Choral Programmes 2017/18

SSO SEASON 17 NOVEMBER 2017 | FRI | 7.30PM

BRAHMS SYMPHONIES • SONG OF DESTINY WANDER GLADLY IN THE LIGHT Esplanade Concert Hall Lan Shui, conductor Singapore Symphony Chorus Singapore Symphony Youth Choir The Schicksalslied, a portrait of spiritually blinded mortals and Elysian spirits, is one of Brahms’ most ethereal and profound masterpieces. The concert opens with music from Malaysian child prodigy Tengku Irfan and ends with Brahms’ Second Symphony, suffused with Romantic pastoral sunshine.

Standard Tickets: $88, $68, $48, $28, $15 Concessions: $19.60, $10.50

15, 16 & 17 DECEMBER 2017 FRI & SAT | 7.30PM | SUN | 4PM

SSO CHRISTMAS CONCERT

THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR Victoria Concert Hall Joshua Tan, conductor Singapore Symphony Chorus Singapore Symphony Youth Choir Singapore Symphony Children’s Choir Ever wondered what it’s like to sing along with the SSO in the Victoria Concert Hall?

Associate Conductor Joshua Tan and the SSO bring you a sparkling collection of musical treasures for the yuletide season, complete with a sing-a-long segment where you can join in the chorus!

Standard Tickets: $88, $68, $48, $28 | Concessions: $35, $20

27 & 28 APRIL 2018 | FRI & SAT | 7.30PM

SSO GALA: LA BOHÈME THE KEY TO LOVE

Esplanade Concert Hall Lan Shui, conductor Singapore Symphony Chorus Singapore Symphony Youth Choir Singapore Symphony Children’s Choir Young artists and chance meetings. In Paris and in love, trapped by circumstances, liberated by poetry. Revel in some of Puccini’s most luscious melodies as the Singapore Symphony Orchestra and Choirs present a semi-staged presentation of La Bohème, one of the most beloved operas of all time.

Standard Tickets: $168, $108, $58, $38, $25 Concessions: $30, $20

VCH ORGAN SERIES

FREE!

8 APRIL 2018 | SUN | 4PM

IN EVERY CORNER SING Victoria Concert Hall Joel Navarro, conductor Margaret Chen, organ Canticorum Dubbed the Grand Dame of Singapore’s organ scene, Margaret Chen joins forces with the Singapore Bible College Community Choir, Canticorum, in a spiritual undertaking helmed by esteemed choral conductor Joel Navarro. Set to sacred verses, Vaughan William’s Five Mystical Songs is a visionary work that climaxes in a triumphant hymn of praise, a salutation to and celebration of music, paving the way for Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms.

A harmony of Jewish and Christian elements, the work itself is an embodiment of peace and hope. This inspiring programme will leave you with renewed faith, in all ways it matters to you.

Sponsored by Lee Foundation

VCH PRESENTS SERIES 15 OCTOBER 2017 | SUN | 7.30PM

THE PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA PRESENTS BEETHOVEN’S SYMPHONIES NO. 1 & 9 Victoria Concert Hall Lim Yau, conductor The Philharmonic Orchestra The Philharmonic Chamber Choir NAFA Chamber Choir Beethoven had a foot in each of two centuries when he wrote his first symphony. Born a classicist whose mischief led to a “wrong key” start, his first symphony exhibited all the traits one would associate with the composer - brash, impassioned, uncompromising. In this unique pairing of symphonies, watch how Beethoven stumbled across Romanticism.

His deafness and genius culminated in the creation of his last symphony, giving us a work so well-known and so relevant - for the Ninth continues to be a representation of the unending possibilities of the symphonic form and a message of renewal and hope.

Standard Tickets: $58, $38, $20 | Concessions: $25, $15

23 FEBRUARY 2018 | FRI | 7.30PM

GOLD 50 THE KING’S SINGERS 24 FEBRUARY 2018 | SAT | 7.30PM

THE KING’S SINGERS WITH THE SINGAPORE SYMPHONY CHILDREN’S CHOIR Victoria Concert Hall In 1968, the original six King’s Singers came together through their shared love of singing and quickly became renowned for their mesmerising performances and the unique diversity of their music. From the rich polyphony of sacred renaissance music to familiar tunes you hum to, GOLD charts a journey through the music that’s defined their career over the last 50 years, and moves on to exciting and unexplored musical worlds. An alchemy of ancient and modern, serious and light-hearted, expected and unexpected, GOLD crowns half a century of dedication to music, and looks ahead with unbridled energy to the next 50 years and beyond. The second day of their Singapore visit also presents a very special collaboration with the Singapore Symphony Children’s Choir. The marriage of charming virtuosity and youthful energy promises a memorable delightful evening.

Patrick Dunachie, Countertenor Timothy Wayne-Wright, Countertenor Julian Gregory, Tenor Christopher Bruerton, Baritone Christopher Gabbitas, Baritone Jonathan Howard, Bass Singapore Symphony Children’s Choir Wong Lai Foon, Choirmaster Standard Tickets: $88, $68, $48, $20 | Concessions: $35, $15

SINGAPORE SYMPHONY CHILDREN’S CHOIR 4 & 5 SEPTEMBER 2017 | MON & TUE | 9AM - 6PM

THE SSCC EXPERIENCE Victoria Concert Hall For kids who love to sing! Join us for an unforgettable day of music-making. This daylong choral experience will help your child discover his or her own voice with workshops conducted by our SSCC conductors. Participants will get a chance to experience a day in the life of an SSCC performer, and have the opportunity to sing on stage at the iconic Victoria Concert Hall.

FEE: $88 for all participants, ages 8 (born 2009) to 15 Registration opens: 5 June 2017 Closing date: 28 August 2017 For more details, please visit www.sso.org.sg/sscc.

27 MAY 2018 | SUN | 4PM

SSCC 12TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT

TIMELESS SPLENDOUR Victoria Concert Hall

Come along with the Singapore Symphony Children’s Choir and conductors Wong Lai Foon and Darius Lim as we take you on a series of choral works. Join us and experience a musical evening of beautiful voices!

Visit www.sso.org.sg for ticketing updates.

SSO CHOIRS SINGAPORE SYMPHONY CHORUS Choral Director Rehearsal Pianist

Eudenice Palaruan Shane Thio

The Singapore Symphony Chorus (SSC) was inaugurated in 1980 under the direction of Choo Hoey, then Music Director of the SSO, giving its first performance on 13 June 1980; and in its 37-year history, has established itself as one of the finest choirs in the region and one of the few symphony choruses in Southeast Asia.

The chorus has worked with renowned conductors such as Peter Erdei, Eric Ericsson, John Nelson, Claus Peter Flor, Okko Kamu, and Masaaki Suzuki. They have amassed a wide repertoire over the years, performing such works as Orff’s Carmina Burana, Rachmaninov’s The Bells, Tippett’s A Child of Our Time, Macmillan’s Seven Last Words from the Cross, Kodály’s Missa Brevis, Arvo Pärt’s Te Deum, choral masterpiece Britten’s War Requiem, and baroque classic Bach’s St John Passion, amongst many others.

Brought together by a love of choral singing, the SSC gathers both locals and newcomers of Singapore. Their occupations range from biochemists to tour guides to lawyers, with diverse hobbies that include rock climbing, scuba diving, writing Chinese calligraphy and collecting ants. singaporesymphonychorus www.sso.org.sg/ssc

SINGAPORE SYMPHONY YOUTH CHOIR Choirmaster Associate Choirmaster Rehearsal Pianist

Wong Lai Foon Darius Lim Evelyn Handrisanto

The Singapore Symphony Youth Choir is the newest choral ensemble to be singing under the belt of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra. Formed in 2016 to enable mature members of the Singapore Symphony Children’s Choir (SSCC) to continue their development in classical choral singing, as well as for young adults to further their interest in choral singing, the SSYC is an extension of the SSCC and exists to artistically enrich young adults musically and vocally, and to primarily serve the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO).

Singapore’s finest young choral singers aged between 14 and 28 revel in the best of all musical worlds and styles, ranging from orchestral to a cappella masterpieces covering the Renaissance period to contemporary music of the 21st century. singaporesymphonyyouthchoir www.sso.org.sg/ssyc

Singapore Symphony Boys’ Ensemble

Singapore Symphony Children’s Choir

SINGAPORE SYMPHONY BOYS’ ENSEMBLE The Boys’ Ensemble is a specialised programme which caters to boys going through the voice change, in a bid to encourage them to continue singing through this transitional period. Each young man is guided in the proper use of his voice in such a way that will ease the transition into their adult voice, helping them to eventually feel comfortable with the newly acquired sound.

Members of the Boys’ Ensemble sing alongside the Singapore Symphony Youth Choir.

SINGAPORE SYMPHONY CHILDREN’S CHOIR Choirmaster Associate Choirmaster Rehearsal Pianist

Wong Lai Foon Darius Lim Gabriel Hoe

Formed in 2006, the Singapore Symphony Children’s Choir (SSCC) has established itself as the leading children’s choir in Singapore. It seeks to enrich the lives of young singers between the ages of 9 and 16, through a holistic choral training programme that nurtures artistic growth and personal development.

Since its debut performance in 2007, the SSCC has given many successful concerts, including appearances with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) in Mahler’s Third Symphony, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, Berlioz’s The Damnation of Faust, Orff’s Carmina Burana, Britten’s War Requiem, and Bizet’s Carmen. The SSCC is also a regular feature in the orchestra’s annual Christmas concerts. It has performed at the Philharmonie de Paris in a collaborative performance of Berlioz’s Te Deum with the Maîtrise de Radio France, as well as at the Dewan Filharmonik Petronas, where it partnered the Malaysian Philharmonic Youth Orchestra in concert.

The Singapore Symphony Children’s Choir has recently recorded their first CD, And I’ll Sing Once More.

“Simply outstanding.” – The Straits Times SSChildrensChoir www.sso.org.sg/sscc Principal Champion Mr Christopher Ho and Mrs Rosy Ho

AUDITIONS SINGAPORE SYMPHONY CHORUS The Chorus of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra is looking for new singers to join its ranks. The SSC is an exclusive opportunity for choral singers in Singapore to experience a broad range of classical choral works, and to rehearse and perform with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra.

Rehearsals are held every Monday evening at 7.30pm.

SINGAPORE SYMPHONY YOUTH CHOIR If you’re aged between 18 and 28 and would like to join the SSO choral family to start singing choral masterpieces at the highest level, why not join our youth wing, the SSYC, to see what it is all about.

Rehearsals are held every Monday evening at 7.30pm.

SINGAPORE SYMPHONY CHILDREN’S CHOIR The SSCC offers training and the unique experience of performing with the SSO in orchestral works, to children between the ages of 9 and 16. With instruction to develop vocal technique, music literacy and musicianship, the choir is committed to nurturing young talents and helping them achieve their musical potential.

UPCOMING! 24 September 2017 | from 10am Audition fee: $25 For children ages 8 (born 2009) to 15

Registration opens: 5 June 2017 Closing date: 17 September 2017 For more information about the SSO Choirs and auditions, email choral@sso.org.sg

TICKETS Online at www.sistic.com.sg Call +65 6348 5555 Or visit any SISTIC outlet islandwide Booking fees apply.

Special Discounts Friends of the SSO: 10% off Corporate & School Bookings Please call (65) 6602 4245 or email ticketing@sso.org.sg for assistance.

Concessions Senior citizens (55 years and above), full-time NSF men and full-time students enjoy concession discounts on production of identification. Venue ushers may request to view a valid concession pass. Concession tickets are strictly non-transferable.

No admission for children below 6 years of age unless otherwise indicated.