Victoria Concert Hall

The historic Victoria Concert Hall is Home to the Singapore Symphony Orchestra.

Victoria Concert Hall

Facing Empress Place on the banks of the Singapore River, the Victoria Concert Hall (VCH) is Singapore’s oldest concert hall and has been Home of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) since 1980. The VCH is host of the VCHpresents series, the annual Singapore International Piano Festival (SIPF) and the biennial National Piano and Violin Competition (NPVC) as well as regular outreach and community performances by the SSO.

Within the hall’s intimate acoustics and beautifully restored interior, each of its 673 seats offers an immediate connection with the artistes on its stage, creating memorable experiences from outstanding classical music performances to young audiences’ first encounters with rhythm and sounds.

Designed by architectural firm Swan & McLaren and built between 1902 and 1905 as a memorial hall in honour of Queen Victoria, the iconic hall was renovated from 1979 to 1980 to serve as a concert venue for the national orchestra. In 1987, the majestic Klais organ, Singapore’s only fully mechanical organ with its 2,012 pipes, was installed in VCH through the fundraising efforts of the then-newly formed Singapore Symphony Orchestra Ladies’ League. In 2010, VCH underwent a four-year-long restoration by Singapore’s W Architects, with acoustics firm Arup as advisor, before reopening in 2014. During the process, 25 artisans from South India were flown in to restore the intricately carved pillars inside the Concert Hall. The hall’s renewed façade and improved facilities serve to accentuate the historic aura and heartfelt intimacy of the space.

Our learning and access programmes at VCH have engaged and drawn diverse audiences. From light entertainment to experimental theatre, concerts for children to recitals for connoisseurs, the Victoria Concert Hall has something for everyone. Numerous performers have inspired audiences through repertoire ranging from brass chorales to full symphony choirs, from jazz trio to world music ensembles, from string quartets to piano and organ soloists. Activities include free concerts, and tickets start at $4 for schools.

The VCH Rose Studio, an exclusive recording facility, captures the magic on stage, allowing us to share it with audiences outside the concert hall.