MACP held its annual songwriting workshop, Cipta Ekspres 2016 at Intekma Resort & Convention Centre, Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan recently. For the first time, MACP collaborated with the Faculty of Music, UiTM, Shah Alam to find the next generation of young composers.

UiTM was represented by 11 students and 3 arrangers. Among the students, 10 were composers and 1 was a lyricist. The arrangers were staff and lecturers of UiTM. Each of the 10 UiTM composers were tasked to write one new melody under the mentorship of established composers, Aidit Alfian, Azmeer, DJ Fuzz, Pacai and S. Atan. Popular lyricists, Ad Samad, Ana Raffali, Ahmad Fedtri Yahya, Zizie Kirana and Taja were recruited to complete the lyrics to these melodies with Greg Henderson and Riza Omar engaged as arrangers to record and mix the songs.

On the final night of Cipta Ekspres, the 10 new songs were performed before an audience and a panel of judges comprising MACP directors, UiTM and media representatives. The songs showcased were Habis Rasa (composed by Hanis Nurlina Azam and written by Adi 6ixth Sense), Selamat Tinggal (Nor Farahein and Zizie Kirana), Tergores (Aziem Rashidi and Ad Samad), Bahagia (Suffren Ghafar and Dilyla Khalid), Belum Sempat (Hakim Kamal and Ana Raffali), Seindah Dia (Azhad Sulaiman and Fedtri Yahya), Redup (‘Alaa’ Farhan and Adi 6ixth Sense), Aku Bermohon (Amirul Hamid and Ad Samad) and Halimunan (Farhan Anuar and Ana Raffali).

The jury’s choice for Cipta Ekspres 2016 was Raut composed by Amir Suhaimi and written by Ahmad Fedtri Yahya; which won RM1,000.00 cash.