One wonders where they all were when the Malaysian Philharmonic (MPO) first launched. Adeline Wong, one of a number of composers who in 1997 tried fruitlessly to submit a work to the MPO for its premiere, was now visibly excited. "It's wonderful to discover that there are so many Malaysian composers! It's the first time that MPO has done this and I think it's a very good step in letting the public know that there is talent here at home."

It was more than just about music-making - Malaysian composers were coming out of the closet in numbers, engaging one another, and the orchestra, in a healthy exchange of ideas, lighting the way for the future of Malaysian music. Says Tay Poh Gek, "I learned a lot from all of them. You cannot get such [opportunity] anywhere else. For two years I was studying in Berkeley, and when I came here for this Forum I thought, 'Wow, what was I doing in Berkeley!" Vivian Chua adds, "I learnt more about where my own style of writing stands right now, more about what can and cannot be done physically, but more importantly, I learned more about myself as a composer."

Playing the role of midwife to the birth of a Malaysian repertoire was Forum Director Kevin Field, no stranger to the world of new music with his involvement in the Australian Composers Forum, and his enthusiastic band of sixteen dedicated MPO musicians, who gave their heart and soul to the six hopefuls, sight-reading their new scores for the first time on Thursday and, after six hours a day of gruelling ensemble rehearsals, produced music of such amazing beauty and feeling by Saturday that it was beyond belief.

"This is heaven," says Johan Othman, having listened with obvious satisfaction to a thrilling execution of his score, "we are highly lucky ... the MPO musicians are very committed, and they have been very understanding ... it's a difficult job being a composer, we need support. They gave us encouragement to go on". Ahmad Muriz has nothing but glowing praise for the sixteen musicians who "gave their time � we had the luxury of practice hours that as a serious composer we wouldn't get in any other part of the world."

The atmosphere was magical. In the revered quietude of the open rehearsals the MPO musicians worked hard at the music. It was all coming together wonderfully. Kiyomi Kikuchi fussed over her array of Bonang Barong gongs (a key melodic instrument of the Gamelan), while Joost Flach the oboist tried out different ways of scraping the Thai Gong assigned to him. The candidates, with scores in hand, listened attentively or came forward to give suggestions. Those whose works were not being rehearsed leafed through their colleague's scores, pointing out an interesting instrumental effect here and there.

The enthusiasm for one another's creations was palpable. "Vivian Chua's ["Water"] is one of the most mesmerising pieces I have heard, I am absolutely into what she did and I learned a lot by just listening to it," said Ahmad Muriz with a glow. "So goes for Poh Gek; her technique of orchestration, the way she used the bonang, fits whatever she intended to do. Her orchestration is phenomenally good, and there's a lot of potential for other composers to pick up from what she, and hopefully what I, started with the bonang."

I knew which my personal favourites were. "Adeline's piece, also Johan's, these two are very interesting," said Chong contemplatively, mirroring my thoughts, "I feel a musical power inside their music that is very strong. The others are also good but personally in these two pieces the composers' musical thoughts really come through. They have their individual voice, an originality. It's a good thing for a Malaysian composer to be able to discover their own voice."

Individual voices are undoubtedly beginning to emerge. The six new works written specially for this Forum, all of a high standard of craftsmanship, were premiered on Sunday to a full house, each receiving rapturous applause. The audience was asked to indicate their choices, and Kevin Field and the panel comprising composers Sunetra Fernando, Fraser Trainer and Gerard Brophy deliberated for nearly two weeks on who would go into Phase 2.

The results were finally announced on 24 April: Adeline Wong, Ahmad Muriz, Chong Kee Yong and Johan Othman will proceed to the next round and write a fifteen-minute work for full orchestra, to be performed in March 2004. While that is certainly something to look forward to, we can only hope that this is just the beginning. Composers like Chua and Tay who were not selected ought to be given a chance to have their works performed in future as well, not to mention the many composers who did not make the Phase I selections.

"The Forum is a good thing, culturally. I mean, Formula 1 is not the only thing that Malaysia has to offer - a lot of people lack culture today. This [music] can also sell our country," says Othman thoughtfully, "Not everything should be about making money." Wong too hopes the Forum will lead to more performances of local music. "I hope that musicians will play new works, not just the old ones. It's very important that they do this - sure we need the classics but we need new works as well, so that the public will know that we have Malaysian composers, and will hopefully want to listen to what we create."

That is the whole point of having our own professional orchestra and a world-class concert hall, isn't it? It is heartening that people like Kevin Field, the MPO's Education and Outreach Department and the sixteen wonderful musicians - too many to be named here but certainly each one deserving credit - agree.

"This is a whole new genre that is going to take off. This should be an ongoing process where we would eventually have more composers, more music and more people who appreciate it. Hopefully we will then have - and I think that is the whole point of this Forum - a real Malaysian repertoire that will globalise Malaysian music. We have the tools, we have potential, and we just have to excel from what we started here."

The bigger question on everyone's minds was what lay ahead. "When the six of us started talking, we agreed that we should do something for the future, not just come here for this Forum, for this occasion, then go back," said Chong with conviction. He stressed the need to get more people together, especially composers, to push for action. "We need help from the government too, and perhaps have some foundation set up. That is very important because artists need support, especially with classical music."

In this respect the MPO can do a lot more to help local musicians by looking beyond their commitment of season concerts for the balance sheet, and organise workshops and seminars for local musicians that eventually lead to concert opportunities for local musicians and composers. "It's a good way for [our musicians] to not just study at home, but gain exposure to professional musicians and concert playing." Chong adds as an afterthought, "so that our musicians have something to dream about."

A Malaysian orchestra performing Malaysian music. That has long been a dream for many of us. For these six, the dream has finally come true.

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