Singapore Symphony Orchestra 2023/24 Season Brochure

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Goh Yew Lin (Chair)

Yong Ying-I (Deputy Chair)

Chang Chee Pey

Chng Kai Fong

Prof Arnoud De Meyer

Warren Fernandez

Kenneth Kwok

Liew Wei Li

Sanjiv Misra

Lynette Pang

Prof Qin Li-Wei

Geoffrey Wong

Yasmin Zahid

Yee Chen Fah

Andrew Yeo Khirn Hin

Subscription Concerts S

Victoria Concert Hall Home of the SSO Esplanade Concert Hall Performing Home of the SSO

The information in this publication is correct as of 4 Apr 2023 but the SSO reserves the right to change programmes or artists without prior notice.

Front and back cover photo: Sloth Creatives

Welcome to the

KENNETH KWOK CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER SINGAPORE SYMPHONY GROUP

The Singapore Symphony Orchestra’s new season presents you an incredible selection of concerts for all to enjoy. We are thrilled to finally be able to launch an entire season of programmes, our first since the pandemic.

2023/24 brings you concerts led by SSO Music Director Hans Graf and Associate Conductor Rodolfo Barráez, and the anticipated return of Conductor Laureate Lan Shui in March 2024. We are also pleased to announce the extended residency of our Artist-In-Residence Chloe Chua into the new season. She is an important part of our musical family, and we are excited for this young artist to deliver even more unforgettable experiences.

This season, we look forward to showcasing the complete cycle of Beethoven’s piano concertos. We also extend a warm welcome to the many conductors and soloists making their SSO debuts, including Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider, Bruce Liu, Rudolf Buchbinder and Yue Bao.

Audiences will also get to witness returning artists including the celebrated Mischa Maisky, Bomsori Kim and Paul Lewis, as well as conductors Andrew Litton and Han-Na Chang. Sharing the stage with the SSO after more than 15 years are the acclaimed Mikhail Agrest and Benjamin Schmid.

23/24 Season

The new season begins in July with the iconic music of Hans Zimmer, one of the most admired film composers of our time. Dedicated to SSO Official Hotel, Raffles Hotel Singapore, the concert led by conductor Gerard Salonga will offer familiar favourites from Interstellar to The Last Samurai to The Lion King. If you enjoyed our previous runs of films with live orchestra, be sure to also catch 80s classic E.T. conducted by Joshua Tan.

The sixth edition of the SSO National Day Concert will feature works by Singaporean composers conducted by Ng Tianhui. Listen to world premieres of new music, including an original composition by Cultural Medallion recipient Kelly Tang. The annual President’s Young Performers Concert in September will continue to shine a spotlight on rising Singaporean talents, and in April, we have a magical Spanish-inspired evening with Singaporean mezzo-soprano Jade Tan.

To reach as many people as possible with our music, our free community concerts will be back with lunchtime delights at the Victoria Concert Hall, and glorious evenings in nature at Gardens by the Bay and the Singapore Botanic Gardens. Our upcoming children’s concerts and wildly popular SSO Babies’ Proms are also spectacular treats not to be missed. In December, let the SSO ring in the year-end festivities with our annual SSO Christmas Fundraising Concert.

In times of uncertainty, we hope our music will be a source of comfort, solace and inspiration for you. Join us as we bring you more memorable music experiences!

HANS GRAF MUSIC DIRECTOR

SINGAPORE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

We are going with full energy into our second full season, continuing our proud journey through the world of classical and new masterpieces. We are happy to welcome you, our dear audience, to join us on this exciting journey.

As part of this season, we have with us our charming Singaporean Artist-In-Residence, Chloe Chua, who will be continuing her residency with the SSO. She will complete with us the important cycle of performances and recordings of all the works the young genius Mozart (then barely older than Chloe) had written for Violin and Orchestra – for his own use!

Chloe’s deep musicality, flawless skills and rare maturity make her the perfect artist for this important and demanding project. Arguably the greatest of these works is the Sinfonia Concertante for Violin and Viola. She will be joined by musical partner, our dear friend He Ziyu, who will showcase his versatility in playing the Viola. The performance of two Menuhin Prize winners is something not to be missed.

But the new season promises to offer much more for our audience to enjoy. Along with renewed pleasure of musicmaking with the full orchestra, we spotlight the Symphonic Poems by Richard Strauss, each of them an absolute beacon of symphonic music. After the stormy Don Juan and the mysterious and dark Death and Transfiguration in the last season, we will continue with the sharp and mocking Till Eulenspiegel, the grand Hero’s Life and the endearing Don Quixote. The role of this tragically funny hero is given to the noble Cello, played by our own Principal Cello Ng Pei-Sian.

The 2023/24 season also commemorates the 150th anniversary of the birth of the great Russian pianist and composer Sergei Rachmaninoff with two concerts. One programme pairs two of the works laying ground for his world

success, and the other, two works of masterful maturity: Symphony No. 2 with Piano Concerto No. 2, with the Grandseigneur of American pianism, Garrick Ohlsson, and Symphony No. 3 with Piano Concerto No. 3, with the brilliant Korean pianist Jae-Hyuck Cho.

Not to forget, the return of the gentle rising star Seika Ishida, who had her debut with the SSO last season. She will be back for Chopin’s lyrical Piano Concerto No. 2.

A great and beloved artist, Qin Li-Wei, whom I have known for many years will play the deep and intimate Cello Concerto by Robert Schumann.

Other stars of the season include our friend Leonidas Kavakos, a violinist of worldwide excellence with the everfresh Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto. The leading Austrian violinist Benjamin Schmid, Menuhin winner like Chloe and Ziyu, will bring you Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No. 2.

Our Singapore Symphony Choruses have given you wonderful performances, and will be part of one of the most majestic and thoughtful works by Johannes Brahms, Ein deutsches Requiem, with soloists Susanna Andersson and Bo Skovhus.

A very special evening of Ravel’s Spain with exceptional vocal repertoire awaits you. Considered as one of the greatest composers of Spanish music, enjoy the brilliance of Rapsodie espagnole and the controlled but unstoppable frenzy of Boléro. Led by Singaporean mezzo Jade Tan as the rebellious and daring Concepción, discover the charming little opera L’Heure espagnole, full of grace and mischievous humour in elegant Spanish atmosphere.

The SSO 2023/24 season is set to offer a wealth of music –entertaining, intriguing, overwhelming, and simply beautiful.

Let me invite you to come share it with us!

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 with its 44-week calendar of events.

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 through its school programmes. The SSO has also earned an international reputation for its orchestral virtuosity, having garnered sterling reviews for its overseas tours and many successful recordings.

In 2021, the SSO clinched third place in the prestigious Orchestra of the Year Award by Gramophone. In 2022, BBC Music Magazine named the SSO as one of the 21 best orchestras in the world.

In July 2022, the SSO appointed renowned Austrian conductor Hans Graf as its Music Director, the third in the orchestra’s history after Lan Shui (1997–2019) and Choo Hoey (1979–1996). Prior to this, Hans Graf served as Chief Conductor from 2020.

Our Story

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. 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 673-seat Victoria Concert Hall, the Home of the SSO. The SSO launched its digital concert hall, SSOLOUNGE, in 2021.

Beyond Singapore, 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 second performance at the Berlin Philharmonie.

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

The SSO has released more than 50 recordings, with over 30 on the BIS label. Recent critically acclaimed albums include Scriabin’s Poems of Ecstasy and Fire and Shostakovich’s Jazz & Variety Suites. In 2023, a Four Seasons album on Pentatone and a complete Mozart Violin Concerto cycle with Chloe Chua and Hans Graf will be released. The SSO also leads the revival and recording of significant works such as the Kozłowski Requiem, Ogerman’s Symbiosis (after Bill Evans) and concertos by Paul von Klenau.

The SSO has collaborated with such great artists as Vladimir Ashkenazy, Gustavo Dudamel, Charles Dutoit, Joe Hisaishi, Neeme Järvi, Okko Kamu, Hannu Lintu, Andrew Litton, Lorin Maazel, Martha Argerich, Ray Chen, Diana Damrau, Stephen Hough, Janine Jansen, Leonidas Kavakos, Lang Lang, Yo-Yo Ma, Gil Shaham and Krystian Zimerman.

The SSO is part of the Singapore Symphony Group, which also manages the Singapore Symphony Choruses, and the Singapore National Youth Orchestra, as well as the VCHpresents chamber music series, the Singapore International Piano Festival and the biennial National Piano & Violin Competition.

The mission of the Group is to create memorable shared experiences with music. Through the SSO and its affiliated performing groups, we spread a love for music, nurture talent and enrich our diverse communities.

“Who would suppose an orchestra in Asia could remind one of Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia”

— FANFARE ON

SSO

Hans Graf

MUSIC DIRECTOR

His wide range of repertoire and creative programming distinguishes Austrian conductor Hans Graf as one of today’s most highly respected musicians. With Hans Graf, ‘a brave new world of music-making under inspired direction’ (The Straits Times) began at the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, where he was appointed Chief Conductor from the 2020/21 season, and Music Director from the 2022/23 season.

Graf was formerly Music Director of the Houston Symphony, Calgary Philharmonic, Orchestre National Bordeaux Aquitaine, Basque National Orchestra and the Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg. He has appeared with all major orchestras in North America, including Cleveland, Detroit, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Montreal, Toronto, and a special friendship with the Boston Symphony developed over 30 years.

In Europe, Graf has conducted the Vienna Philharmonic, Vienna Symphony, Leipzig Gewandhaus, DSO Berlin, Dresden, Royal Concertgebouw, Rotterdam, the Oslo, Stockholm, the Hallé, London Philharmonic, London Symphony, the Royal Philharmonic, St Petersburg Philharmonic and Russian National, the Bavarian, Danish and Netherlands Radio Symphony Orchestras, Budapest Festival Orchestra and many others. He is also a regular guest with the leading orchestras of Asia and Australia.

A frequent conductor at the Salzburg Festival since 1983, Graf has also participated in the prestigious festivals of Maggio Musicale, Bregenz, Aix-en-Provence in Europe, and in the US, the Tanglewood, Blossom, Aspen, Grant Park and the Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festivals.

HANS GRAF Music Director

CHOO HOEY Conductor Emeritus

LAN SHUI Conductor Laureate

EUDENICE PALARUAN Choral Director

WONG LAI FOON Choirmaster (Children & Youth)

RODOLFO BARRÁEZ Associate Conductor

Graf has led many performances at the Vienna State Opera and the opera houses of Munich, Berlin, Paris and Rome, among others. Recent productions include Wagner’s Parsifal in Zurich and Mussorgsky’s Boris Godunov in Strasbourg. In 2014 he was awarded the Österreichischer Musiktheaterpreis for Richard Strauss’s Die Feuersnot at the famed Vienna Volksoper, where he returned in 2021 to lead Rosenkavalier.

Hans Graf’s extensive discography is found on the EMI, Orfeo, CBC, Erato, Capriccio and JVC labels and includes all the symphonies of Mozart and Schubert, the complete orchestral works of Henri Dutilleux (recorded under the composer’s supervision), and the world-premiere recording of Zemlinsky’s Es war einmal. Graf’s semi-staged production of Berg’s Wozzeck with the Houston Symphony won the GRAMMY and ECHO Klassik awards for best opera recording.

Further albums include Hindemith’s complete works for viola and orchestra with Tabea Zimmermann/DSO Berlin (Myrios), Orff's Carmina Burana with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, and most recently, with the Russian National Orchestra, Rachmaninoff Piano Concertos with Jae-Hyuck Cho and three Russian trumpet concertos with Paul Merkelo.

Born in Austria, Graf studied conducting with Franco Ferrara, Sergiu Celibidache and Arvid Jansons. He is Professor Emeritus for Orchestral Conducting at the Universität Mozarteum in Salzburg. For his services to music, he was awarded the Chevalier de l'Ordre de la Légion d'Honneur by the French government and the Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold from the Republic of Austria.

“I am stunned by the worldclass quality of the Singapore Symphony”

— FANFARE ON SSO

TOMOKI NATSUME PRINCIPAL TUBA

DAVID SMITH ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL TRUMPET

Symphony

GULNARA MASHUROVA PRINCIPAL HARP

MICHAEL LOH ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL SECOND VIOLIN

MARIO CHOO TIMPANI & PERCUSSION

FIRST VIOLIN

(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*

SECOND VIOLIN

Tseng Chieh-An Principal

Michael Loh Associate Principal

Nikolai Koval*

Sayuri Kuru

Hai-Won Kwok

Chikako Sasaki*

Margit Saur

Shao Tao Tao

Wu Man Yun*

Xu Jueyi*

Yeo Teow Meng

Yin Shu Zhan*

Zhao Tian*

VIOLA

Manchin Zhang Principal

Guan Qi Associate Principal

Gu Bing Jie* Fixed Chair

Joyce Huang

Marietta Ku

Luo Biao

Julia Park

Shui Bing

Janice Tsai

Dandan Wang

Yang Shi Li

CELLO

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

Wu Dai Dai

Zhao Yu Er

DOUBLE BASS

Yang Zheng Yi Associate Principal

Karen Yeo Fixed Chair

Olga Alexandrova

Jacek Mirucki

Guennadi Mouzyka

Wang Xu

ELAINE YEO OBOE & ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL COR ANGLAIS

EVGUENI BROKMILLER ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL FLUTE

FLUTE

Jin Ta Principal, Stephen Riady Chair

Evgueni Brokmiller Associate Principal

Roberto Alvarez

Miao Shanshan

PICCOLO

Roberto Alvarez Assistant Principal

OBOE

Rachel Walker Principal

Pan Yun Associate Principal

Carolyn Hollier

Elaine Yeo

COR ANGLAIS

Elaine Yeo Associate Principal

CLARINET

Ma Yue Principal

Li Xin Associate Principal

Liu Yoko

Tang Xiao Ping

BASS CLARINET

HORN

Gao Jian Associate Principal

Jamie Hersch Associate Principal

Marc-Antoine Robillard Associate Principal

Hoang Van Hoc

TRUMPET

Tang Xiao Ping Assistant Principal

BASSOON

Liu Chang Associate Principal

Christoph Wichert

Zhao Ying Xue

CONTRABASSOON

Zhao Ying Xue Assistant Principal

Jon Paul Dante Principal

David Smith Associate Principal

Lau Wen Rong

TROMBONE

Allen Meek Principal

Orchestra

Damian Patti Associate Principal

Samuel Armstrong

BASS TROMBONE

Wang Wei Assistant Principal

TUBA

Tomoki Natsume Principal

TIMPANI

Christian Schiøler Principal

Mario Choo

PERCUSSION

Jonathan Fox Principal

Mark Suter Associate Principal

Mario Choo

Lim Meng Keh

HARP

Gulnara Mashurova Principal

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

Chan Yoong-Han performs on a David Tecchler, Fecit Roma An. D. 1700, courtesy of Mr G K Goh. Musicians listed alphabetically by family name rotate their seats on a per programme basis.

KONG XIANLONG FIRST VIOLIN

CHAN WEI SHING CELLO

Singapore Symphony Choruses

COMBINED CHORUSES EVENTS

Temasek Foundation

SSO National Day Concert

13 Aug 2023, Esplanade Concert Hall

Chloe Chua Plays Paganini

2 Sep 2023, Esplanade Concert Hall

SSO Christmas Fundraising Concert

14 & 15 Dec 2023, Esplanade Concert Hall

Brahms Requiem and Schumann Cello Concerto

20 Apr 2024, Esplanade Concert Hall

A premier body for classical choral singing, the Singapore Symphony Choruses comprise the Singapore Symphony Chorus (SSC), Singapore Symphony Youth Choir (SSYC) and Singapore Symphony Children’s Choir (SSCC).

Drawing membership from diverse ages, nationalities and walks of life, our Choruses embody a comprehensive singing ecosystem that nurtures the brilliance of our brightest young talents, inspires youthful passion for the art and celebrates the best of choral excellence!

At the heart of our holistic training approach, our Choruses are committed to fostering artistic growth and well-rounded personal development, in delivering outstanding performances. Singers are provided with the richest and most unique performing experiences and opportunities to record and perform with some of the world’s most distinguished conductors, artistes and renowned orchestras.

Straddling musical worlds and styles, the Choruses’ repertoire ranges from orchestral masterpieces to a cappella favourites, spanning the Renaissance to contemporary 21st-century music.

Celebrating Choral Excellence

For over four decades, the Singapore Symphony Chorus (SSC) has been bringing together passionate and talented choristers from all walks of life to celebrate the best of symphonic music-making, and to create music that moves, transcending language and culture.

More than just a choir, the SSC is a warm and vibrant community for lifelong social connections beyond the stage. Seasoned performers at the Victoria Concert Hall and the Esplanade, the chorus’s committed group of singers come together week after week to hone their artistry and volunteer their time to deliver some of the most challenging choral classics to the highest standards.

Led by world-class conductors including Okko Kamu, Lan Shui, Lim Yau, Masaaki Suzuki and Sofi Jeannin, the chorus has amassed an impressive repertoire such as Tippett’s A Child of Our Time, Arvo Pärt’s Te Deum, Britten’s War Requiem, and Bach’s St. John Passion, amongst others, since its founding in 1980.

With their dedication towards presenting outstanding performances, the SSC is the pinnacle of choral excellence in Singapore and a testament to the power of music and how it connects people across cultures and generations.

SSC EVENTS

VCHpresents Organ A Haunted Halloween Hymn 28 & 29 Oct 2023, Victoria Concert Hall

The SSC Affair 2024 7 Apr 2024, Victoria Concert Hall

EUDENICE PALARUAN CHORAL DIRECTOR SHANE THIO REHEARSAL PIANIST ©

MICHELLE TNG YING

SSYC EVENTS

VCHpresents Chamber

Sunday Afternoon Fancies

25 Feb 2024, Victoria Concert Hall

Inspiring Choral Passion

Energetic and full of dynamism, the Singapore Symphony Youth Choir (SSYC)’s choristers embody a zeal for artistic growth that inspires and pushes boundaries.

Comprised of a myriad of vibrant personalities aged between 17 and 28, the cool collective welcomes likeminded singers to share their journey of youthful passion for symphonic choral music-making, alongside the national orchestra! Performing regularly at the Victoria Concert Hall and the Esplanade, the SSYC is a group of dedicated singers who enjoy coming together to explore some of the most challenging and beloved choral works across styles and genres.

Since 2016, SSYC has had the privilege of performing under the baton of renowned conductors such as Lan Shui, Hans Graf, and Stephen Layton. Their repertoire boasts of musical highlights including Scriabin’s Prometheus, Puccini’s La Bohème, Tallis’s Why Fumeth in Fight, Faure’s Requiem and recordings of Borodin’s Polovtsian Dances and Mahler’s Symphony No. 2.

With the unique opportunity to learn from world renowned musicians and be part of a community that inspires passion, all while creating a professional sound, SSYC is a social journey to reimagine classical music and choral excellence.

WONG LAI FOON CHOIRMASTER EVELYN HANDRISANTO REHEARSAL PIANIST

© MICHELLE TNG YING

SSCC EVENTS

The SSCC Experience 2023

4 & 5 Sep 2023, Victoria Concert Hall

SSCC Auditions 2023

24 Sep 2023, SNYO Studios

The Poetry of Song

25 May 2024, Victoria Concert Hall

Nurturing Choral Brilliance

Established in 2006, the Singapore Symphony Children’s Choir (SSCC) is an exciting and unique opportunity for young singers to work alongside the national orchestra and world-class conductors!

Based at the Victoria Concert Hall, Singapore’s leading children’s choir is dedicated to a holistic training approach that nurtures well-rounded artistic growth, cultivates discipline and confidence, and inspires a lifelong love for music and the arts. More than a choir, the SSCC is a life journey of learning, growth, lasting friendships, and musicmaking at its best.

SSCC has performed great choral masterpieces under the baton of distinguished conductors such as Lim Yau, Sofi Jeannin and François-Xavier Roth, and even shared the stage with critically acclaimed vocal group, The King’s Singers. Most recently, the choir, together with the Singapore Symphony Youth Choir, premiered a treble arrangement of Faure’s Requiem under the direction of world-renowned choral conductor Stephen Layton.

The SSCC’s commitment to musical excellence has enriched generations of singers and audiences, laying the foundation for choral patronage in the local music scene. Along with their fellow choruses, the SSCC is a key player in inspiring young musicians as well as shaping the future of choral music in Singapore and beyond.

WONG LAI FOON CHOIRMASTER DALE HUANG REHEARSAL PIANIST

MICHELLE TNG YING

Singapore National Youth Orchestra

The Singapore National Youth Orchestra demonstrates the extraordinary capability of our inspired youth.

Formally established in 1980, we have welcomed generations of youths to the life-changing experience of playing orchestra music, performing locally as well as representing Singapore at prestigious concert halls and music festivals overseas. Over the years, the SNYO has performed in concert venues and music festivals across Australia, Austria, Germany, Italy, Japan, Malaysia and the United Kingdom. Today we are 180 youths aged 10 to 21, from more than 60 schools across Singapore. The SNYO family consists of a main orchestra and a junior orchestra, where they are guided by professional musicians in rehearsals, sectionals and masterclasses.

The SNYO remains a warm and inviting community for youth who love playing music together, where meaningful friendships are made for life. Our programme is accessible to talented youth musicians with selected individual lesson subsidy and travel grants for tours as well as participation in exchange programmes.

Since 2018, Joshua Tan assumed the position of Principal Conductor for the SNYO and Peter Stark was appointed as its first-ever Principal Guest Conductor.

We are recognised by the Ministry of Education as a National Project of Excellence, and part of the Singapore Symphony Group — the arts charity that also manages the Singapore Symphony Orchestra.

www.snyo.org.sg

VISION

To inspire a lifelong love for music and a dedication to exceptional orchestral performance

MISSION

Through the playing of orchestral classical music, we nurture future generations of musicians and build a vibrant music community for Singapore

JOSHUA TAN Principal Conductor

SEOW YIBIN Associate Conductor

© CHRIS P. LIM

Artist-In-Residence

CHLOE CHUA VIOLIN

Performing to full houses throughout the 2022/23 season, Chloe Chua’s first year as the SSO’s Artist-In-Residence culminated in the highly anticipated release of her international debut album featuring Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and Locatelli’s The Harmonic Labyrinth

For the 2023/24 season, the Singapore Symphony is thrilled to continue presenting Chloe as our Artist-In-Residence. Highlights this season include performances displaying her feats of Paganinian impossibilities, a Baroque recital and the release of her Mozart Violin Concertos album. Jul

“Chloe is not just Wunderkind, she is a great young artist with a fantastic future.”

– HANS GRAF MUSIC DIRECTOR

FRI

& SAT 7.30pm 14 & 15 JUL

Esplanade Concert Hall

$20 - $88

Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Gerard Salonga conductor

Selections from:

The Dark Knight Rises

Gladiator

Inception

Interstellar

The Last Samurai

Madagascar

Man of Steel

The Lion King and more...

The Singapore Symphony Orchestra opens its 2023/24 Season with the music of the one-and-only Hans Zimmer, one of the most admired film composers of our time. Inspired by the time-honoured traditions of The Last Samurai, the cosmic journey of Interstellar, or the unsung heroism of the Dark Knight, this epic musical experience conducted by Gerard Salonga is one you won’t want to miss.

This is a live orchestra concert presentation with no film screening.

JUL S

27 & 28

THU & FRI 7.30pm

Esplanade Concert Hall

$15 - $88

Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Hans Graf Music Director

Chloe Chua violin/Artist-In-Residence*

He Ziyu viola*

CHLOE CHUA AND HE ZIYU

ELEGANT AND HEROIC

MOZART Overture to The Magic Flute Sinfonia Concertante for Violin, Viola and Orchestra in E-flat major, K. 364*

R. STRAUSS Ein Heldenleben (“A Hero’s Life”)

Dedicated to

Our Mozart Violin Concerto cycle with SSO Artist-InResidence Chloe Chua is supplemented with this performance of the Sinfonia Concertante, where she is joined by another youthful augur of musical brilliance, He Ziyu. SSO Music Director Hans Graf ramps up the stakes as the Singapore Symphony Orchestra chronicles Richard Strauss’s groundbreaking orchestral spectacle, Ein Heldenleben, under his baton. An eye-opening experience from start to finish!

AUG

FRI & SAT 7.30pm

Victoria Concert Hall

$15 - $88

4 & 5 S

SEIKA ISHIDA PLAYS CHOPIN CONTEMPLATIVE AND DIGNIFIED

WEBER Oberon Overture

CHOPIN Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor, Op. 21*

SCHUBERT Symphony No. 9 in C major, D. 944 “The Great”

Much praised during her debut with the Singapore Symphony in 2022, Seika Ishida returns to play Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 2, a work of refined nostalgia to match the Japanese pianist’s exquisite command of the keyboard. SSO Music Director Hans Graf takes us from this youthful artistry to Schubertian Romantic grandeur – his Great Symphony, an enduring statement of musical nobility.

Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Hans Graf Music Director

Seika Ishida piano*

THE SINGAPORE SOUND 13 AUG

SUN 4pm

Esplanade Concert Hall

$15 - $48

TEMASEK FOUNDATION

SSO NATIONAL DAY CONCERT

Now in its sixth year, the SSO National Day Concert is the Singapore Symphony’s well-established annual showcase of Singaporean capability in every aspect of music. Join us to witness the world premieres of new music by Singaporean composers commissioned by the SSO, and hear us revive musical treasures from the repertory of Singapore’s pioneer composers.

Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Singapore Symphony Chorus

Singapore Symphony Youth Choir

Singapore Symphony Children's Choir

Ng Tianhui conductor

Eudenice Palaruan Choral Director

Wong Lai Foon Choirmaster

Presented by

Ng Tianhui

SAT 7.30pm

Esplanade Concert Hall

$15 - $88

Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Yue Bao conductor

Jan Vogler cello*

THREE CONTINENTS CELLO CONCERTO

RACHMANINOFF SYMPHONIC DANCES

BARBER Overture to The School for Scandal

MUHLY/HELBIG/ZHOU Three Continents Cello Concerto*

Asian Premiere

RACHMANINOFF Symphonic Dances

Barber’s breakthrough work, the brilliantly scored overture to The School for Scandal and Rachmaninoff’s thrilling Symphonic Dances frame the Asian premiere of the Drei Kontinente Cello Concerto. This collaboration by acclaimed contemporary composers Nico Muhly (USA), Sven Helbig (Germany) and Zhou Long (China), co-commissioned by the SSO, will be championed by its dedicatee, the renowned cellist Jan Vogler, whom Gramophone magazine called the “unifying force [whose] musical personality defines the piece.”

25 & 26

FRI & SAT 7.30pm

Victoria Concert Hall

$15 - $88

BLISS – MOZART’S CLARINET CONCERTO SERENITY, WIT AND NOBILITY

ROSSINI Semiramide Overture

MOZART Clarinet Concerto in A major, K. 622*

HAYDN Symphony No. 100 in G major “Military”

Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Mario Venzago conductor

Julian Bliss clarinet*

The Singapore Symphony presents music from three of the finest composers at the turn of the 18th century: the lively theatrics of Rossini’s Semiramide Overture prove why it is a concert hall staple, while the percussion brings a martial swagger to Haydn’s 100th Symphony. The versatile British clarinetist

Julian Bliss lifts you to aural heaven with Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto – one of the first and still the finest in its genre.

© BEN WRIGHT

© MARCO GROB

© MICHAEL STARGHILL

SAT 7.30pm

Esplanade Concert Hall

$15 - $88

CHLOE CHUA PLAYS PAGANINI  SPIRIT

OF ADVENTURE

ROSSINI Overture to Il viaggio a Reims

PAGANINI Violin Concerto No. 1, Op. 6*

DEBUSSY Nocturnes^

VAUGHAN WILLIAMS Toward the Unknown Region^ S

Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Singapore Symphony Chorus^

Singapore Symphony Youth Choir^

Mario Venzago conductor

Eudenice Palaruan Choral Director

Wong Lai Foon Choirmaster

Chloe Chua violin/Artist-In-Residence*

Paganini is a name associated with impossible feats on the violin, and what better way to show they are possible than in the hands of the very best such as Singapore’s brightest violin star, Chloe Chua?

Esteemed Swiss maestro Mario Venzago leads this myriad display of instrumental and choral skill, the latter with the Singapore Symphony Chorus and Youth Choir as the magical sirènes in Debussy’s Nocturnes and explorers in Vaughan Williams’s paean vocalising Walt Whitman’s transcendent poetry.

© ALBERTO VENZAGO

Mario Venzago

LITTLE

RED RIDING HOOD

SAT 11am & 2pm SUN 11am & 2pm

9 & 10 SEP

Victoria Concert Hall

$25, $35 Family package available

This September school holidays, the Singapore Symphony Orchestra presents the classic fairy tale of Little Red Riding Hood – except this time, Roald Dahl’s feisty Little Red is no pushover! Watch as the SSO and actors of Dandi Productions use clever lighting, music, bold costumes and lively theatre to show you how Little Red thwarts the Big Bad Wolf to save the day.

Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Rodolfo Barráez Associate Conductor

Dandi Productions

Features actors in costume performing with the orchestra. Recommended for ages 4 and above. No admission for infants-in-arms. No admission without a ticket.

23 SEP

SAT 7.30pm

Victoria Concert Hall

$15 - $48

S

PRESIDENT’S YOUNG PERFORMERS CONCERT

Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Rodolfo Barráez Associate Conductor

Hao Jia piano*

RACHMANINOFF Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor. Op. 30*

MENDELSSOHN Symphony No. 3 in A minor, Op. 56 “Scottish”

Scintillating with Romantic grandeur, Rachmaninoff’s popular Third Piano Concerto makes a sweeping display of pianistic virtuosity. First Prize (Senior Piano) winner of the National Piano and Violin Competition 2019 and Steinway Youth Piano Competition 2016, 22-year-old Hao Jia is the Singapore Symphony’s 2023 President’s Young Performer who takes the stage again with this imposing masterpiece. Mendelssohn’s popular Scottish Symphony makes up the second half of this concert directed by SSO Associate Conductor Rodolfo Barráez.

29 & 30 SEP

FRI & SAT 7.30pm

Victoria Concert Hall

$25 - $108

MISCHA MAISKY AND HAN-NA CHANG TRANQUILLITY, BRILLIANCE AND GRANDEUR

WAGNER Siegfried Idyll

SAINT-SAËNS Cello Concerto No. 1 in A minor, Op. 33* MOZART Symphony No. 41 in C major, K. 551 “Jupiter”

We begin with two pieces from the 1870s: Wagner’s serene Siegfried Idyll, a tender birthday gift to his wife, followed by one of the most admired cello concertos of all time –Saint-Saëns’s uplifting Cello Concerto No. 1. A marvellous showcase for one of the most celebrated cellists today, Mischa Maisky. Accompanying him with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra is charismatic South Korean conductor Han-Na Chang, who also directs Mozart’s splendid Jupiter Symphony.

Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Han-Na Chang conductor

Mischa Maisky cello*

© BERNARD ROSENBERG

5 OCT

THU 7.30pm

Esplanade Concert Hall $15 - $88

S

Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Hans Graf Music Director Ng Pei-Sian cello*

Manchin Zhang viola*

HEROIC TALES OF RICHARD STRAUSS DESTINY AND FORTUNE

RICHARD STRAUSS

Serenade in E-flat major, Op. 7 Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks, Op. 28 Don Quixote, Op. 35*

The full power of the modern orchestra was unleashed when German composer Richard Strauss revealed a range of instrumental colours and heroic bravura that the concert hall had never experienced before. Witness it for yourself as the Singapore Symphony Orchestra brings to life the merry misadventures of the prankster Till Eulenspiegel and the fantastic escapades of the would-be knight, Don Quixote, featuring SSO Principal Cello Ng Pei-Sian and Principal Viola Manchin Zhang.

SAT 4pm SUN 11am & 2pm

7 & 8 OCT

Victoria Concert Hall

$32, $40

SSO’s popular Babies’ Proms returns! Discover the fun and fantastic world of the orchestra and its different instruments in this free-and-easy musical day out for parents and kids. Be ready to get up from your seats and move along to the music with your lively Babies' Proms host, Uncle Bill!

Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Leonard Tan conductor

William Ledbetter “Uncle Bill” presenter

Recommended for ages 6 and below. Tickets are required for children aged 2 and above. Free for children under 2 years if accompanied by an adult with a ticket.

SSO BABIES' PROMS

OCT

13 & 14

DVO Ř ÁK AND TCHAIKOVSKY –HANS GRAF AND LEONIDAS KAVAKOS

ENDLESS MELODY

FRI & SAT 7.30pm

Victoria Concert Hall

$25 - $108

Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Hans Graf Music Director

Leonidas Kavakos violin*

15 OCT

LEONIDAS KAVAKOS IN RECITAL

SUN 4pm Victoria Concert Hall

$20 - $70

Details in VCHpresents section

DVOŘÁK Four Legends from Op. 59

TCHAIKOVSKY Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35*

DVOŘÁK Symphony No. 6 in D major, Op. 60

Tchaikovsky’s glorious Violin Concerto headlines this SSO Gala concert with famed Greek violin virtuoso Leonidas Kavakos as soloist. Dvořák’s endless gift for melody is a perfect match to this immensely popular work, as the programme turns to the lyric warmth and Bohemian sunshine of his Sixth Symphony, and four scenes from his picturesque Legends.

FRI 7.30pm

Esplanade Concert Hall

$15 - $88

BENNETT VIOLIN CONCERTO AND TCHAIKOVSKY 4

MELODY AND MELODRAMA

Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Andrew Litton conductor

Chloë Hanslip violin*

ROBERT RUSSELL BENNETT Violin Concerto in A major* Asian Premiere

TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Op. 36

Robert Russell Bennett (1894–1981) is the American composer and arranger best known for inventing the Broadway sound, credited for orchestrating the musicals of such famous composers as Irving Berlin, George Gershwin and Richard Rodgers. His violin concerto, a rarely heard work from 1941, shows its roots in film and stage with expressive drama. Join British violinist Chloë Hanslip and American maestro Andrew Litton as they present this underrated gem, with Tchaikovsky’s tumultuous symphonic masterpiece, the Fourth Symphony in the second half.

DUKE VIOLIN CONCERTO AND TCHAIKOVSKY 6

FRI 7.30pm

Esplanade Concert Hall

$15 - $88

THRILL AND PASSION

Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Andrew Litton conductor

Chloë Hanslip violin*

VERNON DUKE Violin Concerto* Asian Premiere

TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74 “Pathétique”

If there’s a hint of Prokofiev, Barber and Korngold in the Violin Concerto by Vernon Duke (1903–1969), it may come as a no surprise to learn that its composer was born Vladimir Dukelsky in Russia and subsequently Americanised. Famous contemporaries who praised his work include Diaghilev, Prokofiev, Gershwin, Koussevitzky and Balanchine – for good reason, which you will hear in his instantly compelling Violin Concerto. Tchaikovsky’s epic Pathétique Symphony completes this exciting programme of rare gem and concert hall favourite.

NOV

2

THU 7.30pm

Victoria Concert Hall

$20 - $45

NOV

3

FRI 7.30pm

Victoria Concert Hall

BACH’S BRANDENBURG CONCERTOS PART I

J.S. BACH Brandenburg Concertos No. 1, 2 & 3 VIVALDI Concerto for Two Violins and Cello in D minor

BACH’S BRANDENBURG CONCERTOS PART II

J.S. BACH Brandenburg Concertos No. 4, 5 & 6 Concerto for Harpsichord and Strings in F minor, BWV 1056

Intricate and bursting with energy and life, Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos are some of the finest music ever written. Andrew Arthur, Associate Director and harpsichordist of the UK’s renowned period ensemble, The Hanover Band, leads the Singapore Symphony Orchestra in these pinnacles of Baroque music, including that of Bach’s contemporary, Vivaldi, whose music he studied and transcribed with reverence.

Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Andrew Arthur harpsichord/conductor

10 & 11

FRI & SAT 7.30pm

Victoria Concert Hall

$15 - $88

BUTTERFLY LOVERS VIOLIN CONCERTO 梁祝小提琴协奏曲

Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Rodolfo Barráez Associate Conductor

Chloe Chua violin/Artist-In-Residence*

The exquisite Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto is one of the most popular works of its kind from the 20th century, inspired by the eponymous Chinese legend. Singapore Symphony Artist-In-Residence Chloe Chua will transport you to scenic China with its rapturous music, sweeping you up in the tale of the starcrossed lovers, Liang Shanbo (梁山伯) and Zhu Yingtai (祝英台). Conducted by SSO Associate Conductor Rodolfo Barráez, the concert begins with the soulful warmth of Sunshine Over Tashkurgan (also featuring Chloe Chua) and ends with the sunlit exaltation of Beethoven’s spirited Eighth Symphony.

CHEN GANG Sunshine Over Tashkurgan*

HE ZHANHAO/CHEN GANG 梁祝小提琴协奏曲 Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto*

BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 8 in F major, Op. 93

CHOPIN AND BEETHOVEN – BRUCE LIU AND JUKKA-PEKKA SARASTE

SCHOENBERG Chamber Symphony No. 2, Op. 38

CHOPIN Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor, Op. 11*

BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21

Winner of the 18th Chopin Piano Competition in 2021, Canadian pianist Bruce Liu has been praised for his effortless virtuosity, charisma and insouciance – perfect for the elegiac poetry of Chopin’s music. Prominent Finnish maestro Jukka-Pekka Saraste leads the Singapore Symphony Orchestra in Schoenberg’s eyeopening Chamber Symphony No. 2 and Beethoven’s First Symphony, heir to Mozart’s symphonic crown.

Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Jukka-Pekka Saraste conductor

Bruce Liu piano*

FRI 4pm SAT 11am & 2pm 17 & 18 NOV

Victoria Concert Hall $25, $35 Family package available

Carnival of the Animals

A royal lion, swift donkeys, dignified tortoises, lumbering elephants, graceful swan, hopping kangaroos, an ethereal aquarium, with a special appearance by tinkling skeletons and pianists – the delightfully vivid Carnival of the Animals has entertained generations of music-lovers young and old. Hailing from Canada, L’Arsenal à Musique will lend its theatrical talents to the Singapore Symphony Orchestra in this fun-filled concert for children.

Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Rodolfo Barráez Associate Conductor

L’Arsenal à Musique

Features actors and circus theatre (animal puppetry/costumes) in performance with the orchestra. Recommended for ages 4 and above. No admission for infants-in-arms. No admission without a ticket.

TEMASEK FOUNDATION SSO

Presented

8 DEC

FRI 7.30pm

Victoria Concert Hall

$15 - $88

S

RUDOLF BUCHBINDER –BEETHOVEN

PIANO CONCERTOS 2 & 3

REDISCOVERING BEETHOVEN

BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat major, Op. 19*

Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37*

With a distinguished career spanning over 60 years, Austrian pianist Rudolf Buchbinder is a legend of our time. Fuelled by his lifelong dedication to Beethoven, he is a unique font of wisdom on the great composer’s music. In his hands, Beethoven’s youthful Piano Concerto No. 2 positively sings, and paired with the dauntless drive of No. 3, this is a vigorous first instalment in the maestro’s two-concert extravaganza.

Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Rudolf Buchbinder piano/conductor*

9 DEC

SAT 7.30pm

Victoria Concert Hall

$15 - $88

S

10 DEC

MOONLIGHT, PATHÉTIQUE AND APPASSIONATA

SUN 4pm

Victoria Concert Hall

$20 - $60

Rudolf Buchbinder piano

Details in VCHpresents section

RUDOLF BUCHBINDER –BEETHOVEN PIANO CONCERTOS 1 & 4

BEETHOVEN’S UNIVERSALITY

BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 1 in C major, Op. 15*

Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major, Op. 58*

Tradition and innovation, faithfulness and freedom, authenticity and open-mindedness merge in Rudolf Buchbinder’s readings of great piano literature. The elegance and wit of Beethoven’s First Piano Concerto versus the noble sensibilities of No. 4 define the journey of refinement perfected by Buchbinder’s mastery of the piano.

Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Rudolf Buchbinder piano/conductor*

© MARCO BORGGREVE

DEC

14

& 15

THU & FRI 7.30pm

Esplanade Concert Hall

$58 - $498

SSO CHRISTMAS FUNDRAISING CONCERT A GIFT OF MUSIC

Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Singapore Symphony Chorus

Singapore Symphony Youth Choir

Singapore Symphony Children’s Choir

Rodolfo Barráez Associate Conductor

Eudenice Palaruan Choral Director

Wong Lai Foon Choirmaster

Merry Christmas! It’s that time of the year again when the Singapore Symphony family dresses the stage with musical joy and blessed harmonies for the yuletide season. Join us in our annual celebration, a perfect way to add cheer to your year-end festivities!

&

FRI & SAT 7.30pm

Esplanade Concert Hall

$15 - $88

S

RACHMANINOFF PIANO CONCERTO 2 AND SYMPHONY 2

ROMANTIC VIRTUOSITY

Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Hans Graf Music Director

Garrick Ohlsson piano*

“Do what the composer did, not what he wrote,” so said veteran American pianist Garrick Ohlsson of Rachmaninoff. The famous fate-laden opening of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 here is only the beginning of the sweeping Romanticism and dazzling flair of two back-to-back Rachmaninoff programmes led by Singapore Symphony Music Director Hans Graf. Be prepared for a tear-inducing journey of heartfelt emotion – this is the music that brought Rachmaninoff out of despair and into immortal fame.

RACHMANINOFF Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18*

Symphony No. 2 in E minor, Op. 27

DARIO ACOSTA

18 & 19

THU & FRI 7.30pm

Esplanade Concert Hall

S

RACHMANINOFF PIANO CONCERTO 3 AND SYMPHONY 3

FIRE AND LYRICISM

Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Hans Graf Music Director

Jae-Hyuck Cho piano*

A towering masterpiece resplendent with intense, soaring passion, Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 is the music of a soul bared to its heart. “Nothing in life worth anything comes easy”, so says Korean pianist Jae-Hyuck Cho, whose recordings of the Rachmaninoff Concertos with Hans Graf have been described as a “marriage of fire and lyricism [that] is perfectly judged; Graf is ever the perfect musical partner”. Witness this for yourself, then bask in the wondrous colours of Rachmaninoff’s beautiful Third Symphony.

RACHMANINOFF Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor. Op. 30*

Symphony No. 3 in A minor, Op. 44

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

© NIKOLAJ LUND ©

26 & 27

FRI & SAT 7.30pm

Esplanade Concert Hall

E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL –FILM WITH LIVE ORCHESTRA

MUSIC BY JOHN WILLIAMS

Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Joshua Tan conductor

Director Steven Spielberg’s heartwarming masterpiece is one of the brightest stars in motion picture history. Filled with unparalleled magic and imagination, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial follows the moving story of a lost little alien who befriends a 10-year-old boy named Elliott. Experience all the mystery and fun of their unforgettable adventure in the beloved movie that captivated audiences around the world, complete with John Williams’ Academy Award®-winning score performed live by a full symphony orchestra in sync to the film projected on a huge HD screen! ©A.M.P.A.S.®

This is a live orchestra concert presentation with film screening.

1 MAR

FRI 7.30pm

Esplanade Concert Hall

$15 - $88

LAN SHUI AND BOMSORI RAPTURE AND TITAN

NIELSEN Violin Concerto, Op. 33* MAHLER Symphony No. 1 in D major “Titan” S

Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Lan Shui Conductor Laureate Bomsori Kim violin*

Lan Shui, Conductor Laureate of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, returns to conduct the SSO! Mahler’s monumental symphonies have been a signature of his programming as SSO Music Director from 1997 to 2019 – look forward to this rendition of the First under his baton. Korean superstar violinist Bomsori Kim shines in the first half with the panoramic splendour of Nielsen’s Violin Concerto.

SAT 11am & 2pm 16 MAR

Esplanade Concert Hall

$25, $35 Family package available

SLEEPOVER AT THE MUSEUM

BY DAVID BUCS

Imagine spending your birthday at a museum! Follow Mason and his friends with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra on a musical and scientific scavenger hunt through the exhibits. Based on the book by composer and author Karen LeFrak, ardent champion of musical and literary education for children, this concert for children is perfect for museum lovers and adventure-seekers, and as an introduction to classical music.

Singapore Symphony Orchestra Rodolfo Barráez Associate Conductor Tan Rui Shan narrator

Features orchestra with narrator and projected images. Suitable for ages 7 and above. No admission for infants-in-arms. No admission without a ticket.

23 MAR

SAT 7.30pm

Esplanade Concert Hall

$15 - $88

S

Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Gábor Káli conductor

Dénes Várjon piano*

THE HUNGARIAN CONNECTION – BRAHMS PIANO CONCERTO 1

HUANG RUO Tipping Point Asian Premiere/SSO Co-commission

BRAHMS Piano Concerto No. 1 in D minor, Op. 15*

BARTÓK Concerto For Orchestra

The genesis of Brahms’s First Piano Concerto, a rhapsodic treasure of the Romantic piano concerto repertory, involved the correspondence and support of none other than legendary Hungarian violinist-conductor Joseph Joachim. Fast-forward 165 years since the premiere, the Budapest-born pianist, Dénes Várjon, joins his Hungarian compatriot Gábor Káli to present this masterpiece of symphonic proportions. Bartók’s well-known Concerto For Orchestra, named for its virtuosic writing for every instrument of the orchestra, makes a terrific showcase of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra.

29

&

30 MAR

FRI & SAT 7.30pm

Victoria Concert Hall

$15 - $88

S

Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Gabriel Venzago conductor

Jin Ta flute*

JOHN WILLIAMS –ESSAY AND FLUTE CONCERTO

JOHN WILLIAMS Essay for Strings Asian Premiere Flute Concerto* Asian Premiere

BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 36

A dark and mysterious atmosphere fills the Essay for Strings by John Williams, the most famous film composer of our times. You may be more familiar with his music for the movies, but you’ll certainly hear a dramatic hint of his well-known scores in the Essay and his Japanese-influenced Flute Concerto, starring SSO Principal Flute and Stephen Riady Chair, Jin Ta. The blistering energy of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 2 makes an exciting contrast in the second half.

6 APR

SAT 7.30pm

Esplanade Concert Hall

$25 - $128

OLGA PERETYATKO –A NIGHT AT THE OPERA CASTA DIVA

Truly enchanting, dazzling, luxurious – soprano Olga Peretyatko has charmed audiences all over the world with her voice, singing opera roles by Mozart, Donizetti, Bellini, Rossini, Verdi and other composers. Join the Singapore Symphony Orchestra and the acclaimed Mikhail Agrest as they accompany her in a night of the most cherished opera arias from the French and Italian repertory.

BIZET Carmen Suite No. 1

“Ouvre ton coeur” from Vasco de Gama

“Me voila seule dans la nuit” from Le Pecheurs de Perles

CHABRIER Lamento

MASSENET Gavotte from Manon

GOUNOD Valse from Roméo et Juliette

DONIZETTI Overture to Don Pasquale

“Quel guardo il cavaliere” from Don Pasquale

BELLINI “Casta Diva” from Norma

PUCCINI Preludio Sinfonico

VERDI “D’amor sull’ali rose” from Il trovatore “Merce dilette amici” from I vespri Siciliani

Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Mikhail Agrest conductor

Olga Peretyatko soprano

Mikhail Agrest

12 & 13 APR

FRI & SAT 7.30pm

Victoria Concert Hall $15 - $88

S

KREISLER, STRAVINSKY AND MOZART REDISCOVERING THE PAST

KREISLER Violin Concerto in the Style of Vivaldi

STRAVINSKY Pulcinella Suite

MOZART Symphony No. 38 in D major, K. 504 “Prague”

Italian Baroque, French ballet, Viennese ingenuity, Czech inspiration are the many facets of Europe that illuminate this concert. We hear the rarely performed Violin Concerto by Fritz Kreisler, who once passed it off as Vivaldi’s handiwork, Stravinsky’s comedic ballet inspired by Italian legend and Mozart’s lively Prague Symphony. Danish violinist-conductor Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider leads the Singapore Symphony in this light-hearted, charming programme.

Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider conductor/violin

BRAHMS REQUIEM AND SCHUMANN CELLO CONCERTO SOLACE FOR HUMANITY

SAT 7.30pm

Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Singapore National Youth Orchestra

Singapore Symphony Chorus^

Singapore Symphony Youth Choir^

Hans Graf Music Director

Eudenice Palaruan Choral Director

Wong Lai Foon Choirmaster

Qin Li-Wei cello*

Susanna Andersson soprano^

20 APR SSO 23/24 SEASON 47

SCHUMANN Cello Concerto in A minor, Op. 129*

BRAHMS Ein deutsches Requiem^

Bo Skovhus baritone^

Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. Brahms wrote his Requiem not to mourn the dead, but to give solace to the bereaved. Brahms himself lost a dear friend and mentor when Schumann died in 1856. The latter never heard his Cello Concerto performed. Their music comes to life in this soul-searching programme featuring Singapore-based Australian cellist Qin Li-Wei in Schumann’s Cello Concerto and the Singapore National Youth Orchestra playing side-by-side with the SSO. The Singapore Symphony Chorus and Youth Choir, Swedish soprano Susanna Andersson and Danish baritone Bo Skovhus lend their voices to Brahms’s Requiem.

SAT 7.30pm

Esplanade Concert Hall

$15 - $88

RAVEL’S SPAIN RAPSODIE ESPAGNOLE

Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Hans Graf Music Director

Jade Tan mezzo-soprano/Concepción

Bo Skovhus baritone/Ramiro

¡Ole! Expect sumptuous songs, Flamenco rhythms, wry humour and an orchestral swirl of colours unique to the French masters in this evening of music inspired by Spain. Ravel’s one-act comédie musicale The Spanish Hour will be semi-staged with Singaporean mezzo-soprano Jade Tan in the leading role, while baritone Bo Skovhus serenades his perfect lady in the enchanting songs of Don Quichotte à Dulcinée. This magical night conducted by Singapore Symphony Music Director Hans Graf also displays the orchestra in Ravel’s full sonic canvas, from the evocative Rapsodie espagnole to the electrifying, utterly unforgettable Boléro.

RAVEL L’Heure espagnole (The Spanish Hour)

Rapsodie espagnole

Chanson espagnole

Pièce en forme de habanera (orch. Hoérée)

Don Quichotte à Dulcinée

Boléro

With surtitles in English.

MAY

2 & 3

THU & FRI 7.30pm

TCHAIKOVSKY AND PROKOFIEV –HANS GRAF AND BENJAMIN SCHMID

TCHAIKOVSKY Romeo and Juliet Overture-Fantasy PROKOFIEV Violin Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 63*

TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op. 64 S

Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Hans Graf Music Director

Benjamin Schmid violin*

Tchaikovsky holds nothing back in his tremendous Fifth Symphony, a towering work with its heart fully on its sleeve, nor in his turbulent overture encapsulating the passion and angst of Romeo and Juliet. Couple these with the lyrical desolation of Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No. 2, starring the versatile and critically acclaimed violinist Benjamin Schmid, and you have a lavish programme of Romantic fervour and piquant modernity that will not fail to please.

22 MAY | POETRY OF THE HARP – XAVIER DE MAISTRE

WED 7.30pm

Victoria Concert Hall

$20 - $60

Details in VCHpresents section

MAY

25

SAT 7.30pm

Esplanade Concert Hall

$15 - $88

S

Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Pierre Bleuse conductor

Xavier de Maistre harp*

VIRTUOSE DE LA HARPE –XAVIER DE MAISTRE FROM ROME TO ARGENTINA

RESPIGHI Fountains of Rome

GINASTERA Harp Concerto, Op. 25*

RESPIGHI Roman Festivals

The scintillating beauty and spellbinding modernity of Ginastera’s Harp Concerto reveal the rich compositional style of the Argentine composer. Acclaimed French harpist Xavier de Maistre makes a striking soloist in this colourful, evocative work. No less thrilling are Respighi’s shimmering tributes to ancient Rome in this orchestral pageant led by French maestro Pierre Bleuse.

SAT 7.30pm

Esplanade Concert Hall

$15 - $88

S

EMPEROR CONCERTO AND SYMPHONIE FANTASTIQUE SPIRIT OF THE ROMANTICS

Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Pierre Bleuse conductor

Paul Lewis piano*

Beethoven’s aptly named Emperor Piano Concerto is music of magnificent, heroic nobility matching the composer’s legend.

Berlioz’s spectacular Symphonie fantastique, another concert hall favourite, is a torrid musical drama – lovestruck, intoxicating, tender, obsessive – a symphonic arc of Romantic fervour and inevitable doom. Join the Singapore Symphony Orchestra in this final, epic chapter of the 2023/24 season.

KOH CHENG JIN SSO New Commission

BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat major, Op. 73 “Emperor”*

BERLIOZ Symphonie fantastique

Free Concerts

Every season, the Singapore Symphony Orchestra presents free concerts in July, March and May, bringing the beauty and joy of classical music to people all around Singapore - from our home at the Victoria Concert Hall to residential neighbourhoods and our nation’s gardens.

Singapore Symphony Orchestra

2023

WED 12.30pm 19 JUL SSO LUNCHTIME CONCERT Victoria Concert Hall

FRI 7.30pm 21 JUL SAT 6pm 22 JUL

Rodolfo Barráez Associate Conductor Venue Partners

SSO IN YOUR COMMUNITY

Anglo-Chinese School (Independent)

TEMASEK FOUNDATION SSO

SYMPHONY IN THE GARDENS

Shaw Foundation Symphony Stage, Singapore Botanic Gardens

CONCERTSFREE

Concert

The Singapore Symphony’s VCHpresents series is a showcase of the finest musicians from Singapore and around the world. Divided into Chamber, Organ, Baroque Festival and Intimate Moments programmes, expect a plethora of diverse programmes traditional and unexpected in this series exclusive to the Victoria Concert Hall.

VCHpresents Organ concerts are sponsored by Lee Foundation

20 AUG | ORGAN

ACOUSTIC SHOCK – AN ORGAN AND ELECTRONIC MUSIC SPECTACULAR

SUN 4pm | $5

Highlights

LARRY KING Fanfares to the Tongues of Fire

JONATHAN HARVEY Toccata for organ and tape

Anne Maria Lim organ Benjamin Ang electronic music producer

12 & 13 SEP |

乐享时光 | 琴云秋乐

Intimate Moments: Nocturne Conversations held in Mandarin only

TUE & WED 7.30pm VCH Dance Studio | $20

Yao Xiao Yun piano Musicians of the SSO

1 OCT | ORGAN

UNBOXING THE ORGAN WITH DR PHOON YU AND THE LORONG BOYS

SUN 4pm | $5

Highlights

J.S. BACH Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott, BWV 720

Arr. LORONG BOYS & AUGUST LUM Shape of Paganini

Arr. LORONG BOYS Thus Rocked Zarathustra

Phoon Yu organ

Lorong Boys

15 OCT | CHAMBER

LEONIDAS KAVAKOS IN RECITAL

SUN 4pm | $20 - $70

BEETHOVEN Violin Sonata No. 1 in D major, Op. 12

BARTÓK Violin Sonata No. 2

RAVEL Violin Sonata No. 2 in G major

FRANCK Violin Sonata in A major

Leonidas Kavakos violin

Enrico Pace piano

28 & 29 OCT | ORGAN A HAUNTED HALLOWEEN HYMN

SAT 7.30pm, SUN 4pm | $10

Singapore Symphony Chorus

Eudenice Palaruan Choral Director

Loraine Muthiah organ

2 NOV

| BAROQUE FESTIVAL

BACH’S BRANDENBURG CONCERTOS PART I

THU 7.30pm | $20 - $45

J.S. BACH Brandenburg Concertos No. 1, 2 & 3 VIVALDI Concerto for Two Violins and Cello in D minor

Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Andrew Arthur harpsichord/conductor

3 NOV |

BAROQUE FESTIVAL

BACH’S BRANDENBURG CONCERTOS PART II

FRI 7.30pm | $20 - $45

J.S. BACH Brandenburg Concertos No. 4, 5 & 6 Concerto for Harpsichord and Strings in F minor, BWV 1056

Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Andrew Arthur harpsichord/conductor

10 DEC | CHAMBER

MOONLIGHT, PATHÉTIQUE AND APPASSIONATA

SUN 4pm | $20 - $60

BEETHOVEN

Piano Sonata No. 8 “Pathétique”

Piano Sonata No. 14 “Moonlight”

Piano Sonata No. 10

Piano Sonata No. 23 “Appassionata”

Rudolf Buchbinder piano

2024

5 & 6 JAN | CHAMBER

CHLOE AND ISAAC GO BAROQUE

FRI & SAT 7.30pm | $20, $30

Highlights

VERACINI Largo

VITALI Chaconne in G minor

TARTINI Variations on a Theme by Corelli

TARTINI Devil’s Trill Sonata

LOCATELLI Concerto No. 1 in D major, Op. 3 No. 1

MILSTEIN Paganiniana

Chloe Chua violin/Artist-In-Residence

Isaac Lee organ

3 & 4 FEB | CHAMBER | FIGARO IN A POCKET

SAT 7.30pm, SUN 4pm | $20, $30

MOZART The Marriage of Figaro

Wang Xiaoming violin/concertmaster

Musicians of the SSO

© MARCO BORGGREVE

25 FEB | CHAMBER

SUNDAY AFTERNOON FANCIES

SSO-FRCS Joint Fundraising Concert

SUN 4pm | $20

Highlights

FINZI My Spirit Sang All Day

TAVENER The Lamb

ELGAR Serenade for Strings

SHEARING Selections from Songs and Sonnets from Shakespeare

VAUGHAN WILLIAMS Fantasia on Greensleeves

RUTTER Selections from Fancies

Singapore Symphony Youth Choir

Wong Lai Foon Choirmaster

Musicians of the SSO

14 MAR | CHAMBER | SMETANA, MOZART AND BARBER

THU 7.30pm | $20

MOZART String Quartet No. 9 in A major, K. 169

BARBER String Quartet in B minor, Op. 11

SMETANA String Quartet No. 2 in D minor

Musicians of the SSO

23 MAR | ORGAN

CREATION DANCE – RICHARD BRASIER

SAT 7.30pm | $5

NEIL COX Creation Dance

MOZART Adagio in B minor, K. 540

J.S. BACH Prelude and Fugue in D major, BWV 532

AD WAMMES Miroir

LISZT Ave Maria d’Arcadelt

FRANCK Final, Op. 21 (1859 version)

Richard Brasier organ

Supported by the Singapore Chapter of the American Guild of Organists (AGO Singapore)

Masterclass on 24 Mar, 3pm at VCH. Registration managed by AGO Singapore.

17 MAY | CHAMBER | SMETANA AND DVOŘÁK

FRI 7.30pm | $20

SMETANA Piano Trio in G minor, Op. 15

DVOŘÁK String Quintet No. 2 in G major, Op. 77

Musicians of the SSO

19 MAY | CHAMBER

THE PAVEL HAAS QUARTET

SUN 7.30pm | $20, $30

Programme to be announced

Pavel Haas Quartet

22 MAY | CHAMBER

POETRY OF THE HARP – XAVIER DE MAISTRE

WED 7.30pm | $20 - $60

PESCETTI Sonata in C minor

DUSSEK Sonata No. 13 in C minor, Op. 35, No. 3

TARREGA Recuerdos de la Alhambra

DE FALLA Spanish Dance No. 1 from La vida breve

FAURÉ Impromptu No. 6 in D-flat major, Op. 86

GRANADOS Valses Poéticos

DEBUSSY Arabesque No. 1

RENIE Légende

Xavier de Maistre harp

15

JUN | ORGAN | THE CROW AND THE DOVE

SAT 2pm & 5pm | $10

Highlights

J.S. BACH Allegro Moderato from Organ Sonata No. 1 in E-flat major, BWV 525

E. PALARUAN The Crow and the Dove SSO COMMISSION

Phoon Yu organ

Eudenice Palaruan percussion

Margaret Chen narrator

Ane Lagumen choreographer

Jos Daniel Andes dancer

Jos David Andes dancer

Ana Graciela Andes dancer

ILLUSTRATION BY SHERILYN LIM

© NIKOLAJ LUND

© MARCO BORGGREVE

the SSO

Play your part

With You, WE CAN BUILD The Future of Music.

How can you help?

While SSO is supported partially by funding from the Singapore government, a significant part can only be unlocked as matching grants when we receive donations from the public. If you are in a position to do so, please consider making a donation to support your orchestra – Build the future by giving in the present.

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

COMPLIMENTARY TICKETS*

DONOR RECOGNITION & PUBLIC ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Donations of $100 and above will entitle you to priority bookings, and discounts^ on SSG Concerts.  For tax residents of Singapore, all donations may be entitled to a tax deduction of 2.5 times the value of your donation.

*Complimentary ticket benefits do not apply to Esplanade & Premier Box seats, or supporters who give through a fundraising event. ^Discounts are not applicable for purchase of Esplanade & Premier Box seats.

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

A Standing Ovation

We recognise major gifts that help sustain the future of the Singapore Symphony Group. The recognition includes naming of a position in the SSO or in our affiliated performance groups such as the Singapore National Youth Orchestra and the Singapore Symphony Choruses.

SSO CONCERTMASTER GK GOH CHAIR

In July 2017, the SSO established the GK Goh Chair for the Concertmaster. Mr Goh Geok Khim and his family have been long-time supporters of the national orchestra. We are grateful for the donations from his family and friends towards this Chair, especially Mr and Mrs Goh Yew Lin for their most generous contribution.

Mr Igor Yuzefovich was the inaugural GK Goh Concertmaster Chair from July 2017 to June 2018. The position is currently vacant.

SSO PRINCIPAL CELLO THE HEAD FOUNDATION CHAIR

In recognition of a generous gift from The HEAD Foundation, we announced the naming of our Principal Cello, “The HEAD Foundation Chair” in November 2019. The Chair is currently held by Principal Cellist Ng Pei-Sian.

SSO PRINCIPAL FLUTE STEPHEN RIADY CHAIR

In recognition of a generous gift from Dr Stephen Riady, we announced in May 2022 the naming of our Principal Flute, “Stephen Riady Chair”. The position is currently held by our Principal Flutist Jin Ta.

For more information, please write to director_development@sso.org.sg.

SSO SUPPORTERS

To Our Donor Patrons

PATRON SPONSOR

Tote Board Group

(Tote Board, Singapore Pools & Singapore Turf Club)

MAESTRO CIRCLE

Mr & Mrs Goh Yew Lin

Stephen Riady Group of Foundations

Temasek Foundation

The HEAD Foundation

CONCERTMASTER CIRCLE

Yong Hon Kong Foundation

SYMPHONY CIRCLE

Prof Arnoud De Meyer

Dr & Mrs Antoine & Christina Firmenich

Foundation of Rotary Clubs (Singapore) Ltd

Rod Hyland

Lee Foundation

The Santosa Family

CONCERTO CIRCLE

Dennis Au & Geraldine Choong

Bloomberg Singapore Pte Ltd

Cavazos Tinajero Family

Vivian Chandran

Cara & Tamara Chang

Jerry Chang

Chng Hak-Peng

Chua Khee Chin

Embassy of France in Singapore

Far East Organization

Holywell Foundation

The Tanoto Family

United Overseas Bank Ltd

Geoffrey & Ai Ai Wong

Yong Ying-I

Dr Thomas Zuellig & Mary Zuellig

OVERTURE PATRONS

Prof Cham Tao Soon

Alan Chan

Prof Chan Heng Chee

Mr & Mrs Choo Chiau Beng

Dr & Mrs Choy Khai Meng

Christopher Fussner

Dorian Goh & Rathi Ho

Hong Leong Foundation

Vanessa & Darren Iloste

Liew Wei Li

Mavis Lim Geck Chin

Liu Chee Ming

Marina Bay Sands

Devika & Sanjiv Misra

Kai Nargolwala

Nomura Asset Management Singapore

NSL Ltd

Dr Eddy Ooi

Pavilion Capital

Petrochemical Corporation of Singapore

Prada Singapore

Prima Limited

Alexey Rumyantsev

Priscylla Shaw

Prof Gralf & Silvia Sieghold

Tan Meng Cheng Ivan

Wong Hong Ching

Yasmin Zahid

Anonymous (3)

We would like to express our deepest appreciation to the following individuals and organisations who support our mission to create memorable shared experiences with music in the past year.

Without your support, it would be impossible for the SSO to continue to strive for artistic excellence and touch the hearts of audiences.

SERENADE PATRONS

John & Eliza Bittleston

Bryan Carmichael

KC Chuang

DBS

The Gangoso Family

Jerry Gwee

Dr Guy Hentsch & G. Yu

Ho Bee Foundation

Steven & Liwen Holmes

Katherine Kennedy-White

Dr & Mrs Adrian Koh

Lorinne Kon

Kris Tan Foundation

Dr Leong Keng Hong

Charmaine Lim

Mak Hoe Kit

Frans & Marie-Pierre Mol

msm-productions

Ms Oang Nguyen & Dr Dang Vu

nTan Corporate Advisory Pte Ltd

Ong Kong Hong

Poh Tiong Choon Logistics Limited

PropertyGuru Group

David Ramli

Robin & Katie Rawlings

Sembcorp Energy For Good Fund

Tan Seow Yen

Andrew & Stephanie Vigar

David & Catherine Zemans

Anonymous (6)

GU BING JIE FIXED CHAIR VIOLA

RHAPSODY PATRONS

Marcelo Viccario Achoa & Silvia Bordoni

Jeanie Cheah

Evelyn Chin

Adrian Chua Tsen Leong

Hartley & Hong Lynn Clay

Guo Zhenru

Mr & Mrs Winston Hauw

Angela Huang & Geo Chen

Kaiyan Asplund & Family

Khoo Boon Hui

Sajith Kumar

Lee Shu Yen

Viktor & Sonja Leendertz

PRELUDE PATRONS

Dr Brenda Ang

Ang Jian Zhong

Pauline Ang

Selina Boey

Chan Ah Khim

Yuna Chang

Cynthia Chee

Dr Jonathan Chee

Dr Christopher Chen

Cheng Eng Aun

Cheng Wei

Jase Cheok

Peter Chew

Dr Faith Chia

Bobby Chin

Anthony Chng

Chor Siew Chun

Jonathan A. Chu

Clarence Chua

Pierre Colignon

DCP

Dong Yingqiu

Mr & Mrs Jeremy Ee

Jamie Lloyd Evans

Karen Fawcett & Alisdair Ferrie

Henning Figge

John & Pauline Foo

Gan Yit Koon

Goh Chiu Gak

Mrs Goh Keng Hoong

Michael Goh

P Goh

Charissa Gurvinder

Richard Hartung

Dr Darren Lim

Dr Victor Lim

Junko & Stuart Liventals

JN Loh

Richard Loh

Prof Tamas Makany & Julie Schiller

Francoise Mei

Esme Parish & Martin Edwards

Preetha Pillai

Daniel Poller

Ian & Freda Rickword

Charles Robertson

The Sohn Yong Family

Ron & Janet Stride

Tibor Szabady

Christopher SC Tan

Gillian & Daniel Tan

Aileen Tang

Tang See Chim

Anthony Tay

Amanda Walujo

Eric Wong

Wicky Wong

Anonymous (8)

Henry & Tiffany Ho Jun Yi

Dr Ho Su Ling

Jiang Wenzhu

Arjun Jolly

Duncan Kauffman

Ad Ketelaars

Ernest Khoo

Khor Cheng Kian

Belinda Koh Yuh Ling

Terri Koh

In Memory of Timothy Kok Tse En

Colin Lang

Lau Soo Lui

Dr & Mrs Winson Lay

Joshen Lee

Kristen Lee

SC & WY Leong

Voon S Leong

Lisa Liaw

Edith & Sean Lim

Lim Yuin Wen

Rachel Lin

Low Boon Hon

Alwyn Loy

Andre Maniam

Dr Tashiya Mirando

Daniel Ng

Ng Wan Ching & Wong Meng Leong

Ngiam Shih Chun

Joy Ochiai

Monique Ong

Phua Siyu Audrey

Chris Pinnick & Josephine Jung

Lerrath Rewtrakulpaiboon

Robert Khan & Co Pte Ltd

Danai Sae-Han

Yuri Sayawaki

Thierry Schrimpf

In Memory of Lisa Schröder

Omar Slim

Marcel Smit & Hanneke Verbeek

Soh Leng Wan

Songs

Bernard Tan

Celine Tan

Tan Cheng Guan

Tan Chin Beng

Dr Giles Ming Yee Tan

Gordon HL Tan

Casey Tan Khai Hee

Tan Pei Jie

Prof Tan Ser Kiat

Tan Yee Deng

Alex Tesei

Vidula Verma

Stephan Wang

Retno Whitty

Dr Wong Hin-Yan

Jinny Wong

Wong Yan Lei Grace

Jennifer S Wu

Wu Peihui

Marcel & Melissa Xu

Peter Yap Wan Shern

Yong Seow Kin

Lei Zhang

Anonymous (41)

This list reflects donations that were made from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023. 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.

KAREN YEO FIXED CHAIR DOUBLE BASS

CORPORATE PATRONAGE

Form a special relationship with Singapore’s national orchestra and increase your brand recognition among an influential and growing audience.

SPONSORSHIP

We provide our Corporate Patrons with impressive entertainment and significant branding opportunities. Through our tailored sponsorship packages, corporates may benefit from:

• Publicity and hospitality opportunities at an SSO concert or your private event,

• Acknowledgement and mentions in SSO’s key publicity channels,

• National Arts Council (NAC) Patron of the Arts nominations

• Tax benefits.

Sponsorship packages start at $10,000 and can be tailored to your company’s branding needs.

PARTNERSHIP

We partner with various corporates through tailored in-kind sponsorship and exchange of services. Current and recent partnerships include Official Hotel, Official Airline, and we offer other exciting titles.

HEARTFELT THANKS TO OUR CORPORATE PATRONS

Temasek Foundation

The HEAD Foundation

Stephen Riady Group of Foundations

Yong Hon Kong Foundation

Lee Foundation

Foundation of Rotary Clubs (Singapore) Ltd

Embassy of France in Singapore

Bloomberg Singapore Pte Ltd

Far East Organization

Holywell Foundation

IN-KIND SPONSORS

Raffles Hotel Singapore

SMRT Corporation

Singapore Airlines

Conrad Centennial Singapore Symphony 924

ADVERTISING

Our corporate advertising packages start at $2,500, with platforms such as the Corporate E-newsletter Bravissimo, SSO’s website and concert booklets.

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

GAO JIAN ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL HORN

COMMITTEES

NOMINATING AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Goh Yew Lin (Chair)

Prof Arnoud De Meyer (Treasurer)

Geoffrey Wong

Yong Ying-I

HUMAN RESOURCES COMMITTEE

Yong Ying-I (Chair)

Chng Kai Fong

Prof Arnoud De Meyer

Heinrich Grafe

Doris Sohmen-Pao

INVESTMENT COMMITTEE

Geoffrey Wong (Chair)

Sanjiv Misra

David Goh

Alex Lee

AUDIT COMMITTEE

Yee Chen Fah (Chair)

Warren Fernandez

Lim Mei

Jovi Seet

SNYO COMMITTEE

Liew Wei Li (Chair)

Prof Qin Li-Wei

Benjamin Goh

Vivien Goh

Dr Kee Kirk Chin

Clara Lim-Tan

SSO COUNCIL

Alan Chan (Chair)

Odile Benjamin

Prof Chan Heng Chee

Choo Chiau Beng

Dr Geh Min

Heinrich Grafe

Khoo Boon Hui

Lim Mei

JY Pillay

Dr Stephen Riady

Priscylla Shaw

Prof Gralf Sieghold

Andreas Sohmen-Pao

Prof Bernard Tan

Dr Tan Chin Nam

Tan Choo Leng

Tan Soo Nan

Wee Ee Cheong

SSO MUSICIANS’ COMMITTEE

Mario Choo

David Smith

Wang Xu

Christoph Wichert

Yang Zhengyi

Elaine Yeo

Zhao Tian

SINGAPORE SYMPHONY GROUP ADMINISTRATION

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Kenneth Kwok

CEO OFFICE

Shirin Foo

Musriah Bte Md Salleh

ARTISTIC PLANNING

Hans Sørensen (Head)

Artistic Administration

Teo Chew Yen

Jodie Chiang

Michelle Yeo

Lynnette Chng

OPERATIONS

Ernest Khoo (Head)

Library

Lim Lip Hua

Avik Chari

Wong Yi Wen

Orchestra Management

Chia Jit Min (Head)

Peck Xin Hui

Kevin Yeoh

Production Management

Noraihan Bte Nordin

Leong Shan Yi

Asyiq Iqmal

Ramayah Elango

Khairi Edzhairee

Khairul Nizam

Digital Production

Jan Soh

COMMUNITY IMPACT

Kok Tse Wei (Head)

Community Engagement

Kua Li Leng (Head)

Erin Tan

Whitney Tan

Samantha Lim

Terrence Wong

Choral Programmes

Kua Li Leng (Head)

Regina Lee

Chang Hai Wen

Singapore National Youth

Orchestra

Pang Siu Yuin (Head)

Tang Ya Yun

Tan Sing Yee

Ridha Ridza

ABRSM

Patricia Yee

Lai Li-Yng

Joong Siow Chong

Freddie Loh

May Looi

William Teo

PATRONS

Development

Chelsea Zhao (Head)

Anderlin Yeo

Nikki Chuang

Elliot Lim

Sharmilah Banu

Marketing and Communications

Cindy Lim (Head)

Chia Han-Leon

Calista Lee

Sean Tan

Myrtle Lee

Hong Shu Hui

Jana Loh

Sherilyn Lim

Elizabeth Low

Customer Experience

Randy Teo

Dacia Cheang

Joy Tagore

CORPORATE SERVICES

Finance, IT & Facilities

Rick Ong (Head)

Alan Ong

Goh Hoey Fen

Loh Chin Huat

Md Zailani Bin Md Said

Human Resources & Administration

Valeria Tan (Head)

Janice Yeo

Fionn Tan

Evelyn Siew

Organisation Development

Lillian Yin

SSO TICKET PRICES

Mischa Maisky and Han-Na Chang 29 & 30 Sep 2023

Prices before booking fees: $1 for tickets priced $20 and below, $3 for tickets priced $20.01 to $40, $4 for tickets above $40.

VCHPRESENTS TICKET PRICES

Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos Part I 2 Nov 2023

Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos Part II 3 Nov 2023

CHAMBER

Leonidas Kavakos in Recital 15 Oct 2023

Figaro in a Pocket 3 & 4 Feb 2024

Smetana, Mozart and Barber 14 Mar 2024

Smetana and Dvořák 17 May 2024

The

CONCERT BUNDLES

CONCERT A

Rudolf Buchbinder –Beethoven Piano Concertos 2 & 3

Rudolf Buchbinder –Beethoven Piano Concertos 1 & 4

Virtuose de la harpe –Xavier de Maistre

SSO Pops: The Music of Hans Zimmer

Baroque Festival

Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos Part I

Concerts for Children: [Pick one]

Little Red Riding Hood

Temasek Foundation SSO

Carnival of the Animals

Sleepover at the Museum

+

CONCERT B

VCHpresents Chamber: Moonlight, Pathétique and Appassionata

VCHpresents Chamber: Moonlight, Pathétique and Appassionata

Poetry of the Harp – Xavier de Maistre

SSO Pops: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial –Film with Live Orchestra

Baroque Festival

Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos Part II

Concerts for Children: [Pick another]

• • •

Little Red Riding Hood

Temasek Foundation SSO

Carnival of the Animals

Sleepover at the Museum

BUNDLE OFFER

2-concert bundle: 15% off Cat 1-3

2-concert bundle: 15% off Cat 1-3

2-concert bundle: 15% off Cat 1-3

2-concert bundle: 20% off Cat 1-3

2-concert bundle: 15% off Cat 1-2

2 concerts or more: 15% off

GUAN QI

ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL VIOLA

BOOK YOUR TICKETS

SSO Donors & SSO Friends Season Pass

Public

SSO Subscription, Gala, Christmas & Pops concerts

VCHpresents concerts

Family concerts

5 May 2023

20 Jun 2023

12 May 2023

23 Jun 2023

HOW

CORPORATE BOOKINGS

Please contact our Customer Experience Team at (65) 6602 4245, WhatsApp (65) 8282 3709 or email ticketing@sso.org.sg for assistance.

CONCESSIONS

Students, senior citizens (55 years and above), full-time NSFs and persons with disabilities (PWDs) enjoy concession discounts on production of identification. Venue ushers may request to view a valid concession pass. Concession tickets are strictly non-transferable.

ADMISSION GUIDELINES

Admission age: 7 years old

SSO Subscription & Gala Concerts

VCHpresents concerts, unless otherwise indicated

Admission age: 5 years old

Temasek Foundation SSO National Day Concert

SSO Christmas Fundraising Concert

SSO Pops: The Music of Hans Zimmer

SSO Pops: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial – Film with Live Orchestra

Young Symphony Explorers

Our Young Symphony Explorers initiative lets children and students enjoy world-class performances by SSO at the Esplanade Concert Hall and Victoria Concert Hall. School groups can apply for ticket prices as low as $10, and charity groups can apply for free tickets.

Concerts for Children

Little Red Riding Hood (9 & 10 Sep 2023)

Temasek Foundation SSO

Carnival of the Animals (17 & 18 Nov 2023)

Sleepover at the Museum (16 Mar 2024)

The Music of Hans Zimmer (14 & 15 Jul 2023)

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial – Film with Live Orchestra (26 & 27 Jan 2024)

SUPPORT THE YOUNG SYMPHONY EXPLORERS

Going to a concert for the first time can be an unforgettable experience for a young person.

We believe that every child should get to enjoy music, regardless of their financial situation. That is why we have set up the Young Symphony Explorers initiative. Through this programme we provide complimentary or discounted tickets to students and other children who may not have the means to attend our concerts.

To find out more and support with a donation, please write to Nikki Chuang at nikki@sso.org.sg.

Design Sherilyn Lim

Production Hong Shu Hui

Produced by Marketing & Communications, Singapore Symphony Group

The mission of the Group is to create memorable shared experiences with music. Through the SSO and its affiliated performing groups, we spread a 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.