sweetly by nibbling on small pastries like flourless Chocolate cake, Lychee pistachio tart and Mango Monte Carlo served in tiny tumblers.

 

Small portions to savour [Clockwise]
Mango Monte Carlo, Chocolate cake
and Lychee pistachio tart

When we sat back, feeling comfortably full, I was reminded that this indulgent Brunch treat was only served on the first Saturday of each month and that its menu will vary to serve diners innovative dishes each time they dined here.

 

The Brunch & Plunge package at Sea.Fire.Salt is priced at RM298+ per person for food only. Add on RM78+ for zero-alcoholic drinks like juices and soft drinks, RM148+ for Campari cocktails and RM268+ for wine and beer.

 

Exclusively served every first Saturday of the month from 11.30am to 4pm. Reservations are recommended.

 

For information and reservations, email to desaru@anantara.com

Visit webpage: www.anantara.com/en/desaru-coast

The friendly team at Sea.Fire.Salt ready to serve diners the Brunch & Plunge menu

Sea.Fire.Salt is located next to the infinity pool by the beach at Anantara Desaru Coast Resort & Villas in Desaru Coast, Johor.  No pork or lard is used.

 

Anantara Desaru Coast Resort & Villas is at Persiaran Pantai, Desaru Coast, 81930 Bandar Penawar, Johor. Visit website www.anantara.com for more information.

Festive feasts at the Westin Desaru Coast

 

At the most wonderful time of the year, it is a pleasure to chill out with a rejuvenating stay at a beachfront resort and make more memories with family and friends.

 

Gingerbread houses are part of the decor
in the festive buffets at Seasonal Tastes

Once again, Seasonal Tastes, the all-day dining café at The Westin Desaru Coast Resort, will be presenting festive flavours in a lavish spread to celebrate Christmas and the New Year.

 

With a regular clientele of local and international guests, this café has sections for Asian cuisine including Chinese, Malay and Indian food in addition to the festive fare so that diners may enjoy a wide range of local flavours in this sumptuous buffet spread.

 

Overseeing the festive buffet set-up in the café for the media preview, was Executive Chef Yee Weng Ding, better known as Chef Ding.

 

A happy team to welcome diners into
Seasonal Tastes in the Westin Desaru Coast

He paused for a brief chat and did not hesitate to point out that the festive spread also had an outdoor section, set up with live cooking stations for Pasta and Carvery that served items from traditional Roasted Turkey to freshly grilled skewers of satay.

 

Chef Ding also highlighted a dessert corner there that served freshly-made Crepe Suzette in their own recipe that diners may choose to garnish with additional toppings and scoops of ice-cream in flavours of their choice.

 

When I heard about such an irresistible treat, I made a mental note to save some space to savour this indulgent Crepe Suzette for my dessert later on.

 

Beef Wellington served from the
Carvery section outdoors

A quick look at the buffet revealed a festive spread that included an array of classic Christmas delicacies, diverse international choices and handcrafted desserts that will be served throughout the festive season as well as on New Year’s Eve.

 

On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, diners may savour festive favourites like Roasted Turkey with Chestnut stuffing, Beef Wellington drizzled with Truffle Sauce, Baked whole Salmon with Herbs and Roasted Leg of Lamb.

 

On New Year’s Eve, diners can look forward to enjoying a taste of Texas Caviar, Baked Honey Lamb Shoulder, Slow-cooked Beef Cheeks, Roasted Marble Beef Ribeye and fresh Japanese Oysters.

 

Take your pick from a choice of Coolberg drinks

Among the dishes served in the international section for this preview were Baked Cheesy Scallops, Seared Salmon Fillet with Cranberry Glaze and Pomegranate, and Garlic Butter Prawns with Almond flakes.

 

Part of the Chinese section was a live-cooking station to serve noodles prepared in the diners’ choice of soup while its hot buffet featured premium items like Smoked Duck in Cabbage Rolls, Pineapple Fried Rice with Toasted Turkey and Cashew Nuts, and Steamed Sea Fish Fillet in Nyonya Sauce.

 

Chef Rajendra at the Indian section

I was delighted to meet with Chef Rajendra again at the Indian section as he was putting the finishing touches to the condiments for diners to enjoy with the gravies and Tandoori Lamb, eaten with fragrant rice or baked naan.

 

To strike a balance with the protein served in the buffet, a section was dedicated to serving fresh greens, complete with instructions for diners to, Snip-Sauce-Serve.

 

Then I recalled that the Resort had teamed up with BoomGrow’s Machine Farm to cultivate pesticide-free, nutrient-rich greens in an initiative for sustainable vegetable production, with the resort’s own farm cultivated to serve freshly harvested greens, daily.

 

And that was not all because there was still an array of appetizers, salads, Japanese sushi, fresh-cut fruits, a Nacho’s station, Coolberg malt drinks, a Chocolate fountain, and of course, the delightful desserts.

 

Pastry chefs, Putra and Kit, worked together
to serve my order for Crepe Suzette

While the gingerbread houses were just for display, the Pastry team did their best to dress up the pastries in the Christmas theme with festive designs of Christmas Trees, marshmallow Snowmen and even Reindeer with Chocolate antlers and a red nose.

 

The festive mood continued as I carefully plucked off a macaroon from the Macaroon Tower – lest I made the tower topple over – and helped myself to the cakes and pastries including a wedge of the Christmas Pudding.

 

Yes, I also waited patiently at the live pastry corner while the pair of chefs worked together to serve my order for freshly-made Crepe Suzette topped with my choice of Vanilla ice-cream. Mmm…

 

Festive Dinner Buffet

1 to 30 December, from 6.30pm to 10.30pm

RM188 nett per adult, RM94 nett per child (Ages four to 12)

 

Christmas Lunch Buffet

25 December, from 12.30pm to 3pm

RM168 nett per adult, RM84 nett per child (Ages four to 12)

*Add-on beverage package (Free-flow Red or White Wine) at MYR188 nett

 

Christmas Dinner Buffet

24 & 25 December, from 6.30pm to 10.30pm

RM288 nett per adult, RM144 nett per child (Ages four to 12)

*Add-on beverage package (Free-flow Red or White Wine) at MYR188 nett

 

New Year’s Eve Dinner Buffet

31 December, from 6.30pm to 10.30pm

RM308 nett per adult, RM154 nett per child (Ages four to 12)

*Add-on beverage package (Free-flow Red or White Wine) at MYR188 nett

 

For reservations and further information, call Tel: +607 838 3333 or email fb.westindesaru@westin.com

 

Seasonal Tastes is on the lobby level of The Westin Desaru Coast Resort at Jalan Pantai 3, Desaru Coast, 81930 Bandar Penawar, Johor. For more info, visit website: westin.com/desaru

Celebrating German-Malaysian Friendship

 

The first line of the text message read like this, “Dear Ms Peggy, This is Peter Blomeyer, the Ambassador of Germany to Malaysia,” and His Excellency continued with an invitation to a German-Malaysian Friendship Concert and reception.

 

German-Malaysian Friendship over the years,
personified by pianists, Caroline Fischer [Left]
and Hii-Mei Lin [Right] at the musical showcase

He also sent a poster for the event along with the line, “Looking forward to seeing you there!”

 

My eyes zeroed in on the date and time of his invitation and realized that it clashed with another invitation that I had received prior to this.

 

I paused to weigh out the situation and after due consideration, made the decision to decline one and accept the other because it was not every day that one received an invitation from the German Ambassador to Malaysia to such a special event.

 

Ambassador Dr Peter Blomeyer and I met in October 2021 and over a leisurely dinner, I shared with him, some interesting insights into Johor.

 

Ambassador Peter Blomeyer
presented his welcoming speech

So it was timely for us to renew our acquaintance at this German-Malaysian Friendship Concert, hosted in the premises of Marlborough College Malaysia at Iskandar Puteri.

 

Since its inception, I have published several stories on Marlborough College events with my most memorable experience with them in 2018 as a Sunday Speaker to their boarders.

 

So it was good to be back again at Wykeham Hall in Marlborough College for an evening of elegant music, performed live by two distinguished pianists who represented the friendship between Malaysia and Germany.

 

The evening’s programme opened with a warm welcome by Master Simon Burbury of Marlborough College Malaysia, who then invited His Excellency, Ambassador Dr Peter Blomeyer to say a few words.

 

The pianists taking a bow next to the Steinway

The Ambassador opened his speech by drawing the audience’ attention to the universal language of music, a language which unites people as a common bond.

 

He went on to give a brief introduction of the two pianists, Caroline Fischer and Hii-Mei Lin, who will take us on a musical journey with their repertoire of music that spans from Classic, Romantic, European to Asian, Latin American and Gamelan.

 

Born in Berlin, Germany, award-winning German-Korean concert pianist, Caroline Fischer, performs and teaches masterclasses worldwide. She is also a recording artiste, entrepreneur and cultural manager as well as a model (carolinemodel.com).

 

The pianists performed together
on the Steinway

Hii-Mei Lin is an accomplished, award-winning Malaysian classical pianist who continues to reinvent herself by blending traditional performances with modern, multi-sensory art forms like poetry and calligraphy.

 

The Ambassador then graciously thanked the event sponsors, one by one, with a special mention of Bentley Music, sponsor of the two grand pianos for the evening’s performance.

 

These grand pianos stood at centerstage, with the Steinway Model B211 Spirio R to the left while the Boston Model GP178 Performance Edition, was at right.

 

The evening’s presentation was divided into two parts with the first part performed by the two pianists playing a delightful repertoire together on the Steinway grand piano.

 

The pianists performed duets on two grand pianos

As the talented fingers of four hands flew across the keyboard, the sweet energy of the Steinway filled Wykeham Hall, soaking the audience with the delicate and golden sounds that only a Steinway could create.

 

The gifted pianists aptly complemented the instrument as they not only showcased its beauty but also its sound and emotions that totally enthralled and held the entire audience captive.

 

After a brief Intermission, the pianists each played a repertoire of duets on the Steinway and Boston grand pianos, and exchanged places on the pianos in the latter part of the programme.

 

Presenting Book Three of My
Johor Stories to the Ambassador

With the continuous applause and standing ovation at the end of the Finale, the pianists obliged by playing an encore, much to the delight of the appreciative audience.

 

“Absolutely outstanding,” declared Master Burbury in his closing remarks as he congratulated the pianists on their performance.

 

He also took the opportunity to thank the German business community in Johor and the relevant people involved in arranging such an elegant evening of music.

 

Elated, Master Burbury joked about how this showcase inspired him to practice his music more seriously and warned parents that they may be kept awake by their children who were likewise, inspired to practice on the piano that very night.

 

As for me, I reciprocated the kind invitation to this magical musical soiree by presenting Ambassador Blomeyer with My Johor Stories 3: Proudly Johor, Then and Now, the final instalment in the trilogy of My Johor Stories. 

Thank you, Your Excellency, for a most memorable musical evening.

. . .

Note: In Johor Bahru, the Bentley Music showroom is located at B0309, Level Two of Eco Galleria, Jalan Eko Botani 3, Taman Eko Botani, 79100 Iskandar Puteri, Johor.