VICTORIA CONCERT HALL
THURSDAY, 4 MAY 2023
7:00PM
ACJC STRING ENSEMBLE PRESENTS...
ABOUT ACJC STRING
The Anglo-Chinese Junior College String Ensemble (ACSE) was established in 1998. Known for its musical excellence, ACSE has staged well-received concerts at prominent venues such as CHIJMES Hall, Drama Centre, Singapore Art Museum, Victoria Concert Hall and the Esplanade.
With a wide range of experience, ACSE seeks to build up the community of string players and reach out to the community. In 2016, ACSE had the honour to perform at the launch of Singapore General Hospital’s Campus Masterplan and in 2017, the ensemble hosted and collaborated with our sister schools, Tezukayama High School, Japan (THS) and Immanuel College, Australia in a joint concert, ‘Celebrate!’. In line with ACJC's 40th anniversary, the ensemble also had the privilege to record and perform the newly arranged ACS anthem put together by ACJC's very own alumnus Peter Gale, conducted by Mr Seow Yibin. In 2019, ACSE together with ACJC Choir travelled to Osaka, Japan, to engage in a cultural exchange with THS to celebrate 30 years of friendship between the two schools. In the last decade and most recently this year, the ensemble attained a Certificate of Distinction in the Singapore Youth Festival Arts Presentation for Instrumental Ensemble (Strings), sustaining our legacy of excellence.
THE ENSEMBLE
ACSE has been a part of numerous local and international events and festivals through the years. Being actively involved in the local arts scene since its inception, the versatile ensemble has collaborated with the National Heritage Board, the Singapore Lyric Opera and the Chinese Theatre Circle to promote various arts programmes to the community. In December last year, ACSE had the opportunity to share their love for music at Mount Elizabeth Hospital (Novena) to bless the staff and patients.
Besides giving voice to the ambitions of western classical music, ACSE aims to promote modern string repertoire, especially that of local composers. Under the direction of Mr Yang Zhengyi, ACSE is committed to share the joy of music with the larger community. As an ensemble that continually strives to steward musical excellence, we can truly say to God be the Glory, the Best is Yet to Be!
ACJC STRING ENSEMBLE
VIOLIN 1
YUKI CHEW*
EMILY NG MIN-YEE
FOO FANG HAN
KENG MING FENG XAVIER
CHIN YEN BEEN
KWEK ZHI YONG WISELY**
TAN KWANG QI**
ONG YI LECIA**
MATTHEW TAN YI EN^
MATTHEW HO QING ERN^
CHUNG QIAN XIA CHINATSU^
ALYSSA CHIN WAI YAN^
NG ZHI NING^
VIOLIN 2
ALAYNA LEE LE-EN*
VALLEN YAP WEI-REN
CAO PEIYUAN
JOIE TAN XINYI
FLORIAN TANELY
DHARUMAN BHAVANI SHIVANISRI
REBECCA CHERYL
JADEN LEE QI-ZHENG
TANIO KUREA
ANGUS CHONG
AIDAN TIEN-KOH TIN TZE**
SARAH GOH**
BENJAMIN LIM QIAN SHAN**
CHIA TEK HON**
MRS ANNIE YONG^^
VIOLA
CHIAM KEI-YENN CHLOE*
JANELLE LENG XUAN JIE
JULIUS KOK CHI YU
BERNADETTE CHIN SHEK TING
NEO GIN KAI
ERICA LOH E-WEN**
CHAN SHEE ANN SHANNON**
MR MARK NG^^
JAY LIM JIEYANG^
ERIN FIDELA HO^
CELLO
DAYNA ONG YAN TING*
GRACE NG JAE TENG
BEVERLY SEET QING YI
LAW YICK YUAN
NICOLE JEAN TAN
WEE JIA NING GLADYS**
CHUA E-CHAO COLBY**
KUAN JING XUN^
EVAN KHOO^
LEITHAN KOH^
NATASHA KOH YAN^
DOUBLE BASS
SATOSHI MAGATA*
LOUIS COHEN
LI JIA YING^
TANG ZHI FENG ADRIAN^
PIANO
LAW YICK YUAN
BRANDON CHEANG CHAI HUNG^
MRS LOVY TAN^^
PERCUSSION
BRANDON CHEANG CHAI HUNG^
BENEDICT HUANG SHENG KAI^
OOI CHOONG HEAN MATTHEW**
WINDS
KOH MI YO^
CHUA JIA XUAN^
CHAN KIAN HOWE LUCAS^
LEONG SUE NING^
CLAUDIA TOH WEN FEI^
COMMITTEE MEMBER
*SECTION LEADER
**ALUMNI
^GUEST PLAYERS
^^ACJC TEACHERS
PROGRAMME
FELIX MENDELSSOHN
VIOLIN CONCERTO IN E MINOR, OP. 64
I. ALLEGRO MOLTO APPASSIONATO
BÉLA BARTÓK
ROMANIAN FOLK DANCES
DAG WIRÉN
SERENADE FOR STRINGS, OP.11
IV. MARCIA
JOHN RUTTER
PUBLISHER, MOZART EDITION (GREAT BRITAIN) LTD
SUITE FOR STRINGS
KARL JENKINS
PALLADIO
I. ALLEGRETTO
III. VIVACE
MICHAEL GIACCHINO, ARR. LARRY MOORE
MUSIC FROM COCO
ALAN SILVESTRI, ARR. LARRY MOORE
MUSIC FROM THE AVENGERS
ALAN SILVESTRI, ARR. LARRY MOORE
A NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM
JOHN WILLIAMS, ARR. TED RICKETTS
AN EVENING AT THE CINEMA
MR YANG ZHENGYI
Yang Zheng Yi is currently the Associate Principal Bassist and Artistic Administrator in Chamber Music with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO).
At the age of four, Zheng Yi started learning the violin and switched to learning the double bass when he was nine. He spent six years in the Middle School of the Shanghai Conservatory of Music under Cao Jian and was promptly offered a full scholarship from The Associated Board of Royal Schools of Music to study the double bass under Neil Tarlton and Enno Senft as well as orchestral conducting lessons with Neil Thomson at the Royal College of Music (RCM), London.
Graduating with a Bachelor of Music with Honours (First Class), he was selected as one of the ‘RCM String Player of the Year’ candidates. He has worked with the Philharmonic Orchestra (London), London Symphony Orchestra, Stavanger Symphony Orchestra and Halle Orchestra (Manchestor) before joining the SSO in July 2006. He was also invited to join the international tours of the orchestras of UBS Verbier Music Festival in Switzerland, Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival in Germany, Shanghai international Festival in China and Pacific Music Festival in Japan. A prolific musician and conductor, Zheng Yi seeks to share his love and passion for music with the younger generation through a variety of platforms and performances.
Alayna embarked on her violin journey at the age of 5. She went on to attain her Grade 8 certification and ATCL diploma at ages 9 and 11 respectively. In 2019, she participated in the Vietnam International Music Competition, where she was one of the youngest participants, and subsequently earned an Honourable Mention in the senior category of the Singapore National Piano and Violin competition, in the same year.
Through the years, she has had the opportunity to have masterclasses with well known teachers such as Simon James, Robin Wilson, Kim So-Ock, and Nana Jashvili. She also participated in a summer camp at the Liberec International Violin Academy in 2018, where she was able to hone her musical skills.
Alayna is now pursuing A-level Music and is the President and the Violin 2 Section Leader in ACJC String Ensemble. She is currently under the tutelage of Min Lee and in her free time, she enjoys playing with her dogs and singing.
ALAYNA LEE
FELIX MENDELSSOHN
VIOLIN CONCERTO IN E MINOR, OP.64
I. ALLEGRO MOLTO APPASSIONATO
A famous melody stating the principal theme that forms the melodic basis for the movement. Listen out for the return of this melody!
Tutti!
The entire orchestra rallies to restate the opening theme.
An unusually short introduction (about 1.5 bars long) that sets the stage for the exciting movement
Fiery virtuosic passages
A series of chromatic passages facilitating the gradual modulation to G major.
This Violin Concerto was Mendelssohn’s last concerto, composed at the prime of his career. Ever since its premiere in 1845, the work has been lauded as one of the most prominent violin concertos of all time and has never failed to captivate audiences with its songlike melodies and brilliant violin passage work.
Tranquillo section: This is the subordinate theme, which encompasses calm lyrical melodies. Watch out for the clarinet and violin solos!
The written cadenza is uniquely placed before the Principal theme even returns. This involves a series of rapid string crossings which leads into the orchestra tutti entrance
As the piece develops, the Principal theme returns. This culminates in a series of magnificent exchanges between the soloist and the orchestra.
The coda finishes off the first movement with fast and furious virtuosic passages by the violin soloist
BÉLA BARTÓK
ROMANIAN FOLK DANCES
Béla Bartók's "Romanian Folk Dances" is a set of six short pieces composed in 1915. The work is based on traditional Romanian and Hungarian folk melodies that Bartók collected during his travels through the region.
I. Bot tánc" (Stick Dance) is fast-paced and is characterised by its lively and energetic rhythms which create a sense of motion and excitement.
II. "Brâul" (Sash Dance) has a more subdued, melancholic style. Dissonant harmonies and haunting melodies create a hypnotic, trance-like effect.
III. "Topogó" (In One Spot) is characterised by its strong orientalism and repetitive, percussive rhythm. Bartók creates a sense of urgency and intensity by using driving rhythms and unexpected accents.
BÉLA BARTÓK
ROMANIAN FOLK DANCES
VI. "Aprózó" (Fast Dance): This dance is characterised by its bold vigour, frenetic pace and complex rhythms. Bartók uses rapid-fire melodic lines and syncopation to create a sense of excitement.
V. "Román polka" (Romanian Polka) is lively and playful, featuring bouncy, syncopated rhythms and a catchy melody. Bartók incorporates elements of both Romanian and Hungarian folk music into the melody, creating a unique and hybrid sound.
IV. "Bucsumí tánc" (Dance from Bucsum) is based on a complex and fast-paced Transylvanian folk tune. Bartók uses a mix of chromatic and diatonic harmonies to create a sense of tension and release.
DAG WIRÉN
SERENADE FOR STRINGS, 4TH MOVEMENT
One of the most popular pieces composed by Swedish composer Dag Wirén, the 4th movement of the “Serenade for Strings” is appropriately named “Marcia”, which means “warlike” in Latin. A triumphant and cheerful march, “Marcia” starts off with driving single notes played by the basses that escalates to a triumphant melody, setting the tone of the piece. The main theme then enters, sung by the violins in a playful fashion. After a dramatic grand pause, a lyrical passage is introduced, contrasting dramatically with the main theme. This section quickly returns to the marchlike and jubilant first theme. A light and approachable work, it shows Wirén’s talent for crisp, clear melodies and melodic direction.
JOHN RUTTER SUITE FOR STRINGS
John Rutter is a British composer who has indeed continued in the tradition of famous British composers like Benjamin Britten and Gustav Holst. This “Suite for Strings” is a wonderful work that captures the rich legacy of the folk music of the British Isle.
I. “A-roving” lively British folk tune, which opens with dramatic chords, creative armonies and syncopation. This leads nto a mellow middle section featuring lyrical melody. At the end, the pening tune is restated, building with frenzy of scalic runs to the end of he movement.
II.“I have a Bonnet Trimmed with Blue”
This folk tune is a slow lyrical melody, and is accompanied by a wash of colours, depicting calmness and romance.
JOHN RUTTER SUITE
FOR STRINGS
III. "O waly waly”
This Scottish folk song dates back to the 17th century and the music exquisitely brings out the tranquillity and beauty of the sea. This movement features a violin and viola solo, played by Yuki and Chloe!
IV. “Dashing Away"
This folk song depicts a man admiring his girlfriend as she goes about her day. Rutter shows his ability to create a light and lively mood by smoothly blending multiple musical textures. If you listen closely, you will notice Rutter’s sneaky juxtaposition of two themes!
KARL JENKINS
PALLADIO, 1ST AND 3RD MOVEMENT
I. Allegretto
This movement begins with a steady tempo, setting a serious atmosphere. A sombre melody is based on repeated musical patterns, building tension in the music and anticipating a dramatic entrance by the entire orchestra. Look out for the call and response between the sections as you listen to the interweaving melodic lines!
III. Vivace
Do not miss the single motif that quietly starts this movement before developing slowly! This motif is repeated continuously, building suspense before arriving at an energetic melody. In the middle section, the melody heard in the first movement is brought back and cleverly interwoven between phrases. The fiery melody portrays power and crispness, which is sure to keep you awake!
MICHAEL GIACCHINO
MUSIC FROM COCO ARR. LARRY MOORE
MUSIC FROM COCO
“Coco” is a popular Disney movie and this medley blends together various popular songs from the movie to create a grand piece that causes one to reminicise one’s fond childhood memories. Beginning with a lively Remember Me, the music invokes a festive atmosphere through its energetic and carnival-like melody. Transiting to Un Poco Loco, the violins play a nostalgic melody, supported by pizzicatos on the other strings - giving it a Mexican flavour. The samba-style melody in La Llorona is sure to get you on your feet! Thereafter, Proud Corazon features with a lyrical folk-tune melody that pulls on one’s heartstrings. A waltz closes the music with a flourish.
ALAN SILVESTRI
MUSIC FROM "THE AVENGERS" A NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM ARR. LARRY MOORE A NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM
“Night at the Museum” is a fantasy comedy film, which tells the story of the exhibits in a museum coming to life at night. The piece begins with a lively and whimsical orchestral piece, Night At The Museum, that captures the adventurous and magical spirit of the movie. Following this, Full House is featured, where the exhibits in the museum come to life, creating chaos and havoc. In Heroes Return, an actionpacked battle sequence is featured, which ends victoriously, bringing the film to a satisfying conclusion.
MUSIC FROM "THE AVENGERS"
“The Avengers” is a 2012 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team. The piece starts off with Arrival, which is a triumphant piece of music that builds suspense and sets the stage for the movie’s epic action and adventure. Tunnel Chase depicts an intense face off between 2 parties. Helicarrier reflects the majesty of the new carrier and the underlying tension in the story arc. Next is A Promise, a tranquil and serene setting after all the conflicts occurred. Lastly, the awaited iconic music theme of The Avengers – the memorable sequence that plays during the opening credits. A powerful orchestral piece, it builds in intensity as each character in the film is introduced.
JOHN WILLIAMS
AN EVENING AT THE CINEMA ARR. TED RICKETS
AN EVENING AT THE CINEMA
This piece features many of the popular pieces composed by a famous film composer - John Williams. A mystical opening presents Hedwig’s Theme, a magical and supernatural melody that is no stranger to all. Harry’s wondrous world, a lyrical and hopeful theme, sets the tone for the audience’s entrance into a world of wonders. The Patriot follows the journey of a widowed farmer, with a brave and brutal military past. He joins the American revolution in hopes of saving his family. This music opens with a steady beat by the snare drum, followed by a march-like yet lyrical melody, making it majestic and inspiring.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
DR SHIRLEEN CHEE PRINCIPAL, ANGLO-CHINESE JUNIOR COLLEGE
MRS CHOO HONG KIANG
VICE-PRINCIPAL (EDUCATION), ANGLO-CHINESE JUNIOR COLLEGE
MRS AUDREY LIM
VICE-PRINCIPAL (EDUCATION), ANGLO-CHINESE JUNIOR COLLEGE
MS CALLISTA LIM
VICE-PRINCIPAL (ADMINISTRATION), ANGLO-CHINESE JUNIOR COLLEGE
MR YANG ZHENG YI CONDUCTOR
MRS LOVY TAN & MRS FABIOLA SOONG TEACHERS-IN-CHARGE
WILLIAM & RISA EMCEES
ACSI PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA & ACJC BAND FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND FOR PERFORMING WITH US
ACJC STRING ENSEMBLE ALUMNI FOR THEIR GUIDANCE, CONTINUOUS SUPPORT AND FOR PERFORMING WITH US
FAMILY, FRIENDS, SUPPORTERS AND EVERYONE WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE SUCCESS OF THIS OCCASION
JIREH AND PIXEL LABS FOR THE PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEOGRAPHY
AND MOST OF ALL, OUR GOD ALMIGHTY FOR HIS NEVER-ENDING FAITHFULNESS, LOVE AND PROVISION FOR THE ACJC STRING ENSEMBLE, WHO MADE ALL THINGS POSSIBLE.
