St. Joseph’s School marching band leads S’wak’s medal haul at Malaysia International Wind Festival

Sarawak ensembles brought home multiple championship titles at miwFEST 2026, highlighting the State’s growing excellence in wind band and marching arts.

By DayakDaily Team

KUCHING, June 29: St. Joseph’s School Marching Band emerged as the Gold Award Champion in the Marching Sport Standstill Category at the Malaysia International Wind Festival (miwFEST) 2026, leading a string of impressive results by Sarawak ensembles at the regional competition.

Held at Multimedia University (MMU) in Cyberjaya on June 21, the fourth edition of the festival featured 92 bands and ensembles with more than 3,000 performers from Malaysia, Thailand and Hong Kong, making it the largest edition of miwFEST to date.

According to a statement, Sarawak’s strong showing continued with Kuching Wind Symphony (KWS) reclaiming the Gold Award Champion title in the Concert Band Festival Division, a championship it last won in 2024 after competing against some of the region’s top wind ensembles.

St. Teresa’s School Chamber Winds also secured the Gold Award Champion title in the Chamber Winds Category, while St. Joseph’s Private School Concert Band earned a Gold Award in the Concert Band Scholastic A Division and finished as the Overall Second Runner-up.

KWS music director Wilson Tan Joo Lung said the achievements reflected the dedication and hard work of musicians and supporters across Sarawak’s music community.

“We are truly honoured and grateful to receive this recognition at miwFEST 2026. Every ensemble that took the stage brought a high level of musicianship, and it was a privilege to perform alongside so many outstanding bands from Malaysia, Thailand and Hong Kong.

“This award belongs to every member of Kuching Wind Symphony whose commitment, teamwork and love for music made this journey possible,” he said in a statement.

Wilson also congratulated St. Joseph’s School Marching Band, St. Teresa’s School Chamber Winds and St. Joseph’s Private School Concert Band for their achievements, saying their success reflected the commitment of students, conductors, teachers, parents and supporters in nurturing music education in Sarawak.

He expressed hope that the results would encourage more young musicians to embrace music and continue raising the standard of the performing arts in the state.

The collective success of the Sarawak ensembles highlights the state’s growing reputation in Malaysia’s wind band and marching arts scene, with their performances showcasing the strength of music education and talent development in Sarawak. — DayakDaily