Singapore, 16 April 2014 (Wednesday) – Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SCO) will tour China from 17 – 24 May 2014 to Shanghai, Nanjing and Suzhou. SCO last toured China in 2007 at the Singapore Season in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Zhongshan, Shenzhen and Macau. This year, SCO will bring its unique programme of cross-musical influence, and dazzle the Chinese audience with its unique brand of Chinese orchestra music with its own commissioned Nanyang pieces, to showcase the rich cultural diversity of Singapore and Southeast Asia. SCO China Concert Tour 2014 is proudly invited by the Shanghai Spring International Music Festival, Jiangsu Performing Arts Group and Suzhou Culture and Arts Centre to celebrate China-Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park’s 20th Anniversary; with the proud support from Singapore Nanjing Eco Hi-Tech Island, Ascendas Group and Straco Corporation.
On 17 May, SCO will make its first stop at the Shanghai Concert Hall to perform at the Shanghai Spring International Music Festival for the first time. With the theme of “The Fusion of East and West”, SCO will present Eric Watson’s The Ceilidh, Kelly Tang’s Montage: Three Movements for Jazz Piano and Chinese Orchestra (Jazz Piano by Jeremy Monteiro; Jazz Drum by Tama Goh), Ho Chee Kong’s Passage – Fantasy for Cello and Chinese Orchestra (Cello by renowned cellist Qin Li-Wei), Wang Jian Min’s Tribal Dance, Ye Guo Hui’s Late Autumn (world premiere of the 2014 Chinese orchestra version), and Nanyang piece – Yii Kah Hoe’s Buka Panggung.
On 20 May, SCO will perform at the Nanjing Zijin Theatre for the first time to present Montage: Three Movements for Jazz Piano and Chinese Orchestra, Tribal Dance, Chinese folksong Melodies of Yangzhou, and Nanyang composition by Law Wai Lun – 1st movement: The Voyage from Admiral of the Seven Seas – Zheng He.Acclaimed erhu performer, chairman and artistic director of the Jiangsu Performing Arts Group, Zhu Chang Yao, will perform with the SCO in Midnight at the Maple Bridge co-composed by Zhu Chang Yao and Chui Xin. SCO guan’s musician Han Lei will also whip up a tune in Zhao Ji Ping’s The Silk Road Fantasia Suite.
Moving on to Suzhou, SCO will stage two concerts at the Suzhou Culture and Arts Center Grand Theatre as part of the 20th Anniversary celebrations of the China-Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park. This is also SCO’s first visit to Suzhou. On 23 May, SCO concertmaster, Li Bao Shun, will play Liu Xi Jin’s huqin concerto Legend of the Merlion – a beautiful piece which illustrates the beautiful Singapore. National Class One artistes from Suzhou Kunqu Opera Troupe, Shen Fengying and Yu Jiulin, will sing Broken Dream from the famous Kun opera The Peony Pavilion. SCO will also present East-meets West piece – Montage: Three Movements for Jazz Piano and Chinese Orchestra and Nanyang work – Buka Panggung.
On the last performance on 24 May, SCO will stage a specially choreographed children’s concert titled “A Music Weather Conversation” at the Suzhou Culture and Arts Centre Grand Theatre, hosted by renowned bilingual television host in Suzhou, Xin Wenrong. The little tots will get to hear a series of specially selected music pieces related to the climate and weather such as The Weather Forecast Theme Song, In Spring, The Insect World, Flight of Bumble Bee and Suite of Children’s Songs. 12-year-old erhu prodigy from Suzhou, Ma Hanxiang, will also debut with SCO in Liu Wen Jin’s Yu Bei Ballad. The kids will also get to learn more about various Chinese instruments in Kuan Nai-chung’s Instrumental Guide to the Chinese Orchestra.
SCO will give the local audience a preview of the tour programme. A pre-tour concert will be staged at the SCO Concert Hall on 10 May to showcase the highlights. Programme includes The Voyage from Admiral of the Seven Seas – Zheng He, Legend of the Merlion (gaohu by Li Bao Shun), Montage: Three Movements for Jazz Piano & Chinese Orchestra (jazz piano by Jeremy Monteiro), famous erhu piece Yu Bei Ballad (erhu by Ma Hanxiang) and Broken Dream from the famous Kun opera The Peony Pavilion (sung by Shen Fengying and Yu Jiulin). A unique blend of contemporary and Chinese classics, this is a concert definitely not to be missed!
Conductor: Tsung Yeh Jazz Piano: Jeremy Monteiro
Kun Opera: Shen Fengying Kun Opera: Yu Jiulin Gaohu: Li Bao Shun Erhu: Ma Hanxiang
Please refer to enclosure for the concert programmes in Shanghai, Nanjing and Suzhou.
Pre-tour Concert details:
Date: 10 May 2014 (Saturday)
Time: 8pm
Venue: SCO Concert Hall
Ticket Prices: $55, $45, $35/$19*, $25/$14* (exclude SISTIC fee)
Tickets from SISTIC
*Concession prices
Please contact Media Officers for more information, photographs and interviews.
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Koh Mui Leng
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Pang Ze Shuen
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