Singapore, 30 Nov 2022 – Singapore Chinese Orchestra announced a slate of new appointments as part of its leadership renewal and succession planning. Mr Tsung Yeh will step down as Music Director and be appointed Conductor Emeritus, while Resident Conductor Quek Ling Kiong will be promoted to Principal Conductor. Both appointments will take effect from 1 January 2023.
Mr Yeh was first appointed as Music Director of the SCO from 1 January 2002, and has helmed the SCO in this capacity for 20 years. Mr Quek Ling Kiong was appointed SCO’s Resident Conductor in 2013, and Singapore National Youth Chinese Orchestra’s (SNYCO) Music Director in 2016. He will plan the new SCO concert season from July 2023 onwards.
Chairman of the Board of SCO Mr Ng Siew Quan said, “This is an important move to pave the way for SCO’s succession planning. The Board and management of SCO are very grateful to Maestro Tsung Yeh for his leadership of the SCO over the last 20 years and for building the SCO into the world-class Chinese orchestra that it is today. We are very pleased that Maestro Tsung Yeh has agreed to continue contributing to SCO as Conductor Emeritus. I also congratulate Ling Kiong on his new appointment and wish him success in his new capacity.”
SCO also announced that three musicians will be appointed as Section Leaders, who will oversee the respective sections of the orchestra to ensure the highest artistic standards of musicians. The three section leaders are concertmaster Li Baoshun (for the strings section), Dizi Principal Yin Zhiyang (for the winds and percussion section), and Sanxian Associate Principal Huang Guifang (for the plucked strings section).
In addition, eight SCO veteran musicians, including the three section leaders, will be concurrently appointed members of the SCO’s Music Advisory Panel. They are Concertmaster Li Baoshun, Sheng Principal Guo Changsuo, Suona/Guan Principal Jin Shiyi, Yangqin Principal Qu Jianqing, Dizi Principal Yin Zhiyang, Pipa Principal Yu Jia, Erhu I Principal Zhao Jianhua, and Sanxian Associate Principal Huang Guifang. The role of the Music Advisory Panel is to provide artistic advice on programme curation, and selection of guest artists and conductors. The section leaders and musicians on the Music Advisory Panel shall also start their terms on 1 January 2023.
Mr Ng Siew Quan continued, “The SCO comprises a wealth of musical talent who have collectively propelled the SCO to be a renowned Chinese orchestra on the international stage. In the next stage of the SCO’s development, the artistic aspects of the SCO will be driven collectively by the conductors, section leaders and the Music Advisory Panel. I am confident that together, they will provide effective artistic leadership to the SCO.”
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