| The Philharmonic Society of Selangor | |
|---|---|
| Choir | |
| Founded | 15 January 1958 (1958-01-15) |
| Location | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
| Music director | Koh Tian Yi |
| Website | www.thephil.org.my |
The Philharmonic Society of Selangor, also known as the Selangor Philharmonic Society or, colloquially, the Phil,[1] is an amateur choral and instrumental group[2] based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and is one of Malaysia's oldest musical societies.[3]
The society was launched on 15 January 1958 by a group of eleven British expatriates[1] amateur musicians in the card room of the Selangor club with the aim of staging performances and encouraging the arts.[3] Its first conductor was Major Leonard Sharp,[4] and its first performance was The Mikado, in July 1958. It takes its name from the state that Kuala Lumpur was located in before the Capital Territory was created.[5]
Originally it was an auditioned choir but in 2009 it began to accept members without audition.[1][3] In the 1980s it began to practise all year long rather than only in preparation for performances.[1] For the first 35 years of its existence, it performed only foreign works, but in 1993 it performed its first Asian-origin performance.[6] By 2005 it was regularly performing Malaysian works as well as Western ones.[7] As of 2015[update] the choir had up to 300 members[1] and had already staged more than 50 performances. Proceeds from its performances are donated to charity.[8] The choir has toured outside Malaysia, including in Australia and India.[9][1]
