2023 has indeed been an especially fruitful year for the Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SCO). Recognizing that the youth are our potential audiences of tomorrow, we have made concerted efforts to introduce our distinctive brand of Chinese orchestral music to schools through various means.
Tunes of SCO
A cornerstone of SCO’s educational initiatives, we have continued to bring our Tunes of SCO assembly show to both public and international schools. Whether performing within the familiar surrounds of their campuses or inviting them to our concert hall, teachers and students have consistently lauded the diversity of music presented by our orchestra and the high level of engagement provided by our conductors with the audience.
“The programming and the pacing were really excellent, and many of us noted that Moses seemed very comfortable and experienced in speaking to young people. (…) I definitely would like to invite you back again.” Janine Larsen, Head of Primary Music, United World College of South East Asia
SCOtify: A Performing Arts-Based Learning Concert
“I liked how the whole programme was planned, which allowed students to vote and have a say - this got the students excited and also helped prepare them for the next piece” Teacher (Anon)
Commissioned by the National Arts Council (NAC) in partnership with the Ministry of Education (MOE), the Performing Arts-Based Learning extended pilot has proved to be an invaluable asset in connecting with lower secondary school students.
Drawing inspiration from the popular streaming app ‘Spotify’, students had the opportunity to vote for their choice of pieces, creating their own customized playlist. The concert aimed not only to introduce the various sections and instruments of the Chinese orchestra but also to highlight the flexibility of this art form too, with genres from Chinese Classics, World Classics to Jazz and Blues.
Having hosted a total of 6 schools at our concert hall, this was definitely a maiden experience for many students, with members of the audience commenting that this was their first time stepping into a professional concert hall. With plans to increase the number of shows in the years to come, we hope to enable more students to experience concerts by SCO, thus nurturing the audiences of tomorrow.
“I like! I have never enjoyed Chinese orchestra this much” Student (Anon)
Inside SCOops!
“You have done well. Keep up with the good work you have done and continue to scale on the world stage! “ Teacher (Anon), Ministry of Education
Our Inside SCOops! tour has attracted a diverse range of audiences in 2023 as well. From teachers, overseas guests, as well as local students alike, participants were not only made aware of the historical legacy of the Singapore Conference Hall, but also delved the SCO’s music journey. They were especially thrilled to witness our orchestra in action during our open rehearsal, providing a behind-the-scenes look at how the orchestra functions.
“On another note, I want to express my heartfelt appreciation for the exceptionally informative guided tour you and your team provided. Your insights and knowledge-sharing enriched my understanding, and the same can be said for my students as well. We truly benefited from your guidance.” Gao Xiaodong, Ngee Ann Primary School
As the year closes, the orchestra fondly reminisces about the smiles of audience members who have enjoyed the programmes we have presented for them. May 2024 bring a year of endless possibilities as we unveil even more exciting programmes for audiences old and new.
By Ng Rui Jun, Artistic Planning
新加坡华乐团的2023年，可说是硕果满满。乐团意识到年轻一代蕴涵着许多潜在的乐迷，未来都可能成为新加坡华乐团的支持者。于是，乐团上下集体合作，为的就是把我们独特的华乐风格通过各种管道，深入各学府。
乐学华乐
乐学华乐是新加坡华乐团教育计划最重要的一环。因此，乐团持续不断地走访各教育部学府和国际学校，在周会上通过此计划与学生进行宣导与交流。无论是在师生熟悉的校园中演出，或是邀请他们到新加坡华乐团音乐厅观赏音乐会，参与其中的教职员与学生都一致赞叹新加坡华乐团呈现的曲目多元，还有乐团指挥与观众的互动良好，观众参与度极高。
“节目内容和节奏安排都非常棒。许多老师也注意到，倪恩辉在和青少年交流时，显得非常自在且经验丰富……我肯定还想再邀请新加坡华乐团到我们学校来表演！” Janine Larsen, 小学部音乐主任, 世界联合书院东南亚校区
SCOtify：表演艺术导向学习计划音乐会
表演艺术导向学习（Performing Arts-Based Learning）计划是国家艺术理事会发起，并与教育部合作的一项计划。在长期实验的过程中，此计划对于艺术团体与中学低年级学生建立连接效果良好。
“我喜欢整个节目的安排。让学生投票，拥有发言权，这点让学生很有兴趣，也帮助他们为下一首曲子做好准备。” 老师（匿名）
“SCOtify”这个计划灵感来自拥有超高人气的串流平台Spotify，其运作模式也模仿Spotify模式。在SCOtify演出中，学生有机会投票表决，选择自己喜欢的曲目，创建独特的播放清单。此系列音乐会不仅旨在介绍华乐团的各个声部和乐器，也希望表现华乐的灵活性，因此为观众带来华乐经典曲目、世界古典音乐、爵士乐、蓝调曲目等。
“我很喜欢！我从来没有这么喜欢华乐！” 学生（匿名）
至今，乐团在新加坡华乐团音乐厅共接待了6所学校。对于许多学生来说，这是他们的华乐初体验，许多观众也说，这是他们第一次踏入专业音乐厅。乐团计划在未来几年增加演出场次，希望让更多学生有机会体验新加坡华乐团的音乐会，从而培养未来的观众群。
Inside SCOops!
“做得很棒！请继续努力加油，并在世界舞台上越战越勇哦！” 教育部老师（匿名）
新加坡华乐团的Inside SCOops导览在2023年吸引了大批各行各业的参与者，包括教师、海外贵宾、本地学生等。参与者不仅认识了新加坡大会堂的历史渊源，同时也深入了解了新加坡华乐团的音乐道路。其中，参与者特别喜欢观赏乐团的公开排练，亲睹乐团幕后的运作。
“我希望对新加坡华乐团提供的深度导览表达由衷的谢意。导览内容极为丰富，而导览团队所分享的见解与知识让我获益良多，相信我的学生也都这么认为。乐团的指导，真的让我们受益匪浅。” 高晓东, 义安小学
一年将至，新加坡华乐团回首2023年时，脑海里满是观众的笑容。看到观众喜欢我们精心准备的节目，乐团的心里是倍感温馨的。愿2024年充满无限可能，让乐团推出更多精彩节目，吸引新旧乐迷与我们一起踏上音乐之旅。
文/黄瑞浚, 艺术策划