NTUSO Masterworks II Programme Booklet

presents

SOTA CONCERT HALL 26 MAY 2024, 7:30PM In collaboration with:

Supported by:

Contents 3 PROGRAMME 4 FOREWORD 6 ABOUT NTUSO 7 OUR CONDUCTOR 8 ABOUT NEW OPERA SINGAPORE 9 SOLOISTS 10 PROGRAMME NOTES 14 OUR MUSICIANS 16 PARTNERS AND SPONSORS 17 SPECIAL THANKS

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Programme Beethoven Symphony No.5 in C Minor I. Allegro con brio II. Andante con moto III. Scherzo: Allegro IV. Allegro

Intermission Operatic Works* Mahler: The Boy's Magic Horn Verdi: Rigoletto Mozart: Zaide Lehar: The Merry Widow Mozart: Marriage of Figaro

*Lara Tan, Voice *Jasmine Grace Towndrow, Voice

John Williams, Patrick Doyle Concert suite from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire arr. Jerry Brubaker

John Williams Jurassic Park arr. Tilan Dossogne

Chan Wei Shing, Conductor

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Foreword Dear esteemed guests, cherished friends, and beloved members of our audience, A heartfelt welcome to the NTU CAC Symphony Orchestra's concert, "Masterworks II"!

Established in 2019, just before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, our orchestra traces its roots back to 1994 as the String Orchestra. This academic year marks the fifth anniversary of the NTU Symphony Orchestra as a symphony orchestra. We reflect on our humble beginnings with gratitude and pride, and celebrate our growth and progress from a modest string section with only two brass section members to a fully-fledged symphony orchestra.

This journey has been enriched by the dedication of our members, both past and present, who have worked to build the orchestra into who we are today.

Tonight, we invite you to celebrate the vast diversity of music.

From a famous classical work, to beautiful operatic pieces, and finally ending with familiar film music works, there will definitely be something for everyone to enjoy. Under the guidance of our conductor, Mr Chan Wei Shing, the orchestra has devoted countless rehearsals to improving and polishing our performance for tonight.

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Foreword On this special occasion, we will be collaborating with Youth Opera Comique to deliver 5 operatic works. We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the soloists, Lara Tan and Jasmine Grace Towndrow Gorbea; Youth Opera Comique, for collaborating with us; and New Opera Singapore, for supporting this collaboration. Masterworks II would not be the same without your support and participation in this concert.

We sincerely thank all who have supported us — especially the NTU Students' Affairs Office and NTU Cultural Activities Club for their unwavering support; our sponsors for making this concert possible; and the NTU Symphonic Band, NTU Piano Ensemble, and NTU Chinese Orchestra for their invaluable assistance with logistics and instrument support. We also thank our members, guest players, and the concert crew for their dedication, passion for music, and all the effort they have tirelessly put into preparing for Masterworks II. As we conclude this academic year, we hope that this concert will serve as a meaningful culmination of our collective efforts, and a glimpse into what lies ahead. Once again, we thank you for coming tonight, and invite you to sit back, relax, and join us on this musical journey.

- NTUSO Committee AY 23/24 5

About NTUSO

NTU CAC Symphony Orchestra (NTUSO) was established in September 2019 after its expansion from a string orchestra, with this Academic Year marking our fifth anniversary. NTUSO aims to promote excellence and enrichment in classical music and to provide а platform for students to learn and perform a wider repertoire of music. With a combined strength of over 70 active members NTUSO, our affiliations continue to grow and thrive every year. Under the baton of our passionate conductor, Mr. Chan Wei Shing, the orchestra rehearses a variety of repertoire to perform in our bi-annual concerts and ad-hoc performance opportunities, such as NTU and LKC convocation ceremonies and The Grandeur of Christmas at Paragon. Additionally, exclusive enrichment opportunities are provided to members, including but not limited to masterclasses and chamber coaching - honing the musicianship and leadership initiative of our zealous members.

NTUSO is committed to a holistic approach to both internal and external networking and collaboration. Through our efforts, we have established partnerships with various organisations such as the National Gallery to provide exclusive performance collaborations for our members, as well as volunteering and networking experiences with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra in events such as the SSO Babies Prom and VCH Open House.

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Our Conductor Mr Chan Wei Shing, conductor Mr Chan Wei Shing, born to a musical family, started learning the piano at the age of eight and the cello at ten, with Mrs. H. llano (Former sub-principal, SSO). In 1985, he won the First Prize in two categories of the National Music Competition the Cello Open and the Chamber Music category. Since then Mr Chan has been involved in many concerts and opera productions such as Die Fledermaus and La Traviata, and also Young Musicians Concerts.

As principal cellist of the Singapore Youth Orchestra then, he was also selected as soloist in 1985 and in 1988 for the orchestra's tour to Australia.

In 1988, Mr Chan studied at the University of Music in Vienna with Prof. Angelika May for two years, as a result of winning the scholarship from the former Cultural Formation and the Lee Formation. He then went on to the University of Music in Graz to study with Prof. Rudolf Leopold. In 1996, he was awarded the Master Degree of Arts majoring in Cello Performance.

During his study at Graz University, Mr Chan was appointed principal cellist of the University Orchestra and University Opera Orchestra where he played in many concerts and operas.

He was also chosen to represent the university in the exchange program with many different Academies and Universities in Europe.

Besides playing in orchestras, Mr Chan played in many concerts and festivals such as the Vienna Festival Wecks, Bad Aussed Music Festival Wecks, Holland Music Session, and Brahms Music Weeks, among others. He has also participated in masterclasses with renowned cellists like William Pleeth, Phillipe Müller, Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi, Wolfgang Bottcher, Valentin Erban, and Ivan Montigetti.

Since his return to Singapore, Mr Chan has been performing regularly. He has been involved in many chamber concerts in Asia including a trio performance with pianist Pascal Roger in the Singapore Arts Festival with the Singapore Dance Theatre, and CD recordings of works from Tsao Chieh and Poon Yew Tien.

In 2009, Mr Chan was appointed the Music Director of The Millennial Orchestra. The orchestra hopes to feature local talents and composers which will include works by Dr. Kelly Tang, Dr. Er Yen Chwen, and many more.

Among orchestra works, Mr Chan also conducted operas by Donizetti, Purcell, J. Strauss, B. Britten, Monteverdi, and is currently the Music Director of New Opera Singapore.

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About New Opera Singapore Since its formation in July 2011 by soprano Jeong Ae-Ree, New Opera Singapore has been changing the face of opera in Singapore. Hailed by many as signalling a bright future for the art form here, the company’s spirit of adventure and contemporary attitude have made it a vital component in Singapore’s music scene. Through its productions from the well-known (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Dialogues of the Carmelites), to the originals (Youth Opera Comique, For the Love of #Singing!), New Opera Singapore has provided a platform for local performers young and old to grow in talent and experience, as well as introducing local audiences to the world of opera. This year, New Opera Singapore will present Verdi’s Rigoletto at the Victoria Theatre on 16 – 18 August 2024.

Youth Opera Comique Youth Opera Comique is the youth wing of New Opera Singapore.

Formed with the aim of developing and promoting the young opera singers in Singapore, the company has presented many innovative and exciting programmes including the Youth Opera Comique Series and the Web Series Who’s Afraid of Opera.

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Soloists Lara Tan, voice

Jasmine Grace Towndrow Gorbea, voice

Lara is a Singaporean-Malaysian soprano based in the US and Singapore. She was the 1st Prize winner of the Youth Opera Comique International Youth Vocal Competition in 2022, and started singing under the tutelage of Ms Jeong Ae Ree. She currently studies with Jayne West at the New England Conservatory. Lara has performed actively with New Opera Singapore and its youth wing, Youth Opera Comique since 2016. Production highlights include Peaseblossom in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2019), Lucy England in Menotti’s The Telephone (2022) and Turnspit in Dvorak’s Rusalka (2023). Presently, Lara is a freshman at Harvard College and has sung with as well as been on the creative and executive teams of Harvard College Opera and Lowell House Opera. She most recently sung the role of Meg Page in Verdi’s Falstaff, and is an active member and occasional soloist of the Harvard University Choir.

Jasmine Grace Towndrow Gorbea is a Singaporean soprano, quickly gaining recognition for her operatic and concert work. Currently studying at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, she has performed various roles, including Marcellina in “ SSO’s Figaro in a pocket" and both Susanna and Contessa in NAFA's opera scenes program. She is also experienced in concert singing, participating in NAFA's Concert Series and performing with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra. Jasmine has won several awards, including First Prize in the NAFA Vocal Competition (2023). Jasmine is a dedicated and versatile artist fostering a love for music and performance.

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Ludwig Van Beethoven Symphony No.5 in C Minor Op.67 I. Allegro con brio II. Andante con moto III. Scherzo: Allegro IV. Allegro Ludwig Van Beethoven was born to a family of musicians, and his talent for the harpsichord was discovered very early on in his life. He was meant to study under Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in Vienna 1787, but due to his mother’s health deteriorating was prevented from doing so, and later in 1792 he moved back to Vienna and studied under Joseph Haydn. In 1798, Beethoven started noticing his hearing loss, which was confirmed in 1800, eventually reaching complete deafness by 1818. His compositions during that turbulent era of his life were dark and greatly reflected his pain and agony, a particularly revolutionary piece being the famous fifth symphony.

Beethoven’s fifth symphony is also known as the Symphony of Fate. The first movement opens with four notes in a suspenseful character, widely known to resemble “fate knocking at the door”. This motif repeats itself throughout the symphony. The second movement provides a gentle, melodious and lyrical contrast to the intense first movement, with the introduction being played by the Viola and Cello sections, followed by the rest of the strings and winds joining in to create beautiful layers of harmony. The third movement brings back the earlier motif from the first movement, played in the style of a playful and rhythmic Scherzo. Starting with an unaccompanied Cello and Double Bass melody, evoking a sense of mystery and suspense, before the full orchestra emerges to a forte with the melody being led by the Horns. Finally, the fourth movement features a majestic finale to the symphony, with the trumpets and the brass section being exceptionally prominent throughout the movement. This movement is also marks the very first symphonic appearance of the trombone in Beethoven’s works, with an idea to incorporate sheer power into a full orchestra. The movement ends with an electrifying Presto section, with the full orchestra ending with a concert-C, played in a forceful fortissimo, bringing the symphony to a triumphant finish.

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Operatic Works Gustav Mahler: Wer hat Dies Liedlein erdacht-Das Knaben wunderhorn Giuseppe Verdi: Caro nome Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Ruhe sanft, mein holdes Leben-Zaide Franz Lehar: The Merry Widow Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Sull''aria-Le nozze di Figaro

Gustav Mahler Wer hat Dies Liedlein erdacht-Das Knaben wunderhorn In 1805, the German poets (and brothers-in-law) Clemens Brentano and Achim von Arnim published a three-volume collection of German folk-poetry that they called Des Knaben Wunderhorn: “The Youth’s Magic Horn.” Mahler discovered these poems about 1886 and their tales of love, mystery, horror, magic, humor, and many other topics took hold of his imagination. Wer hat dies Liedlein erdacht? (“Who Made Up this Little Song?”) swirls giddily along its quick 3/8 pulse and manages to be both slightly bizarre and incredibly beautiful at the same time. The text seems at first to be full of romantic longing, then veers suddenly into the question of authorship among three geese.

Giuseppe Verdi Rigoletto-Caro nome "Rigoletto" is a tragic opera by Giuseppe Verdi that delves into themes of betrayal, love, and revenge, revolving around the complex character of the hunchbacked court jester, Rigoletto, and his daughter Gilda. The opera is set against the backdrop of the licentious and treacherous court of the Duke of Mantua. One of the most famous italian arias for soprano, this aria tells of the naive Gilda dreamily muses on the name of the man with whom she is in love, unaware that it is a false name and that he is the repugnant Duke of Mantua. A fun fact is that New Opera Singapore will be presenting this opera 16 – 18 August 2024 at the Victoria Theatre.

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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Ruhe sanft, mein holdes Leben-Zaide In one of Mozart's first forays into opera, Zaide tells the story of Turkish pirates were on the prowl in the Mediterranean in the 1700s, taking loot and conscripting Christian slaves. Zaide is the heroine Christian slave who falls in love with another slave, Gomatz. “Ruhe sanft, mein holdes Leben” (“Rest gently, my dearest life (Beloved)”) appears in Act I when Zaide first discovers Gomatz, at that moment asleep under a tree. She instantly falls in love. Simplicity and lyricism fill this lovely work, and it contains Mozart’s signature master traits.

Franz Lehar Es lebt eine Vilja (Vilja-Lied)-Die Lusitige Witwe The Merry Widow remains one of Franz Lehár's (1870-1948) most popular and wellloved pieces. The operetta is based on a comedy play written by Henri Meilhac, The Embassy Attaché, where a rich widow is being schemed into an arranged marriage by the country’s Grand Duke trying and saving the country’s economic failure. Lehár was asked to write the score for the play that turned it into an operetta. “Es lebt eine, Vilja” (There is one alive, Vilja) is found in Act 2 where Hanna, the rich widow, is singing at the Grand Duke’s birthday celebration telling of the story of a mountain sprite or a "Vilja" that roams the highlands of her homeland of Pontevedria and innocently tempts hunters with her beauty.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Sull''aria-Le nozze di Figaro "Sull'aria...che soave zeffiretto" (On the breeze...What a gentle little Zephyr) is a short duet, from act 3 of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's 1786 opera The Marriage of Figaro to a libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. In the duettino, Countess Almaviva dictates to her maid Susanna the invitation to a tryst addressed to the countess' philandering husband in a plot to expose his infidelity. The Count, who has designs on Susanna, will be expecting her to appear, but instead it will be the Countess!

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John Williams, Patrick Doyle Concert suite from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, arr. Jerry Brubaker

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is the fourth book in J.K Rowling’s Harry Potter series, which follows Harry Potter, a young wizard in his fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, as he competes in a dangerous tournament where he was mysteriously selected as the fourth champion. Along the way, he uncovers a plot involving Voldemort’s return to power, and the parties who manipulated the events leading up to the tournament.

This concert suite arranged by Jerry Brubaker features fan favorite melodies composed by John Williams and Patrick Doyle from the movie adaptation of the book such as Hogwarts Hymn, Quidditch World Cup, Potter Waltz, Hedwig’s Theme and many more.

John Williams Jurassic Park, arr. Tilan Dossogne

Jurassic Park is a science fiction master piece, originally written as a novel by Michael Crichton. The story follows a group of scientists that discovered fossils of dinosaurs in Costa Rica, and a company that intends to build a tourist attraction theme park in a remote island where the dinosaurs are cloned using prehistoric DNA, with the name “Jurassic Park”.

The orchestral medley arranged by Tilan Dossogne, features the famous and iconic Theme from Jurassic Park composed by widely accomplished American composer, John Williams. The theme starts with a beautiful opening from solo horn and solo flute, accompanied by winds section who introduces the main motif of the piece, which Williams describes as an attempt to “capture the awesome beauty and sublimity of the dinosaurs in nature”.

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Our Musicians First Violin Ong Yi Lecia CONCERTMASTER Andrea Yee # Chong Shueh Li Shona Grace Marie Yeh Lee Yi Jing * Merwin Tham Weng Yahn Park Yongmin Sarah Wong Ee Min # Shawn Lim Keng Yong # Soh Kai Mun * Tezuka Ayane Second Violin Steffie Tan Ling En PRINCIPAL Claire Chang See Ying # Faith Yap Yee Fay Kiersten Yeo Shu Xian * Lim Carmen Matheus Calvin Lokadjaja Park Shinyoung Phee Weiheng # Sum Yuan Liang # Tan Hon-Shien Michael-Lawrence # Tan Zining Elise Wang Yuchen

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Viola Lee Hon Ray PRINCIPAL Abigail Antonia Wijaya Alyna Tan # Hooi Yu Leong, Lyon * Justin Wong Ng Ze Wei Park Yenu Yap Xin Rou Cello Hong Yixin PRINCIPAL Chen Yijie Chia Wei Rong # Choi Jae Uk Eileen Paw Jordon Sim Yong Zhi # Low Boon How Timothy Ho Xian Yang * Ye Seow Hui * Double Bass Claire Lim Roo Yee # Cheng Wentuo # Keinosuke Murakami # Kezia Ng

Legend * Committee members # Guest players

Our Musicians Piccolo / Flute Fu Pingyu Tan En Ci * Flute Joseph Tan Wei En Oboe Liau Hui Xin Celeste # Liu Xiaotao Clarinet Natasha Cassandra Cecilia Monteiro # Xu Ziyang Clarinet / Bass Clarinet Ryu Naufal Rafif # Bassoon Mark Wen Strange Wong Khai Heng

Trumpet Jamie Athalya PRINCIPAL Koh Mi Yo # Timothy Tay # Trombone Jermayne Lim # Lucas Lim Cheng Li Malcolm Tan Jinhui # Tuba Tharman S/O K Thirumaran # Percussion Heng Hong Hwee PRINCIPAL Goh Jun Heng Lam Yuki Lee Jia Xian * Teh Ming Hern (Henry) Keyboard Ng Ze Wei

Horn Koh Zi Lin Krystal # Lau En Qi, Chloe # Lloyd Petrola # Topaz Tan

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Partners and Sponsors

Office of Alumni Engagement https://www.ntu.edu.sg/alumni 16

Special Thanks Front of House

Stage Manager Assistant Stage Manager Instructors

Editorial & Design Emcee Special Thanks

Chua Jia Xuan Teng Pei Si Adele Lam Xin Rui Esther Song Ying Hui Megan Sharmeela Banu D/O Shah Jehan Tan Anan Sherlyn Poh Chan Wei Shing Chikako Sasaki Goh Eng Hong Vincent Hazizi Jaafar Jessie, Ye Zhi Lau Wen Rong Lim Yin Huang Eric Lam Xin Rui Esther Lee Yi Jing Lim Li Qian Wang Yuchen Martina 17