BOH Cameronian Arts Awards back after three years, gives lifetime achievement award to 'Dondang Sayang' veteran
PETALING JAYA, May 15 — After a three-year hiatus, Malaysia’s premiere performing arts awards made a grand comeback with a black tie event at PJPAC, 1 Utama.
The 18th BOH Cameronian Arts Awards (18BCAA) handed out a total of 30 awards and a total of RM44,000 cash prizes to arts practitioners from various fields including dance, music, musical theatre and theatre.
The two-hour glittery affair, featuring four hosts, saw over 50 people go on stage to receive their respective awards.
Each sub-category winner received a BOH Cameronian Arts Awards trophy and cash prize of RM1,000, while each of the three 'Best Of' winner received a BOH Cameronian Arts Awards trophy and a cash prize of RM5,000.
A highlight was the showcasing of excerpts from the five 'Best Of' nominees’ shows: A Notional History by Five Arts Centre (Theatre), Dark Light by Young Choral Academy (Music), Dream Of The Red Chamber by Lee Rubber Chinese Orchestra KL (Music), Follow The Light by theatrethreesixty (Musical Theatre) and N2 by La Danza Theatre (Dance).
CEO of Boh Plantations Jason Foo (left) with 'Dondang Sayang' champion Mohd Baharim, winner of the BOH Cameronian Lifetime Achievement Award, — Picture courtesy of BCAA
The BOH Cameronian Lifetime Achievement Award went to Datuk Mohd Baharim Mohd Sharip, a 78-year-old veteran Dondang Sayang champion.
Dondang Sayang, which is listed as an intangible cultural heritage by Unesco, is a traditional Malay art that is still played in Melaka by the Malays, Baba Nyonya, Cheti and Portuguese.
Mohd Baharim learnt how to play the violin and sing in the style of the traditional artform from his grandfather who was also a Dondang Sayang performer.
He has devoted the last five decades of his life to performing Dondang Sayang, and has five albums to his name.
Organised by BOH Plantations and Kakiseni, with chartered accounting firm BDO Malaysia as its new balloting partner, this year’s BOH Cameronian Arts Awards judged shows that were held from 2020 to 2022.
In 2020, prizes were given virtually before it went on hiatus in 2021 and last year.
For the full list of the 18th BCAA winners, visit here.
