Music Is: Singapore Symphony Orchestra set to return to concert halls with a live audience pilot

On 8th October, the public can enjoy a live performance by musicians of the SSO for the first time since arts venues closed in March. The concert of chamber music will feature Haydn’s ‘Emperor’ String Quartet and Tchaikovsky’s Souvenir de Florence in front of an audience of 50 at the Victoria Concert Hall, Home of the SSO.

The concert, which is part of SSO’s chamber music series VCHpresents, is one of a handful of small-scale live performances that will be taking place this month in a pilot scheme by the National Arts Council (NAC) featuring new safe management measures. This concert will be one of the first to require the TraceTogether app or TraceTogether tokens for all audience members. Tokens will be distributed on-site for those who have not collected theirs. Other safety measures include enhanced cleaning of the venue, temperature screening, three-metre spacing between performers and audience, one-metre spacing between audience members, and no intermission.

Chng Hak-Peng, CEO of Singapore Symphony Group said: “The Singapore Symphony Orchestra is very honoured to be entrusted to be part of the live performance pilots with audience. It is a testimony to our efforts to keep our audiences, musicians, and crew safe during this pandemic. The SSO presented two safe-distanced concerts in March, one at Victoria Concert Hall and one, dedicated to Singapore’s front-line workers, at Gardens by the Bay. These were the last live concerts before arts venues closed to the public. As the national orchestra, SSO is committed to bringing memorable experiences to our audiences, and we will do so with safety and public health considerations in mind.”

SSO will work with NAC to monitor and review the live performance pilot experience for performers, staff and audience members.

The SSO’s live audience pilot will take place on 8th October 2020 at the Victoria Concert Hall. Tickets available from SISTIC