• Over 110 performances and events, including 18 ticketed concerts
• Featuring acclaimed guest conductors including Tsung Yeh, Yan Huichang, Darrell Ang and Liu Chiang-Pin
• Season opens with a musical tribute to Singapore’s 60th year of independence and the 60th anniversary of the Singapore Conference Hall
• New initiatives: Commissioned works supported by Mapletree, Culture Pass access, and new website with free downloadable scores

Singapore, 14 May 2025 – The Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SCO) unveils its 25/26 season under the theme Metamorphosis, kicking off with a grand opening concert on 19 July 2025. This season marks the final chapter of a three-part artistic journey, following Affinity (23/24) and Seamless (24/25), which together trace a narrative of tradition, transformation, and identity through Chinese orchestral music.

Audiences can look forward to over 110 concerts and programmes, including 18 ticketed productions and extensive outreach through concerts and programmes in the Community Series, Music Oasis, Caring Series, Lunchtime concerts, and school programmes. As the national orchestra and people’s orchestra, SCO continues its mission to connect, inspire, and engage through Chinese music.

Season Theme: Metamorphosis

As Singapore marks its 60th year of independence — and the Singapore Conference Hall also turns 60 — this season offers both tribute and transformation. Metamorphosis draws from the roots of Chinese music to envision its future, blending traditional masterworks, new commissions, and cross-cultural collaboration.

SCO Principal Conductor and Concert season curator Quek Ling Kiong shared, “Metamorphosis reflects our journey to honour tradition while evolving Chinese orchestral music. This season brings diverse voices together, exploring meaningful connections between the past and present. I thank the Music Advisory Panel for their guidance throughout our trilogy. Metamorphosis is not the end, but a new beginning.”

SCO Executive Director Terence Ho added: “2025 is a milestone year for Singapore and SCO. As Singapore and the Singapore Conference Hall both turn 60, we celebrate with a bold and wide-reaching programme. As the ‘National Orchestra’ and ‘The People’s Orchestra’, this season reaffirms our artistic excellence and commitment to community, as we continue to bring Chinese music to local and global audiences.”

Highlights

I. Opening and Closing Concerts

The season opens with Metamorphosis (19 July 2025), a special concert commemorating Singapore’s 60th anniversary and the 60th birthday of the Singapore Conference Hall. With the generous support of Mapletree Investments, a leading Singapore-based real estate company, the opening gala concert features a newly-commissioned work by Young Artist Award recipient and SCO’s Composer-in-Residence Wang Chenwei, alongside a multimedia presentation of archival visuals provided by Singapore Press Holdings, and a cross-cultural collaboration with Indian tabla musician Nawaz Mirajkar and Malay drum expert Riduan Zalani.

The season closes with Titan Sculptors (8 June 2026), the third chapter in the “Cultural Titans” concert series, presented in partnership with the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre (SCCC). The curation of this closing gala concert is inspired by public sculptures by four Cultural Medallion recipient artists, where it features original works by four young local composers.

II. Masters, Virtuosos, and Chamber Charms Series

Three signature series — Masters, Virtuoso, and Chamber Charms series — bring together renowned guest conductors including Tsung Yeh, Yan Huichang, Darrell Ang and Liu Chiang-Pin with top local and international soloists.

Concert highlights include:

• Tsung Yeh and SCO: Li Bochan’s Composition Showcase – SCO’s Conductor Emeritus Tsung Yeh leads a programme of Li Bochan’s signature works, featuring soloists Chinese banhu musician Shen Cheng and suona musician Shi Haibin.
• Fantasia: Yan Huichang and SCO – Yan Huichang returns with a powerful interpretation of Peng Xiuwen’s Terracotta Warriors Fantasia and Wang Jianmin’s Second Erhu Rhapsody, performed by SCO concertmaster Li Baoshun.
• Resounding Winds: Liu Chiang-Pin and SCO – A journey through Chinese wind instruments from folk to jazz fusion, curated by Jin Shiyi and featuring renowned suona virtuoso Wang Zhanzhan.
• The Music of China’s Magnificent Mountains: Darrell Ang and SCO – offers evocative sonic portraits of China’s natural beauty through works.
• Chamber Charms – Four chamber concerts curated by SCO’s section leaders: Pizzicato, Virtuosic Winds, Virtuosic Bowed Strings, and Virtuosic Plucked Strings, exploring the colours and textures of Chinese chamber music.

III. Family Concerts

Five family-friendly concerts return this season, including:

• Ancient Moon, Present Light – welcoming families with children under 6 for the first time, showcasing Chinese orchestral music under the theme of mid-autumn festival.
• Hits of Classics – a crowd-favourite where audiences vote to create the concert’s set list
• Rhapsodies of Spring 2026 – A Lunar New Year celebration.
• Mother’s Day Concert 2026：Encounter II：Liang Wern Fook’s Composition Showcase – features beloved xinyao songs rearranged for Chinese orchestra. The Encounter II album also launches on Spotify this June.
• Young Children’s Concert 2026 DiSCOver the Magic of Music with Professor Quek: Musical Weather Forecast! – Principle Conductor Quek eprised his role as Professor Quek, infusing weather analogies in music to explain articulation.

IV. A Gift to the Nation

• Ode to Singapore – As part of “SG60 Weekend: A Community Celebrates”, SCO and SCCC present a free concert that blends iconic Chinese orchestral works with children’s artwork — a heartfelt tribute to Singapore’s past and future in celebration of its 60th anniversary.

Partnership and Sponsorship

I. Mapletree Commissioned Works (NEW)

Since 2019, Mapletree has been a valued partner and supporter of SCO’s community concerts. This year, our partnership deepens, with the commissioning of three new orchestra works by emerging local composers.

The first work is titled Converging Resonances, composed by 2023 Young Artist Award recipient Wang Chenwei. It premieres at the season opening concert Metamorphosis, as a tribute to Singapore’s 60th birthday. The second commissioned work First Generation, by Koh Cheng Jin, is slated for the season finale in 2026, with the third to follow later by 2027. We are grateful to Mapletree for their continued support, to champion for new works by talented local artists, enriching the landscape of Chinese music.

“Mapletree is pleased to reaffirm its commitment to Singapore Chinese Orchestra, which began in 2019 as part of its corporate social responsibility initiatives. This year’s partnership holds special significance as we pledge to support the development of three new compositions by local young composers, including a tribute to Singapore’s 60th year of independence. These pieces will enrich the Chinese orchestral repertoire with Singaporean compositions, inspire the community and serve as a valuable gift to all. We look forward to championing young talent and sharing new stories through music ,” said Mr Edmund Cheng, Chairman, Mapletree.

II. Culture Pass Accessibility (NEW)

First announced by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong during unveiling of Budget 2025, all Singaporeans aged 18 and above are entitled to $100 worth of credits to defray the cost of attending or participating local arts events. Hence, when the SG Culture Pass starts from September 2025, we are pleased to share that all SCO ticketed concerts (unless otherwise stated) will be eligible for use with the Culture Pass. With this support, we hope to reach out to more new audience, expanding access to Chinese orchestral live music, and encourage broader community participation.

III. Acknowledgement to Partners & Sponsors

SCO gratefully acknowledges the support of National Arts Council, Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, Tote Board, Temasek Foundation, Tan Chin Tuan Foundation. We are also grateful to Mapletree for supporting the Commissioned works project, joining SCO in doing our part to develop and enhance the Chinese orchestral ecosystem. We also want to thank good partners such as Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre, Singapore Airlines and DBS Bank.

Finally, the success of SCO would not be possible without the support of media partners. We want to thank all radio partners such as Mediacorp Capital 958, Mediacorp Symphony 924, HAO FM 963, newspaper such as Lianhe Zaobao and all new media partners for their support.

Free Score Access and Refreshed SCO Website (NEW)

Watch out for a more refreshed face of SCO in the digital sphere! SCO is launching a new revamped website in May, offering an improved user experience.

For the first time, SCO is offering free downloadable full scores. Six simplified scores, each under 8 minutes and arranged exclusively for schools and community ensembles in mind, will be available to download and use. We hope to entice orchestras in primary, secondary, and tertiary institutions, as well as community orchestras to explore the pieces for practice, and performance during community shows and SYF Arts Presentations.

Quek shares, “Good music works endure the test of time. These SCO-commissioned pieces have been widely performed by SCO in many concerts locally, and even by overseas Chinese orchestras. As a national and people’s orchestra, we want to take the lead and expand repertoire that is close to our hearts, and at the same time, encourage more orchestras to learn and perform these works to share with more people.”

Ticketing Information

• 50% Cat 1 & 2 priority sale for FSCO: 14–22 May 2025 (terms and conditions applies)
• Public Sales: from 23 May 2025
• 10% discount for DBS/POSB Cards, PayLah!
• DBS/POSB cardholders enjoy 15% off Friends of SCO membership in May

Join SCO this season for a journey of rediscovery : honouring our roots, embracing new voices, and reimagining the future of Chinese orchestral music.

For more information on the 2025/26 line-up, refer to Annex A.
Guest conductors’ biographies: Annex B.

Click here to view E-booklet.

Conductors, musicians and guest artist images can be accessed here.