Music festival promoting Singapore Chinese Orchestra performances to take place Aug 20 till Sep 10
The festival features 60 events which include performances, two book launches, educational talks, panel discussions, and an inaugural youth music camp.
A festival promoting Singapore Chinese Orchestra music will take place from Aug 20 to Sep 10.
Called the Singapore Chinese Music Festival, there will be more than 60 events including performances, book launches, educational talks, and panel discussions taking place. There will also be an inaugural youth music camp.
The festival is organised by the Singapore Chinese Music Federation (SCMF), which was established in 2013 to promote, disseminate and raise the profile of uniquely Singaporean works and composers.
This year’s festival will be the 10the edition to be held. In celebration of the milestone, the festival’s 10th anniversary gala concert, Heartstrings, will take place at the Esplanade Concert Hall on Aug 27 at 5pm.
Performed by the Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SCO), the concert is led by 1993 Cultural Medallion recipient and SCMF President Dr Tay Teow Kiat, and conducted by SCMF Council Member, 2002 Young Artist Award Recipient and SCO principal conductor Quek Ling Kiong.
The concert programme will feature Rejoice by the pioneering late composer Yeo Puay Hian, written for Plucked Stringed Ensemble, Symphonic Floras by young local composer Phang Kok Jun and Wang Chenwei’s Lion City Rhapsody – a work incorporating musical elements from the five largest Chinese dialect groups in Singapore.
Tickets for Heartstrings cost between $38 and $68. Concession tickets are priced between $30 and $55.
Beyond Heartstrings, audiences can also enjoy other concerts such as Melody of Dance performed by the Nanyang Hakka Federation Chinese Orchestra, Vanda YQ Chamber and SOTA Chinese Ensemble on Aug 26 at 7.30pm. The performance combines music and dance tunes from different regions.
For an educational experience, guests can look forward to talks such as The Making of Guqin – Its History and Recognition held by Qin making master Shan Weilin on Aug 28 at 1pm, or Foundations and Stylistic Techniques of Bamboo Flute: An In-depth Lecture by Professor Zhan Yongming from Shanghai Conservatory of Music on Aug 30 at 6pm.
Admission for both programmes are free.
Bringing the 22-day long festival to a finale is the festival’s Closing Concert, Elegance on Saturday Sep 10, 5pm at the Singapore Conference Hall led by Ding Yi Music Company’s Resident Conductor Dedric Wong.
The concert will feature multiple premieres of new compositions: Guzheng performers Yin Qun and Yvonne Tay will present the local premiere of Zhou Yuguo’s《忆长安》 (Remembering Chang’an) and Tan Qing Lun, Zhong Zhi Yue and Kevin Cheng will premiere a new work inspired by ancient music.
Tickets for Elegance cost between $18 and $48. Concession tickets are priced between $15 and $38.
The full list of programmes and details for the Singapore Chinese Music Festival can be found on the SCMF website.
