TEMASEK FOUNDATION SSO NATIONAL DAY CONCERT 2022 13 AUG 2022 ESPLANADE CONCERT HALL OUR MUSIC, OUR HOME PRESENTED BY
SINGAPORE SYMPHONY CHORUSES J o i n o u r f a m i l y N u r t u r e y o u r b r i l l i a n c e , b e i n s p i r e d b y p a s s i o n a n d c e l e b r a t e t h e b e s t o f c h o r a l e x c e l l e n c e
Arts Development Award supports students who show an early interest in arts education to nurture their talents and is just one of the ways the foundation is building the local arts scene of tomorrow. Scan to find out more about Temasek Foundation.
13 Aug 2022, Sat Esplanade Concert Hall Concert will be streamed live on SSOLOUNGE and the SSO YouTube channel 5 mins 10 mins 5 mins 12 mins 6 mins TEMASEK FOUNDATION SSO NATIONAL DAY CONCERT 2022 OUR MUSIC, OUR HOME Singapore Symphony Orchestra Singapore Symphony Choruses Members of the Singapore National Youth Orchestra Darrell Ang conductor Lorong NiranjanBoysPandian bansuri Eudenice Palaruan Choral Director Wong Lai Foon Choirmaster Adora Sarah host Janis Wong sign language interpreter Thaipusam* by Wang Chenwei 3 Sketches of Singapore* by David Loke Supported by: PropertyGuru Group Echoes of the Woods* by Alicia De Silva Stasis by Tsao Chieh Supported by: Sembcorp Industries Ltd Up* by Lee Chin Sin (orch. Jaffar Sidek) Supported by: UOB
Little Big Things* (sing-along) by Benjamin Lim Made possible by the people of Singapore Home* (sing-along) by Dick Lee (arr. Wong Lai Foon/orch. Dax Wilson Liang) Supported by: Marina Bay Sands Majulah Singapura by Zubir Said (arr. Leong Yoon Pin) 6 mins 4 mins 2 mins Concert Duration: 1 hr 30 mins (no intermission) We are also grateful to DBS for their general support of the concert. Media segments filmed, produced and directed by Makarios Tang, contrastframes. Lorong Boys are playing on Angklungs on loan from Millennia Institute. To help us improve your concert experience, we invite you to participate in our survey. Be the first 130 to show up at the foyer on level 1 with proof of completing the survey, and you’ll receive an SSO merchandise. CHECK-IN TO TONIGHT'S CONCERT Scan this QR code with the Singapore Symphony Mobile App. World Premiere and SSO Commission*
2022CONCERTDAYNATIONALSSOFOUNDATIONTEMASEK 2022AUG13| GENERAL SUPPORT OF THE CONCERT 3 Sketches of Singapore by David Loke Supported by Stasis by Tsao Chieh Supported by Home by Dick Lee (arr. Wong Lai Foon /orch. Dax Wilson Liang) Supported by Up by Lee Chin Sin (orch. Jaffar Sidek) Supported by 4
2022CONCERTDAYNATIONALSSOFOUNDATIONTEMASEK 2022AUG13| Little Big Things by Benjamin Lim Made possible by the people of Singapore This list reflects donations that were made from 20 Jun 2022 to 5 Aug 2022. We would like to express our sincere thanks to donors whose names were inadvertently left out at print time. The Singapore Symphony Group is a charity and a not-for-profit organisation. Singapore tax-payers may qualify for 250% tax deduction for donations made. You can support us by donating at www.giving.sg/sso/nationalday2022. $10,000 AND ABOVE Jerry Chang $200 TO $999 Cheng Eng Aun Christian Kovacic Jackson Seng Tan Chin Beng Gillian & Daniel Tan Grace AnonymousAdelineTangYeo (3) BELOW $200 Judy Bay Cai KhorBorisHanspeterCharissaEoinChumChiaSiminHan-LeonJiaXinEeGurvinderStefanJslerHajdukKhaiChee Kim Kwang Suk Eric Lau Lim Lian Nang Lim Sze How Lim Siew Hoon Nikki Ming Ong Li Min Shaun Oon Jean Kyung Ryu $1,000 TO $2,499 Ang Jian KhorDongDCPZhongYingqiuMichaelGohGuoZhenruChengKian Terri Koh Robert Khan & Co Pte Ltd Celine Tan Tan Cheng Guan Wong Yan Lei Grace Anonymous (1) Darren Smith Edwin Tan Ivan Teh Tok Teck Choon Daniil AnonymousChelseaVincentVilenskiyYadinZhao(10) $5,000 TO $9,999 Robin & Katie Rawlings $2,500 TO $4,999 Evelyn Chin Dr Darren Lim Tibor Szabady Tan Seow Yen 5
Supported by the David Marshall Scholarship, Evan and many talented young artists like him are motivated to hone and enjoy their craft to the fullest.
Temasek Foundation supports promising students from the School of the Arts to nurture and grow their passion in the arts through the David Marshall Scholarship. This scholarship provides an alternative pathway for students to focus on developing their strengths and reach their potential. The David Marshall Scholarship is one of the programmes by Temasek Foundation to strengthen social resilience and uplift lives in Singapore. Scan to find out more about Temasek Foundation.
EVAN J. DE SILVA Music, Year 4 School of the Arts Winner of the 8th Thailand International Ukulele Contest 2020
Today, Evan is a music student at the School of the Arts and is an accomplished ukulele player who participated in many international competitions.
It all started eight years ago when Evan received a ukulele as a gift and connected with it immediately.
In July 2022, the SSO appointed renowned Austrian conductor Hans Graf as its Music Director, the third in the orchestra’s history after Lan Shui (1997–2019) and Choo Hoey (1979–1996). Prior to this, Hans Graf served as Chief Conductor from 2020, leading the SSO in keeping music alive during the COVID-19 pandemic. The SSO makes its performing home at the 1,800-seat state-of-the-art Esplanade Concert Hall. More intimate works, as well as outreach and community performances
In addition to its subscription series concerts, the orchestra is well-loved for its outdoor and community appearances, and its significant role educating the young people of Singapore. The SSO has also earned an international reputation for its orchestral virtuosity, having garnered sterling reviews for its overseas tours and many successful recordings. In 2021, the SSO clinched third place in the prestigious Orchestra of the Year Award by Gramophone
Since its founding in 1979, the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) has been Singapore’s flagship orchestra, touching lives through classical music and providing the heartbeat of the cultural scene in the cosmopolitan city-state.
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SINGAPORE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
The mission of the Group is to create memorable shared experiences with music. Through the SSO and its affiliated performing groups, we spread the love for music, nurture talent and enrich our diverse communities.
The SSO is part of the Singapore Symphony Group, which also manages the Singapore Symphony Choruses, the Singapore National Youth Orchestra, and the VCHpresents chamber music series, the Singapore International Piano Festival and the biennial National Piano & Violin Competition.
take place at the 673-seat Victoria Concert Hall, the Home of the SSO. The orchestra performs over 60 concerts a year, and its versatile repertoire spans all-time favourites and orchestral masterpieces to exciting cutting-edge premieres. The SSO launched its digital concert hall, SSOLOUNGE, in 2021. Bridging the musical traditions of East and West, Singaporean and Asian musicians and composers are regularly showcased in the concert season. Beyond Singapore, the SSO has performed in Europe, Asia and the United States. In May 2016 the SSO was invited to perform at the Dresden Music Festival and the Prague Spring International Music Festival. This successful five-city tour of Germany and Prague also included the SSO’s second performance at the Berlin Philharmonie. In 2014 the SSO’s debut at the 120th BBC Proms in London received critical acclaim in the major UK newspapers The Guardian and The Telegraph. The SSO has also performed in China on multiple occasions. The SSO has released more than 50 recordings, with over 30 on the BIS label.
The most recent critically acclaimed albums include a Rachmaninoff box set (2021), Richard Strauss’ “Rosenkavalier and Other Works” (2020), and three Debussy discs “La Mer”, “Jeux” and “Nocturnes”. A Four Seasons album and a complete Mozart Violin Concerto cycle with Chloe Chua and Hans Graf will be released in the near future. The SSO has also collaborated with such great artists as Vladimir Ashkenazy, Gustavo Dudamel, Charles Dutoit, Joe Hisaishi, Neeme Järvi, Okko Kamu, Hannu Lintu, Andrew Litton, Lorin Maazel, Martha Argerich, Ray Chen, Diana Damrau, Stephen Hough, Janine Jansen, Leonidas Kavakos, HANS GRAF Music Director Lang Lang, Yo-Yo Ma, Gil Shaham and Krystian Zimerman.
DARRELL ANG DarrellconductorAngis one of the most influential players in the musical landscape of China, and a foremost interpreter of contemporary Asian composers. Since 2017, Ang has served as Artistic Director & Chief Conductor of the Sichuan Symphony Orchestra, building it into the leading musical force in mid-Western China. By appointment of the regional government, he now leads numerous projects in orchestra touring, music education, festivals and competitions. Fluent in six languages, Ang regularly conducts orchestras in Asia and Europe, and is also a highly skilled conductor of opera, working regularly with such renowned houses as the Mariinsky Theatre and the Opéra National de Bordeaux. In 2022 he debuts at the San Francisco Opera with Bright Sheng’s Dream of the Red Chamber.
Ang shot into the spotlight in 2007 when he took all three top prizes at the prestigious 50th Besançon International Conducting Competition. Other major wins include first prize at the 9th Antonio Pedrotti International Conducting Competition, 8th Arturo Toscanini International Conducting Competition, the Chevalier dans l’ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2015, as well as a GRAMMY nomination. Ang was formerly Music Director of the Orchestre Symphonique de Bretagne, the youngest ever Associate Conductor of the Singapore Symphony, and Music Director of the Singapore National Youth Orchestra, amongst others. A prolific composer, his Fanfare for a Frazzled Earth was recently premiered by the Singapore National Youth BornOrchestra.inSingapore, Ang began to play the violin and piano at age 4. After studies in composition under Leong Yoon Pin in Singapore, he embarked on conducting studies in St. Petersburg before continuing at Yale as the university’s first Conducting Fellow. Amongst his mentors are Valery Gergiev, Esa-Pekka Salonen and Lorin Maazel.
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The Lorong Boys are a group of Singaporean musicians who are equally at home playing on the hallowed stage of a concert hall as well as in performing on the streets of the Singapore Heartlands. Consisting of founding members Rit Xu (Flute), Jonathan Shin (Piano), Joachim Lim (Percussion), David Loke (Violin) and Gabriel Lee (Violin), the group frequently performs original compositions, and reimagined classics. Coming from a Classical music background, this group loves to experiment with genre hopping, and finding new sounds to incorporate into their music. The Lorong Boys have appeared on multiple TV and radio station programmes in Singapore, and are in the midst of releasing their first album. They are frequently sought out for their innovation and energetic performances.
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The Lorong Boys are currently serving at YST as one of the Ensembles-in-Residence.
Lorong Boys are adept at styles ranging from Classical music to Broadway hits, from Top 40 pop hits to jazz standards. Founded in 2014, the band was born out of a deep friendship and a common love for music when they were all schoolmates at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music (YST) at National University of Singapore. Being bold and innovative, they have toured Indonesia and appeared on almost every TV channel and radio station in Singapore. They were also featured in the SG50 The Gift of Song music video, and have worked with homegrown artists including Inch Chua, Nathan Hartono, and The Sam Willows.
NIRANJAN PANDIAN bansuri (Echoes of the Woods)
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Niranjan is a Singaporean multi-award winning bamboo flute exponent specialising in cross collaborations as a performer, improviser, composer, music director and creative producer. With initial training under Dr Ghanavenothan Retnam, Niranjan now receives mentorship from world-renowned artists such as maestro Amit Nadig, Grammy Nominee Shashank Subramaniam and Pundit Deepak Ram. Niranjan received the most prestigious Arts Scholarship from the National Arts Council (Singapore) to pursue his undergraduate studies at the LaSalle College of the Arts in 2019. Niranjan has also performed with numerous bands, ensembles and orchestras for prestigious local and international festivals, concerts and government summits travelling across South East Asia, South Asia, East Asia and Australia. Some festivals would include Thailand Official Countdown 2016, Shanghai Spring International Music Festival 2017, Guangxi Arts Festival 2017, Bangkok Art Biennale 2018, 34th ASEAN Summit, Bakshi Arts International Festival 2019 and the Rainforest World Music Festival in 2022, to name a few. Besides performing, Niranjan is a soughtafter recording artist, having featured in more than 100 tracks ranging from background scores to dance drama productions over three years for composers and music directors from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and India. Additionally, Niranjan is a composer and has worked with award-winning artists from around the globe. Some of his compositions have won numerous international accolades in film festivals. Currently, Niranjan also music directs for award-winning Indo-Asean contemporary ensemble, Brahmastra and creative produces performances for various communities in Singapore and around the www.niranjantheflautist.comglobe.
lockdown, Eudenice continued skill development programmes to maintain the vocal and artistic upkeep of the Singapore Symphony Chorus. Through hybrid online-physical rehearsals, he gave vocal training to its members, rehearsing chamber ensembles and developing repertoire breadth for equal voices. In addition, as a composer and arranger, he wrote new choral works for The SSC Affair, an outreach programme of the Singapore Symphony Chorus that trains choral music enthusiasts around Singapore.
EUDENICE PALARUAN Choral EudeniceDirectorPalaruan
DuringCanticorum.theextended
studied at U.P. College of Music, majoring in composition and choral conducting. After finishing his Bachelor's Degree, he took another four-year study at the Berliner Kirchenmusikschule, Germany, majoring in choral conducting.
composition and choral conducting in several institutions such as the University of the Philippines College of Music, the Asian Institute for Liturgy and Music, and St. Paul University College of Music and the Performing Arts. Currently, he teaches at the Singapore Bible College School of Church Music and directs the SBC
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He was the resident composer/arranger and assistant choirmaster of the Philippine Madrigal Singers. He performed with the World Youth Choir and the Berlin Monteverdichor. In addition, he was the principal conductor of the San Miguel Master Chorale. For the past years, he has been the resident conductor of the International Bamboo Organ Festival. With his active involvement in the choralization of Philippine and other Asian indigenous music, he premiered a significant volume of new Asian choral works. In addition, he was often invited to give lectures on non-Western vocal Eudeniceaesthetics.taught
Armed with a passion to inspire choral excellence in children and youth, Wong Lai Foon has been a driving force behind the development and growth of the Singapore Symphony Children’s and Youth Choirs. A founding conductor of the Children’s Choir (SSCC) at its inception in 2006, Wong was appointed Choirmaster in 2015, and led in the formation of the Youth Choir (SSYC) in She2016.has prepared both ensembles in a wide range of performances that have drawn praise for the choirs’ beautiful tone and polished delivery. Highlights of past collaborations with the SSO include Britten’s War Requiem, Bizet’s Carmen, Puccini’s La Boheme and Mahler’s Second and Third symphonies. In addition, the SSCC has shared the stage with the celebrated ensemble, The King’s Singers, the Maîtrise de Radio France at the Philharmonie de Paris, and has performed for local and world heads of states at state functions. The SSYC is featured on the SSO’s latest CD, Russian Spectacular. Wong has commissioned and premiered works by local composers in an effort to grow the body of local compositions for treble choirs. Her efforts to educate and inspire extend into the community through workshops, talks, as well as adjudicator, chorus-master and guest-conductor roles. Some ensembles that she has worked with include The Philharmonic Chamber Choir, Singapore Symphony Chorus, Singapore Lyric Opera, Hallelujah Singers, and Methodist Festival Choir. She holds a master’s degree in choral conducting from Westminster Choir College, USA.
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WONG LAI FOON Choirmaster
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Celebrating Choral Excellence Singing is a joyful experience, and singing together is a celebration. The Singapore Symphony Chorus offers talented and passionate choristers a platform to come together to perform great symphonic works at the highest standards. In coming together in their shared love for music, the Chorus is a warm community of like-minded choristers, that represents the pinnacle of choral excellence in Singapore. Since its first performance on 13 June 1980, the Chorus has established itself as one of the finest symphony choruses in the region. The Chorus has performed with renowned conductors including Okko Kamu, Lan Shui, Lim Yau, Masaaki Suzuki and Sofi Jeannin – amassing a wide repertoire such as Rachmaninov’s The Bells, Arvo Pärt’s Te Deum, Britten’s War Requiem, and Bach’s St John Passion, amongst others.
Eudenice Palaruan Choral Director Shane Thio rehearsal pianist
SINGAPORE SYMPHONY CHORUS 15
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Inspiring Choral Passion Comprised of Singapore’s finest young choristers aged 17 to 28, the Singapore Symphony Youth Choir is an energetic ensemble inaugurated in 2016 to complement the SSO with a chorus of vibrant voices. Exploring the best of different musical worlds and styles, the Youth Choir has performed Scriabin’s Prometheus, Puccini’s La bohème, as well as recorded Borodin’s Polovtsian Dances and Mahler’s Symphony No. 2. Within the last seasons, the Youth Choir has had opportunities to perform with world renowned conductors and tour with the SSC and SSO, to present at the Dewan Filharmonik Petronas in Kuala Lumpur. In 2021, at the height of the pandemic, the Youth Choir continually challenged and overcame performing limitations to produce a digital production of its own, “Where I Belong”. Wong Lai Foon Choirmaster Evelyn Handrisanto rehearsal pianist CHOIR
SINGAPORE SYMPHONY YOUTH
SINGAPORE SYMPHONY CHILDREN’S
Nurturing Choral Brilliance 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 enriches young singers through holistic choral training that nurtures artistic growth and personal development.
The Children's Choir has performed great choral masterpieces with the SSO and with distinguished conductors such as Lim Yau, Claus Peter Flor, Sofi Jeannin, François-Xavier Roth and Julie Desbordes. It has toured and performed at the Philharmonie de Paris in collaboration with Maîtrise de Radio France, as well as at Dewan Filharmonik Petronas in Kuala Lumpur with the Malaysian Philharmonic Youth Orchestra in concert.
In Singapore, the Children's Choir has an active performing calendar. It has sung at the Istana, shared the stage with critically acclaimed The King’s Singers, and presented at the 33rd ASEAN Summit. The choir actively commissions and performs works by Darius Lim, Zechariah Goh, and Cultural Medallion winner Kelly Tang, amongst many others.
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Wong Lai Foon Choirmaster Gabriel Hoe rehearsal pianist CHOIR
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2022CONCERTDAYNATIONALSSOFOUNDATIONTEMASEK 2022AUG13| SOPRANO Karen AgnieszkaGladysSachikoSarahStaceySarahNgFumikoAwOgasawaraBengChooSanthanaWangEsperaTangTomimoriTorradoVeriga ALTO Grace Angel Chng Xin Bei Truly WangTanElsieRatnaEnaEuniceSharonDorcasLinWendyDorothySusanHutapeaKurniawatiLee-TehLimWeiLoLowNg-CheeSuSutantioTanSeowYenJiunwen TENOR Jean-Michel Bardin Chng Chin Han Chong Wei Sheng Ronald Ooi Rac Roldan Ian BenTanWong The Choruses SINGAPORE SYMPHONY CHORUS SOPRANO Hana Kasai Laura RaeanneNaddyTanTanTiffanyDesireeIvannaJaniceLeeLimPasaribuSengTamCarineYuqingTeoWong ALTO Chan Li Ting Goh Chen Xi Elizabeth Goh Trinetra Kumarasan Trixi ZacharyLim Lim Kerris Loh Ong Sherlyn Tan AmeliaYulinYeo SINGAPORE SYMPHONY YOUTH CHOIRTENOR Andre Ang Cris AlfonsoBautroYuji Cortez Seifer Ong Tan WongHeeZhen Wei BASS Leonard Buescher Bryan Carmichael Jon Loh Loy Sheng Rui Jovi NathanNg Seah BASS Winsen Citra John Goh Andy ElliottWilliamJosephJatmikoKennedyLimTitcombe 18
2022CONCERTDAYNATIONALSSOFOUNDATIONTEMASEK 2022AUG13| FIRST VIOLIN Galen Gay Keith Ong SECOND VIOLIN Chloe Chee Ethan Chong VIOLA Joya ReeganHossainTan CELLO Evan Khoo Alexa Tan SINGAPORE NATIONAL YOUTH ORCHESTRA MEMBERS Riyan Ballesteros-Pattanayak Lisa EmmaRachaelIsabelleAbigailCharlotteEmilyNaomiMeganDylanHalynMyrnaChangJohnstonChoFrancisFungHengHiaHoHoHoJongLee-Goh Melina Leong Zoe Li Liu Felix Lu Huaiyao Lu NavyaEvangelineVioletJingNgHayleyMeganKaixuanMontefrioNgYiPohFeiPangOngSimSingh SINGAPORE SYMPHONY CHILDREN'S CHOIR Sun Jia Tong Emily Tan Tan Pin Fei Tan ChloeZhangZhangStanleyGermaineAriciaEllisyaCaewynTanTeTeoYuanHaoranYixuanZhou 19
The Orchestra’s roots can be traced to the early 20th century before moving within the purview of Ministry of Education in 1980. In 2015, SNYO became part of the Singapore Symphony Group, which also manages the Singapore Symphony Orchestra.
At the start of the 2018/19 season, Joshua Tan assumed the position of Principal Conductor with the SNYO and Peter Stark was appointed as its first-ever Principal Guest Conductor.
SNYO alumni have gone on to become full-time musicians in Singapore and with orchestras around the world. Many are also educating the next generation of musicians and playing significant roles in the growth of Singapore’s vibrant cultural scene.
The Orchestra currently comprises over 180 talented young musicians aged 10 to 21, representing more than 60 schools across Singapore. Consisting of two orchestras – the main orchestra and a junior training orchestra, the SNYO boasts a distinctive music talent development programme where members receive tutoring from professionals, including those from the Singapore Symphony Orchestra.
Recognised by the Ministry of Education as a National Project of Excellence, members in mainstream secondary schools with sustained involvement in the SNYO will have their participation in the orchestra recognised in lieu of a school-based Co-Curricular Activity (CCA).
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SINGAPORE NATIONAL YOUTH ORCHESTRA 21
Over the years, the SNYO has performed in concert venues and music festivals across Australia, Austria, Germany, Italy, Japan, Malaysia and the United Kingdom. The 2018/19 season also included performances at the Xinghai Concert Hall in Guangzhou, the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, and a side-by-side concert with the SSO featuring violinist Ray Chen at the Esplanade Concert Hall in Singapore.
A leading orchestra dedicated to the training of young orchestral musicians, the Singapore National Youth Orchestra (SNYO) occupies a special place in Singapore’s music community.
Entry into the SNYO is by a comprehensive audition process.
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Adora Sarah is widely known as Your Weekend Girlfriend over her 10 years presenting weekend shows on Singapore Aradio.lifestyle presenter with close to two decades of experience in hosting, presenting and voice overs, Adora has a knack of connecting with people from all walks of life. Her love for music started at the age of four and Adora plays the piano and electone all by ear. Her favourite genres include Pop, Hard Rock, Fusion, Dance and Electronic music. SARAH host
ADORA
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JANIS WONG sign language interpreter Since working with the Deaf in 2009, Janis holds a Master’s degree in Deaf Education. She worked with the Singapore School for the Deaf and was later one of two specialised teachers in Mayflower Primary School leading the newly established integrated programme for Children with Hearing Loss. Janis also freelances as an interpreter and has made appearances with the SSO for their National Day Concerts and with SRT’s production of Gretel and Hansel. She is an advocate for Baby Sign Language and believes that sign language can and should be for everyone – whether as a means of communication or to appreciate as a visual art Sheform.iscurrently a stay-at-home mother (but really, a playmate)chef-accountant-cleaner-chauffeur-tobewithherthreechildren.
FIRST VIOLIN (Position vacant) Concertmaster, GK Goh Chair Kong Zhao Hui1 Associate Concertmaster Chan Yoong-Han2 Fixed Chair Cao ZhangYeWeiWilliamKarenCindyKongJinFooDuanChenCan*DaWeiYuLingSayMingLiXianlongLeeTanTanZheLin*SiJing* SECOND VIOLIN Michael Loh Associate Principal Nikolai ZhaoYinYeoXuWuShaoMargitChikakoHai-WonKoval*KwokSasaki*SaurTaoTaoManYun*Jueyi*TeowMengShuZhan*Tian* VIOLA Manchin Zhang Principal Guan Qi Associate Principal Gu Bing Jie* Fixed Chair Marietta Ku Luo YangDandanJaniceShuiJuliaBiaoParkBingTsaiWangShiLi CELLO Ng Pei-Sian Principal, The HEAD Foundation Chair Yu Jing Associate Principal Guo Hao Fixed Chair Chan Wei Shing Jamshid Saydikarimov Song Woon Teng Wang Yan Wu Dai Dai Zhao Yu Er DOUBLE BASS Yang Zheng Yi Associate Principal Karen Yeo Fixed Chair Olga WangGuennadiJacekAlexandrovaMiruckiMouzykaXu HANS GRAF Music Director CHOO HOEY Conductor Emeritus LAN SHUI Conductor Laureate EUDENICE PALARUAN Choral Director WONG LAI FOON Choirmaster The Orchestra
FLUTE Jin Ta Principal, Stephen Riady Chair Evgueni Brokmiller Associate Principal
HORN Gao Jian Associate Principal Jamie Hersch Associate Principal Marc-Antoine Robillard Associate Principal Hoang Van Hoc
CONTRABASSOON Zhao Ying Xue Assistant Principal
With deep appreciation to the Rin Collection for their generous loan of string instruments. Kong Zhao Hui performs on a J.B. Guadagnini of Milan, c. 1750, donated by the National Arts Council, Singapore, with the support of Far East Organization and Lee Foundation. Chan Yoong-Han performs on a David Tecchler, Fecit Roma An. D. 1700, courtesy of Mr G K Goh. Musicians listed alphabetically by family name rotate their seats on a per programme basis.
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Roberto Alvarez Miao Shanshan PICCOLO Roberto Alvarez Assistant Principal OBOE Rachel Walker Principal Pan Yun Associate Principal Carolyn Hollier
Elaine Yeo COR ANGLAIS Elaine Yeo Associate Principal CLARINET Ma Yue Principal Li Xin Associate Principal Liu TangYokoXiao Ping BASS CLARINET
Tang Xiao Ping Assistant Principal BASSOON Liu Chang Associate Principal Christoph Wichert Zhao Ying Xue
TIMPANI Christian Schiøler Principal PERCUSSION Jonathan Fox Principal Mark Suter Associate Principal Mario Choo Lim Meng Keh HARP Gulnara Mashurova Principal
TRUMPET Jon Paul Dante Principal David Smith Associate Principal Lau Wen Rong TROMBONE Allen Meek Principal Damian Patti Associate Principal Samuel Armstrong BASS TROMBONE Wang Wei Assistant Principal TUBA Tomoki Natsume Principal
Guest Musicians SECOND VIOLIN Lim Shue Churn Yew Shan DOUBLE BASS Ma Li Ming HORN Bryan AlexanderChongOon TRUMPET Nuttakamon Supattranont TROMBONE Jasper Tan PIANO/CELESTE Beatrice Lin ERHU Wilson Neo DIZI Joyce Poh 2022CONCERTDAYNATIONALSSOFOUNDATIONTEMASEK 2022AUG13| 26
SUPPORT THE SSO In our journey of 44 years in giving meaning to music, we owe our achievements and milestones to all who have helped build the SSO since day one - our passionate audiences, talented musicians, and generous patrons who have placed your national orchestra on the world map. How can you help?
While SSO is supported partially by funding from the Singapore government, a significant part can only be unlocked as matching grants when we receive donations from the public. If you are in a position to do so, please consider making a donation to support your orchestra – Build the future by giving in the present.
Through the SSO and its affiliated performing groups, we spread the love for music, nurture talent and enrich our diverse communities.
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*Complimentary ticket benefits do not apply to Esplanade & Premier Box seats, or supporters who give through a fundraising event. ^Discounts are not applicable for purchase of Esplanade & Premier Box seats. DONOR RECOGNITION & PUBLIC ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Concert booklets and website Patron of the Arts Nomination Donors’ Wall at 12MSSOLOUNGESSOGala/Christmas/PopsFamily/SIPF/SISTICSubscription/VCHpresents/VCHLiveSpecialGalaConcertsAll-AccessPass OTHER BENEFITS Invitation to special events Overture $10,000 - $24,999 16 tickets 4 tickets Prelude $1,000 - $2,499 6 tickets Rhapsody $2,500 - $4,999 10 tickets Concerto $25,000 - $49,999 20 tickets 6 tickets 2 tickets Symphony $50,000 & above 40 tickets 20 tickets 4 tickets Donations of $100 and above will entitle you to priority bookings, and discounts^ on SSG Concerts. For tax residents of Singapore, all donations may be entitled to a tax deduction of 2.5 times the value of your donation. For donations of $100 and above Serenade $5,000 - $9,999 12 tickets 2 tickets COMPLIMENTARY TICKETS*
The Singapore Symphony Orchestra is a charity and not-for-profit organisation. To find out more, please visit www.sso.org.sg/support-us, or write to Nikki Chuang at nikki@sso.org.sg You, WE CAN BUILD The Future of Music.
As a valued patron of the SSO, you will receive many benefits.
CORPORATE PATRONAGE Form a special relationship with Singapore’s national orchestra and increase your name recognition among an influential and growing audience. Our concerts provide impressive entertainment and significant branding SSOopportunities.Corporate Patrons enjoy attractive tax benefits, Patron of the Arts nominations, acknowledgements in key publicity channels, complimentary tickets, and invitations to exclusive SSO events. For more details, please write to Chelsea Zhao at chelsea.zhao@sso.org.sg. HEARTFELT THANKS TO OUR CORPORATE PATRONS Temasek Foundation The HEAD Foundation Stephen Riady Group of Foundations Yong Hon Kong Foundation John Swire & Sons (S.E. Asia) Pte Ltd Lee Foundation The New Eden Charitable Trust Foundation of Rotary Clubs (Singapore) Ltd IN-KIND SPONSORS SMRT SymphonySingaporeCorporationAirlines924 Your support makes it possible for us to host world-renowned artists, including the Singapore debut of piano legend Martha Argerich in 2018.
As a broad-based grantmaking organisation, Tote Board works closely with stakeholders and partners to support broad and diverse worthy projects in the sectors of Arts & Culture, Community Development, Education, Health, Social Service and Sports. Through these projects, Tote Board helps to uplift the community by giving hope to vulnerable groups and improving the lives of all in Singapore.
’s goal is to help build a flourishing society. We want to inspire positive change and contribute towards building an inclusive, resilient and vibrant community, while fostering a caring and compassionate nation.
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THAIPUSAM World Premiere/SSO Commission by Wang Chenwei Thaipusam is a festival celebrated by Tamils commemorating the occasion where Murugan, the Hindu god of war, was given a divine spear by his mother, Pārvatī, to vanquish an evil demon. The composer was fascinated by Thaipusam celebrations in Singapore, where Hindu devotees participate in a four-kilometre procession, carrying a milk pot or a kāvadi, a burden often pierced into the body. This piece portrays the grandeur of the procession and its festive atmosphere without emulating the music traditionally played at Thaipusam. It begins with a slow introduction by a solo viola in a Doriansounding scale with glides hinting at the Indian violin tradition. The rest of the piece follows a Mixolydian-sounding pentatonic scale. Neither scale is meant to represent any actual rāga, which would require specialised training to perform authentically. Thaipusam mainly draws inspiration from Carnatic rhythmic structures. Every minim corresponds to one beat of the eight-beat ādi tāla, maintained by the triangle. While Western music usually subdivides each bar and beat regularly, Carnatic music often involves irregular subdivisions. In this piece, one ādi tāla cycle translates to 64 semiquavers in total, which could be subdivided as 6+8+6+8+6+8+6+7+4+5. As it would be difficult for western-trained musicians to play such rhythmic divisions to a conductor beating minims, the bars were redrawn with time signatures of 6/16, 2/4, 7/16 etc. in this orchestral version. Instrumentation flute, piccolo, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, triangle, harp,
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Twostringsunique rhythmic structures are featured. In the kuraippu, each pair of call and response contracts in duration until the two converge in unison. The kōrvai involves sets of contracting rhythmic values with the shortest set repeated twice, e.g., 5 dotted crotchets, then 5 crotchets, and finally 3 sets of 5 quavers. The irregular rhythmic divisions cause some groups to start on-beat (relative to the ādi tāla) and some off-beat, resulting in syncopation that heightens the tension. In contrast, sections with regular rhythmic divisions have lower tension due to their predictability. The feel of a grand procession is evoked through the recurring main theme in a regular rhythm. This is juxtaposed against non-thematic sections with irregular rhythms, which may conjure imaginations of Murugan’s dramatic battles. Thaipusam was originally commissioned by the National Piano and Violin Competition 2019 as the solo set piece for the Violin Senior Category. This orchestral arrangement was commissioned by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra for the National Day Concert 2022. Programme note by Wang Chenwei
Wang Chenwei (b. 1988) Wang Chenwei is Composer-in-Residence of the Singapore Chinese Orchestra, adjunct faculty at the National Institute of Education (Nanyang Technological University, Singapore) and council member of the Singapore Chinese Music Federation. As Head of Research and Education at The TENG Company, he is the main coauthor of The TENG Guide to the Chinese Orchestra (2019), a 624-page book on instrumentation and orchestration.
Chenwei obtained his Magister Artium (five-year Master of Arts) with distinction and an Honorary Award (Würdigungspreis) from the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, where he studied composition and audio engineering under a scholarship from the Media Development Authority of AtSingapore.age17, Chenwei composed The Sisters’ Islands, which won the Singapore Composer Award at the 2006 Singapore International Competition for Chinese Orchestral Composition. This piece has been widely performed and recorded in various arrangements, most notably at the Singapore Symphony Orchestra’s inaugural National Day Concert 2018. Chenwei was commissioned by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra to compose four set pieces for the National Piano and Violin Competition 2019. Three of his compositions were commissioned as set pieces for the Singapore Youth Festival. Additionally, he has served as adjudicator at the Singapore Youth Festival and Singapore’s National Chinese Music Competition.
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3 Sketches of Singapore takes listeners through three different moods across its movements. The first movement, The Sea Storm, represents turmoil and struggle, and the need to persevere in one’s fight through adversity. Ferociously swelling orchestral waves, matched with fiery solos by the Lorong Boys, sweep the listener up in the action before ebbing to relative calm.
The second movement, In Loving Memory, is a love letter to the generations that have come before, and a tribute to the sacrifices they have made in order for us to thrive. It is also dedicated to my grandmother who passed away one week before the completion of this work (in 2020, amidst the height of the COVID-19 pandemic).
The third movement, Raindance, represents unconditional joy – a reminder that through all challenges, we will overcome and joy shines through.
Programme note by David Loke Instrumentation 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, triangle, cymbals, suspended cymbal, tam-tam, snare drum, bass drum, whip, tambourine, wood block, glockenspiel, harp, strings Supported by 32
2022CONCERTDAYNATIONALSSOFOUNDATIONTEMASEK 2022AUG13| 3 SKETCHES OF SINGAPORE by David Loke World Premiere/SSO Commission
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David traverses solo and chamber classical repertoire alongside pop and jazz settings alike. He is a founding member of the fusion quintet Lorong Boys, and is frequently called as a chamber player, session musician and educator.
David has had the good fortune of studying with Sylvia Khoo, Lynette Lim, Qian Zhou, Ani Kavafian, Brian Levy, Jerry Bergonzi, Frank Carlburg, Can Olgun, and Tony Makarome. He plays on a 1933 Giovanni Pistucci on generous loan from the Rin Collection.
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Recent composition highlights include soundtracks for the movie Strings of Sorrow and local documentary 3 Cents A Kilo (premiered at the 2019 Macau International Film Festival & Awards and 45th Asian American Film Festival respectively).
David Loke (b. 1991)
David graduated with a Bachelors of Music in violin from YST. He then received his Masters of Music in violin from the Yale School of Music, and in jazz performance from the New England Conservatory of AsMusic.aperformer,
Violinist David Loke Kai Yuan is a multifaceted musician. Trained in classical and jazz performance, David is active as a performer, bandleader, composer, producer and arranger. An Artist Fellow at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music (YST), he also works for the Music & Drama Company.
Programme note by Alicia de Silva Instrumentation 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, glockenspiel, vibraphone, suspended cymbal, bass drum, bansuri, strings
2022CONCERTDAYNATIONALSSOFOUNDATIONTEMASEK 2022AUG13| ECHOES OF THE WOODS by Alicia de Silva World Premiere/SSO Commission
Echoes of the Woods draws from my numerous encounters with nature, (re)creating these experiences and memories through musical gestures, sounds and resonance. Though the piece draws from my encounters, it is conceived as an invitation for audience members to be a part of these experience — to either recall their own encounters, or simply just to imagine themselves alone with nature, aware of its movement, sound, and expansiveness that could be both liberating and oppressive at the same time. The work features the bansuri, a North Indian bamboo flute, and the Western orchestra, both with their own unique qualities, and contrasting performance traditions. To accentuate these unique qualities, the bansuri and orchestra often have its own distinct segments, echoing pitches and musical gestures within their own context and space, never really coming together, until towards the end.
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Alicia de Silva (b. 1987) Alicia de Silva has long been intrigued by the sounds and practice of other cultures, especially those of Southeast Asia. These inform some of her compositions and commissions that are wide and varied, encompassing works for conventional instrument ensembles, and various ethnic instruments. It has also led to frequent collaborations across various arts disciplines, exploring the notion of multisensory performances that create new experiences and perspectives towards the Asarts.a composer-educator, she has also written extensively for student ensembles. These works often bear a pedagogical slant, encouraging students to develop and learn by exploring different sonorities and musicmaking experiences. This is especially so for the angklung kulintang ensemble, an instrumental combination that generally has a scarcity of repertoire. With her unique portfolio in both the artistic and educational sectors, Alicia looks forward to collaborative multi/interdisciplinary works that also explores technology as another medium and/or platform that could also enhance creativity and education. Alicia is currently the programme leader in the Office of Academic Affairs at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts.
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Instrumentation 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, suspended cymbal, tam-tam, water gong, wind chime (wood, metal, glass), triangle, xylophone, vibraphone, glockenspiel, chimes, crotales, piano, celesta, strings Supported by 36
Programme note by Tsao Chieh
STASIS by Tsao Chieh Stasis was a work specially commissioned by the Singapore Youth Orchestra management committee for the SYO’s performance on their tour to Perth, Western Australia in 1988. Stasis has its origins in some of the ethnic music of the ASEAN countries, particularly Thailand and Bali, where an intricate fabric of rhythmic activity would often convey the sense of a larger equilibrium. The idea of stillness in change led to a piece which, if not strictly “minimalist”, is at least strongly influenced by such tendencies. In a way, it is reaction against the complexities of post-Webern serialism so fashionable in the 1950s and 60s.
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Tsao Chieh (1953–1996) Singaporean composer Tsao Chieh (Mandarin: 曹节) first studied the piano under pioneer piano teacher Victor Doggett. An engineer by training, Tsao Chieh studied in Manchester, England and Stanford University under scholarships awarded by Singapore’s Ministry of Defence. During his studies, he also pursued composition in a bid to achieve his most cherished ambition – to write music. His Four Songs from Romantic Poets eventually won him First Prize in the Paul and Jean Hanna Music Competition. On his return from Stanford in 1985, Tsao Chieh continued his career at MINDEF, and later joined Sembawang Corporation (present day SembCorp Industries), where he helped established one of Singapore’s pioneer ISPs, Pacific Internet. He continued to write for orchestra as well as electronic mediums, and had plans to write an opera based on the legend of Bukit Merah, when he was diagnosed with cancer. Tsao Chieh died in 1996, aged 42.
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The journey up a hill, up a ladder is always fraught with difficulty. Just a tiny slip and the process of going up must be repeated again, and again, until one reaches the top. Yet if the upward journey is undertaken as a group or as a nation, the support by the strong for the weak will make it all less strenuous. The willingness of the strong to lead and Supported by encourage, and the willingness of the weak to follow lessens the struggles considerably, so that through the togetherness shown, a target can be jointly achieved by all. This to me draws a perfect picture of Singapore, and I have tried to paint how I see Singapore’s progress in my mind. Add Chin Sin’s lyrics, and the picture is more distinct. Lyrics do paint a thousand pictures as well. In the opening sequence of the orchestration, most instruments and voices are used, creating an organised yet chaotic musical tapestry to reflect the chaos and struggles of the upward journey. Then a period of calm follows as everyone slows down to reflect and encourage one another to push on. The third part of the music encompasses strength and the desire to move on despite all the challenges, followed by a triumphal end. This to me, is what Singapore is all about, a portrait of my country and envisioned by a founding father who was full of wisdom, but in particular, full of love for his nation.
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My orchestration and arrangement tries to paint as vivid as possible, my perception of what we are, a small nation with only its people, urging each other on to make it work. Hence, no particular instrument group or vocal group dominate, but responsibility
UP by Lee Chin Sin (orch. Jaffar Sidek) World Premiere/SSO Commission
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Programme note by Lee Chin Sin Up! Perhaps the most powerful two-lettered word in the English language. Combine the words “Go” and “Up” and the phrase becomes a booster for all the challenges and the rewards that they together bring.
Through the challenges of the last few years, we in Singapore have kept going, guided and strengthened by a shared sense of purpose, our past experience of overcoming obstacles together and a hopefulness for the future. In this light, optimism is more than a positive outlook. It is an ineluctable force that lifts us up to meet the moment by drawing on our past. It reaches us in our darkest moments. The silent voice that dreams of song. The wait in the dark lightened by the remembrance of day. The isolated warmed by the memory of touch.
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Up What the day remembers is sky The blue that hides behind the night of rain Standing in the dark, just you and I We were sure we’ll see that bluest blue again What the silence dreams of are words The tender touch of Hello, how are you? And although at times they had to go unheard We knew that they would always come through Holding back and holding on These feelings we’ve kept inside Just let go of letting go Falling upwards – we fly! Reaching for that cloud of stars We’re surer now of who we are And this day is ours to take And this dream is ours to make Come true Up’s the only way through Up, up, up Here we stand Up, up, up Yes we can Up, up, up I’m with you
There’s a song that yearns for your voice You’ve heard it whisper hope in your heart And it sings of smiling days and open doors And the strength to dare to be who you are for the movement and tone of the piece is as equally distributed as is possible within its short time frame. Programme note by Jaffar Sidek 39
Instrumentation 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, bass drum, chimes, cymbals, glockenspiel, snare drum, suspended cymbal, triangle, harp, dizi, erhu, strings
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a song that
2022CONCERTDAYNATIONALSSOFOUNDATIONTEMASEK 2022AUG13| Holding back and holding on These feelings we’ve kept inside Just let go of letting go Falling upwards – we fly Reaching for that cloud of stars We’re surer now of who we are In this moment – you and me –Every vision’s ours to see Up’sAnewthe only way through Up, up, up Here we stand Up, up, up Yes we can Up, up, up I’m with you
There’s yearns for voice Lee Chin Sin (b. 1975) Restaurateur Lee Chin Sin began his journey into the world of pop song writing in 2015. That year, his song “These are the days” was the winning entry in MediaCorp’s The Gift of Song competition, organised in celebration of Singapore’s 50th birthday. Since then, he has continued to explore the medium of pop song writing through a wide range of projects. Some notable commissions include A Child’s Voice, specially written for and premiered at the Singapore Symphony Children’s Choir’s 10th anniversary concert in 2016. In 2018, he was invited to set to music selected poems of Lin Denan, Yi Chan and Huang Guangqing for the concert 当诗 遇见歌, organised as part of the Singapore Writers’ Festival. Chin Sin is signed to Touch Music Publishing as an exclusive songwriter.
your
My name is Jaffar Sidek Ahmad and I am a singer, composer, arranger and above all a musician. I studied Composition and Music Technology at the LASALLE College of the Arts’ School of Music back in the late 1990s, where I composed and arranged a piece for the Singapore Wind Symphony as a school project. As an arranger, I have also done casual arrangements for friends, especially in the field of pop music. This commission from the Singapore Symphony Orchestra to arrange the song Up (by Lee Chin Sin) is, by far, my biggest and in some ways the scariest project in my experience. It has suddenly flung me into the spotlight. My hope is that after Up, many more similar orchestral projects will be forthcoming. Apart from that, my other passion lies in composing and arranging music for film, TV series and video games, in particular, hybrid compositions combining orchestra and synthesisers. My main sources of inspiration are the cinematic finesse of John Williams and Hans Zimmer, the revolutionary spark of Ludwig van Beethoven and, above all, the genius of all musical geniuses, Johann Sebastian Bach.
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Jaffar Sidek (b. 1960)
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Little Big Things is a wholly new setting of the popular National Day tunes It’s the Little Things and《小人物的心声》 (“Voices from the Heart”). Children who grew up in the 1990s are probably familiar with these two tunes, which were frequently sung around National Day. The simple melodies and frank, clear lyrics made these two ostensibly ‘little’ tunes a hit with school-children straight away. Its themes of aspiration, earthiness, sense of belonging and contribution despite how ‘little’ one may be are as current today as they were when they were released. Programme note by Benjamin Lim Instrumentation 2 flutes, piccolo, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, glockenspiel, suspended cymbal, xylophone, cymbals, vibraphone, wind chime, bass drum, shaker, tambourine, harp, strings
Over the years, I’ve grown accustomed to your ways And no matter where I’ll be, it warms my heart, to know that You’re always here for me
LITTLE BIG THINGS by Benjamin Lim World Premiere/SSO Commission
Made possible by the people of Singapore Little Big Things
Over the years, I’ve grown to be a part of you You’ve cared for me and opened the way to a happy and beautiful life You make me feel warm and safe and give me hope for brighter days
It’s the little things that we share, the love and joy that’s in the air
The children’s laughter everywhere, and all our favourite things Over the years, I’ve grown accustomed to your ways And no matter where I’ll be, it warms my heart, to know that You’re always here for me 42
The children’s laughter everywhere, and all our favourite things
It’s the little things that we share, the love and joy that’s in the air
2022CONCERTDAYNATIONALSSOFOUNDATIONTEMASEK 2022AUG13| 也许我一个人 不能成就一番大事业 让我尽力贡献一份微薄的力量 也许我自己 不能发出万丈光和亮 但我能为斗室带来足够的光芒 我从来就不在乎 自己不是一个大人物 因为平凡也是一种幸福 看到名人总是忙忙碌碌 我的时间由我控制 平凡日子一样会充实 我从来都不在乎 自己不是一个大人物 因为平凡也是一种幸福 看到名人总是忙忙碌碌 我的时间由我控制 平凡日子一样会充实 It’s the little things that we share, the love and joy that’s in the air The children’s laughter everywhere, and all our favourite things Over the years, I’ve learnt we share a destiny And no matter how good others may be No one cares like you cared for me Cause deep down inside I feel you’re a part of me My Singapore, the place that I call my Home Donate to support the SSO's commissioning of Little Big Things Thank you. 43
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He has also written and produced music for multiple programmes on the CCTV Stations, Beijing Television Station, Zhejiang Weishi Station, iQiyi China, the Industrial and Commercial Bank China (ICBC) and arranged music for the popular singing competition Sing!China. His soundtracks for film have accompanied and won multiple awards at notable international film festivals, including the Busan Film Festival, Asian Film Festival Berlin, Shanghai Film Festival, Cairo Film Festival, Singapore Film Festival and a few Benjaminothers.graduated
Benjamin Lim (b. 1984) Benjamin Lim Yi is a Singaporean composer based in Beijing. His works span the entire range from commissioned concert pieces, theatre, contemporary dance and stage productions, to film, television and children’s Somemusic.of
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the groups and artists he has written music for and collaborated with include The Central Ballet Academy of China, the Beijing Dance Academy, the Beijing Chinese Orchestra, Shanghai Chinese Orchestra, Central Conservatory of Music Orchestra, Wu Tong (from The Silk Road Ensemble), classical guitar virtuoso Xuefei Yang, Singapore Chinese Orchestra, Toy Factory, Theatreworks, and The TENG Ensemble, among many others.
from the Central Conservatory of Music, Beijing, with a Masters of Music under the tutelage of Professor Jianping Tang, and was a recipient of the Singapore National Arts Council (Postgraduate) and Central Chinese Government scholarships.
Commission When Home was first presented to the Sing Singapore Festival committee in 1997, the initial reaction was one of scepticism. Compared to the musical vigour and patriotic gusto of Count On Me, Singapore or Stand Up for Singapore – how could this slow, wistful song match them? As it often turns out in the history of music, that which was originally written for a now forgotten reason has over time taken on a much higher purpose. Its composer Dick Lee was living in Hong Kong when he was asked to contribute to Sing Singapore. Being literally away from home allowed his homesickness to lend genuine poignancy to the song. The theme of the festival that year was the river, which is why it features in the words of Home. “I remember that it all tumbled out. It all came as almost one breath. ... It felt right, “ says Dick Lee, “I wrote the words and I wrote the tune all within, like, less than an hour. The melody, I remember, came at once in a Fortunately,flow.”
World
despite the initial doubts, two individuals in the committee supported Home – both pioneers in the world of Supported by Singapore music: composer Bernard Tan and music director/ethnomusicologist Joseph Peters. In addition, among the committee was the chairman of the National Day Parade (NDP) for the following year. Ultimately, NDP 1998 featured two official songs, Home, and the largely forgotten City for the World. And so, on 9 August 1998, a young Singaporean mandopop star by the name of Kit Chan stepped out before the façade of the former City Hall of Singapore, facing 60,000 Singaporeans with a choir. She had only rehearsed that same morning, to an empty Padang. With a crescent and five stars pinned to the side of her hair, a gleam in her eye and soul in her voice, she sang Home. It has been said that while school children today routinely sing a line-up of National Day songs at their school celebrations every August, including the latest titles, none of them are sung as loudly as Home – words and music that are older than them. After its premiere, Home gradually seeped into the being of Singaporeans. When it was chosen again as the NDP song for 2004,
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HOME by Dick Lee (arr. Wong Lai Foon/orch. Dax Wilson Liang) Premiere/SSO
“Singaporeans made it their song. I didn’t. I certainly didn’t set out to do that. And so it’s something that I learned, which is that this sense of who we are needs to come without you trying.”
Programme note by Chia Han-Leon
Dick Lee finally realised its significance. He has spent his entire career as an artist searching for Singaporean identity. He did not expect Home to do what it did: “Singaporeans made it their song. I didn’t. I certainly didn’t set out to do that. And so it’s something that I learned, which is that this sense of who we are needs to come without you trying.”
Instrumentation 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, mark tree, wind chime, cymbals, suspended cymbal, tam-tam, bass drum, claves, glockenspiel, cabasa, harp, strings
Quotations from the article "Dick Lee , Kit Chan and Dr. Sydney Tan tell the story of Singapore's most beloved song, 'Home'" by Karen Gwee, published on Hear65 (2 Aug 2018), a national movement to promote Singaporean music and musicians.
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– Dick Lee 46
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When there are troubles to go through We'll find a way to start anew For there’s comfort in the knowledge That home’s about its people too So we’ll build our dreams together Just like we’ve done before Just like that river which brings us life
This is where I won’t be alone For this is where I know it’s home. For this is where I know I’m home. 47
Winding through my Singapore
Home Whenever I am feeling low I look around me and I know There’s a place that will stay within me Wherever I may choose to go I will always recall the city Know every street and shore Sail down that river which brings us life
There’ll always be Singapore This is home, truly Where I know I must be Where my dreams wait for me Where that river always flows This is home, surely As my senses tell me
This is home, truly Where I know I must be Where my dreams wait for me Where that river always flows This is home, surely As my senses tell me This is where I won’t be alone For this is where I know it’s home.
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Dick Lee (b. 1956) The Dick Lee phenomenon started in 1971 when he participated in various talent contests with the groups Harmony, and Dick and the Gang. His first album, Life Story, featuring his own compositions, was released in 1974. Throughout the 70s and 80s, Dick championed the inclusion of Asian elements in pop music, as in his acclaimed albums Life In The Lion City (1984) and The Mad Chinaman (1989), the latter which achieved platinum status in Singapore for three months. Dick has collaborated with top Asian artistes like Sandy Lam and Japanese group Zoo, and written countless songs for singers in Asia including Jacky Cheung, Andy Lau, Sammi Cheng, Anita Mui, Miyazawa of the Boom and Stephanie Sun. The song he is proudest of writing is Home. Composed in 1997 and popularised by the singer Kit Chan, it is widely regarded as one of the most beloved of Singapore’s national songs.
Dax Wilson Liang (b. 1989)
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Dax Wilson Liang is the Chief Composer/ Arranger of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Band, leading the Music Composition & Arrangement Office. He also serves as the Head of Training Development and concurrently as Group Leader of the SAF Central Band. As an instrumentalist, Dax holds an LTCL in Horn Performance and has previously studied under Jamie Hersch and Dixie De Souza. He has performed with several local groups including the Singapore Lyric Opera, The Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra of the Music Makers and the Windstars Ensemble. As a composer, Dax’s works have received acclaimed performances in Asia, Europe, North America and the UK. His arrangements of local national songs and folk tunes, ‘The Lion City’ series has reached an international audience in countries including Scotland, Switzerland, Germany, China and the USA, programmed in various prestigious military tattoos and festivals around the world such as the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and the Virginia International Tattoo. Locally, Dax has received several commissions from prominent groups such as the Singapore Wind Symphony, Orchestra Collective, the Lion City Brass Band and the Singapore Symphony Orchestra.
Instrumentation 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, cymbals, snare drum, bass drum, strings 2022CONCERTDAYNATIONALSSOFOUNDATIONTEMASEK 2022AUG13| Majulah Singapura Mari kita rakyat Singapura Sama-sama menuju bahagia Cita-cita kita yang mulia Berjaya Singapura Marilah kita bersatu Dengan semangat yang baru Semua kita berseru Majulah Singapura Majulah Singapura Onward Singapore Come, fellow Singaporeans Let us progress towards happiness together May our noble aspiration bring Singapore success Come, let us unite In a new spirit Let our voices soar as one Onward Singapore Onward Singapore ’ 50
MAJULAH SINGAPURA by Zubir Said (arr. Leong Yoon Pin) In 1958, at the request of the City Council of Singapore, Zubir wrote Majulah Singapura, after a motto displayed at the renovated Victoria Theatre. It was performed at the grand finale of a concert on 6 September 1958. Its popularity led to its nomination for a greater purpose – Majulah Singapura replaced God Save the Queen during “Loyalty Week” celebrations in 1959. On 9 August 1965, when Singapore gained full independence from Malaysia, Majulah Singapura was adopted as our national Anthem. In an interview in 1984, to encapsulate his thoughts in composing Majulah Singapura, Zubir cited the Malay proverb Di mana bumi dipijak, di situ langit dijunjung – “You should hold up the sky of the land where you live”.
Zubir Said (1907–1987) Best known as the composer of Singapore’s national anthem, Zubir Said was one of Singapore’s earliest Malay-language songwriters, who left a legacy of over 1,500 songs. A self-taught musician, Zubir moved from the Minangkabau highlands of Indonesia to Singapore in 1928, to work as a musician. He joined City Opera’s bangsawan (Malay opera) troupe as a violinist, eventually picking up the piano and becoming the band leader. In 1936, Zubir became a recording supervisor with His Master's Voice (HMV), and gained recognition in the music industry. From 1949, Zubir was Orchestra Conductor with Shaw Brothers’ flourishing Malay films division, and later Music Director for Cathay Keris from the early 1950s until his retirement in 1964. Zubir has received countless awards and honours for his contributions to music, among them the Bintang Bakti Masyarakat (Public Service Star, 1963), the Jasawan Seni (1971) and a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award (1995) by the Composers and Authors Society of Singapore.
CollectionArtstheandInformationofMinistry© SingaporeofArchivesNationalofcourtesy
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Leong Yoon Pin (1931–2011)
One of the most historically important forefathers of classical music in Singapore, Leong Yoon Pin was a composer, conductor and educator best known for his choral compositions. He went on to become the Singapore Symphony Orchestra’s first composer-in-residence in 2000. Leong was born in Singapore in 1931 and was a self-taught musician until he began lessons in his 20s with Noreen Stokes. He went on to study music at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London before studying with the legendary Nadia Boulanger in Paris from 1966-67. Leong also worked as a conductor, founding the Rediffusion Youth Choir in 1953, the Metro Philharmonic Society in 1959 and the Singapore City String Orchestra in the 1970s. In 1982 he was awarded the Cultural Medallion for his contributions to music in Singapore. His compositional legacy includes symphonies, tone poems, operas, a piano concerto, choral and many other instrumental works. In 1980, his concert overture Dayong Sampan became the first work by a Singaporean composer performed by the then one-year-old Singapore Symphony Orchestra.
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS Yong(DeputyYing-I Chair) Chang Chee Pey Chng Hak-Peng Chng Kai Fong Prof Arnoud De Meyer Warren Fernandez Liew Wei Li Sanjiv Misra Prof Qin Li-Wei Paul GeoffreyTan Wong Yee Chen Fah Andrew Yeo Khirn Hin Yasmin NOMINATINGZahid AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Goh Yew Lin (Chair) Prof Arnoud De Meyer YongGeoffreyPaul(Treasurer)TanWongYing-I HUMAN ClaraDrVivienBenjaminProfLiewSNYOJoviLimWarrenYeeAUDITAlexDavidSanjivGeoffreyINVESTMENTDorisHeinrichProfChngYongCOMMITTEERESOURCESYing-I(Chair)KaiFongArnoudDeMeyerGrafeSohmen-PaoCOMMITTEEWong(Chair)MisraGohLeeCOMMITTEEChenFah(Chair)FernandezMeiSeetCOMMITTEEWeiLi(Chair)QinLi-WeiGohGohKeeKirkChinLim-Tan BOARD OF DIRECTORS & COMMITTEES SSO MUSICIANS’ COMMITTEE Mario Choo Guo ZhaoElaineChristophWangDavidHaoSmithXuWichertYeoTian CHAIR Goh Yew Lin SSO COUNCIL Alan Chan (Chair) Odile Benjamin Prof Chan Heng Chee Choo Chiau Beng Dr Geh
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