One Summer's Day

ON E S UM MER 'S DAY SINGAPORE-JAPAN 55TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT 2 3 A P R 2021 V ICT OR IA C O N C E R T H A LL

Celebrating 55 years of Singapore-Japan diplomatic relations

ONE SU M M ER ’ S DAY | 2 3 APR 2 0 2 1

MESSAGE FROM MINISTER CHAN CHUN SING 2021 marks a momentous year for Singapore and Japan as we commemorate 55 years of diplomatic relations. Singapore and Japan enjoy strong bilateral ties, marked by strong people-to-people ties and close economic cooperation.

Singapore and Japan are like-minded partners with many common interests. Over the years, we have engaged each other in multi-faceted ways to keep pace with global developments. It is my hope that Singapore and Japan continue to work closely together to deepen our cooperation for the mutual benefit of our people.

I am glad that the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) are marking this significant

milestone with this uplifting concert. This special concert celebrates the deepened cooperation between Singapore and Japan throughout the years not only in areas such as trade and tourism, but also in the arts. My congratulations and best wishes to the SSO and performers this evening.

Through your dedication, you are creating a memorable shared experience for all through music.

Chan Chun Sing Minister for Trade and Industry Republic of Singapore

O NE S UMM ER'S D AY SINGAPORE-JAPAN 55TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT 23 Apr 2021 Victoria Concert Hall Kong Xianlong violin Chikako Sasaki violin Dandan Wang viola Jamshid Saydikarimov cello

K O MAT SU

Four Japanese Folk Songs, Suite No. 2 SSO PREMIERE

H I S A I SH I

Merry-Go-Round of Life from Howl’s Moving Castle (arr. Mathers)

5 mins

H I S A I SH I

One Summer’s Day from Spirited Away (arr. White)

4 mins

H I S A I SH I

Summer from Kikujiro (arr. White)

5 mins

B EET H O V E N

String Quartet in D major, Op. 18 No. 3

B EET H O V E N

Ode to Joy (arr. Chari)

15 mins

26 mins 5 mins

Concert Duration: 1 hr

COVER PHOTO: AARON BURDEN/UNSPLASH

Tote Board’s goal is to help build a

flourishing society. We want to inspire positive change and contribute towards building an inclusive, resilient and vibrant community, while fostering a caring and compassionate nation.

As a broad-based grantmaking organisation, Tote Board works closely with stakeholders and partners to support broad and diverse worthy projects in the sectors of Arts & Culture, Community Development, Education, Health, Social Service and Sports. Through these projects, Tote Board helps to uplift the community by giving hope to vulnerable groups and improving the lives of all in Singapore.

ToteBoardSG ToteBoardSG

www.toteboard.gov.sg

A GIFT TO THE UNIVERSE CELEBRATING BACH III FRI 21 MAY 2021 8PM

WATCH THE STREAM ONLINE ON SISTIC LIVE

CHLOE CHUA VIOLIN YE LIN VIOLIN DARRELL ANG CONDUCTOR SINGAPORE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Some 22 billion kilometres away in space, Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 lies among other earthly sounds and music on the Golden Record, carried by the Voyager space probes since they left Earth in 1977. Bach’s legacy is humanity’s future. Likewise, Singapore’s young shining star of the violin, Chloe Chua. See her on stage with SSO violinist Ye Lin in the universally loved Double Violin Concerto. A present from a small, distant world, a token of our music, thoughts and feelings – a gift of music to the universe.

This concert was recorded at the Esplanade Concert Hall on 4 Feb 2021.

J.S. BACH BRANDENBURG CONCERTO NO. 2 IN F MAJOR, BWV 1047 CONCERTO IN D MINOR FOR TWO VIOLINS AND ORCHESTRA, BWV 1043 BRANDENBURG CONCERTO NO. 4 IN G MAJOR, BWV 1049

TICKETS FROM $8

This concert is dedicated to the late Dr. Goh Keng Swee, founding patron of the SSO

SINGAPORE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Since its founding in 1979, the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) has been Singapore’s flagship orchestra, touching lives through classical music and providing the heartbeat of the cultural scene in the cosmopolitan city-state.

In addition to its subscription series concerts, the orchestra is well-loved for its outdoor and community appearances, and its significant role educating the young people of Singapore. The SSO has also earned an international reputation for its orchestral virtuosity, having garnered sterling reviews for its overseas tours and many successful recordings.

The SSO makes its performing home at the 1,800-seat state-of-the-art Esplanade Concert Hall.

More intimate works, as well as outreach and community performances take place at the 673seat Victoria Concert Hall, the home of the SSO. The orchestra performs over 60 concerts a year, and its versatile repertoire spans all-time favourites and orchestral masterpieces to exciting cutting-edge premieres. Bridging the musical traditions of East and West, Singaporean and Asian musicians and composers are regularly showcased in the concert season. This has been a core of the SSO’s programming philosophy from the very beginning under Choo Hoey, who was Music Director from 1979 to 1996.

Under the Music Directorship of Lan Shui from 1997 to 2019, the SSO has performed in Europe, Asia and the United States. In May 2016 the SSO was invited to perform at the Dresden Music Festival and the Prague Spring International Music Festival. This successful five‑city tour of Germany and Prague also included the SSO’s return to the Berlin Philharmonie after six years.

In 2014 the SSO’s debut at the 120th BBC Proms in London received critical acclaim in the major UK newspapers The Guardian and The Telegraph. The SSO has also performed in China on multiple occasions.

In the 2020/21 concert season, the SSO welcomes renowned maestro Hans Graf as its Chief Conductor.

Notable SSO releases on the BIS label include a Rachmaninoff series, a “Seascapes” album, three Debussy discs “La Mer”, “Jeux” and “Nocturnes”, and the first-ever cycle of Tcherepnin’s piano concertos and symphonies. The SSO has also collaborated with such great artists as Lorin Maazel, Charles Dutoit, Gennady Rozhdestvensky, Neeme Järvi, Gustavo Dudamel, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Diana Damrau, Martha Argerich, Lang Lang, Yo-Yo Ma, Janine Jansen, Leonidas Kavakos and Gil Shaham.

The SSO is part of the Singapore Symphony Group, which also manages the Singapore Symphony Choruses, and the Singapore National Youth Orchestra.

The mission of the Group is to create memorable shared experiences with music.

Through the SSO and its affiliated performing groups, we spread the love for music, nurture talent and enrich our diverse communities.

H ANS G RAF Chief Conductor

ONE SU M M ER ’ S DAY | 2 3 APR 2 0 2 1

His solo appearances include a collaboration with the China Philharmonic Orchestra, performing the Mozart Concertone for Two Violins in Beijing, April 2015. He was selected to join the Young Artist Programme at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, National University of Singapore, at the age of 15 during his studies in Dunman Secondary School. He has had lessons with world-renowned violinists such as Cho-Liang Lin, Tong Weidong, Wang Hong, David Takeno, Keng-Yuen Tseng, Kam Ning, Walter Verdehr, Boris Kuschnir, and Shlomo Mintz. He also performed in the President’s Young Performers Concert playing Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 5 with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra in 2018.

Xianlong graduated from the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music in 2019, and has been under the tutelage of Qian Zhou since 2009.

K O N G X I AN L O N G violin Kong Xianlong, born into a musical family in Singapore in 1996, started violin lessons at the age of four with his grandfather. In 2007, he won the Second Prize in the Junior Category at the National Piano & Violin Competition of Singapore and subsequently the First Prize in both Intermediate and Senior Category in 2009 and 2011. He also performed Sarasate’s Carmen Fantasy with the Singapore National Youth Orchestra in the Esplanade Concert Hall under the baton of Darrell Ang. In the following year, he won the First Prize in the senior category and the best Chinese work prize at the 2012 Hong Kong International Violin Competition.

Xianlong is currently a member of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra. He performs on a 1972 Bisiach, Leandro.

6

O N E S U MMER ’ S DAY | 23 A PR 2021

C HI K AK O SASAK I violin Chikako Sasaki graduated with distinction from the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, National University of Singapore, in 2015 where she studied violin performance under Zuo Jun. During her studies, she won the Second Prize at the YST Concerto Competition (Violin) and worked professionally with the Metropolitan Festival Orchestra. She worked with the Hong Kong Sinfonietta prior to joining the Singapore Symphony Orchestra.

Chikako was born in Fukushima, Japan and began her violin lessons with Yoko Tanaka. She then moved to New Zealand in 2007 and continued her lessons with Emma Barron and Vesa-Matti Leppänen, Concertmaster of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. While in New Zealand, she has appeared as a soloist with the Wellington Youth Orchestra and the Manawatu Sinfonia performing concertos by Sibelius and Saint-Saëns.

was also invited to take part in the Ozawa International Chamber Music Academy in Okushiga in 2014 where she performed under the baton of Seiji Ozawa. She has participated in masterclasses for both solo and chamber music from renowned musicians such as Yair Kless, Eyal Kless, Charles Castleman, Feng Ning, Midori, Patinka Kopec, David and Linda Cerone, Laurence Dutton (Emerson Quartet), Shanghai Quartet, Juilliard Quartet, Miro Quartet and Shmuel Ashkenasi among others.

In 2013, she was given the opportunity to perform chamber music with distinguished musicians, Elmar Oliveira, Barbara Westphal and Emmanuel Feldman at the Heifetz International Music Institute in the U.S. She

She plays on a 1914 Annibale Fagnola generously loaned by Mr. and Mrs. Rin Kei Mei. 7

ONE SU M M ER ’ S DAY | 2 3 APR 2 0 2 1

In January 2015, Dandan began her study in San Francisco Conservatory of Music as a graduate student. She was a student of Prof Jay Liu, Associate Principal Viola of San Francisco Symphony. In July 2016, she was admitted to Pacific Music Festival, one of the most famous festivals in the world. She served as the Principal Viola, performing with maestro Valery Gergiev, violinist Leonidas Kavakos, and with musicians from the Berlin Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, Metropolitan Opera, National Symphony and San Francisco Symphony.

D A N DAN W AN G viola Dandan Wang started her violin studies at the age of six. When she was 16, she switched to viola studies with Prof XiDi Shen. In 2010, Dandan started her undergraduate studies in the Shanghai Conservatory of Music with scholarship, where she was a student of Prof Nian Liu.

After graduating from San Francisco Conservatory, Dandan was a guest violist of the San Francisco Symphony and at the same time, a fellow musician of San Jose Opera.

She performed in the Chamber Music Festival hosted by Shanghai Conservatory of Music and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music in 2010. In 2015, she was invited

by Oscar and Grammy-awarded Chinese Composer Tan Dun to perform his chamber music pieces in Shanghai and Beijing.

Dandan has served as a violist tutti in the Singapore Symphony Orchestra since February 2018 and as a coach in the Singapore National Youth Orchestra.

8

O N E S U MMER’ S DAY | 23 A PR 2021 © BRYAN VAN DER BEEK

J A M S H I D SAY D I KAR IMOV cello Born in Tashkent city, Uzbekistan, Jamshid started learning the cello at the age of seven. In 2003, he entered Uspensky Specialized Music School, where he studied with Madina Galiulina for 12 years. In 2015, he entered Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, National University of Singapore, where he pursued his Bachelor's degree and studied with Ng Pei-Sian (Principal Cellist of SSO). In 2014, Jamshid won First Prize in the Knushevitsky International Cello Competition (Russia, Saratov).

As an orchestra musician, Jamshid has been invited as a Guest Principal Cellist to the Sun Symphony Orchestra in Vietnam, Hanoi. He has performed in Uzbekistan, Russia, Ukraine, Austria, Switzerland, Korea, Singapore, Vietnam, France, Indonesia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

He has had masterclasses with Jan Vogler, Alexander Buzlov, Qin Li-Wei, Ni Hai-Ye, Alexei Seleznyov, Tsutsumi Tsuyoshi, Vladimir Tonkha, Johan van Iersel, Jonathan Manson, Tillman Wick. Chamber masterclasses and collaborations with Gábor Takács-Nagy, London Haydn Quartet, Endellion Quartet, Amber Quartet, Takács Quartet, Alexander Sitkovetskiy, New Zealand Quartet, Shanghai Quartet, The Juilliard String Quartet, and Shlomo Mintz.

9

SEC O N D V IOL IN

T HE ORC HE S T R A HANS GRAF Chief Conductor JOSHUA TAN Associate Conductor ANDREW LITTON Principal Guest Conductor CHOO HOEY Conductor Emeritus LAN SHUI Conductor Laureate EUDENICE PALARUAN Choral Director WONG LAI FOON Choirmaster

Michael Loh Associate Principal Nikolai Koval* Hai-Won Kwok Chikako Sasaki* Margit Saur Shao Tao Tao Wu Man Yun* Xu Jueyi* Yeo Teow Meng Yin Shu Zhan* Zhao Tian* VIO L A Manchin Zhang Principal Guan Qi Associate Principal Gu Bing Jie* Fixed Chair Marietta Ku Luo Biao Julia Park Shui Bing Janice Tsai Dandan Wang Yang Shi Li C EL L O

FIRS T VI OL I N (Position vacant) Concertmaster, GK Goh Chair Kong Zhao Hui1 Associate Concertmaster Chan Yoong-Han2 Fixed Chair Cao Can* Chen Da Wei Duan Yu Ling Foo Say Ming Jin Li Kong Xianlong Cindy Lee Karen Tan William Tan Wei Zhe Ye Lin* Zhang Si Jing*

Ng Pei-Sian Principal, The HEAD Foundation Chair Yu Jing Associate Principal Guo Hao Fixed Chair Chan Wei Shing Jamshid Saydikarimov* Song Woon Teng Wang Yan Wang Zihao* Wu Dai Dai Zhao Yu Er D O U B LE BAS S Yang Zheng Yi Associate Principal Karen Yeo Fixed Chair Olga Alexandrova Jacek Mirucki Guennadi Mouzyka Wang Xu

FLUTE

TR U M P ET

Jin Ta Principal Evgueni Brokmiller Associate Principal Roberto Alvarez Miao Shanshan

Jon Paul Dante Principal David Smith Associate Principal Lau Wen Rong Sergey Tyuteykin

PICCOLO

TR O M B O N E

Roberto Alvarez Assistant Principal

Allen Meek Principal Damian Patti Associate Principal Samuel Armstrong

OBOE Rachel Walker Principal Pan Yun Associate Principal Carolyn Hollier Elaine Yeo

B A SS T R O MBONE Wang Wei Assistant Principal TU B A

COR ANGL AI S

Tomoki Natsume Principal

Elaine Yeo Associate Principal TIM P A N I CLARINET Ma Yue Principal Li Xin Associate Principal Liu Yoko Tang Xiao Ping

Christian Schiøler Principal Jonathan Fox Associate Principal P ER CU SSIO N

Tang Xiao Ping Assistant Principal

Jonathan Fox Principal Mark Suter Associate Principal Mario Choo Lim Meng Keh

BAS S OON

H A RP

Liu Chang Associate Principal Christoph Wichert Zhao Ying Xue

Gulnara Mashurova Principal

BAS S CL AR I NE T

CONTRAB AS S OON Zhao Ying Xue Assistant Principal HORN Gao Jian Associate Principal Jamie Hersch Associate Principal Marc-Antoine Robillard Associate Principal Hoang Van Hoc

* With deep appreciation to the Rin Collection for their generous loan of string instruments.

1 Kong Zhao Hui performs on a J.B. Guadagnini of Milan, c. 1750, donated by the National Arts Council, Singapore, with the support of Far East Organization and Lee Foundation.

2 Chan Yoong-Han performs on a David Tecchler, Fecit Roma An. D. 1700 donated by Mr Goh Yew Lin. Musicians listed alphabetically by family name rotate their seats on a per programme basis.

2020/21 Season Patrons Our story began just over four decades ago when we played our first concert in January 1979.

This journey would not have been possible without patrons who believe in sharing the gift of music.

Thank you for your generosity.

PATR ON SPONSOR Tote Board Group (Tote Board, Singapore Pools & Singapore Turf Club)

MAE STR O C IR C L E Mr & Mrs Goh Yew Lin Temasek Foundation Nurtures The HEAD Foundation

C ONC E R TMASTE R C IRCLE Yong Hon Kong Foundation

SYMPHONY C IR C LE John Swire & Sons (S.E. Asia) Pte Ltd Lee Foundation Tantallon Capital Advisors Pte Ltd The New Eden Charitable Trust

C ONC E R TO C IR C LE Leila Cheung & Siew Thim Chooi Chng Hak-Peng Chua Khee Chin Embassy of France in Singapore Kris Foundation Paige Parker & Jim Rogers Andreas & Doris Sohmen-Pao Stephen Riady Group of Foundations Yong Ying-I Dr Thomas Zuellig & Mary Zuellig

O VER T U RE PAT RONS Prof Cham Tao Soon Alan Chan Prof Chan Heng Chee Vivian P J Chandran Cara & Tamara Chang Prof Arnoud De Meyer Ho Ching Hong Leong Foundation Keppel Care Foundation Maisy Koh & Dr Beh Swan Gin Leong Wai Leng LGT Bank (Singapore) Ltd Mavis Lim Geck Chin Prof & Mrs Lim Seh Chun

Lin Diaan-Yi S&Y Lo Marina Bay Sands Pte Ltd Devika & Sanjiv Misra Nomura Asset Management Singapore Ltd Dr Eddy Ooi David Ramli Priscylla Shaw Prof Gralf & Silvia Sieghold Song Ziou & Chen Yun Wong Hong Ching Catherine & David Zemans Anonymous (4)

S ER ENAD E PAT RONS Samuel Armstrong Lionel Choi Chung Sook Yee Karen Fawcett & Alisdair Ferrie Grace Fu Mr & Mrs Dorian Goh Goh Sze Wei Heinrich & Gabriele Grafe Havas Media Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Steven & Liwen Holmes Angela Huang & Geo Chen Lorinne Kon

Leong Wah Kheong A.D. Lim Dr Adrian Mondry msm-productions Kai S. Nargolwala Ng Pei-Sian Mr & Mrs Robin Ian Rawlings Dr Alban Salord Ivan Tan Meng Cheng Tang See Chim Manju & Arudra Vangal Anonymous (3)

R HA P SO D Y PAT RONS Allen & Gledhill LLP Ang Ming Yi & Tanyatorn Lewchaleamwong Odile & Douglas Benjamin Cavazos Tinajero Family Evelyn Chin KRPL Family Fund Dr Lee Shu Yen Viktor & Sonja Leendertz Dr Leong Keng Hong Joshua Margolis & Chong Eun Baik Ong Kong Hong Esmé Parish & Martin Edwards

Lisa Robins Pauze & Hervé Pauze Ian & Freda Rickword Ron & Janet Stride Tibor Zoltan Szabady Daniel Tan Anthony Tay Teo Lay Lim Dr Dang Vu & Ms Oanh Nguyen Wong Hong Kwok Alfred Wicky Wong Anonymous (6)

P R EL U D E PAT RONS Ang Seow Long Jocelyn Aw Dr Daniel N. Bach Prof Kanti Bajpai Dr Taige Cao Bryan Carmichael Chan Ah Khim Alex Chee Dr Cynthia Chee Dr Christopher Chen Cheng Eng Aun Jase Cheok Dr Faith Chia Chung Sui Foh Sally Chy Creative Eateries Pte Ltd Michael & Clementine Gryseels-Culot Arthur Davis Jeremy Ee Elizabeth Fong Gan Chee Yen Gan Yit Koon Pavitar Kaur Gill Goh Chiu Gak Vivien Goh Richard Hartung Mr & Mrs Winston Hauw William Hernstadt Kelvin Ho Vanessa & Darren Iloste Mr & Mrs Simon Ip Khor Cheng Kian Paul Seiji Kitamura

Belinda Koh Yuh Ling Koh Han Wei Colin Lang Lau Soo Lui Mr & Mrs Winson Lay Lee Eng Lye Andrew Lee Jek Suen Lee Miew Boey Dr Norman Lee Dr Lee Suan Yew Er Stephen Leong Leong Sing Chiong Leow Oon Geok Lim Shue Churn Suzanne Lim Chin Ping Dr Victor Lim Lim Yuin Wen Lin Xiangqian Candice Ling Firenze Loh Dr Loh Kai Woh Low Boon Hon Alwyn Loy Fabian Lua Meng Kosaku Narioka Dr Agnes Ng Elaine Ng Ngiam Shih Chun Monique Ong Preetha Pillai Raymond Quah Queenie & Friends Rak Syscom Pte Ltd

Robert Khan & Co Pte Ltd Alexey Rumyantsev Audrey Ruyters Danai Sae-Han Mr & Mrs Ralf Schmidt Retno Setyaningsih Naoyoshi Nick Shimoda Omar Slim Marcel Smit & Hanneke Verbeek Veiter Soo Yukari Takada Casey Tan Khai Hee Tan Cheng Guan Dr Tan Chin Nam Gordon HL Tan Tan Lian Yok Tan Pei Jie Tan Yee Deng Aileen Tang Tee Lin Ling Abel Teo Daniel Teo Valerie Thean Toby & Margit Oliver Trianto Paul Winfindale & Huong Nguyen Eric Wong Geoffrey & Ai Ai Wong Wong Lai Foon Haruna Yamabayashi Ivan Yeo Lillian Yin Yong Seow Kin Anonymous (33)

This list reflects donations that were made from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021.

We would like to express our sincere thanks to donors whose names were inadvertently left out at print time.

The Singapore Symphony Group is a charity and a not-for-profit organisation.

Singapore tax-payers may qualify for 250% tax deduction for donations made.

You can support us by donating at www.sso.org.sg/donate or www.giving.sg/sso.

We love orchestral music and there is nothing like a live orchestral performance!

because...

I have many happy memories with my family at the SSO Babies’ Proms, Pops and Christmas concerts…

The SSO brought Yo-Yo Ma, Lang Lang and Leonidas Kavakos to me in Singapore!

The SSO is an arts charity and depends on donations. If you love the SSO, please consider making a donation to support your orchestra –

Every gift makes a difference.

As a valued donor patron of the SSO, you will receive many benefits.

PATRON CATEGORIES

PAT R O N BENEFITS

Prelude

Rhapsody

Serenade

Overture

Concert0 Circle

$1,000 - $2,499

$2,500 - $4,999

$5,000 - $9,999 $10,000 - $24,999 $25,000 & ABOVE

–

–

–

–

6 tickets

10 tickets

12 tickets

16 tickets

20 tickets

2. Gala /Christmas/Pops

–

–

2 tickets

4 tickets

6 tickets

3. SSO Special Gala Concerts

–

–

–

–

2 tickets

Tax Benefits Priority Booking Discounts for all SSG concerts Invitation to special events Donor listing: 1. Concert booklets and website 2. Donors’ Wall at VCH

Complimentary tickets* to the following concert types: 1. Subscription /VCHpresents / Family / SIPF /SISTIC Live

*The benefits above do not apply to supporters who give through an event.

The complimentary tickets and discounts do not apply to Esplanade and Premier Box seats.

To find out more, please visit www.sso.org.sg/support-us, or write to Nikki Chuang at nikki@sso.org.sg.

Corporate Patronage Form a special relationship with Singapore’s national orchestra and increase your name recognition among an influential and growing audience. Our concerts provide impressive entertainment and significant branding opportunities.

SSO Corporate Patrons enjoy attractive tax benefits, Patron of the Arts nominations, acknowledgements in key publicity channels, complimentary tickets, and invitations to exclusive SSO events.

Temasek Foundation The HEAD Foundation Yong Hon Kong Foundation John Swire & Sons (S.E. Asia) Pte Ltd Lee Foundation Tantallon Capital Advisors Pte Ltd The New Eden Charitable Trust SPONSORS SMRT Corporation Symphony 924 Singapore Airlines Conrad Centennial Singapore

For more details, please write to Chelsea Zhao at chelsea.zhao@sso.org.sg.

Modal melodies and harmonies for string quartet call to mind the 20th century neoclassical movement, and indeed, Hajime Komatsu’s folksong suites sound like the arrangements of, say, Igor Stravinsky and Benjamin Britten. Four short pieces make up this particular set; the melodies are treated with an eye toward using the range of colour and register available to the string quartet.

The first, Yagibushi, is an exuberant hatthrowing dance from central Japan. The cowherding melody that follows, Nanbu Ushioi Uta, has been reharmonised so thoroughly it would not sound out of place beside Vaughan Williams and Holst. Otemoyan arose as a drinking song and spilled onto the streets of Kumamoto, whereas Aizu Bandaisan paints a picture of the volcano (Mount Bandai) with bright Lydian-Phrygian harmonies and pulsing rhythms that sound like Piazzolla.

Ukiyoe depicting the Eruption of Mount Bandai February 8, 1888

17

O N E S U MMER ’ S DAY | 23 A PR 2021

HAJIME KOMATSU Four Japanese Folk Songs, Suite No. 2 (1996) SSO PREMIERE

ONE SU M M ER ’ S DAY | 2 3 APR 2 0 2 1

JOE HISAISHI (b. 1950) Merry-Go-Round of Life from Howl’s Moving Castle (arr. Jen Mathers) One Summer’s Day from Spirited Away (arr. Adam White) Summer from Kikujiro (arr. Adam White) Joe Hisaishi’s scores for Studio Ghibli are justifiably legendary, and his knack for producing incredibly memorable theme tunes has cemented his place among film music greats. His association with anime has often obscured the fact that he was fully classically trained, starting with the Suzuki method on the violin and eventually going on to major in composition at Kunitachi College. Arrangements of his music abound for all sorts of combinations, and the string quartet repertoire has also benefited from Hisaishi’s proximity to classical music.

Both Hisaishi’s music and Ghibli films have always enjoyed immense popularity in Singapore. You would be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t know the Howl’s Moving Castle theme song!

The Ghibli films that Hisaishi has written for are often whimsical affairs with surprisingly deep storylines, and the music often fits this theme: on the surface, they are catchy, singable tunes, yet with a depth of feeling and a sureness of harmonic touch that mark these compositions as uniquely Hisaishi’s. For example, the original movie soundtrack has One Summer’s Day bookend the entirety of Spirited Away, and the final appearance of the song includes fragments of other musical themes, as if the events of the film have changed the music as much as it has changed the life of the main character Chihiro. His work also extends outside the Ghibli sphere, however, and Summer, from the movie Kikujiro, is a prime example of that: perfectly balanced on the fine line between nostalgia and hope.

Joe Hisaishi conducts the Singapore Symphony Orchestra in February 2020 Photo: Willow Arts

Hisaishi treats his own music with great freedom as well, not shying from making re-arrangements when he pleases. One Summer’s Day was originally birthed as a piano and orchestra piece. The gentle piano sprinkles that it opens with are instantly recognizable to fans. Lyrics were added after the film was released, giving rise to the song “The Name of Life” (Inochi no Namae). This gives leeway to the two arrangers on tonight’s programme to flex 18

O N E S U MMER ’ S DAY | 23 A PR 2021

their compositional muscles, and while Jen Mathers treats Merry-Go-Round of Life with a light hand, Adam White’s editorial hand smoothes over some of Hisaishi’s choice dissonances in One Summer’s Day, arriving at a peaceful meditative place. White also preserves the all-pizzicato opening in Summer, which stands out in the string quartet as a very unusual sound, and includes sparkly, virtuosic passages for all.

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN (1770–1827) String Quartet in D major, Op. 18 No. 3 (1798–1800) I II III IV

Allegro Andante con moto Allegro Presto

Beethoven’s Op. 18 No. 3 stands out for how gentle it is compared to much of his early music. Its shy opening sounds like a Haydn slow movement, and the Haydn influence is easily audible in the rest of the quartet. Moments of genuine humour sparkle throughout, and the first violin dominates in the flowing first movement.

Youthful excitement lies under the calm surface of the slow movement, which is actually constructed as a rondo: a form much more typical of finales! Beethoven’s more searching chromaticism is a technique he would later refine in the Second Symphony, but the harmonic contrasts here are wide-ranging and dramatic.

this elegance by rushing headlong into ambiguous harmonic territory, and D major takes a while to be firmly established. The skill in Beethoven’s part-writing is more evident here, as the players trade phrases of unexpectedly varying lengths, and, despite the cheeky pianissimo ending, the movement bubbles with joy and energy throughout.

Programme notes by Thomas Ang

The Scherzo returns to much simpler territory, almost Classical in its poise, though as usual with Beethoven there is a liberal dusting of sforzando markings to add excitement. The finale totally upends

First performed by SSO 15 Sep 1993 19

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN Ode to Joy (arr. Avik Chari) Beethoven’s Ode to Joy is a vibrant piece – a celebration of music as well as an anthem of protest. It’s played in the last movement of his Ninth and final symphony.

The orchestral version uses Beethoven's technique of “developing variation”, where he constantly repeats the melody, growing it with countermelodies, harmonisations and instruments. It’s an interesting piece to approach as an arranger and I had to ask myself – how do I depict this dramatic change in forces with just a string quartet?

I decided to start the piece much slower, at half of the original and take time to explore the nuances of this beautiful melody. The piece slowly grows – adding texture until we reach a more lush, Beethoven-esque style. This doesn’t last long however, the work quickly grows larger, almost till the point where the melody can’t sustain the ensemble anymore, and countermelodies pop up to help it get back home. I hope this arrangement shows how we can start a journey by taking it slow, and appreciate the little things in life. Eventually we may reach a point where we can sustain our joy and love for music and celebration, regardless of the challenges – from mild annoyances and distractions to hardships.

Beethoven statue in Naruto, Tokushima, Japan.

Photo: 京都東

Avik Chari (b. 1995) Avik Chari is a composer and sound designer obsessed with non-linear and interactive media.

He embraces the use of space as a tool for musical structure and storytelling, through his sound installations and electroacoustic works. Avik studied at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee and currently works as a music librarian for the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, and also leads Liria Music Prep, a music engraving service.

This piece is dedicated to Navisha Gupta, whose striving for joy is infectious!

Programme note by Avik Chari

20

THE PRIDE WE TAKE IN OFFERING YOU AWARD-WINNING COMFORT That’s what makes us the world’s most awarded airline

Diamond Airline APEX Health Safety powered by SimpliFlying Audit 2021 We are committed to making every journey safe and delightful for you. So thank you for recognising our efforts and awarding us the Diamond Airline in APEX Health Safety powered by SimpliFlying Audit 2021. singaporeair.com

BOA R D OF D IREC T ORS & C OMMI T T E E S CHAIR Mr Goh Yew Lin SSO COUNCIL

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ms Yong Ying-I (Deputy Chair) Mr Ang Chek Meng Mr Chang Chee Pey Mr Chng Hak-Peng Mr Chng Kai Fong Mr Warren Fernandez Prof Arnoud De Meyer Mr Heinrich Grafe Ms Liew Wei Li Mr Sanjiv Misra Mr Paul Tan Dr Kelly Tang Mr Geoffrey Wong Mr Yee Chen Fah NOMINATING AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Mr Goh Yew Lin (Chair) Prof Arnoud De Meyer (Treasurer) Mr Paul Tan Ms Yong Ying-I

HUMAN RESOURCES COMMITTEE Ms Yong Ying-I (Chair) Prof Arnoud De Meyer Mr Yee Chen Fah Dr Kelly Tang INVESTMENT COMMITTEE Mr Geoffrey Wong (Chair) Mr David Goh Mr Sanjiv Misra Mr Alex Lee AUDIT COMMITTEE Mr Yee Chen Fah (Chair) Mr Heinrich Grafe Ms Lim Mei SNYO COMMITTEE Ms Liew Wei Li (Chair) Mr Ang Chek Meng Ms Vivien Goh Dr Kee Kirk Chin Mrs Valarie Wilson

S S O M U S I C I A N S’ C O M M I T T E E Mr Jamie Hersch Mr Ng Pei-Sian Mr Mark Suter Mr Christoph Wichert Ms Elaine Yeo

Prof Cham Tao Soon (Honorary Chair) Mr Alan Chan (Chair) Mrs Odile Benjamin Prof Chan Heng Chee Mr Choo Chiau Beng Dr Geh Min Mr Goh Geok Khim Mr Khoo Boon Hui Prof Tommy Koh Ms Lim Mei Mr JY Pillay Dr Stephen Riady Ms Priscylla Shaw Prof Gralf Sieghold Mr Andreas Sohmen-Pao Prof Bernard Tan Dr Tan Chin Nam Ms Tan Choo Leng Mr Tan Soo Nan Mr Wee Ee Cheong S S O L A D I E S’ L E A G U E Mrs Odile Benjamin (Chair) Mrs Kwan Lui (Deputy Chair) Mrs Celeste Basapa Mrs Kim Camacho Mrs Rosy Ho Ms Judy Hunt Prof Annie Koh Dr Julie Lo Mrs Clarinda TjiaDharmadi-Martin Ms Paige Parker Ms Kris Tan Ms Manju Vangal Mrs Grace Yeh

SIN G A P OR E S Y MP HO N Y G ROUP M A N AG E ME N T

CHIEF E XECUTIVE OFFICER Mr Chng Hak-Peng

ARTISTIC PL ANNING

CEO OFFICE

C O R P O R AT E S E R V I C E S

Mr Hans Sørensen (Head)

Ms Shirin Foo

Ms Lillian Yin (Head)

Programmes (SSO) Ms Kua Li Leng Ms Teo Chew Yen Ms Jodie Chiang

Customer Experience Mr Randy Teo Ms Dacia Cheang Ms Nur Shafiqah bte Othman

Finance, IT & Facilities Mr Rick Ong Mr Alan Ong Ms Goh Hoey Fen Mr Md Zailani bin Md Said

Community Outreach Ms Vanessa Lee Ms Samantha Lim

DE VELOPMENT & PA R T N E R S H I P S

Choral Programmes Ms Regina Lee Ms Whitney Tan

Corporate Communications Ms Haslina Hassan

Programmes (VCH) Ms Erin Tan Ms Lynnette Chng

Development Ms Chelsea Zhao Ms Nikki Chuang Ms Charmaine Fong Ms Fang Xiao Min

ORCHESTR A MANAGEMENT Mr Ernest Khoo (Head) Orchestra Mr Chia Jit Min Ms Karis Ong Concert Operations Ms Chin Rosherna Ms Fenella Ng Mr Ramayah Elango Mr Mazlan bin Ali Library Mr Lim Lip Hua Ms Wong Yi Wen Mr Avik Chari

MARKE TING C O M M U N I C AT I O N S Ms Cindy Lim (Head) Mr Chia Han-Leon Ms Myrtle Lee Ms Jana Loh Ms Hong Shu Hui Ms Sherilyn Lim Ms Melissa Tan D I G I TA L S S O Ms Cindy Lim (Lead) Mr Chia Jit Min (Asst Lead) Mr Jason Siriwardene (Digital Producer) Mr Chia Han-Leon Mr Hans Sørensen

Human Resources & Administration Mr Desmen Low Ms Melissa Lee Ms Evelyn Siew Legal Mr Edward Loh S I N G A P O R E N AT I O N A L YOUTH ORCHES TR A Ms Pang Siu Yuin (Head) Ms Yani Saaban Ms Tang Ya Yun Ms Tan Sing Yee ABRSM Ms Hay Su-San (Head) Ms Patricia Yee Ms Lai Li-Yng Mr Joong Siow Chong C O V I D -1 9 R E S P O N S E C O O R D I N AT I O N Ms Lillian Yin (Lead) Mr Rick Ong (Asst Lead)

S UPPOR T E D BY

PATRO N S P ON S OR

MATCHE D BY

M A JO R D ON OR S

Mr & Mrs Goh Yew Lin

S E A S O N PA R TN E R S Official Radio Station

Official Community Partner

Official Outdoor Media Partner

Official Airline

S EA S O N PATRO NS

The mission of the Singapore Symphony Group is to create memorable shared experiences with music.

Through the SSO and its affiliated performing groups, we spread the love for music, nurture talent and enrich our diverse communities.

The Singapore Symphony Orchestra is a charity and not-for-profit organisation. You can support us by donating at www.sso.org.sg/donate.