Text: Lim Ka Min
Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SCO) has been releasing digital concert series and innovative online content series, bringing our music to everyone. To lift the spirits of Singaporeans, SCO first took the lead and launched a fresh new YouTube playlist #DabaoSCO on 14 February 2020 (Friday). Followers get to “da-bao” (takeaway) full-length SCO concerts, and enjoy concerts at the comfort of your home! This series feature some of the best past SCO Concerts.
Starting from July 2020, SCO will recommend you to watch 1 #DabaoSCO concert video every month, so please stay tuned for more!
3 reasons to not miss Mystical Colours on #DabaoSCO
- Reunion of 3 Shanghai Conservatory of Music friends
If you didn’t already know, Chinese Suona soloist Liu Wenwen, SCO Guzheng Associate Principal Xu Hui and SCO Resident Conductor Quek Ling Kiong were all graduates from the prestigious Shanghai Conservatory of Music! This is their first time performing together as trios and they beautifully painted an evening of mystical musical colours.
Writer’s Notes and Observations: The three musicians had some deep chemistry! It really isn't something you "know" analytically. It's something you just feel, especially when they perform the encore piece together (Shhhhh watch and you shall know –winks-).
PHOTO: SINGAPORE CHINESE ORCHESTRA
2. Celebrates outstanding achievements of female musicians
Known as the 13th-generation Suona player, Liu Wenwen is also the dedicated Suona musician for Oscar winning conductor and composer Tan Dun. She is well reviewed for her virtuosic playing and has performed extensively with Tan Dun in his concerts abroad. Liu Wenwen started learning the woodwind instrument from her parents, who are both Suona musicians, when she was 6 years old.
Writer’s Notes and Observations: Playing the suona until abs are formed? Practising the suona for 3 hours a day at the park while bitten by insects? Liu Wenwen shares about how she picked up the suona, her practice routine and the benefits of playing the suona!
Check out her interview with SCO here.
LIU WENWEN; PHOTO: SINGAPORE CHINESE ORCHESTRA
Similarly, Xu Hui started learning the Guzheng at 6 years old. She has staged many performances throughout Asia, Europe and America. She has also collaborated with many renowned musicians and composers, highly praised for her performances. Xu Hui has won many accolades throughout her music journey.
Xu Hui was the champion at the 1992 International Jiangnan Sizhu Competition. In the same year, she won the first prize at the Shanghai Young Talents Guzheng Competition. Xu Hui was also the first-prize winner at the Huadong Youth Chinese Music Competition for two consecutive years in 1993 and 1994. In addition, she was awarded a silver medal at the National Cultural Stars Award in 1995.
XU HUI; PHOTO: SINGAPORE CHINESE ORCHESTRA
3. SCO performs 2 Singapore Premiere music pieces by young, talented Composers Luo Maishuo and Chen Zhe
Be charmed by Liu Wenwen and Xu Hui, as the duo performs the Singapore premiere of Dance of Fire 《火之舞》by Luo Maishuo and Blue Heaven Overture 《苍歌引》by Chen Zhe respectively.
Dance of Fire
As part of the “Images of the Silk Road: The Prosperous Kucha” concert series, Dance of Fire by composer Luo Maishuo is cast in the form of a Rhapsody. It is scored for solo suona and Chinese orchestra, and attempts to re-capture the worship of fire by prehistoric man several thousand years ago, and together with it, the pursuit of light, the apperception of Heaven and Earth, and the respect for nature.
PHOTO: SINGAPORE CHINESE ORCHESTRA
Blue Heaven Overture
Spring is the season where all life germinates and grows, and its freshness and vitality is analogous to daybreak in a day or youth in a person’s lifetime.The composer’s apperception of “Spring” brings forth the respect and adulation of life, fully evident in this piece.
PHOTO: SINGAPORE CHINESE ORCHESTRA
Writer’s Notes and Observations:
Luo Maishuo is a young lecturer at the China Conservatory of Music composition department. He graduated from the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory, with excellent results and obtained his Associate doctorate.
Chen Zhe earned his Master in Composition from the Central Conservatory of Music (CCM) in Beijing, having studied with renowned composers Xu Zhitong and Tang Jianping. His compositions span a wide range of genres.
Other notable concert highlights include: the orchestra presenting Xie Xiangming’s Colours, renowned renowned composer Zhao Jiping’s Second movement: Tone Poem of The Desert Smoke and Kuan Nai-chung’s A Trip to Lhasa.
PHOTO: SINGAPORE CHINESE ORCHESTRA
Title of concert: Mystical Colours
Original broadcast date and time: 26 October 2019 (Sat) 8pm. Click here for Programme booklet.
Click here for concert video.
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Pieces performed:
Colours 粉彩飞扬 - 娘惹印象 / Xie Xiangming 谢湘铭
Blue Heaven Overture (Singapore Premiere) 苍歌引（新加坡首演) / Chen Zhe 陈哲
Second movement: Tone Poem of The Desert Smoke 大漠孤烟直 之 第二乐章: 觅 / Zhao Jiping 赵季平
Dance of Fire (Singapore Premiere) 火之舞 (新加坡首演) / Luo Maishuo 罗麦朔
A Trip to Lhasa 拉萨行 / Kuan Nai-chung 关迺忠
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YES, HAVE YOU BOUGHT YOUR TICKETS FOR THIS DIGITAL CHAMBER CONCERT?
Enjoy a music rendezvous with us and experience riveting chamber music of contrasting genres and cultures. Join us on a journey of music inspired from historical times to the contemporary, from melodic tunes to the provocative sonic textures. Featuring chamber and ensemble works from world-renowned composers Chen Qigang and Tan Dun, not to be missed!
SCO Digital Chamber concert details
Rendezvous 《邂逅》
Date: 28 August 2020, Friday
Time: 8pm
Ticket Price: $15 (excludes $1 SISTIC charge)
Please purchase e-tickets from SISTIC. Tickets are currently available for sale.
Event Link: https://www.sistic.com.sg/events/slrendezvous0820
Previously, we did a survey and asked for your feedback. If you haven’t read the findings of our Digitalisation of Arts Survey,
Please click here to read the full English document. (Also available in Chinese here)
Please click here to read the infographics.
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