KUCHING: Norfazlina Mohd Fariz, the 2024 Sape Junior Champion, may be just about to make her international debut.
The 28-year-old musician from the Sarawak Cultural Village (SCV) revealed that she may represent Sarawak to perform the sape in Vietnam this September.
“Winning the 2024 Sape Junior championship has opened so many doors for me, I’ve received numerous job offers and invitations to perform at various events.
“The possibility of playing the sape in Vietnam is incredibly thrilling, so please keep me in your prayers,” she said.
Norfazlina’s journey with the sape began in 2017 under the mentorship of artiste, Jerry Kamit.
Then, she continued honing her skills alongside her colleagues at SCV.
As a proud member of the Bidayuh ethnic group, she is passionate about sharing the unique sounds of the sape, although it is an instrument deeply rooted in the Orang Ulu community.
“As a Muslim sape player, I am eager to showcase the instrument’s unique charm and it will be a dream come true for me to represent Sarawak or even Malaysia on an international stage,” she said.
Despite her background as a guitar player, Norfazlina initially found the sape challenging.
“The skills required are quite different from playing the guitar.
“At first, it was tough, but I kept pushing myself not to give up,” she said.
Norfazlina’s ambition extends beyond her own success as she hopes to inspire more women to take up the sape and share its captivating melodies with the world.
“I want to encourage more women to play the sape.
“It can be intimidating to perform publicly, but we must dare to try because you’ll never know what the future holds if you don’t take that first step,” she said.
