Wandly Yazid is a respected and acclaimed composer, arranger and musician who is known for his contributions to the film and music industry in Singapore and Malaysia. A versatile and prolific composer and arranger of Malay film music from the ’40s to the ’60s, his best known work is the theme song for the 1966 classic Malay film Gurindam Jiwa. An all-round art lover, he was also an accomplished watercolour artist and oil painter. In 2001, he received a Meritorious Award from the Composers and Authors Society of Singapore.

Born on 24 Feb 1925 in Sumatra, Indonesia (then known as the Dutch East Indies), Wandly Yazid received his early education in Dutch Primary and High schools while he was growing up. He was introduced to music by a teacher who played the violin while still in primary school. Wandly's parents were educators—his father was a principal and his mother was a teacher—and he was encouraged by his parents to study at the Teachers' Training Institute in West Sumatra.

When he graduated in 1943, he went on to become a full-time teacher. As he began his teaching career in earnest during the Japanese Occupation of Indonesia, Wandly also journeyed into the arts, and he set out to learn how to play the clarinet and violin. In addition to music, he also learnt how to paint. This marked the beginning of Wandly's significant involvement in the art and music scene in Singapore and Malaysia.

In 1948, he decided to further pursue his passion for music. Singapore had a vibrant contemporary arts and music scene, and Wandly migrated there to advance his music studies. Soon after reaching Singapore, he attended a private music school to study piano arrangement, violin, saxophone and clarinet.

Four years later, Wandly got into music in a big way, forming his own music groups. In 1952 alone, he founded the Wandly Yazid Orkestra, the Megawati Orchestra with Radio Malaya, and the Wandly Five. He also began to perform with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra as a violinist in 1956, and became a violinist with the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation Orchestra in 1976.

In 1953, Wandly started working as a composer for the Malayan Film Unit and received an award the following year for the music he composed for the documentary Hassan's Homecoming. He then composed music for the Nusantara Film Company and Cathay-Keris Films, eventually becoming the musical director of Cathay-Keris Films in 1960. Wandly composed and arranged for more than 13 films with Cathay Keris including Hang Jebat, Jalak Lenteng and Lancang Kuning.

In 1955, Wandly began arranging music for Rediffusion radio channel. He went on do the same for television, arranging music for the television programmes Negara Jiran and Pesta Pop. In 1959, he established the Fajar Record Company. The ’80s saw Wandly performing in various venues as a pianist. He also began tutoring aspiring musicians, teaching the violin, piano, clarinet and saxophone.

Besides his musical activities, Wandly was a member of the Indonesian Club and became actively involved in the Minang community's activities in Singapore, participating in the Kesatuan Kebajikan Khairat Minang (KKKM) and the Singapore Minangkabau Association (SMA). Recognising his contributions to the Minangkabau Community, SMA awarded Wandly the Jasawan Agung Minang (Meritorious Minang Award) in 2001.

Even as Wandly retired from being a full-time musician in 1992, he continued to contribute his services to the music community as a member of various organisations including the Composers and Authors Society of Singapore, PERKAMUS and Angkatan Pelukis Aneka Daya (APAD) (Artists of Various Resources). He was also a member of the Malay Music Development Committee of the National Arts Council.

Throughout his music career, Wandly painted in his free time. In 2001, he exhibited his watercolour paintings at an exhibition organised by APAD at the Singapore Calligraphy Centre. His works were also exhibited at the Malay Heritage Centre and the Singapore Art Museum.

In 2001, he received the Meritorious Award from the Composers and Authors Society of Singapore for his achievements in the music industry. The following year, Wandly was named as one of 7 Magnificent Composers in a book published by PERKAMUS. A tribute concert Simfoni Layar Perak organised by MediaCorp in 2003 recognised Wandly's works as well.

Wandly Yazid passed away in 2005 at age 80. He is survived by his wife and five children. His life as a musician was remembered in 2011 at a tribute concert and exhibition Satu Jiwa, Dua Suara (One Soul, Two Voices), which featured his art. His music was performed by the Wandly Yazid Orchestra.

In 2007, Wandly was featured on Channel NewsAsia’s The Road Home, which was produced by The Moving Visuals. The following year, he was featured on Trailblazers, which was produced by Verite. The Wandly Yazid Museum, featuring his life and work, was opened by his son Jeffrey Wandly at Maya Gallery Singapore in 2012.

In 2013, Wandly's compositions from the ’60s were featured in Keronchong Seribu Satu Malam, a concert produced by Jeffrey Wandly and organised by the Malay Heritage Centre in conjunction with Malay CultureFest 2013, His music was performed by the Wandly Yazid Orkestra, together with musicians from Akademi Seni Budaya dan Warisan Kebangsaan (Aswara) and Orkes Keroncong Putrajaya (Malaysia).

The spirit of Wandly lives on in the Wandly Yazid Orkestra, which continues to perform under the guidance of Jeffrey Wandly.

All information and images courtesy and copyright of Jeffrey Wandly and the Wandly Yazid Family.