Singapore, 16 September 2020 (Wednesday) – Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SCO) presents 2nd Digital Chamber concert titled Nocturne. This concert will be available on the online platform SISTIC LIVE from 18 September 2020, Friday 8pm till 27 September 2020, Sunday 8pm. The approximate concert duration is 50 minutes long. Sit back and relax, as 21 SCO musicians present the delicate elegance of music and serenade audience members with 6 captivating music pieces.
Come unwind and find your inner zen with SCO as we present a concert which encapsulates the beauty and serenity of the night. Enter a state of peaceful bliss as you enjoy intricate pieces inspired by ancient poems such as Moonlit Night on a Spring River, Carefree, and Reminiscence of Qin E. Be rejuvenated by comforting folk melodies like Ti Or Or (The Darkening Sky), Song of Night, and Night Thoughts. This concert will definitely leave you feeling inspired and recharged!
This is a concert, not to be missed. Ticket holders will certainly be in for a treat, as Concertmaster Li Baoshun and Erhu I Principal Zhao Jianhua paints the artistic beauty of literature, with their heartfelt music, performing on the Jinghu and Erhu respectively.
Sharing by Musicians and Conductor
Jinghu: Li Baoshun
Concertmaster Li Baoshun said: “My concert preparations are largely similar, be it a digital concert or a live audience concert. The only difference is that, for live audience concert, there will be audience members’ interaction, the atmosphere is real and energy is infectious.
For this concert, I am performing Night Thoughts, a well-known Peking opera tune. It was used to accompany scenes in Peking opera Drumming Ma Cao where the drummer, Mi Heng, beats the drum to air his grievances against Cao Cao; and also in Farewell My Concubine, to accompany the sword dance of Yu Ji. Arranged by Li Minxiong, the music is arranged in the sequence of a Prelude, Adagio, Moderato and Allegro and progresses from simple to complex. It is with a dagu (large drum) solo which is often competing with a jinghu. From the original Peking opera, the piece certainly carries out its bold and vigorous, yet elegant character.
The orchestra has been paying close attention to the development of the pandemic and we are concerned about the health and safety of frontline workers and our friends from all walks of life. As an artist, I hope to bring smiles to all, through this performance, and this concert also marks the beginning of your beautiful day!”
Erhu: Zhao Jianhua
Erhu I Principal Zhao Jianhua said, “Be it a digital concert or a live audience concert, the amount of practice and effort a musician puts in, is the same. For this concert, I will be performing Reminiscence of Qin E, an ancient tune, recomposed by Zhou Chenglong based on my teacher Min Huifen’s performance version. Although this work by Li Bai is a forty-six word short verse, there are neither astounding emotions nor any magnificent ambitions embedded in it. Instead, through brief sketches and hymns, the impact of this work is boundless. The subject matter of this verse ranges from regrets and compunctions for self, to anxieties and apprehensions for country. Due to its sorrowful keynote, it has been considered “a verse without any airs of high-Tang, but has the tone of late-Tang poetry”, and therefore could not be the work of Li Bai, who is a poet of high-Tang.
I hope that this digital concert can encourage everyone to work together to overcome COVID-19! I look forward to seeing everyone in the concert hall soon! "
Conductor: Music Director Tsung Yeh
Music Director Tsung Yeh said: “Unlike in concert halls, watching digital concert online could potentially mean the audience could be at home, or in office. They are not at full concentration level and likely prone to distractions. Therefore, I had these in mind while curating the programme:
Concert duration
The total duration of the programme, in terms of music performance, does not exceed 40 minutes.
Theme
Most of our Friends of SCO do have the habit of watching concerts at night, thus “Nocturne” was the chosen theme to reflect the similarity.
Fascinating night views
Beautiful night scenery from the different pieces; Ti Or Or, artistic and poetic feels from Moonlit Night on a Spring River, singing and dancing by the campfire depicted in Song of Night and the heart wrenching farewell night expressed through Night Thoughts.
Pieces inspired by ancient poems
Three intricate pieces inspired by ancient poems will help unleash and find your inner zen.
Moonlit Night on a Spring River | Tang dynasty poetry by Zhang Ruoxu
Carefree | Inspired by Eastern Jin dynasty poetry by Tao Yuanming
Reminiscence of Qin E | Tang dynasty poetry by Li Bai
Taking into account “exquisite workmanship”, “superb quality” and “fine music appreciation” as our production criterion, this digital concert is our latest “excellent” artistic report, the production and rehearsal process is certainly a great enjoyment of art for me!”
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Concert Information
Nocturne《悠然夜话》
Date & Time: 18 September 2020, Friday 8pm to 27 September 2020, Sunday 8pm
Ticket Price: $15 (excludes $1 SISTIC charge)
Please purchase e-tickets from SISTIC. Tickets are currently available for sale.
Event link: http://bit.ly/SCO-nocturne
Programme
Ti Or Or from Three Taiwanese Folk Tunes | Law Wai Lun
Moonlit Night on a Spring River | Ancient tune, Rearranged by Qiu Dacheng
Carefree | Ai Liqun
Reminiscence of Qin E | Ancient tune, Min Huifen’s performance version, Recomposed by Zhou Chenglong
Song of Night | Law Wai Lun
Night Thoughts | Peking Opera Tune, Arranged by Li Minxiong
Photo link: http://bit.ly/SCO18SepNocturnephotos (provided by Singapore Chinese Orchestra)
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About Singapore Chinese Orchestra
Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SCO) is Singapore’s only professional Chinese orchestra. Inaugurated in 1997, the orchestra made up of more than 80 musicians took on the twin role of preserving traditional arts and culture and establishing new frontiers through the incorporation of Nanyang music elements in its repertoire. SCO has impressed a broadening audience with its blockbuster presentations and is fast establishing itself among its counterparts around the world. Known for its high performance standards and versatility, the SCO is recognized through invitations to perform at numerous prestigious events locally and internationally. In line with its vision to be a world-renowned people’s orchestra, SCO continues to inspire, educate and communicate through its music.
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