TIMELESS SPLENDOUR SSCC 12TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT
27 MAY 2018
VICTORIA CONCERT HALL
TIMELESS SPLENDOUR SSCC 12 TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT
Singapore Symphony Children’s Choir Singapore Symphony Youth Choir Wong Lai Foon, conductor Darius Lim, conductor Low Xu Hao, conductor Gabriel Hoe, accompanist Adriana Chiew, accompanist
JAN SANDSTRÖM Sanctus LYN WILLIAMS Festive Alleluia OLA GJEILO Northern Lights CLAUDE DEBUSSY Salut Printemps Soloist: Ariane Cazaubon
ERIKS ESENVALDS Stars FRANZ BIEBL Ave Maria OLA GJEILO Ubi Caritas MORTEN L AURIDSEN Dirait-on
SERGEI TANE YE V Evening
RUPERT L ANG Cantate Domino EITHNE NÍ BHRAONAÍN, NICKY RYAN & ROMA RYAN (ARR. MARK BRYMER) May It Be KELLY TANG Skye Boat Song (World Premiere) GEORGE GERSHWIN (ARR. MARK HAYES) Summertime LOUIS PRIMA (ARR. MARK BRYMER) Sing, Sing, Sing — Concert duration: 1 hr
Go green. Digital programme booklets are available on www.sso.org.sg. Scan the QR code in the foyer to view a copy.
HUGO ALFVÉN Och jungfrun hon gar i ringen
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SINGAPORE SYMPHONY CHILDREN’S CHOIR REHEARSAL PIANIST Gabriel Hoe Formed in 2006, the Singapore Symphony Children’s Choir has established itself as the leading children’s choir in Singapore. With over 200 members aged 9 to 18, the choir seeks to enrich young singers through holistic choral training that nurtures artistic growth and personal development. The Children’s Choir tours internationally, and has performed great choral masterpieces with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, with distinguished conductors such as Lim Yau, Claus Peter Flor, Sofi Jeannin, François-Xavier Roth and Julie Desbordes. It has performed at the Philharmonie de Paris in a collaborative performance of Berlioz’s Te Deum with the Maîtrise de Radio France, as well as at the Dewan Filharmonik Petronas in Kuala Lumpur, partnering the Malaysian Philharmonic Youth Orchestra in concert. The choir has commissioned and performed Singaporean works by Chen Zhangyi, Lee Chin Sin, and Cultural Medallion winner Kelly Tang. In Singapore, the choir has an active performing calendar, having performed at the Istana for the prestigious Cultural Medallion & Young Artist Award and shared the stage with critically acclaimed The King’s Singers. The choir released their first recording, And I’ll Sing Once More, to mark its 10th anniversary in 2016. The Singapore Symphony Children’s Choir is proud to have Mr Christopher Ho and Mrs Rosy Ho as its Principal Champion.
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SSCC 12TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT
BOYS’ ENSEMBLE VOCAL TRAINER Low Xu Hao The Boys’ Ensemble is a specialised programme that caters to boys who are experiencing voice changes, to enable and encourage them to continue singing through the transitional period. Each young man is guided in the proper use of his voice in a way that will ease the transition into their adult voice.
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SINGAPORE SYMPHONY YOUTH CHOIR REHEARSAL PIANIST Evelyn Handrisanto An up-and-coming addition to the Singapore Symphony Orchestra’s choruses, the Singapore Symphony Youth Choir was formed in 2016 to complement the orchestra with a chorus of young people’s voices. It is a platform for young adults to pursue their interest in choral singing, as well as enable mature members of the Children’s Choir to continue their development in classical choral singing. Comprising Singapore’s finest young choristers aged between 17 and 28, the youth choir explores the best of different musical worlds and styles, ranging from orchestral to a cappella masterpieces, spanning the Renaissance to the 21st century.
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SSCC 12TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT
PERFORMERS
CHILDREN’S CHOIR Ana Banchs Rodríguez Bryan Carmichael Anne-Sophie Cazaubon Ariane Cazaubon Ashley Chai Ria Chhabra Arjun Chhabra* Jaime Chew David Cho Choo Yong Han* Sophie Du Toit Aaron Foo* Goh Chen Xi Maria Erika Goh Ikabella Heaps Shunsho Ando Heng* Caroline Hesse Hoo Ashley Erin Ho Tania Ibrahim Jin Xiao Han Hana Kasai Mika Lam* Arthur Lee* Giselle Lim Javier Loke Ron Loo Chloe Luai Diego Marcotty
Kellianne Ng Oh Chin Aik* Faith Ong Chloe Ong Wesley Oon* Anya Prabowo Lesedi Ribeiro Michael Robinson Caleb Seah See To Yu Rong Grace Sen Caleb Seow Megan Soh Tiffany Tam Tan Carine Emily Tan Lara Tan Tan Liang Rong* Shannen Tay Justin Teng* Danial Elias Teo* Amanda Tung Wang Yutong Aloysius Wong* Mao Yamaura Seia Yano Ashley Yeo Caleb Yeo*
YOUTH CHOIR Arnie Arfiee Meredith Cheong Chow Cheng Shon Alfonso Cortez* Sonja Lam Gerard Lim+ Janice Lim Sherilyn Lim Trixi Lim Zachary Lim Jon Loh* Loh Shao Wei Low Xu Hao+ Desiree Seng Siak Choon Kit Yvonne Soh Bjorn Soo Tai Jien Nee Tan Li En Freda Tan Tan Yuqing Pollyanna Tang Susanna Wee Stefenie Wong Abigail Yeo Ian Yew
*Also part of the Boys' Ensemble +Guest singers 5
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WONG L AI FOON CHOIRMASTER
As a founder-conductor of the Singapore Symphony Children’s Choir (SSCC), Wong Lai Foon has dedicated the past twelve years towards building up the ensemble to become the leading children’s choir in the nation. Under her direction, the SSCC has garnered much praise for its impressive choral tone, and its musically precise and polished performances, earning it the commendation of “one of the best children’s choirs in Asia” in a recent review. In her capacity as Choirmaster, Wong has overseen the expansion of the SSCC, which now comprises a Concert Choir, Training Choir, three preparatory choirs, a Boys’ Ensemble and a Youth Choir. She has also led the Concert Choir on two tours, performing at the Philharmonie de Paris in 2015 in collaboration with the Maîtrise de Radio France, and at the Dewan Filharmonik Petronas, Kuala Lumpur, during a joint concert tour with the Singapore National Youth Orchestra. In commemoration of the SSCC’s 10th Anniversary in 2016, Wong directed the choir in a series of exciting performances and projects, one of which was the recording of SSCC’s first CD, And I’ll Sing Once More. In her effort to increase the body of treble choral works by local composers, Wong has made it a point to commission a new work each year, and has thus far commissioned works by Chen Zhangyi, Kelly Tang and Lee Chin Sin. In addition to their annual appearances at the SSO Christmas concerts, Wong prepares the SSCC for their regular collaborations with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra in symphonic and operatic works. Past performances have included Mahler’s Symphony No. 3, Berlioz’s La Damnation de Faust and the Te Deum, Britten’s War Requiem, Bizet’s Carmen, and most recently, La Bohème by Puccini. Through her work with the SSCC, Wong aspires to inspire a generation of young choral singers to embrace the choral art and strive for musical and artistic excellence. In demand as a conductor with choirs across various segments of the community, Wong is the Resident Conductor of the Methodist Festival Choir, and Assistant Conductor of The Philharmonic Chamber Choir. She has also previously prepared works for the Singapore Symphony Chorus and Singapore Lyric Opera. She received her Master’s Degree in Choral Conducting from Westminster Choir College, under the tutelage of Joseph Flummerfelt.
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SSCC 12TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT
DARIUS LIM
ASSOCIATE CHOIRMASTER Singaporean choral conductor-composer Darius Lim has risen to prominence in the national and international music scene with more than 40 national and international awards that include Gold medals, 1st and 2nd Prizes, Category Champions, and other special prizes in both local and international choral and composition competitions. Upon returning to Singapore after graduating from the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama with a Masters in Choral Conducting (with Distinction), Lim was appointed Assistant Choirmaster of the Singapore Symphony Children’s Choir. Under Lim’s baton, choirs have performed in numerous national events such as the Singapore Youth Festival Opening & Closing concerts, Aseanapol in Harmony celebrations and Singapore Youth Festival International Night. He has been chorus master for many productions that include Fences – an opera in two acts, Phua Chu Kang The Musical, Unity in Diversity and Aseanapol in Harmony. As a composer, Lim’s choral works have been performed widely around the world by choirs in China, America, Hong Kong, Australia, Spain, South Korea, Finland, Malaysia, Taiwan, Russia, Singapore and the Philippines. He is one of the newest international composers to be published by world leading music publisher, Edition Peters. Currently Music Director of VOCO Singapore Ladies Choir and VOCE Singapore Men’s Choir, Artistic Director of Voices of Asia International Choir Festival and President of the Choral Directors’ Association of Singapore, Darius Lim continues to push the boundaries of Singaporean choral music.
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LOW XU HAO TEACHING ASSISTANT
Low Xu Hao is a graduate of the University of Miami (UM), Frost School of Music, where he was awarded a full graduate assistant scholarship and earned his Masters in Choral Conducting under the direction of Joshua Habermann. He served as the Director of the UM Frost Chamber Singers, Collegium Musicum, Women’s Chamber Chorus and Women’s Chorale. He has also served as the Director for the women’s and men’s chorus in San Francisco State University (SFSU). Low’s passion for the choral arts has led him to prepare choruses for maestro Eduardo Marturet of the Miami Symphony, and recently for the Vienna Boys Choir this January. Low has also performed masterworks such as Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 and Handel’s Messiah under the baton of MichaelTilson Thomas, Itzhak Perlman and James Judd. He continues actively performing as a tenor, and has been featured as a soloist for The Philharmonic Chamber Chorus under Stephen Cleobury and Lim Yau. Low benefited greatly from the pedagogy of musicianship and ignited a passion for training musicianship, learning from master teachers of the Liszt Academy and David Xiques of SFSU. He is delighted to contribute to the sight-singing and musicianship programme in SSCC and hopes that every chorister fosters a passion for these critical skills, gaining greater freedom to pursue their musical endeavours. An active choral director, Low continually seeks to heighten the appreciation of choral music in Singapore. He was appointed as the Music Director for the National University of Singapore’s (NUS) arts festival in 2012 and 2014, championing the fusion of choral music with theatre and dance in collaborative projects, working alongside director Alvin Tan, and choreographer Albert Tiong. Low has garnered multiple gold and distinction awards, both locally and internationally and also served as an adjudicator for international choral competitions. Low hopes to foster a deep appreciation of the choral art in those he directs, and endeavours to spread the lifelong joy of a fulfilling musical journey.
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SSCC 12TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT
PROGRAMME NOTES
Timeless Splendour is the theme of the Singapore Symphony Children’s Choir’s 12th Anniversary Concert. The eternal is the inspiration that composers find in the mysteries of the divine and beauties of nature, captured in works that are truly timeless. Many of the works to be performed in this concert are by composers active today. But as you will hear, no matter when or where the music was composed, the music’s splendour is undimmed by the passage of time. 9
PROGRAMME NOTES
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The Swedish composer Jan Sandström composes in an expressive tonal language that is intense and austere. In Sanctus, a hymn in the Christian liturgy of the Mass, he creates tension by omitting key words of the text, which is only heard in its entirety at the conclusion of the piece. By contrast, a single word is repeated in a myriad of ways to create a joyous, uplifting hymn of praise in Festive Alleluia, by the Australian composer Lyn Williams. Northern Lights is by the Norwegianborn composer Ola Gjeilo. In serene, yet powerful music, Gjeilo expresses the wonder of observing the eerie glow of colours of the aurora borealis in the cold of winter. Claude Debussy hails the coming of spring in Salut Printemps. Composed when he was only 20 years old, this light, fresh and sentimental song is one of the French composer’s few choral compositions. The night skies were the inspiration for Stars by the Latvian composer Eriks Esenvalds, to a text by the American poet Sara Teasdale. The choral writing utilises cluster cadences and dissonance
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to create a mystical mood, enhanced by the sounds of six water glasses tunes to specific pitches that instills a spacious, other worldly sensibility to the work. Franz Biebl composed Ave Maria for the fireman’s choir in a small town in Bavaria, where he once lived. The text of the work combines two ancient Christian prayers, the Ave Maria and Angelus. Composed in the late 1950s, it owes its world-wide popularity to a 1985 recording by the American, all-male singing group, Chanticleer. Ubi Caritas is the second work by Ola Gjeilo to be heard on the programme. It was inspired by Maurice Duruflé’s setting of the ancient Latin hymn that was the first piece that he sang in his high school choir. Gjeilo’s uses the traditional chant as his inspiration, but also evokes the spirit of Duruflé’s piece. Dirait-on is from a collection of choral settings of poems by Rainer Maria Rilke entitled Les Chansons des Roses by the American composer Morten Lauridsen. It tells of a rose, whose petals fold in upon
itself narcissistically, which Lauridsen set to a simple, beautiful melody in a style reminiscent of the ballades sung by the great French chanteuse Edith Piaf.
for a Golden Globe Award and for an Academy Award, the song is a prayer to the Evening Star to watch over and guide someone far from home.
Sergei Taneyev, unlike many of his contemporaries did not seek inspiration in folk music, but turned to secular poems instead. Nonetheless, the spare, almost melancholy melodies of Evening are quintessentially Russian due to their deep spiritual and emotional intensity. His near contemporary, Hugo Alfvén, however, made extensive use of Swedish folk songs and dances in his works. Och jungfrun hon gar i ringen captures the whirling excitement of the lively dancing of a young girl during Midsummer Eve festivities.
This concert marks the premiere of Skye Boat Song by Singaporean composer Kelly Tang, commissioned by the SSCC for this concert. It was inspired by Robert Louis Stevenson’s poem “Sing me a song of a lad that is gone”, a melancholic retelling of Bonnie Prince Charlie’s escape to the Isle of Skye in 1746 after his defeat at Culloden. Skye Boat Song sings the universal tune of youthful optimism and dreams being swept away by the harsh realities of life, and the heart’s deep yearnings for a world of youthful splendour now forever lost.
The final sacred work on the programme is Cantate Domino by the Canadian composer Rupert Lang. It is a contemporary setting of Psalm 149 that uses dissonance and special vocal effects to create a powerful song of praise. It is followed by May It Be, composed by Eithne Ní Bhraonaín (Enya), Nicky Ryan and Roma Ryan for the film The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. Nominated
PROGRAMME NOTES
SSCC 12TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT
The concert concludes with two great 20th-century American jazz standards, as different as can be, Summertime by George Gershwin and Sing, Sing, Sing by Louis Prima. The first is famous for its beautiful, sultry melody and the second for its energy and drive. All you have to do is sit back and enjoy, while the SSCC sings. Programme notes by Rick Perdian/Kelly Tang
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COMING UP NEXT
SSCC EXPERIENCE Mon, 3 Sep 2018 or Tue, 4 Sep 2018 9am – 6pm Venue: Victoria Concert Hall
For treble voices, ages 8 (born 2010) to 15 Fee: $88 per participant Registration opens 1 Jun 2018 Closing date: 25 Aug 2018
For kids with a passion for singing! Join us for an unforgettable day of choral music-making. Help your child discover his or her own voice with workshops conducted by our Singapore Symphony Children’s Choir (SSCC) conductors. Participants will get a chance to experience a day in the life of an SSCC singer and even have the opportunity to sing on stage at the iconic Victoria Concert Hall! The SSCC Experience is a programme for treble voices. If you’ve got a transitioning voice and are still keen to join us, we’d be glad to have you! *Please note that the repertoire may include some liturgical works.
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SSCC 12TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT
SSCC AUDITIONS Sun, 23 Sep 2018 From 10am (Audition time slots will be pre-allocated)
For children ages 8 (born 2010) to 15 Fee: $25 per participant Registration opens 1 Jun 2018 Closing date: 15 Sep 2018
The SSCC offers training and performance opportunities to children by developing their vocal technique, music literacy and musicianship, with an aim to help fledgling singers achieve their fullest musical potential. Singing with the SSCC requires discipline and teamwork, which in turn fosters confidence, self-esteem, and helps develop important life skills. Besides our own concerts, the SSCC offers the extraordinary experience of performing monumental choral classics with the combined forces of the Singapore Symphony choruses and orchestra. *Please note that the SSCC repertoire may include some liturgical works.
SSYC AUDITIONS If you’re aged between 18 and 28, and would like to be part of the SSO choral family performing choral masterpieces at the highest level, join our Youth Choir to experience it all! Rehearsals are held every Monday evening at 7:30pm. — For more information about the SSO Choirs and auditions, email choral@sso.org.sg
SUPPORTED BY
PATRON SPONSOR
PRINCIPAL CHAMPION
OFFICIAL RADIO STATION
Mr Christopher Ho & Mrs Rosy Ho
A PRODUCTION OF
SSChildrensChoir SSO.ORG.SG/SSCC SSYouthChoir SSO.ORG.SG/SSYC