Manchester International Festival 2025 and Hallé present SOUNDS OF THE EAST – an evening of music woven together by Eastern tradition and inspiration at Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall. Under the baton of the Hallé’s new Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor, Kahchun Wong, the concert closed with the UK premiere of Kahchun Wong’s orchestration of Mussorgsky’s masterful Pictures At An Exhibition. Featuring 5 musicians from the Singapore Chinese Orchestra, the symphonic orchestra was joined by traditional Chinese instruments: Chinese percussion (Benjamin Boo), dizi (Lee Jun Cheng), yangqin (Ma Huan), erhu (Tan Manman) and pipa (Wang Siyuan).

By Lee Jun Cheng

What happens when five Chinese instrumentalists meet a century-old British orchestra in the heart of Manchester? A bold, cross-cultural interpretation of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, where East and West met in sound — not just in concept. A connection between countries, traditions and artistes.

We arrived in Manchester to unseasonably sunny skies and the unmistakable energy of a city that breathes music. The streets were lined with murals, cafés spilled onto sidewalks, and the city’s proud musical heritage was woven into its skyline. Between rehearsals, we explored the town’s corners—finding little moments to relax, recharge, and reflect. Some mornings were spent wandering solo, others in cafés with bubble tea (yes, we found it), or snapping group photos under golden-hour light. Every off-stage moment stitched itself into the memory of the trip.

At this 3rd outing – the chamber adaptation of Pictures at an Exhibition with Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra (Germany), Singapore Chinese Orchestra (Singapore) and now Hallé Orchestra in Manchester, our Chinese instrument ensemble sat beside The Hallé’s strings, winds, and brass. East met West not just on scores, but in rehearsal rooms’ eye contact and phrasing. Under Wong Kah Chun’s direction, the balance between the two worlds became seamless.

Each edition had its own voice. Nuremberg gave the piece its European debut—intimate and intense. Back home in Singapore, the arrangement found a familiar comfort, rich with cultural resonance. And here in Manchester, the collaboration with The Hallé brought a new dynamic: one marked by deep listening, mutual respect, and creative risk-taking.

This performance wasn’t just about playing the right notes—it was about finding the right voice for every moment. I played a whole range of instruments from the tiniest xiaodi (小笛), to the xun, the deep beidadi (倍大笛), and even percussion like the bell plate and the Malay kompang. Percussion isn’t my usual area, so honestly, it was a bit of a challenge. But stepping out of my comfort zone made it all the more rewarding. One of the more memorable moments was during the xiaodi birdcall section. I shaped a mix of birdsong textures, and added a special touch that felt personal, imitating the call of the Asian koel, a morning bird that’s instantly recognisable back home in Singapore. It was a small addition, but meaningful. A little reminder of where I come from, woven into the soundscape of a Manchester concert hall.

The arrangement, already an ambitious blend of cultures, came alive with new texture and colour. The pipa and erhu traced lyrical lines with clarity and feeling; the yangqin added shimmer and rhythmic sparkle; the dizi painted sonic landscapes; and percussion delivered both grandeur and subtlety. Audience members later shared that the blend of instruments was unlike anything they’d heard before and deeply moving. For many, this was their first time hearing Chinese instruments in a symphonic context. The response was heartening. Curious questions, kind words, and even quiet, reflective smiles reminded us that music doesn’t need explanation, it just needs open ears.

We are grateful to Wong Kah Chun for his leadership and vision, to The Hallé for their warmth and generosity, and to every person in the audience who gave this unusual fusion a chance. This musical chapter may have started with a score, but it ended with something deeper — a shared memory built on trust, respect, and sound.

By Tan Manman

Representing the Singapore Chinese Orchestra alongside the renowned Halle Orchestra was both an honour and a humbling experience. Standing on that stage with my fellow SCO musicians, I felt the weight of cultural ambassadorship — we weren’t just performing, we were sharing Singapore’s rich musical heritage with one of the world’s great orchestras. The performance was a profound reminder of music’s universal language. What struck me most was how our instruments didn’t simply add exotic color, but truly conversed with the orchestra. Our Chinese instruments’ sound brought an entirely different emotional vocabulary to familiar harmonic progressions in the piece, while the orchestra’s dynamic range gave our traditional melodies unprecedented depth and power.

Playing together revealed how musical principles transcend cultural boundaries. The careful balance of tension and release, the interplay of melody and harmony, the shared breath of ensemble playing—these connected us all as musicians, regardless of our instruments’ origins. In those moments, we weren’t Chinese musicians collaborating with Western players; we were simply musicians creating something beautiful together. I hope this partnership will open doors for future collaborations, continuing to build bridges between Singapore’s musical community and orchestras worldwide.

By Benjamin Boo

I’m grateful for the opportunity to work with The Halle, a magnificent Orchestra with one of the longest histories in the United Kingdom. Though not much have changed (for me and my parts) since the very first time we premiered the work, the experience of working with a different orchestra every time will always be new, unique and special in its own ways. I thoroughly enjoyed being able to meet new musicians, speak with the Percussion section, connect and discuss about what I do and how we can work together on many moments within the piece; it is exhilarating. I studied in London for 2 years, hence it is easier for me to connect with the musicians in UK and Europe because we speak the same (musical) language, have a common understanding in terms of our approach to the music, how to work together ensemble wise; everything moment feels nostalgic and familiar.

I’m motivated to improve on my playing for every performance; change up and bring in new ideas during my short cadenza on the frame drum so that each performance is unique to the orchestra I work with. With each performance we become more familiar with the music, we mature and grow into better musicians. It is a very fun experience to play on multiple instruments within a piece of music, it gives me the opportunity to stand out as a soloist, but it is just as important to know how to blend in with the orchestra, which is the biggest challenge. With mostly Chinese and Oriental percussion instruments, the sounds I create can be very unique and outstanding from the conventional symphony orchestra. I am just as excited to introduce the world of Chinese Percussion to the audiences in the West, they are genuine and curious and will approach us to enquire more about the instruments we play. This had been an amazing experience to say the least and I look forward to our next performance together with Kah Chun in the very near future.

This trip was made possible in partnership with Temasek Foundation, a close partner of SCO since 2011 with a focus on promoting orchestral music excellence and connecting more people in Singapore and beyond through music.