SSO Pops: The Music of Hans Zimmer

MESSAGE FROM RAFFLES HOTEL SINGAPORE

Dear guests,

It is with great pleasure and excitement that I extend my warmest greetings to each and every one of you on behalf of Raffles Hotel Singapore. As the Official Partner Hotel of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra for the 2023/2024 season, it is an honour for me to commemorate our esteemed partnership within these pages.

Both Raffles Hotel Singapore and the Orchestra share a common commitment to excellence, elegance, and the pursuit of perfection in our respective fields of art, culture and hospitality. It is this shared vision that has allowed our partnership to flourish and bring joy to our audiences.

From the captivating melodies of the orchestra echoing through the hallowed halls of the Esplanade and Victoria Concert Halls, to the enchanting performances that have taken place within our historic walls, our partnership has created some truly emotional and extraordinary moments. The symphony’s resounding melodies have complemented the timeless beauty of Raffles Hotel, elevating the experience for our esteemed guests and creating a harmonious union of art, culture and emotional luxury.

We are truly honoured to have had the opportunity to present the Singapore Symphony Orchestra’s season opener, dedicated to our Grande Dame and witness firsthand the immense talent, dedication, and passion exhibited by each member. Your commitment to nurturing the musical heritage of Singapore and captivating audiences with unforgettable performances has been nothing short of remarkable.

On behalf of Raffles Hotel Singapore, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all members of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra. Your dedication, talent, and unwavering commitment to the arts have enriched our hotel and the wider community in immeasurable ways. May our partnership continue to flourish and inspire future generations.

Yours sincerely,

Christian Westbeld Managing Director Raffles Hotel Singapore

SINGAPORE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

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 with its 44-week calendar of events. The SSO is led by Music Director Hans Graf, the third in the orchestra’s history after Lan Shui (1997–2019) and Choo Hoey (1979–1996).

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 over 50 recordings, culminating in its 3rd place win in the prestigious Gramophone Orchestra of the Year Award 2021. In 2022, BBC Music Magazine named the SSO as one of the 21 best orchestras in the world.

The SSO performs over 60 concerts a year at such venues as the Esplanade Concert Hall and Victoria Concert Hall in Singapore. Bridging the musical traditions of East and West, Singaporean and Asian musicians and composers are regularly showcased in its concert seasons. Its versatile repertoire spans all-time favourites and orchestral masterpieces to exciting cutting-edge premieres.

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.

HANS ZIMMER composer

German composer and music producer Hans Forian Zimmer (b. 1957) is recognised worldwide as one of Hollywood’s most innovative musical personalities. His music is notable for integrating electronic and ethnic elements with the traditional symphony orchestra. Since the 1980s, the multi-award-winning Zimmer has composed for over 150 films, and he was named in the list of Top 100 Living Geniuses by The Daily Telegraph. Above all, his music is beloved by millions around the world for empowering and enriching the cinematic experience of numerous blockbusters in every genre, films which continue to be celebrated many years after their premieres on the basis of Zimmer’s musical touch.

GERARD SALONGA conductor

Gerard Salonga is currently Resident Conductor of the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO) in Kuala Lumpur, a position he has held since January 2019. For two seasons he served as Assistant Conductor of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra from 2016 to 2018 where he was appointed by Maestro Jaap van Zweden. He also served as Music Director of the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra in Manila from 2012 to 2020. In January of 2021, Gerard began his term as the Music Director of the Orchestra of the Filipino Youth (OFY).

He has conducted symphonic, pops, family, and film concerts including the Harry Potter, Raiders of the Lost Ark and Ratatouille films in concert, and his orchestral arrangements have been performed by orchestras around the world.

For 2023, aside from concerts with the MPO in KL and OFY in Manila, engagements include a return to the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, as well as the Hong Kong Philharmonic, where he will conduct the world premiere of The Metaverse Symphony by composer Elliot Leung.

TAN YI KAI lighting designer

As a multidisciplinary arts practitioner specialising in Lighting Design, Yi Kai finds joy in lighting the stage for all performance genres. Other works include SSO’s Concerts for Children, TENG’s More Than Music and Flamenco Sin Fronteras’ Flamenco Recital.

THE ORCHESTRA

HANS GRAF

Music Director

RODOLFO BARRÁEZ Associate Conductor

CHOO HOEY

Conductor Emeritus

LAN SHUI

Conductor Laureate

EUDENICE PALARUAN

Choral Director

WONG LAI FOON

Choirmaster

FIRST VIOLIN

(Position vacant) Concertmaster, GK Goh Chair

Ma Jun Yi3 Guest Concertmaster

Kong Zhao Hui1 Associate Concertmaster

Chan Yoong-Han2 Fixed Chair

Cao Can*

Chen Da Wei

Duan Yu Ling

Foo Say Ming

Jin Li

Kong Xianlong

Cindy Lee

Lim Shue Churn3

Karen Tan

William Tan

Wei Zhe

Ye Lin*

Zhang Si Jing*

SECOND VIOLIN

Tseng Chieh-An Principal

Michael Loh Associate Principal

Nikolai Koval*

Sayuri Kuru

Hai-Won Kwok

Chikako Sasaki*

Margit Saur

Shao Tao Tao

Wu Man Yun*

Xu Jueyi*

Helena Dawn Yah3

Yeo Teow Meng

Yew Shan3

Yin Shu Zhan*

Zhao Tian

VIOLA

Manchin Zhang Principal

Guan Qi Associate Principal

Gu Bing Jie* Fixed Chair

Joyce Huang

Erlene Koh3

Marietta Ku

Luo Biao

Julia Park

Shui Bing

Janice Tsai

Dandan Wang

Yang Shi Li

Yeo Jan Wea3

CELLO

Ng Pei-Sian Principal, The HEAD Foundation Chair

Yu Jing Associate Principal

Guo Hao Fixed Chair

Chan Wei Shing

James Ng 3

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 Alexandrova

Foo Yin Hong 3

Julian Li3

Ma Li Ming 3

Jacek Mirucki

Guennadi Mouzyka

Wang Xu

FLUTE

Jin Ta Principal, Stephen Riady Chair

Evgueni Brokmiller Associate Principal

Roberto Alvarez

Miao Shanshan

PICCOLO

Roberto Alvarez Assistant Principal

OBOE

Rachel Walker Principal

Pan Yun Associate Principal

Carolyn Hollier

Simon Lee 3

Elaine Yeo

COR ANGLAIS

Elaine Yeo Associate Principal

Simon Lee 3

CLARINET

Ma Yue Principal

Li Xin Associate Principal

Liu Yoko

Tang Xiao Ping

BASS CLARINET

Tang Xiao Ping Assistant Principal

BASSOON

Yuan Tianwei3 Guest Principal

Liu Chang Associate Principal

Christoph Wichert

Zhao Ying Xue

CONTRABASSOON

Zhao Ying Xue Assistant Principal

HORN

Austin Larson Principal

Gao Jian Associate Principal

Jamie Hersch Associate Principal

Marc-Antoine Robillard Associate Principal

Bryan Chong ^

Hoang Van Hoc

TRUMPET

Jon Paul Dante Principal

David Smith Associate Principal

Lau Wen Rong

Nuttakamon Supattranont

TROMBONE

Allen Meek Principal

Damian Patti Associate Principal

Samuel Armstrong

BASS TROMBONE

Wang Wei Assistant Principal

TUBA

Tomoki Natsume Principal

TIMPANI

Christian Schiøler Principal

Mario Choo

PERCUSSION

Jonathan Fox Principal

Mark Suter Associate Principal

Mario Choo

Thaddeus Chung 3

Lee Yu Ru3

Lim Meng Keh

Julia Tan3

HARP

Gulnara Mashurova Principal

PIANO

Beatrice Lin3

SYNTHESISER

Gabriel Hoe 3

ORGAN

Joanna Rajammal Paul3

ELECTRIC GUITAR

Daniel Chai3

BASS GUITAR

Brandon Wong 3

*With deep appreciation to the Rin Collection for their generous loan of string instruments.

^ Musician on temporary contract

1 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.

2 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.

3 Guest musician

“There’s a point let the music take

Christopher Nolan, Inception: The Shooting Script

where we just

over everything.”

PROGRAMME

Driving Miss Daisy (1989)

Music by Hans Zimmer (orch. Nic Raine)

Hoke, you’re my best friend.

– Miss Daisy

Journey To The Line

From The Thin Red Line (1998)

Music by Hans Zimmer

This great evil, where’s it come from? How’d it steal into the world? What seed, what root did it grow from? Who’s doing this? Who’s killing us, robbing us of life and light, mocking us with the sight of what we might’ve known? Does our ruin benefit the earth, does it help the grass to grow, the sun to shine? Is this darkness in you, too? Have you passed through this night?

– Private Edward P. Train

Suite from The Last Samurai (2013)

Music by Hans Zimmer (arr. Christopher Tin)

Emperor Meiji: Tell me how [Katsumoto] died.”

Nathan Algren: I will tell you how he lived.”

No Time for Caution

From Interstellar (2014)

Music by Hans Zimmer (orch. Kevin Kaska, ed. Gerard Salonga)

We’ve always defined ourselves by the ability to overcome the impossible. And we count these moments. These moments when we dare to aim higher, to break barriers, to reach for the stars, to make the unknown known. We count these moments as our proudest achievements. But we lost all that. Or perhaps we’ve just forgotten that we are still pioneers. And we’ve barely begun. And that our greatest accomplishments cannot be behind us, that our destiny lies above us.

– Joseph Cooper

Inception Suite

From Inception (2010)

Music by Hans Zimmer (arr. Bruce Fowler, ed. Gerard Salonga)

A single idea from the human mind can build cities. An idea can transform the world and rewrite all the rules.”

– Dom Cobb

Chevaliers de Sangreal

From The Da Vinci Code (2006)

Music by Hans Zimmer, adapted by Alex Johansson

The Holy Grail ’neath ancient Roslin waits. The blade and chalice guarding o’er Her gates. Adorned in masters’ loving art, She lies. She rests at last beneath the starry skies.

– The Da Vinci Code (Dan Brown)

INTERMISSION (20 MINS*)

* 20,453.57 hours, or 2 years, 121 days, 17 hours

Selected movie images © Warner Bros. / Paramount

Zoosters Breakout

From Madagascar (2005)

Music by Hans Zimmer (arr. Paul Lavender)

Just smile and wave, boys; smile and wave.

– Skipper the Penguin

The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

Music by Hans Zimmer (arr. Ralph Ford)

A hero can be anyone, even a man doing something as simple and reassuring as putting a coat on a young boy’s shoulders to let him know that the world hadn’t ended.

– Bruce Wayne / The Batman

Is She With You?

(Wonder Woman’s Theme)

From Batman v Superman (2016)

Music by Hans Zimmer & Junkie XL (orch. Bruce Fowler, ed. Gerard Salonga)

Bruce Wayne:

You don’t know me, but I’ve known a few women like you.”

Diana Prince:

Oh, I don’t think you’ve ever known a woman like me.”

Man of Steel (2013)

Music by Hans Zimmer (arr. Ralph Ford)

You will give the people of Earth an ideal to strive towards. They will race behind you, they will stumble, they will fall. But in time, they will join you in the sun, Kal. In time, you will help them accomplish wonders.

– Jor-El

The Lion King – Orchestral Suite

From Disney’s The Lion King (1994)

Music by Hans Zimmer & Elton John (arr. Brad Kelley)

While others search for what they can take, a true king searches for what he can give.

– Mufasa

Gladiator (2000)

Music by Hans Zimmer (arr. Wasson, adapted by Gerard Salonga)

Marcus Aurelius:

You have proven your valor once again, Maximus. Let us hope for the last time.”

Maximus:

There is no one left to fight, sire.”

Marcus Aurelius:

There is always someone left to fight. How can I reward Rome’s greatest general?”

Maximus: Let me go home.”

Marcus Aurelius: Ah, home.”

Duration: approximately 2 hrs (including 20 mins intermission)

CHECK-IN TO TONIGHT’S CONCERT

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SINGAPORE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

THE SINGAPORE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

2023/24 SEASON

JULY 2023 – JUNE 2024

SSO.ORG.SG

Featuring Chloe Chua, Julian Bliss, Mischa Maisky, Han-na Chang, Leonidas Kavakos, Rudolf Buchbinder, Paul Lewis, Chloë Hanslip, Andrew Arthur, Jukka-Pekka Saraste and more.

Photo: Sloth Creatives

SUPPORTED BY

PATRON SPONSOR

MATCHED BY

MAJOR DONORS

Mr & Mrs Goh Yew Lin

SEASON PARTNERS

SEASON PATRONS

The mission of the Singapore Symphony Group is to create memorable shared experiences with music. Through the SSO and its affiliated performing groups, we spread the love for music, nur ture talent and enrich our diverse communities. The Singapore Symphony Orchestra is a charity and not-for-profit organisation. You can support us by donating at www.sso.org.sg/donate.

Stephen Riady Group of Foundations