- Themed ‘Seamless’, the concert season has a strong multidisciplinary focus
- Features acclaimed guest conductors Yan Huichang, Pang Kapang, Zhang Lie, Liu Ju, and Lien Boon Hua
- Involves a record number of five Cultural Medallion recipients, including maestro Yan Huichang, Chinese ink master Lim Tze Peng, SCO Conductor Emeritus Tsung Yeh, composer Law Wai Lun, and Malay dance veteran Osman bin Abdul Hamid.
SINGAPORE, 14 May 2024 — Fans of the Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SCO) can look forward to a vibrant line-up of concerts from July 2024 to June 2025, paired with diverse art forms such as Malay dance, Chinese painting, and Peking opera.
The concert season kicks off on 20 July 2024 with Seamless, a rousing programme conducted by SCO Principal Conductor Quek Ling Kiong. One of the highlights of the opening gala is Wang Chenwei’s The Sisters' Islands, infused with dance elements choreographed by 2023 Cultural Medallion recipient Osman bin Abdul Hamid.
The spirit of multidisciplinary collaboration continues throughout the season. Closing gala Symphony of Ink will pay tribute to centenarian Chinese ink painter Lim Tze Peng, with a blend of original new music and visual projections inspired by the Cultural Medallion recipient and his life’s work.
“Our new season line-up has something for everyone. Beyond traditional classics, concertgoers will enjoy performances that are multidisciplinary, multicultural, and a blend of East and West. From grand orchestral works to intimate chamber concerts, we are delighted to continue showcasing the beauty of Chinese orchestra — with our distinctive Singapore flavour — to old and new audiences,” shared SCO Principal Conductor Quek Ling Kiong.
“The Singapore Chinese Orchestra's 2023/24 ‘Affinity’ season was a resounding success, delivering a delightful and richly Chinese musical experience on stage. This was made possible by the tireless efforts of our principal conductor, orchestra, and production team, who dedicated themselves to their roles with great diligence. We are excited for the upcoming 'Seamless' season, which will continue the SCO's mission of inspiring the world with our unique brand of Chinese music!” shared SCO Executive Director Terence Ho.
Renowned guest conductors
Audiences can expect exciting new concerts helmed by acclaimed guest conductors Zhang Lie, Yan Huichang, Pang Kapang, Liu Ju, and Lien Boon Hua.
Ode to Peking Opera: Zhang Lie and SCO presents well-known works of Peking opera such as The Family Legend – The Moon at Dawn over Lugou Bridge, Ode to Pear Blossom, and excerpts of Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy. Opera singer Li Bo will regale audiences with his vocal talents.
In Yan Huichang and SCO, the Cultural Medallion recipient who previously conducted the film soundtrack of Raise the Red Lantern will now conduct some of his recent masterpieces, such as Charms of Hainan. Another highlight is Rhapsody of String Puppets, featuring Wang Kun, a talented vocalist, pixianhu and gubanhuai musician from the Heyang String Puppet Troupe in Shaanxi, China.
Music masters, chamber charms
In line with this season’s confluence of cultures, Chamber Charms: Night of Winds will feature a xiao (Chinese end-blown flute) rendition of French composer Camille Saint-Saëns’ The Swan. In Chamber Charms: Vibrant Strings II, SCO Pipa Principal Yu Jia will play the sitar, a plucked string instrument from India, in collaboration with local percussionist Joe Jayaveeran.
There are other highlights in store for fans of SCO’s conductors. Maestro Tsung Yeh, a Cultural Medallion recipient and SCO’s Conductor Emeritus, has curated a medley of suona works for Tsung Yeh and SCO. These will be performed by Liu Wenwen, the first person in China with a PhD in the suona.
And don’t forget to check out the virtuosic performances on the diyin erhu and dizi in Towards the Light, conducted by SCO Associate Conductor Moses Gay. The programme borrows its name from Light, a symphony by Liu Changyuan that will make its Singapore premiere in this very concert.
Fun for the whole family
Little ones (and the young at heart) can look forward to the Young Children’s Concert: Lost Voice, Found Rhythm: A Journey of Self-Discovery with Ang Ku Kueh Girl. Led by Singaporean conductor Lien Boon Hua, it is based on a story inspired by local cartoon icon Ang Ku Kueh Girl.
Other family concerts are Hits of Classics: Ancient Moon, Present Light, to mark the Mid-Autumn Festival; Rhapsodies of Spring 2025, which will usher in the Year of the Snake in a first-time collaboration with The Purple Symphony Choir; and Destiny, held on Valentine’s Day.
Education and outreach
As a People’s Orchestra, SCO runs additional programmes year-round to spread the love of music to the wider community.
Besides the 15 ticketed productions in its 2024/25 season, SCO will present more than 70 educational events and outreach concerts — under initiatives such as the Caring Series, Community Series, and Tunes of SCO School assembly programme.
The Singapore Chinese Music Competition 2024, organised by SCO, also returns in November and December, serving as an important platform to promote interest in Chinese music and discover new talent.
Tickets will go on sale on SISTIC from 1 June 2024. Friends of SCO can enjoy priority booking of tickets from 16 May 2024 to 31 May 2024.
For more information on the 2024/25 line-up, refer to Annexe A.
Guest conductors’ biographies: Annexe B.
List of Cultural Medallion recipients: Annexe C.
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For media enquiries and tickets, please contact:
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Quek Shi Wei Senior Brand Strategist The Nutgraf M: +65 8900 6705 E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. |
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About Singapore Chinese Orchestra
Founded in 1997, the Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SCO) is Singapore’s only full-time professional Chinese orchestra. Led by Principal Conductor Quek Ling Kiong since 2023, it is known for its excellence in traditional Chinese music and unique Singapore flavour.
The SCO makes its home at the Singapore Conference Hall, and has toured major cities in Asia and Europe, such as Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Gwangju and Berlin. The orchestra made history when Butterfly Lovers, recorded with award-winning violinist Joshua Bell, broke into the Top 20 in Britain’s classical music charts in 2023.
As part of its mission to spread the love of Chinese music to the wider community, the SCO also conducts regular outreach programmes at schools, hospitals, and other venues.
ANNEXE A
SINGAPORE CHINESE ORCHESTRA SEASON 2024/2025
Ticket prices exclude SISTIC fees.
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Concert |
Programme Details |
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Opening gala: Seamless
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This programme, curated by SCO Principal Conductor Quek Ling Kiong, features Chinese orchestra classics such as Impressions of Chinese Music: Daqu, Flowing Water and Symphony of Sizhu. One highlight is Wang Chenwei’s The Sisters’ Islands, which will feature dance performed by Era Dance Theatre and choreographed by Cultural Medallion recipient Osman bin Abdul Hamid. Another is the yangqin concerto Girl from Kroran, composed by renowned Taiwanese composer Zhong Yaoguang, and performed by SCO Yangqin Principal Qu Jianqing.
Venue: SCO Concert Hall Time: 20 July 2024, 7.30pm Tickets: $20, $40, $60, $80 |
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Tsung Yeh and SCO
Master series |
SCO Conductor Emeritus Tsung Yeh has curated unique contemporary works in this collaboration with suona player Liu Wenwen. The repertoire includes the Singapore premiere of Rhapsody — Soul of Liyuan by Jia Daqun from Shanghai, Lang Sai by Lu Yun from Taiwan, and Tone Poem of Wuxi by Kong Zhixuan.
Venue: SCO Concert Hall Time: 17 August 2024, 7.30pm Tickets: $20, $40, $60, $90 |
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Chamber Charms: Night of Winds
Chamber charms |
The rich repertoire of musical possibilities available to Chinese wind instruments results in their dazzling variety of moods, techniques, and timbres. The audience can look forward to xun solo and suona quartet pieces, which are rarely performed in concerts. Furthermore, there will also be a xiao rendition of Camille Saint-Saëns’ beloved classic The Swan, curated by SCO Section Leader (Winds and Percussion) and Dizi Principal, Yin Zhiyang.
Venue: SCO Concert Hall Time: 30 August 2024, 7.30pm Tickets: $30 |
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Hits of Classics: Ancient Moon, Present Light
Family concert |
Jointly presented by SCO and Lianhe Zaobao, Hits of Classics is back to serenade audiences. This time, audiences get to vote for their favourite pieces in conjunction with the Mid-Autumn Festival. This concert is part of the Mid-Autumn Family FUN programme organised by SCO and the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre.
Venue: SCO Concert Hall Time: 6 and 7 September 2024, 7.30pm Tickets: TBC |
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Towards the Light
Virtuoso series |
Curated by SCO Associate Conductor Moses Gay, this concert is inspired by Liu Changyuan's Light, which will debut in Singapore at this concert. SCO Erhu II Principal Zhu Lin and SCO Dizi musician Lim Sin Yeo will perform the diyin erhu piece Fantasia of the Western Regions and the dizi piece Cascades. The concert will also feature Wang Yunfei’s Grand Tide from Portraits of Qiantang River, and the Nanyang-style Garden Veils, among other exciting works.
Venue: SCO Concert Hall Time: 12 October 2024, 7.30pm Tickets: $20, $40, $60, $80 |
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Ode to Peking Opera: Zhang Lie and SCO
Virtuoso series |
Zhang Lie, one of the Top 10 Chinese Orchestra conductors in China, will be guest-conducting the SCO. The audience can look forward to collaboration between renowned Jinghu musician Wang Caiyun and former SCO Percussion Principal Wang Jianhua, live performances of excerpts from the Peking opera Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy by the young and talented opera performer Li Bo, and numerous classical Peking opera classics.
Venue: SCO Concert Hall Time: 2 November 2024, 7.30pm Tickets: $20, $40, $60, $80 |
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Yan Huichang and SCO
Master series |
Cultural Medallion recipient Yan Huichang is no stranger to the local music scene. This concert will feature numerous Chinese orchestra pieces, from classics to new works. Audiences can look forward to Yan’s recent masterpieces, including the world premiere of Charms of Hainan. Wang Kun, a musician from the Heyang String Puppet Troupe in Shaanxi, China. will showcase his talent in Rhapsody of String Puppets. The concert will also see the first collaboration between SCO Sheng Principal Guo Changsuo and Yan Huichang as they present Kuan Nai-chung's concerto Peacock on the 36-key sheng.
Venue: SCO Concert Hall Time: 23 November 2024, 7.30pm Tickets: $20, $40, $60, $90 |
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Rhapsodies of Spring 2025
Family concert |
SCO Principal Conductor Quek Ling Kiong has prepared a festive lineup to usher in the Year of the Snake. One of the concert highlights will be the final instalment of CAPITAL 958’s radio play A Singaporean’s Chinese New Year. Tune in on-air to follow the story, and attend the concert for its grand finale! Rhapsodies of Spring 2025 is presented by SCO and the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre.
Venue: SCO Concert Hall Time: 17 and 18 January 2025, 7.30pm Tickets: $20, $40, $60, $80 |
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Chamber Charms: Vibrant Strings II
Chamber charms |
SCO's very own plucked string quintet will be presenting a series of exciting plucked string and chamber music pieces. In a meeting of cultures, SCO Pipa Principal Yu Jia will play the sitar, an Indian instrument, for the first time in concert with Indian percussionist Joe Jayaveeran. Elements of rock music and vocals will also be infused into some familiar pieces. It's a musical fest not to be missed.
Venue: SCO Concert Hall Time: 7 February 2025, 7.30pm Tickets: $30 |
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Destiny
Family concert |
This Valentine's Day, embrace love and destiny with romantic tunes brought to you by SCO! The highlight of the concert, Destiny, will be performed by the golden couple of our local music scene — Sunny Wong, Head of Chinese Instrumental Studies at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, University of the Arts Singapore, and Yu Jia, SCO Pipa Principal. Written for them by renowned Chinese composer Liu Xijin, the couple first performed Destiny in a passionate rendition several years ago. The audience can also look forward to a complex musical lineup, which symbolises the ups and downs of every relationship.
Venue: SCO Concert Hall Time: 14 February 2025, 7.30pm Tickets: $20, $40, $60, $80 |
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Dreamscapes: Pang Kapang and SCO
Virtuoso series |
Curated by SCO Yangqin Principal Qu Jianqing. watch renowned conductor Pang Kapang lead the SCO in two works — Macau Capriccio and Gan Jiang Mo Ye Fantasia — he had commissioned for the Macau Chinese Orchestra and Suzhou Chinese Orchestra. SCO Erhu musician Xu Wenjing will also be performing the technically challenging erhu concerto Dreamscapes, written by Liu Changyuan.
Venue: SCO Concert Hall Time: 1 March 2025, 7.30pm Tickets: $20, $40, $60, $80 |
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Chamber Charms: Night of Bowed-Strings
Chamber charms |
This concert is curated by SCO Concertmaster and Strings Section Leader Li Baoshun, and presented by the SCO bowed string section under the artistic direction of SCO Principal Conductor Quek Ling Kiong. With the cello and double bass musicians playing Desiring Intimacy with gravitas, and the entire bowed string section pouring their hearts into Defending the Yellow River from the Yellow River Capriccio, the concert is set to be a colourful extravaganza where passions run high.
Venue: SCO Concert Hall Time: 28 March 2025, 7.30pm Tickets: $30 |
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Feng Ya Song: Liu Ju and SCO
Virtuoso series |
Under the baton of distinguished conductor Liu Ju, SCO Erhu I Principal Zhao Jianhua and Cello Principal Xu Zhong — virtuosos representing Eastern and Western bowed-string music respectively — will lend their bows to the world premiere of a piece written for them by young local composer Phang Kok Jun. Music lovers can also look forward to Liu Changyuan's acclaimed Variations of Emotion and Zhao Jiping's The Feng Ya Song Symphony.
Venue: SCO Concert Hall Time: 26 April 2025, 7.30pm Tickets: $20, $40, $60, $80 |
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Young Children’s Concert: Lost Voice, Found Rhythm: A Journey of Self-Discovery with Ang Ku Kueh Girl
Family concert |
Ever wonder how Ang Ku Kueh Girl, the spunky adventurer we know today, found her confident voice? She used to speak in barely a whisper until one day, fearful of judgment, her voice faded away entirely! Join Ang Ku Kueh Girl as she explores the enchanting world of Chinese music. Will the soulful erhu, the vibrant sheng or the deep double bass unlock her voice? Or perhaps, something else entirely awaits her. Don’t miss this captivating concert about finding your own unique voice and the power of unity in a world that needs to hear you.
Venue: SCO Concert Hall Time: 23 May 2025, 10.30am; and 24 May 2025, 11am Tickets: $20, $30 |
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Closing gala: Symphony of Ink |
The SCO Cultural Titans concert series, a collaboration between SCO and the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre (SCCC), celebrates the lives and achievements of distinguished artists. In Symphony of Ink, we will be honouring the 103-year-old calligrapher and painter Lim Tze Peng, recipient of the Cultural Medallion in 2003. Through a blend of music and visual elements, we pay tribute to both his life and art, presenting a distinctive artistic voice and crafting a tale that is uniquely Singaporean. This concert is part of SCCC's Cultural Extravaganza 2025.
Venue: SCO Concert Hall Time: 7 June 2025, 7.30pm Tickets: $20, $40, $60, $80 |
ANNEXE B: GUEST CONDUCTORS’ BIOGRAPHIES
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Yan Huichang |
Singaporean conductor Yan Huichang is an internationally acclaimed conductor who has conducted in Singapore, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Russia. The Xi’an Conservatory of Music and Shanghai Conservatory of Music alumnus is a National Class One Conductor in China and received the Cultural Medallion in 2001 for his contributions to Singapore’s music scene. Currently the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra’s artistic director and principal conductor for life, he has won accolades for his symphonic poem The Sound of Water and pipa solo work Nostalgia. He also conducted the soundtrack for Zhang Yimou’s film Raise the Red Lantern. |
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Pang Kapang |
Pang Kapang, who studied in Beijing and Vienna, has been leading the Suzhou Chinese Orchestra as its artistic director and chief conductor since 2017. In 2021, he received the Special Prize for International Music and Cultural Commitment by the Jury and Presidium of the Austrian Music Theater Award. |
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Zhang Lie |
Zhang Lie is one of the “Ten Outstanding Conductors in Chinese Orchestral Music”. The National Class One Conductor is a graduate of the Xi’an Conservatory of Music and Central Conservatory of Music, and has been named Top Performer by the Ministry of Culture in China. Zhang has written numerous musical works across performing art forms, such as music for orchestras, film and television scores, and vocal music. His works have won National Class One Awards and Gold Awards. |
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Liu Ju |
Liu Ju is resident conductor at the National Ballet of China. His work has taken him across Europe and Asia. He has conducted a repertoire of ballets including well-known works such as Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet, and The Nutcracker. The graduate from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music is a National Class One Conductor in China. He received China’s National Centre for the Performing Arts Outstanding Conductor Award in 2011 and 2013. |
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Lien Boon Hua |
Singaporean conductor Lien Boon Hua has led orchestras across Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Europe. He has also received accolades at international conducting competitions. The Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music alumnus is currently teaching at his alma mater, while serving as artistic director of chamber group Wayfarer Sinfonietta and guest conductor at the Singapore National Youth Chinese Orchestra. |
ANNEXE C: CULTURAL MEDALLION RECIPIENTS
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Year Awarded |
Programme |
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Yan Huichang
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2001 |
Yan Huichang and SCO |
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Lim Tze Peng
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2003 |
Symphony of Ink |
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Tsung Yeh |
2013 |
Tsung Yeh and SCO |
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Law Wai Lun
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2017 |
Symphony of Ink |
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Osman Bin Abdul Hamid |
2023 |
Seamless |