Musical exploration of the forces of nature and our intricate relationship with the environment.

“Can humans and nature coexist in an urban environment?” In December, the ever-innovative Ding Yi Music Company presented “ECOncert”, bringing together a unique blend of Chinese music to explore the intricate relationship between humanity and nature.

Led by conductor Wong De Li, Dedric, and stage director and dramaturg Ang Xiao Ting, ECOncert takes the idea of forest bathing, and invited audience members to use the music and visuals to reflect on their relationship with the natural environment, complete with soundscapes by Chong Li-Chuan, set and art installations by Quek See Yee and Ferry, and video projections by Robert Zhao. The concert begins with the performers around the stage, and director Xiao Ting does well to arrange them around the stage, almost as if they’re in a circle to bring us into this ritual.

We are asked to close our eyes and to be ready to just absorb what is going on around us, to contemplate what we’re about to experience, in this guided meditation to help us listen and appreciate what is around us. With the focus on immersing ourselves in the experience, we start to hear the wind, the rain and the thunder, almost mimicking the current monsoon season outside, before the sounds of the jungle come through, and it feels like something has come alive.

All members of the orchestra are dressed in white gowns and shirts, and they almost seem to represent the creatures in the jungle. There is so much control over the sounds that emerge, where the Chinese instruments complement the chirping of crickets and birds. As the wind instruments join in, it feels like they’re all engaged in a conversation, where we hear each and every note, representing the individual voices and thoughts, all with their own personalities.

In the next piece, we hear the sounds of children playing the background, as we imagine memories of yesteryear. This piece comes together particularly well because of the accompanying visuals, where we see the view of the top of the trees, almost making us feel like we’re lying on the ground and staring at what’s above. With a Guqin solo by Zhong Zhi Yue, we are soothed, and it feels as if we’ve been enveloped in a very calm presence within the Recital Studio. He seems almost at one with his instrument,

Watching the screen, we see visuals of Robert Zhao’s parrots he observes in Choa Chu Kang, the music seemingly guiding their path as they gather in the tree, almost like an anthem that belongs to them. In another parallel video, we watch a view of the roads, representing the daily commute, and in another, what’s left of a rainforest, as mist, dew and dog roll through it. The music too reflects this, slow and delicate, while we hear various animals and insects.

There’s a strong environmental message attached to ECOncert, as we see the forest being cleared and excavated. It’s almost depressing, as we hear the gushing of the wind, the ruffling of trees, and the rumbling of the skies while lightning flashes, like the conversation has erupted into an argument. As we hear the drum solo, we see scenes from the forest, and we are reminded how much we forget exists all around us.

Most of ECOncert feels serene, and a good way to end the year on a contemplative note, especially by drawing our attention to the parts of nature we may not appreciate as much. As the concert draws to a close, the storm has passed and a rainbow comes out, all in all a timely reminder of our own smallness in the face of nature, and to be more cognizant of all the little miracles that surround us.

ECOncert played on 15th December 2023 at the Esplanade Recital Studio. More information available here