The Arts and Community Converge at Singapore Symphony Orchestra New Season Opening

Held at Victoria Concert Hall – Home of the SSO, the SSO’s season opener came in the form of a two-night special SSO performance led by Austrian guest conductor Carlos Kalmar, and featuring award-winning British pianist Steven Osborne. The programme comprised works linked to London, part of a series of SSO concerts marking the bicentennial with the theme of “British Journeys”, including one of Haydn’s London symphonies — … Continue reading The Arts and Community Converge at Singapore Symphony Orchestra New Season Opening

Preview: SSO National Day Concert by Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Brush. Lift. Reflect. Dance. These are just some of the words that infuse Flowing Sleeves, an expressive cello concerto inspired by Chinese operatic dance, written by American-Chinese composer Zhou Tian in collaboration with renowned cellist Wang Jian, who will be performing it this August in its Singaporean premiere, at the prestigious Esplanade Concert Hall. Also featured will be a brand new work by local composer Joyce … Continue reading Preview: SSO National Day Concert by Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Preview: Concerts for Children – Peter and the Wolf in Hollywood by Singapore Symphony Orchestra

This September, get ready for a musical adventure like no other, as the Singapore Symphony Orchestra presents Peter and the Wolf in Hollywood. Watch this refreshing retelling of the classic children’s musical tale by Prokofiev, transported to modern-day Los Angeles – and now at the Esplanade with a big screen, as the Orchestra acompanies the film live. When a wolf escapes from the zoo, Peter is soon … Continue reading Preview: Concerts for Children – Peter and the Wolf in Hollywood by Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Preview: SSO National Day Concert by Singapore Symphony Orchestra

The 1915 Raffles MarchComposed by A. Dietz, former Director of the Orchestra at the Raffles Hotel. Dietz himself is a mystery, with little is known of him, not even his first name. The work is known to have been performed on 13th September 1922 at the hotel, in a special concert reported in The Straits Times the day before. And in 2017, more than a century … Continue reading Preview: SSO National Day Concert by Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Preview: Kerson Leong Plays Schumann presented by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra

At just 22 years of age, Canadian violinist Kerson Leong’s fast-rising career has taken the world by storm, and brought him to the world’s leading venues, from Carnegie to Wigmore. This August, he makes his Singapore debut with Schumann’s Violin Concerto – written in 1853 and subsequently lost for over 80 years, whose recovery was shrouded in ghostly mysteries and intrigue. Conducted by renowned Finnish … Continue reading Preview: Kerson Leong Plays Schumann presented by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Singapore Symphony Names Hans Graf as New Chief Conductor

The Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) has announced Austrian maestro Hans Graf as its Chief Conductor. Graf will assume the role from the 2020/21 concert season, beginning mid-2020. In Graf, SSO has appointed an internationally established maestro with highly regarded expertise in core orchestral repertoire. His background and work in Vienna, Salzburg and Graz makes him especially at home in Austro-German repertoire that is crucial in developing … Continue reading Singapore Symphony Names Hans Graf as New Chief Conductor

Preview: Steven Osborne plays Mozart presented by Singapore Symphony Orchestra

This July,  award-winning pianist Steven Osborne, “one of Britain’s most treasured musicians”, comes to town to play Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 12, a standout work of lyrical peace and effusive melody. During the concert, be sure to also look out for Rossini’s Overture to The Silken Ladder, Kernis’ Musica celestis, and Haydn’s Symphony No. 98 in B-flat major. Steven Osborne’s insightful and idiomatic interpretations of diverse repertoire show an immense … Continue reading Preview: Steven Osborne plays Mozart presented by Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Preview: VCHpresents 2019/20 Season presented by Singapore Symphony Orchestra

The Victoria Concert Hall has announced its brand new VCHpresents 2019/20 seaso, marking the fifth anniversary of its re-opening. The season will include a range of performances that explore the chamber music repertoire, solo voice recitals, more intimate happenings, and two music festivals. The VCHpresents Chamber series promises to be Singapore’s widest offering of chamber music at the highest level – from western classical strings and … Continue reading Preview: VCHpresents 2019/20 Season presented by Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Review: Eric Lu & Yu-Chien Tseng presented by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra

  While Argentinian master pianist Martha Argerich postponed her return to Singapore indefinitely, the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) has soldiered on with a concert in lieu, with pianist Eric Lu and violinist Yu-Chien Tseng joining the orchestra for a showcase at the Esplanade Concert Hall. The concert started off with Rachmaninoff’s The Isle of the Dead, Op. 29, performed by the SSO, as conducted by … Continue reading Review: Eric Lu & Yu-Chien Tseng presented by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Singapore International Piano Festival 2019: An Interview with Pianist Ronan O’Hara

The 26th edition of the Singapore International Piano Festival returns this May and brings together four of the world’s best virtuoso pianists, each performing solo at the Victoria Concert Hall over the four day festival. In the lead-up to the performances, we spoke to veteran British pianist Ronan O’Hora, who has performed in every major country in Europe and the USA, Canada, Australasia and South … Continue reading Singapore International Piano Festival 2019: An Interview with Pianist Ronan O’Hara