Ikan Kekek
Available for the following voicing: SA, SSAA, SAB, SATB
Duration: 2:30
Purchase the arrangement from Cypress Choral Music.
About the piece
“Ikan Kekek” is about a fish, and a whole lot more! Children’s songs in Malaysia are usually taught by rote and passed down from generation to generation. As with children’s songs from other countries, Malaysian children’s songs consist of simple, catchy, and repetitive melodies. These tunes, usually lively and festive, introduce new vocabulary and encourage children to sing freely. The lyrics often tells a story or bear advice which are intended for young people, although some are humorously written and are meant to entertain.
“Ikan kekek”, like many Malay folk and children’s songs, is composed based on the Malay Pantun - a form of Malay poetry that i usually made up for four rhyming lines with an ABAB rhyming scheme. The pantun is divided into two parts - the “shadow” (lines 1 and 2), and the “meaning” (lines 3 & 4). The former is usually a preamble (“ikan kekek” and “ikan gelama” are types of fishes found in Malaysia) and sometimes has little relation with the latter, besides rhyming. The “meaning” delivers the true message of the pantun (in this song, it’s either a tease or an advice).
Connect with Tracy!
Tracy is happy to connect with choral educators, conductors, and choirs via email and online workshops to discuss the context of the piece, pronunciation, and movement.
Learning Resources for “Ikan Kekek”!
Contact Tracy if you would also like to purchase learning tracks and pronunciation guide, and/or have Tracy workshop this piece with your choir with movements!
Learning tracks currently available for purchase from Tracy:
SSAA version
SATB version
Coming soon: SA and SAB version
“Ikan Kekek” Resource Guide for choral educators by Leslie Kent is available FREE.
Leslie Kent is the Kolibro conductor under the Hamilton Children’s Choir organization. She has recently competed this document as part of an assignment for her choral conducting course this past summer (2020) at Western University. My heartfelt thanks to Leslie for her in-depth analysis and educators’ guide on this piece. I enjoyed our email and Zoom correspondence, and am very honoured that she chose my piece for her study. She has very kindly allowed this to be made available here for FREE for all choral educators!
If you would like to connect with Leslie, you may reach her at leslie@hamiltonchildrenschoir.com .
Go HERE for the free resource, courtesy of Leslie!
Source: Bach Children’s Chorus YouTube Channel. Senior Treble Festival 2020 (Hosted by the Oakville Choir for Children & Youth). Mass choir performance by nine treble choirs from across Southern Ontario, March 7, 2020. Kathleen Allan, Guest Conductor.
Source: Prairie Voices YouTube Channel. Conducted by Johanna Hildebrand. Soloist: Nicole Bureau Performed by Horizon at the concert 'Confluence 2018'.