Kuala lumpur: Sekolah Seri Puteri’s Symphonic Winds Orchestra (SPWinds) Gold Award at the 11th World Orchestra Festival (WOF) in Vienna was a remarkable achievement that has brought pride to Malaysia on the international stage. Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said the success was the result of the students’ dedication, strong family and school support, as well as continuous guidance from the Ministry of Education (MoE).

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Fadhlina Sidek expressed that SSP has delivered an excellent performance, especially in the orchestra field. She emphasized that this win is a solid victory, highlighting the training and support from families, the school, and the MoE. She stated, “So this is truly a victory for Malaysian children on the world stage, and it is one we must celebrate,” during the welcoming of the team’s return at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) yesterday.

Fadhlina mentioned that SPWinds deserves proper recognition, and the MoE is currently exploring appropriate forms of reward for the orchestra team. “They deserve to be rewarded. We will look into suitable forms of recognition, but for now, let us first celebrate their outstanding success on the world stage,” she added.

The festival saw the participation of 66 students aged between 13 and 17. They performed ‘Amana’ by Hiroaki Kataoka and ‘Rai dan Tari’ by local composer Yeo Chow Shern under the direction of conductor Raja Muzafar Shah, who was also named Best Conductor.

The WOF, organized by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture and the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, brought together more than 20 orchestras from 10 countries, with performances held at several iconic venues.