Temasek Foundation x SSO National Day Concert 2025

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Temasek Foundation × SSO

National Day Concert 2025

Music of a Nation

16 Aug 2025

Esplanade Concert Hall

Presented

Temasek Foundation supportsprogrammesthat empowerpersonswithdisabilities, fosteringamoreinclusiveandcohesivesociety inSingaporeandacrosstheregion

Temasek Foundation supports a diverse range of programmes that upliftlivesandcommunitiesinAsiaincludingSingapore.Madepossible throughphilanthropicendowmentsgiftedbyTemasek,aninvestment companyheadquarteredinSingapore,TemasekFoundation’s programmesstrivetowardsachievingpositiveoutcomesforindividuals andcommunitiesnow,andforgenerationstocome.Collectively, TemasekFoundation’sprogrammesstrengthensocialresilience,foster internationalexchangeandregionalcapabilities,advancescience,and protecttheplanet. For more information,

The Purple Symphony, facilitated by Central Singapore Community Development CouncilSymphonyofFriendshipConcertinJohorBahru

Temasek Foundation × SSO

National Day Concert

Music of a Nation

Sat, 16 Aug 2025

Esplanade Concert Hall

Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Singapore Symphony Chorus

Singapore Symphony Youth Choir

Singapore Symphony Children’s Choir

Members of the Singapore National Youth Orchestra

Joshua Tan conductor

Ellissa Sayampanathan Assistant Choral Conductor

Jonathan Ong violin1

Lin Chien-Kwan saxophone2

Ng Pei-Sian cello3

Charlie Lim vocalist and electric guitarist3

Syakirah Noble vocalist3

Lily Goh deaf artist-performer

Priscilla Fong host

For the enjoyment of all patrons during the concert:

Please switch off or silence all electronic devices.

Please minimise noises during performance. If unavoidable, wait for a loud section in the music.

Go green. Digital programme books are available on www.sso.org.sg.

Accessibility: Singapore Sign Language Interpretation will be available for the concert.

Check-in to tonight’s concert

Scan this QR code with the Singapore Symphony Mobile App.

No photography, video or audio recording is allowed when artists are performing.

Non-flash photography is allowed only during bows and applause when no performance is taking place.

Photographs and videos will be taken at these events, in which you may appear. These may be published on the SSO’s publicity channels and materials. By attending the event, you consent to the use of these photographs and videos for the foregoing purposes.

Cover photo: Labso

UPCOMING CONCERTS

curated with families in mind

Young Spacefarer’s Guide to the Orchestra

6 Sep 2025

Sat, 11am & 2pm

Esplanade Concert Hall

Come on a musical trek through space! Help our lost adventurer search the musical cosmos in a journey of self-discovery.

SSO Babies’ Proms

13 & 14 Sep 2025

Sat & Sun, 11am & 2pm Victoria Concert Hall

$35, $45

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.

1 & 2 Nov 2025

Sat, 11am & 2pm l Sun, 11am

Victoria Concert Hall

Put on your spookiest costume this Halloween and join us in this fun-filled, musical Halloween Spooktacular of wily witches, grinning ghouls and stumbling skeletons!

Our Deepest Appreciation

To The SSO National Day Concert Donor Patrons

Kiau Nam by Izharul Haq

Supported by BinjaiTree

Chapteh: Take Flight! by Tan Yuting

Made possible by the people of Singapore

Alexey Filimonov

Cheng Eng Aun

Cheng Shuyun

Cindy

Claire & Ian Jones

Claudia & Henning Figge

Deborah Chee

Doris Song Mei Foong

Dr Chong Shin Min

Dr Keith Goh

Dr Yap Zhu Li

Eoin Ee

Eric Anziani

Evelyn Chin

Lisa Lee

MB Lyon Min Tan

Parthesh Gulawani

Rachel Yeo

Rosalind Tok

Shadi, Spice & Finn

Shaun Oon

Peribahasa by Eudenice Palaruan

Supported by Robert V & Vivian P J Chandran

Tama, Jasper & Chilli

Tan Siew Ling Celine

Teo Eng Chai

Terry Pin-Ming

Trucksis Sandra Jeanne

Vivien Goh

Wong Yan Lei Grace

YC Chen

Anonymous (17)

Through the Nebula – Concerto for Saxophone by Chok Kerong

Supported by SG60 Shining Stars & Supernovas

Between Two Worlds: 3 Songs for Voices and Orchestra (Into Dreams, Room at the Table and Home)

by Charlie Lim / Dick Lee (arr. Chok Kerong)

Supported by Quantedge

This list reflects donations that were made from 24 June 2025 to 3 August 2025. 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.giving.sg/donate/campaign/sso-ndc-2025 or by scanning the QR code.

Singapore Symphony Orchestra

The orchestra performs over 60 concerts a year, and its versatile repertoire spans alltime 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 community performances take place at the 673-seat Victoria Concert Hall, the Home of the SSO.

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 44week 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 23 best orchestras in the world.

From the 2026/27 season, the SSO will be led by Finnish conductor Hannu Lintu, the fourth Music Director in the orchestra’s history after Choo Hoey (1979–1996), Lan Shui (1997–2019) and Hans Graf (2020–2026).

Beyond Singapore, the SSO has performed in Europe, Asia, Australia and the United States. In the 2024/25 season, the SSO performed to full houses at Asia Orchestra Week in Kyoto, Japan, and made its “dazzling – and true-blue – Down Under debut” (Limelight) in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. 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 Herrmann’s Wuthering Heights (Chandos) and Scriabin – Poems of Ecstasy and Fire (BIS).

A complete Mozart Violin Concerto cycle with Singaporean violinist Chloe Chua conducted by Hans Graf is released in 2025 on Pentatone.

The SSO also leads the revival and recording of significant works such as Kozłowski’s Requiem, Ogerman’s Symbiosis (after Bill Evans) and violin concertos by Robert Russell Bennett and Vernon Duke.

The SSO has collaborated with such great artists as Vladimir Ashkenazy, Gustavo Dudamel, Charles Dutoit, Joe Hisaishi, Neeme Järvi, Lorin Maazel, Martha Argerich, Diana Damrau, Janine Jansen, Leonidas Kavakos, Lang Lang, Yo-Yo Ma, Mischa Maisky, Gil Shaham, Daniil Trifonov and Krystian Zimerman.

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

The Group’s vision is to be a leading arts organization that engages, inspires and reflects Singapore through musical excellence. Our mission 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.

© JACK YAM

The Orchestra

Hans Graf

Quantedge Music Director

Rodolfo Barráez

Associate Conductor

Choo Hoey

Conductor Emeritus

Lan Shui

Conductor Laureate

Eudenice Palaruan

Choral Director

Wong Lai Foon Choirmaster

Ellissa Sayampanathan

Assistant Choral Conductor

First Violin

(Position vacant) Concertmaster, GK Goh Chair

David Coucheron Co-Principal Guest Concertmaster

Kevin Lin Co-Principal Guest Concertmaster

Kong Zhao Hui1 Associate Concertmaster

Chan Yoong-Han2 Assistant Principal

Cao Can*

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

Sayuri Kuru Associate Principal

Nikolai Koval*

Hai-Won Kwok

Renyu Martin Peh^

Margit Saur

Shao Tao Tao

Wu Man Yun*

Xu Jueyi*

Yin Shu Zhan*

Zhao Tian

Viola

Manchin Zhang Principal, Tan Jiew Cheng Chair

Guan Qi Associate Principal

Gu Bing Jie* Assistant Principal

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 Assistant Principal

Chan Wei Shing

Christopher Mui

Jamshid Saydikarimov

Song Woon Teng

Wang Yan

Wu Dai Dai

Zhao Yu Er

Double Bass

Yang Zheng Yi Acting Principal

Karen Yeo Assistant Principal

Po-Yu Fang

Victor Lee

Jacek Mirucki

Wang Xu

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

Tang Xiao Ping Assistant Principal

Bassoon

Guo Siping Principal

Liu Chang Associate Principal

Christoph Wichert

Zhao Ying Xue

Contrabassoon

Zhao Ying Xue Assistant Principal

Horn

Austin Larson Principal

Gao Jian Associate Principal

Jamie Hersch Associate Principal

Marc-Antoine Robillard Associate Principal

Bryan Chong^

Hoang Van Hoc

Trumpet

Jon Paul Dante Principal

David Smith Associate Principal

Lau Wen Rong

Nuttakamon Supattranont

Trombone

Allen Meek Principal

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. Musician on annual contract.

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.

Guest Musicians

Temasek Foundation × SSO: National Day Concert 2025 16 Aug 2025

Second Violin

Zhao Yingna Guest Principal

Lim Shue Churn

Percussion

Julia Tan

Tan Pei Jie

Harp

Charmaine Teo

Piano

Beatrice Lin

Members of the Singapore National Youth Orchestra

First Violin

Jacob Cheng

Goh Shi Eun

Second Violin

Hannah Chung

Asher Ng

Viola

Skyler Goh

Jayden Kwan

Cello

Lloyd Loh

Shavaun Toh

Double Bass

Gideon Yen

Bass Trombone

Benjamin Lim

Joshua Tan

2nd Prize winner of the 2008 Dimitri Mitropoulos International Competition, Singaporean conductor Joshua Tan’s rise to prominence on the international scene has been marked by successful debuts in Carnegie Hall, Philharmonie Berlin, Mariinsky Hall and Bunkamura.

A graduate of The Juilliard School and the Eastman School of Music (High Distinction), he is an awardee of numerous scholarships and awards, such as the Young Artist Award, Singapore, Bruno Walter Memorial Foundation Award, NACShell Scholarship, and the SSO/MOE Scholarship.

Joshua has conducted orchestras all around the world. He has studied with various eminent conductors—James DePreist, Charles Dutoit, David Zinman and Kurt Masur—and worked with many others, such as Michael Tilson Thomas, Ingo Metzmacher and George Manahan.

Known as a versatile conductor, Joshua is at home with symphonic, operatic and ballet works. His substantial repertoire for opera includes La Traviata, Rigoletto, Das Rheingold, Der fliegende Holländer, Lohengrin, Carmen, among others. He is also equally adept with music for ballet, film and multimedia. For the latter, his extensive work include Disney’s Fantasia and Pixar, West Side Story, Jurassic Park and more.

Joshua is presently Music Director of the Singapore National Youth Orchestra and the Asia Virtuosi. He has served successful stints as Associate Conductor of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, Resident Conductor of the National Centre for the Performing Arts (China) Orchestra, and as Principal Conductor of the Guiyang Symphony Orchestra. Highlights of this season include debuts with Orchestre National de Bretagne, Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra, Hiroshima Symphony Orchestra as well as return engagements to Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, and with the Singapore Ballet for Romeo and Juliet and Cinderella

Ellissa Sayampanathan is a Singaporean conductor and music educator who believes in the building of community and music literacy through choral singing. Ellissa assumed the role of Assistant Choral Conductor of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) in 2024, after serving as the Choral Fellow (Conducting) since 2021. Over these years, Ellissa has been active as a conductor with the Singapore Symphony Choruses, instructor with the Training Wing of the Singapore Symphony Children’s Choir (SSCC) Training Wing, developed the SSCC’s current musicianship curriculum, and been involved in a variety of other community outreach programmes within the SSO.

Ellissa graduated from the University of Cambridge with a Master of Music (Choral Conducting), and studied Music Pedagogy at the Kodály Institute in Kecskemét (Hungary). She was a choral scholar with The Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge, has had the pleasure of traveling extensively with a variety of ensembles as either conductor, workshop clinician, singer, or soloist, and is ever-inspired by the lens of culture and history in musicmaking. She is grateful to have received mentorship in choral conducting from Stephen Layton, Pad Zoltán, Graham Ross, Geoffrey Webber, and Éva Rozgonyi.

Besides her work at the SSO, Ellissa currently serves as the Vice-President of the Choral Directors’ Association (Singapore), is a Founder and Director of Chroma, a choral collective based in Singapore, and conducts a number of school choirs, including choirs at the Methodist Girls’ School and St. Margaret’s School (Primary). She remains active as a singer in various ensembles, and relishes every opportunity to use her voice in music making. She spends part of her life developing curriculum and teaching classroom music for a number of preschools, and advocates for the arts to be accessible to all.

Ellissa Sayampanathan

Assistant Choral Conductor

For 45 years, the Singapore Symphony Chorus (SSC) has brought together passionate choristers from varied backgrounds to create stirring symphonic music that transcends language and culture. More than a choir, the SSC is a vibrant community where lasting bonds are forged beyond the stage.

Committed to artistic excellence, its dedicated members rehearse weekly, performing at celebrated venues like the Esplanade and Victoria Concert Halls. Under the baton of world-class conductors such as Okko Kamu, Lan Shui, Lim Yau, Masaaki Suzuki, and Sofi Jeannin, the SSC has built a rich repertoire featuring masterpieces like Tippett’s A Child of Our Time, Arvo Pärt’s Te Deum, Britten’s War Requiem, and Bach’s St John Passion

The chorus’s unwavering dedication to delivering outstanding performances makes the SSC a leading choral ensemble – a shining example of music’s power to unite people across generations and cultures.

Singapore Symphony Chorus

Celebrating Choral Excellence

Eudenice Palaruan Choral Director

Ellissa Sayampanathan Assistant Choral Conductor

Ng Sheh Feng Choral Associate

Wong Yang Kai Choral Associate

Shane Thio rehearsal pianist

Singapore Symphony Youth Choir

Inspiring Choral Passion

Wong Lai Foon Choirmaster

Ellissa Sayampanathan Assistant Choral Conductor

Evelyn Handrisanto rehearsal pianist

Bursting with energy and passion, the Singapore Symphony Youth Choir (SSYC) is a lively group aged 17 to 28, who thrive on breaking artistic boundaries and growing as one. Beyond making harmonies, the SSYC is a buzzing community where young voices come together to dive into symphonic choral adventures with the national orchestra.

Performing regularly at the Esplanade and Victoria Concert Halls, the SSYC tackles some of the most exciting and challenging choral works across diverse styles and genres. The SSYC regularly collaborates with visionary conductors including Lan Shui, Hans Graf, and Stephen Layton. Their impressive repertoire features highlights like Scriabin’s Prometheus, Puccini’s La Bohème, Tallis’s Why Fumeth in Fight, and Faure’s Requiem, along with recordings of Borodin’s Polovtsian Dances and Mahler’s Symphony No. 2.

The SSYC offers an unparalleled chance to learn and create memories with the seasoned professionals – setting the stage for the future of symphonic choral music.

© JACK YAM

The Singapore Symphony Children’s Choir (SSCC) offers young voices a thrilling gateway into the world of professional music-making. Singing alongside the Singapore Symphony Orchestra and renowned conductors, children discover not only the joy of performance but the discipline, confidence, and creativity that come with it.

Through its nurturing environment, the SSCC develops young children both musically and personally. It’s a space where artistry, friendship, and deep love for music come to life in every rehearsal and performance. Based at the Victoria Concert Hall, the choir has performed under the direction of esteemed conductors like Lim Yau, Sofi Jeannin, François-Xavier Roth, and Stephen Layton, and has shared the stage with The King’s Singers.

The SSCC’s impact extends beyond the concert hall, with appearances at national events and international collaborations in Paris and Kuala Lumpur, championing local music by commissioning works from Singaporean composers including Darius Lim, Zechariah Goh and Kelly Tang. Passionate, polished, and proudly Singaporean, the SSCC is shaping the next generation of choral excellence.

Singapore Symphony Children’s Choir

Nuturing Choral Brilliance

Wong Lai Foon Choirmaster

Ellissa Sayampanathan Assistant Choral Conductor Low Jinhong rehearsal pianist

© JACK YAM

The Choruses

Temasek Foundation × SSO: National Day Concert 2025 16 Aug 2025

Singapore Symphony Chorus

Soprano

Karen Aw

Josephine Budiana

Janice Chee

Alexis Chen

Chia Gin Gin

Elizabeth Daniel

Julie Demange Wodtke

Grace Goh

Vivien Heng

Kaitlyn Kim

Selina Kwek

Rachel Lam

Sun Lee

Aidah Lim

Liang Xinyu

Lin Wei

Ng Bee Kay

Shireen Sanbhani

Sarah Santhana

Andrea Yenny Sjah

Nelia Soelistia

Stacey Wang Espera

Vivienne Tan

Sarah Tang

Sachiko Tomimori

Gladys Torrado

Wang Yu-Ann

Alto

Grace Angel

Chan Mei Yoke

Joy Chen

Chng Xin Bei

Marie Amelie McKeand

Dieh Xin Xin

Truly Hutapea

Susan Kurniawati

Dorothy Lee-Teh

Wendy Lim

Shoumin Low

Sharon Low

H. Debbie Min

Sylwia Mirucka

Ng Beng Choo

Ng Sheh Feng*

Natividad Solaguren

Ena Su

Ratna Sutantio

Elsie Tan

Tan Seow Yen

Rina Ushioda

Wang Jiunwen

Nadine Yap

Elizabeth Yeo

Tenor

Jean-Michel Bardin

Chong Wei Sheng

Ivan De Jesus

Adrian Lim

Elton Lin

Jeroven Marquez

Ronald Ooi

Samuel Pažický

Rac Roldan

Ian Tan

Ben Wong

Yek Kwan

Bass

Ang Jian Zhong

Craig Chambers

Arthur Davis

Andy Jatmiko

Ethan Jerzak

Paul Kitamura

Justin Lee

Yen Phang

Teo Siak Hian

Michael Walsh

Wong Hin Yan

Wong Yang Kai*

*Choral Associate

Singapore Symphony Youth Choir

Soprano

Cham Li Teng

Halyn Cho

Goh Chen Xi

Jocelyne Harefa

Emily Hia

Rachael Jong

Laura Lee

Emma Lee-Goh

Melina Leong

Giselle Lim

Ng Yi Poh

Teryn Rim

Desiree Seng

Samyukta Sounderamann

Carine Tan

Christabelle Tan

Tan Caewyn

Janelle Tan

Naddy Teo

Jasmine Towndrow

Raeanne Wong

Shuwen

Chloe Zhou

Alto

Megan Fung

Elizabeth Goh

Trinetra Kumarasan

Zoe Li

Zachary Lim

Ong Sherlyn

Suri Rao

Emily Tan

Tan Yuqing

Tan Yulin

Tenor

Andre Ang

Hann Lyang

Alfonso Yuji Cortez

Jayden Moktan

Amos Pan

Seifer Ong

Stanley Yuan Chenye

Singapore Symphony Children’s Choir

Laurel Ang

Adele Chan

Lisa Chang

Samuel Chen

Elizabeth Chern

Chin Yi Hao

Paul Chong

Choo Yu En

Chua Jia Le

Deng Handing

Fu Yuqi

Graciella Gunawan

Nadia Hajadi

Callie Heng

Cloris Ho

Joshika Kandasamy

Ropheka Koo

Giselle Koh

Kok Xiu Yin

Athena Kong

Lucas Lee

Leong Zee Yen

Liew Ying En

Hebe Lim

Stephanie Lim

Eyzen Lim

Lu Yiche

Emma Mok

Lei Nakayasu

Ng Le Xi

Riann Ong

Ong Sze Ying

Pan Yueling

Marie Phua

Kaeshav Rajasekaran

Genevieve Seow

Siew Lok Yan

Allysa Tan

Ashley Tan

Brandon Tan

Caitlin Tan

Michael Tan

Bass

Leonard Buescher

Bryan Carmichael

Chai Chang Kai

Matthew Chiang

Liu Felix

Jon Loh

Loy Sheng Rui

Tan Hee

Joshua Tan

Dominic Tang

Wong Zhen Wei

Gwynever Tanan

Yuna Tano

Shania Tay

Germaine Teo

Xavier Tng

Mika Tobita

Rosie Tu

Julian Werstuik

Caresse Wisantoso

Joelle Wong

Joylene Wongso

Joyce Wu

Gracie Xie

Jessica Xu

Evelyn Xue

Yan Xinni

Yan Yichen

Cammi Yeo

Yu Rahee

Felix Zhang

Zhang Kangni

Jonathan Ong

violin

Singaporean violinist Jonathan Ong maintains a dynamic career as first violinist of the internationally acclaimed Verona Quartet. Hailed for his “charming and infectious” playing (South China Morning Post) and performances “possessed of perfection” (Oregon Arts Watch), Ong has appeared in major venues across Europe, Asia and North America such as Wigmore Hall, Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center and the Philharmonie de Paris. His 2024/25 season includes appearances at celebrated festivals and institutions such as the Smithsonian Institution, Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, Schneider Concerts, Bravo! Vail and Shanghai Symphony Hall.

A winner of the Concert Artists Guild Competition, Ong is also a laureate of numerous international competitions including the Wigmore Hall, Melbourne, Osaka, Chesapeake and Fischoff competitions. In 2020, his quartet was awarded the coveted Cleveland Quartet Award by Chamber Music America. Their second album, SHATTER, debuted at No. 1 on the U.S. Classical Billboard Charts, and was lauded for its “transportive quality” and “captivating playing” (BBC Music).

A passionate educator, Ong serves on the faculty of the Oberlin College & Conservatory and ENCORE Chamber Music Institute. Additionally, he serves as Director of the CREDO String Quartet Institute and Co-Artistic Director of the Lunenburg Academy of Music Performance. He holds degrees from The Juilliard School, New England Conservatory, Indiana University and the Eastman School of Music, and counts among his influential mentors Donald Weilerstein, Alexander Kerr, Paul Kantor and Lynette Lim.

Ong performs on the “Dos Amigos” violin made by Ryan Soltis & Antoine Nédélec, on long-term loan from an anonymous benefactor.

Lin Chien-Kwan (b. 1972, Singapore) has performed as soloist and guest artist with the United States Navy Band, Eastman Wind Ensemble, Boston Modern Orchestra Project, Tanglewood Festival Orchestra, New World Symphony, Beijing Symphony, Boston Philharmonic, Rochester Philharmonic, Sichuan Philharmonic, and Thailand Philharmonic among other orchestras.

Other high profile solo performances by Lin have been at the World Saxophone Congress, North American Saxophone Alliance, Asia Saxophone Congress, the U.S. Navy Band International Saxophone Symposium, as well as prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall and Severance Hall. His CD recordings have been selected among “Amazon.com: Best 20th/21st Century Classical of 2009,” as well as a Pulitzer Prize Finalist in 2015.

Lin currently holds the title Professor of Saxophone at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, where he is also founding director of the ensemble Eastman Saxophone Project (ESP) and recipient of the Eisenhart Award for Excellence in Teaching. He has presented masterclasses across the world at major conservatories and universities, and his students have won more than seventy major national and international prizes. Lin’s former students populate professorships in the U.S., China and Europe, and are members of premier military bands in the U.S.

Lin Chien-Kwan is an artist/clinician for Selmer (Paris) and Vandoren instrument companies. He received his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the New England Conservatory in Boston, and the Doctor of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music. He is an alumnus of Anglo-Chinese Secondary School and Anglo-Chinese Junior College.

Lin

Chien-Kwan

saxophone

Renowned for his exceptional musicianship, cellist Ng Pei-Sian is one of the most outstanding musicians of his generation, winner of the coveted Gold Medal and First Prize at the 55th Royal Over-Seas League Music Competition in London and Commonwealth Musician of the Year 2007. Since 2010, he has served as Principal Cellist of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra. Pei-Sian also holds the position of The HEAD Foundation Chair

Ng Pei-Sian

He has performed concertos in Europe, Asia and with major Australian symphony orchestras. Notable collaborations include Tan Dun’s Crouching Tiger Cello Concerto with the Metropolitan Festival Orchestra under the baton of the composer, as well as Sollima’s “Violoncelles Vibrez!” for two cellos with Yo-Yo Ma and chamber performances with Renaud Capuçon, Alina Ibragimova, and Cho-Liang Lin.

Born in Sydney in 1984, he studied with Barbara Yelland in Adelaide and Janis Laurs at the Elder Conservatorium of Music before winning the prestigious Elder Overseas Scholarship to study at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. Pei-Sian’s studies under Ralph Kirshbaum culminated in the RNCM Gold Medal, the college’s highest honor.

Pei-Sian performs on a rare cello by Francesco Goffriller “ex-Daniel Müller-Schott”, Udine, c. 1720.

Charlie Lim is a singer-songwriter/ producer based in Singapore, whose records ‘TIME/SPACE’ and ‘CHECK-HOOK’ both clinched the #1 spot on the iTunes Singapore chart at their time of release, and was named ‘Best Pop Album of the Year’ by The Straits Times, and awarded ‘Best Song of the Year’ by Apple Music Singapore.

Charlie has quickly grown into one of Southeast Asia’s most unique voices in contemporary pop music, having made his mark across the region’s live stages such as Summer Sonic, Clockenflap in Hong Kong, Java Jazz Festival, Urbanscapes in Kuala Lumpur, Bigsound in Brisbane, Jarasum Festival in Seoul, Shout Out Festival in Taiwan, and Wanderland Festival in Manila. He has also collaborated with international artists such as Kimbra, Khalil Fong, TENDRE, Elephant Gym, BIBI, Taku Takahashi, and Clara Benin.

Charlie Lim

composer, vocalist and electric guitarist

Syakirah Noble is a Singaporean singersongwriter and voice educator, known for her genre-defying versatility and heartfelt performances. A graduate of the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM), UK, she effortlessly glides smoothly across jazz, soul, R’n’B, classical, hip hop, and more — always connecting with audiences through sincerity and conviction.

Since emerging as 1st runner-up in Mediacorp Suria’s Anugerah Mengejar Impian, she has appeared on national TV, performed at the Singapore Jazz Festival, alongside international acts such as Jamie Cullum, Incognito, Jessie J and shared the stage with regional artists like Marcell Siahaans, at events graced by regional royalty and dignitaries.

Drawing from her English-Asian heritage and formal training at SOTA and RNCM, Syakirah crafts a unique sound that bridges East and West. With singles like “Jangan Pergi” and “Sentiasa” featured on Malaysian TV dramas, she continues to evolve as an artist and educator — guided by the motto: “Think local, go global.”

In addition to her performance career, Syakirah is a dedicated voice teacher at The Voice Company and Singapore Raffles Music College, nurturing the next generation of vocal talents as well as aspiring singers of all ages.

Syakirah Noble

vocalist

Lily

Goh

deaf artist-performer

Lily Goh is the founder of ExtraOrdinary Horizons, a learning platform where everyone learns Singapore Sign Language (SgSL) from Deaf. After eight years as a facilitator with the Singapore Association for the Deaf, Lily established ExtraOrdinary Horizons in 2011 to promote arts, culture, heritage, language, and music, fostering a more inclusive Singapore.

A passionate advocate for Deaf arts and culture, Lily leverages her unique expertise in Deaf music – a visual and expressive art form where Deaf artistes interpret and perform music and lyrics through SgSL, Visual Vernacular, Deaf poetry, and other creative mediums. It conveys rhythm, emotion, and meaning through visual storytelling, allowing audiences to experience music beyond sound. She has shared her insights on Deaf music at international platforms, including the SDEA Theatre Arts Conference 2025 and the WASLI Asia Conference 2025.

Lily’s contributions have earned her numerous accolades, including the Singapore Woman Award (2024) and the Humanitarian and/or Voluntary Leadership Award in the Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World (2017).

Performing since 1989, Lily continues to expand the boundaries of Deaf music and storytelling. She holds a Degree in Sociology with Communication from the Singapore University of Social Sciences and remains committed to advancing Deaf performing arts and inclusive cultural expression in Singapore.

Acknowledgements

Singapore Sign Language (SgSL) Interpreters: Fang Shawn Azzam Akbar

Priscilla Fong is a classically trained mezzosoprano and experienced emcee known for her stage presence and versatility. She has hosted events for Apple Music Classical, the German and French Embassies in Singapore, the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory, Tang Quartet, among others. She is recognised for her clear delivery and ability to engage diverse audiences, bringing warmth and a deep understanding of the performing arts to every event.

In addition to her work as an emcee, Priscilla is a classically trained mezzo-soprano. She recently made her Singapore debut as Mercédès in Carmen with Singapore Lyric Opera. Her other stage credits include Dorabella in Così fan tutte (Vienna Opera Academy), the Baker’s Wife in Into the Woods (Royal Northern College of Music), and ensemble roles in Turandot (The Opera Makers) and La Sonnambula (Buxton International Festival), among others.

A National Arts Council Scholar, Priscilla holds a Master of Music from the Royal Northern College of Music and graduated as Valedictorian from the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music. She is also the co-founder of Eastside Story Productions, a new collective creating cross-disciplinary performances that spotlight young local talent and reimagine classical music for audiences in Singapore and Southeast Asia.

Priscilla Fong

host

Kiau Nam

Commissioned by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Kiau Nam was the original name of Qiaonan Primary School, which the composer attended. Founded on 26 May 1933, the school operated until its merger with another school in 2014. In these 81 years, Qiaonan Primary School had gone through numerous trials and tribulations, even enduring the Japanese Occupation where its first principal, Mr Wang Xi Yuan, was taken away by Japanese soldiers and never seen again.

Even after the occupation ceased, Qiaonan Primary School faced several challenges such as insufficient funding. Staff members responded with compassion by volunteering to have their salaries reduced to aid the school in continuing operations.

The composer believes that the life of Kiau Nam from its inception to this day, living on as Angsana Primary School as a result of the merger, is a testament to the persevering spirit which is key to the legacy and future of Singapore.

Instrumentation

flute, piccolo, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, bassoon, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, bass trombone, tuba, timpani, percussion (triangle, cymbals, suspended cymbal, bass drum, crotales, glockenspiel, temple blocks, vibraphone, whip), harp, strings

Izharul Haq

b. 2004

As a young musician, Izharul Haq finds their voice reverberating in many spaces but not yet settling in any particular one, since graduating with distinction from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts.

They feel incredibly fortunate to have worked with and made music with diverse talents across Singapore, such as the ever-inspiring musicians from the Open Score Project, playing keys for the rapper and lyricist San The Wordsmith, getting funky on trombone with ska band Dr. Skacialist, and composing music for theatre productions.

On top of these opportunities, Izharul has had eye-opening experiences, learning to play traditional Indian folk rhythms on the Parai with Damaru Singapore, and growing as a jazz musician with two terms at the Grooveworks programme.

From first-wave Ska to electronic ambience, Izharul sees exploration into the multitudes of musical styles and cultures as a medium to experience and understand life to the fullest extent.

Chapteh: Take Flight!

In a game of Chapteh, players kick a feathered shuttlecock continuously to keep it in the air for as long as possible. Players begin the game by dropping the chapteh or throwing it upwards. To keep the chapteh airborne, players typically kick it with their heel, foot, or knee, but are not allowed to touch the chapteh with their hands. The various motions (e.g. the chapteh soaring and falling) and sounds (e.g. kicking the chapteh and the chapteh landing on the ground) in a game of chapteh are sonically depicted in this piece.

Chapteh: Take Flight! is the orchestral version of Chapteh for solo violin which was a set piece commissioned by the Singapore Symphony Group for the National Piano and Violin Competition 2021.

Instrumentation

2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, bass trombone, timpani, percussion (triangle, suspended cymbal, glockenspiel, tambourine, temple blocks, vibraphone, vibraslap, xylophone), harp, strings

Tan Yuting

b. 1993

Singaporean composer Tan Yuting explores the interaction of different sounds and the manipulation of rhythm, texture, and timbre to create evocative soundscapes. Her music has been recognized with awards including First Prize in the Macht Orchestral Composition Competition (2018), First Prize in the Virginia Carty DeLillo Composition Competition (2018), and Third Prize in the Prix d’Été Competition (2017) at the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University, and has been performed in Singapore, USA, UK, China, Thailand, Finland, Australia, New Zealand, and Italy. Past collaborations include performances by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, American Composers Orchestra, Peabody Symphony Orchestra, Megalopolis Saxophone Orchestra, Sandbox Percussion, Ekmeles, National Sawdust Ensemble, Tacet(i) Ensemble, Aspen Contemporary Ensemble, Ensemble Dal Niente,

Ding Yi Music Company, The Opera People, K⼝U, Quince Ensemble, Empyrean Ensemble, ~Nois, Alarm Will Sound, Now Hear This, Unassisted Fold, and Ensemble Soundinitiative.

Yuting also enjoys working with artists from other fields and creating music in collaboration with other art forms. In 2019, she performed her original live score for the USA premiere screening of Chinese film pioneer Shouju Zhu’s 1925 film “Stormy Night” (Fengyu zhi ye). Yuting often looks to poetry when she is composing as she is interested in the tactile or visual associations between the text and the music that she is writing. Her doctoral dissertation composition, Amnesia, was based on a poem she wrote of the same title. She has also performed improvisations and compositions on the piano to accompany poetry recitals.

Yuting received her PhD in Music Composition from the University of Chicago where she was supported by a full fellowship from the Division of the Humanities. Apart from composition, Yuting also plays the piano and occasionally writes poetry. Yuting currently teaches at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, National University of Singapore.

www.tanyuting.com

Peribahasa

This Peribahasa (“Proverbs”) arrangement incorporates stylistic features such as Asian polyphony and multi-melodic layering in a distinctive gamelan mode. Many passages imitate the gong, and singers are encouraged to utilize a brighter tonal colour than traditional Western vocal production.

The text is based on pantuns, or Malay quatrains. The subtext of the lyrics is figures of speech and symbolism that espouses traditional values and morals. Enjit-Enjit Semut suggests that when we experience pain and hardship, we transcend beyond our situation and move on. In Kopi Susu, young people are advised not to be anxious when they find their partners. At the same time, they are also warned about lust and excessive desire. Ikan Kekek’s moral message is to prioritise being steady and calm in adversity. The song encourages maturity and avoiding interfering in other people’s affairs. It also tells us not to follow others, lest we regret the consequences mindlessly.

Enjit-Enjit Semut

Enjit-enjit semut

Siapa sakit naik atas

Marilah kita nyanyi bersama

Berpadu suara nyanyi irama

Enjit-enjit semut

Nama lagunya

Hidup harmoni kita semua

Kopi Susu

Kopi, susu kurang manis ditambah gula

Badan lesu kerana hati tergoda

Wahai cik adik mengapa bermasam muka

Mari bersama bersama bersuka ria

Hilangkan segala duka dan nestapa

Mari kita bergembira

Ikan Kekek

Ikan kekek mak iloi-iloi

Ikan gelama mak ilai-ilai

Biar lambat asalkan selamat

Tidak lari gunung dihambat

Apa guna kita mencelah

Jaga diri biar sempurna

Janganlah ikut orang yang gila

Kelak kita jadi merana

Pinching Hands (Contextual translation)

Enjit-enjit semut

If you feel pain, climb to the top

Come, sing together

In one voice

Enjit-enjit semut

That’s the name of the song

May we all live in harmony

Coffee with Milk

Coffee with milk and added sugar

The body is weary, but the heart is tempted

Oh dear girl, why do you frown?

Let’s be happy together

Put aside any sorrow and sadness

Come, let’s have fun

Kekek Fish

Kekek fish

Gelama fish

Go slow and steady

The mountain stands still

Why interfere

Take care, stay true

Do not follow foolish people

You’ll end up suffering

— Notes by Eudenice Palaruan

Eudenice Palaruan

b. 1968

Instrumentation

chorus, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, tuba, timpani, percussion (glockenspiel, vibraphone), harp, piano, strings

Eudenice Palaruan studied composition at the University of the Philippines College of Music and choral conducting at the Berliner Kirchenmusikschule in Germany. He graduated with a Doctor of Musical Arts in Conducting from St. Paul University Manila.

He was a resident composer and arranger of several established choirs, including the Philippine Madrigal Singers and the International Bamboo Organ Festival. He is a trendsetter of the choralization of Asian indigenous music. In addition, he was often invited to give lectures on non-Western vocal aesthetics.

He taught composition and choral conducting in institutions such as the University of the Philippines, the Asian Institute for Liturgy and Music, and the Singapore Bible College. Eudenice is often invited to conduct choral clinics and adjudicate in international composition and choral competitions and is currently the Choral Director of the Singapore Symphony Chorus.

Dawn for Violin and Orchestra

Commissioned by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (ed version of his symphony)

Dawn is a piece for orchestra and solo violin adapted from my Symphony No. 5 “Exodus”, which was completed in 2015. The symphony is dedicated to the founding father and former Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew, who passed away during its writing. A copy of the symphony’s score was presented to then-Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in 2016. The subtitle “Exodus” refers to the separation of Singapore from Malaysia which led to our independence. This difficult decision led by Lee Kuan Yew has, however, given rise to Dawn The music symbolises the forward-looking direction – towards the light – that this historic act propelled Singapore towards.

With newly added contrapuntal lines in the solo violin part, Dawn is a single movement work consisting of two themes from the second movement of Symphony No. 5. The first theme came to my mind when I was composing during a residency in the Cameron Highlands. This theme is deeply profound but has a simple and captivating melody. The second theme is in the pentatonic scale, pure in its first appearance but develops in subsequent occurrences. The two themes alternate three times, before concluding majestically.

The Chinese title of this piece is 日照 (“Rizhao”), named after Rizhao, a city in Shandong province, China, that I visited after my residency in the Cameron Highlands. Located on the eastern edge of China, Rizhao gets its name from being the first place that receives the rays of the dawn sun. In my work, it also symbolises how Lee Kuan Yew led his people towards the light.

— Notes by Tan Chan Boon

Instrumentation

solo violin, 2 flutes, piccolo, 2 oboes, 3 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion (cymbals, tam-tam, bass drum), harp, piano, strings

Tan Chan Boon’s handwritten score.

Tan Chan Boon

b. 1965

French-trained Tan Chan Boon started composing at 12 as well as conducting at 16. He studied composition with Leong Yoon Pin, Jacques Casterede, Michel Merlet, and conducting with Shalom Ronly-Riklis, Richard Schumacher and Leonard Bernstein.

Recipient of various awards, Tan was made a Chevalier dan's l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Government in 2008.

His main works include seven Symphonies: No. 1 “Aurore” (1986-89), No. 2 “Genese” (1989-95), No. 3 “Eden” (2002-04), No. 4 “Deluge” (2004-05), No. 5 “Exodus” (2015), No. 6 “长征” (2022), No. 7 “守护” (2025), a few Symphonic Poems and many other orchestral and chamber works.

Fantasia of Insects《昆虫幼想曲》

The original work entitled “Cicada” (2002) for violin and piano was inspired by a Tang Dynasty poem by Li Shangyin. In it, the poet expresses reverence for the noble though often hungry cicada and draws a parallel between the insect and himself, a poor but honourable man.

The composer is often tremendously fascinated by the insect world. The revelations from this and the poem have led him to transform the original Cicada into Fantasia of Insects. The music vividly describes the extraordinary characteristics of the insects and the different pitches of their arousing cacophony, sometimes in a virtuosic style with running chromatic scales, arpeggios, trills and busy sixteenth notes and sometimes the insects are given a soaring, singing melody. The music ends as magically as it began, then seemingly evaporates into thin air. Fantasia for Insects received its world premiere in 2010, performed by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra conducted by Darrell Ang.

Instrumentation

2 flutes, piccolo, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, bass trombone, tuba, timpani, percussion (triangle, cymbals, wood block, xylophone), harp, strings

Kam Kee Yong b. 1938

Kam Kee Yong was born into humble beginnings in Penang, Malaysia in 1938 where he grew up in a very musical family. His keen interest in exploring the expression of both visual and aural colour has established him not only as a professional musician but also a visual artist.

In 1960, Kam entered the Royal Academy of Music in London, where he studied the violin with Fredrick Grinke and Molly Mack, chamber music with Watson Forbes and composition with Alan Bush. As a student there, he won the John E. West Prize for composition and the Gowland Harrison Exhibition Award for violin. At the same time, Kam was also giving art exhibitions of his own works at the Cathay, Pugh and Carr, and Woodstock Galleries in London.

For Kam, the sensations of the eye and ear are inseparable. He sees colours in his music as vividly as he hears sound in his paintings. In both mediums, Kam draws inspiration from the Orient, Nature and Christianity. An avid researcher of ancient Chinese history, he has drawn upon this rich source to paint and compose. His music brings together an Eastern style of writing with Western instrumentation while retaining the unique qualities of each, and has been hailed by The Straits Times as “moving” and having “unrestrained passion and rhythmic vitality”.

On his creation as an artist, Kam has said, “God's creation of all things great and small is magnificent and beyond our understanding. As I create art and music in my daily life, colour and sound make up the media of expression for my concepts and feelings. I believe so long as we do our best, in utmost honesty share our experiences of this profound aesthetics with others and are able to draw from them their understanding and ardent response, then we would have made life so much richer and more meaningful”.

Through the Nebula – Concerto for Saxophone

Commissioned by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Written to feature saxophonist Lin ChienKwan, this piece represents an adventure through the cosmos, with all its accompanying mystery and excitement. Alternating between turbulent sections and eerily tranquil episodes, Through the Nebula freewheels across complex harmonies and rhythms before returning to a triumphant variation of the opening theme— representing the transformation that takes place whenever we go beyond our comfort zone.

Instrumentation

solo saxophone, 2 flutes (1 doubling on piccolo), 2 oboes, 2 clarinets (1 doubling on E-flat clarinet, 1 doubling on bass clarinet), 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, bass trombone, tuba, timpani, percussion (triangle, wind chimes, cymbals, suspended cymbal, snare drum, bass drum), harp, strings

Chok Kerong

b. 1983

One of Singapore’s most versatile talents, Chok Kerong has distinguished himself as a keyboardist, composer, songwriter and producer of extraordinary clarity and depth. Kerong’s works span a wide range of genres and have been performed by artists and ensembles like Jeremy Monteiro, Randy Brecker, Joanna Dong, Roberta Gambarini, the Singapore Symphony Orchestra and the Singapore National Youth Chinese Orchestra.

Kerong has released two instrumental records, 2012’s Good Company and 2017’s Tales

They Told Me, and has performed with his own groups at such events as Tokyo Jazz Festival, Taipei Jazz Festival and the Melbourne International Jazz Festival. In 2023, Kerong unveiled Spiral, a collaborative album with singer-songwriter Vanessa Fernandez. A seamless blend of hip-hop, classic soul,

rock and gospel, the album showcases his abilities as a producer and songwriter, and was described as a “triumph of both artistes’ musicality” by The Straits Times Kerong’s most recent work is Here We Are, the official theme song for the 2025 National Day Parade, written in collaboration with acclaimed singer-songwriter Charlie Lim.

Apart from his artistic pursuits, Kerong serves as Assistant Executive Director and Deputy Music Director at the Jazz Association (Singapore). He is also the Principal Tutor of the National University of Singapore Jazz Band, a lecturer at the National Institute of Education and an instructor at the School of the Arts, Singapore.

Between Two Worlds: 3 Songs for Voices and Orchestra

(Into

Dreams, Room at the Table and Home)

Arrangement by Chok Kerong, commissioned by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Into Dreams Room at the Table Home I II III

Between Two Worlds, taken from the opening lyric of Charlie Lim’s song Into Dreams, is a meditation on the intersection of the past and present, and the lineage that runs through our trailblazing pioneers and the new generation of artists. Weaving two recent compositions by Charlie Lim and Dick Lee’s classic Home together, this arrangement features Lim and rising star Syakirah Noble as the vocal soloists. The piece begins ethereally, gradually coalescing around Ng Pei-Sian’s cello solo towards the end of Into Dreams. Lim’s electric guitar drives Room at the Table, with the combined choir gradually coming into focus. Finally, the two vocalists duet on Home in a soaring, film-score like reimagining of the perennial favourite.

Into Dreams and Room at the Table composed by Charlie Lim, Home composed by Dick Lee.

— Notes by Chok Kerong

Instrumentation

solo voices, chorus, 2 flutes (1 doubling on piccolo), 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, bass trombone, tuba, timpani, percussion (triangle, wind chimes, cymbals, suspended cymbal, snare drum, glockenspiel), harp, electric guitar, strings

Into Dreams

I drift between two worlds

Sleepwalking in contradiction

Between the sky and earth

In the chaos and creation

Desires and ideals

Keep pushing and pulling

Was I blind to the view

When the sunlight hit the mirror

When I crash into my dreams

Who would break the fall for me

Been desperate for the answers

But asking the wrong questions

Between the pulse and pressure

There’s no salvation in ambition

All along I gave in

To games we couldn’t win

Between now and then

Did it matter in the end

Desires and ideals

Keep pushing and pulling

Was I blind to the view

When the sunlight hit the mirror

When I crash into my dreams

Who would break the fall for me

Room at the Table

How many times

Have you heard them say

The future is uncertain

And everything must change

But all of my worries

And all of my fears

Begin to lose their weight

When I hold you near

If all that we are

Is what we believe

Then I know I gotta be

The change I wanna see

How easy we forget

That everything takes time

No, nothing’s ever perfect

But I still call you mine

Through all the years

Every lesson learned

When each word can’t be a blessing

To listen is to love

Can we afford to be kinder

To others and ourselves

There’s always room at the table

And water from the well

And I know

A house doesn’t make a home

But you’re never really lost

When you’re never alone

I know

A house doesn’t make a home

May the stories that bind us

Bring new strength for us to hope

I’ll be living for the day

Where our differences make us whole

How many times

Have you heard them say

The future is uncertain

And everything must change

Home

Whenever I am feeling low

I look around me and I know

There’s a place that will stay within me

Wherever I may choose to go

I will always recall the city

Know every street and shore

Sail down the river which brings us life

Winding through my Singapore

This is home truly

Where I know I must be

Where my dreams wait for me

Where that river always flows

This is home surely

As my senses tell me

This is where I won’t be alone

For this is where I know it’s home

When there are troubles to go through

We'll find a way to start anew

There is comfort in the knowledge

That home’s about its people too

So we’ll build our dreams together

Just like we’ve done before

Just like the river which brings us life

There’ll always be Singapore

This is home truly

Where I know I must be

Where my dreams wait for me

Where that river always flows

This is home surely

As my senses tell me

This is where I won’t be alone

For this is where I know it’s home

Dick Lee

b. 1956

The Dick Lee phenomenon started in 1971 when, at the age of fifteen, Dick participated in various talent contests with the group, Harmony, and Dick and the Gang (teaming with his siblings). His first album, Lifestory, featuring his own compositions, was released in 1974.

Throughout the 70s and 80s, Dick championed the inclusion of Asian elements in pop music. His other album, Life In The Lion City (1984), won acclaim for just that. But the album that shot him to regional prominence was his 1989 release, The Mad Chinaman, which achieved platinum status in Singapore in 3 months.

In 1990, Dick moved to Japan where he continued to develop the new Asian identity through his solo work, as well as collaborate with top Asian artistes like Sandy Lam from Hong Kong and Japanese group Zoo. He has to date, written countless songs for the top

singing talents in Asia including Jackie Cheung, Andy Lau, Sammi Cheng, Anita Mui, Miyazawa of The Boom and Stephanie Sun amongst others.

The song he is proudest of writing is one of Singapore’s most popular national songs, Home, composed in 1997, and sung by all Singaporeans to this day, being unofficially chosen as the song that represents Singapore most. Besides Home, Dick has written two other songs for National Day: We Will Get There, and SG50’s signature song, Our Singapore.

Throughout his career, Dick has directed many national events; mainly national day parade; 2002, 2010, 2014 & 2015 that celebrates Singapore’s 50th birthday celebration; gala show for APEC; and also the Home Team Gala Show, which also marked the 50th anniversary of national service (NS) in Singapore.

Dick’s creative versatility extends to directing Hotpants and Beauty World. He’s also directed multimedia installations at Changi Airport Terminal 4 (Peranakan Love Story) and another visitor experience installation for Ion Shopping Centre.

In 2017, Dick co-directed Wonder Boy, a film depicting his early years in music. It received acclaim and screened at international festivals. He’s an ambassador for AHA (2015) and VisionSave (2016 & 2017). He established the Dick Lee’s Sunshine Project, benefiting handicapped children and youth counseling centers in partnership with the Community Chest of Singapore.

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Giles Tan Ming Yee

Goh Chiu Gak

Gonsalves Gavin Jason Marshall

Gu Zhenhao

Hans Michael Brandes

Heinrich Grafe

Henry & Tiffany

Herman Felani MY

Ho Jun Yi

Jamie Lloyd Evans

Janek Schergen

Jason & Jennifer Chew

Jean Tan

Jeanie Cheah

Jeanne Lee

Jennie Chua

Jennifer S Wu

Jessica Cheam

Joanne Lim

Joseph Wolpin

J-P & Colette FELENBOK

K Goh Family

Kadir Satar

Kelvin Ho

Khor Cheng Kian

Koh Siew Yen Terri

Kyra Teo

Lau Soo Lui

Lele Chen & Hans Yeh

Li Danqi & Liu Yi

Lily Low

Lim Yuin Wen

Low Boon Hon

Loy Suan Mao, Alwyn

Maggie Dong

Marcel & Melissa Xu

McCann Family

Michael & Katherin Puhaindran

Min Tan

Minwei

Mrs Goh Keng Hoong

Naserah Tyebally

Nicole Ng

Nicole Padilla & Sebastian Sohn

Nishioka Hiroyuki

Nurture With Love Suzuki Music School

Ong Chee Siong

Parthesh Gulawani

Patricia Lim

Patrick Lee

Pauline Ang

Phua Ching Shyen

Pigar & William

Prof Goh Suat Hong

Richard Hartung

Robert Khan & Co Pte Ltd

Ronald & Janet Stride

Sandra Tsao

Soh Leng Wan

Sonja & Viktor Leendertz

Suranga Rajapakse

Sylvie Gleises

Tan Kok Huan

Tan Peng Peng

Tania Wee

Tatiana Antonova & Stanislav Miroshnichenko

Teo Eng Chai

Teo Wee Poh

Terence Heng

Tiffany Choong & Shang Thong Kai

Ting Tay

Virna Machado & Ashish Goyal

Wang Pei Zhong

Wicky Wong

Xiao Li

Xu Yixin

Yan Xia

Yang Tian

Yee Deng Tan

Yeo Su Inn

Yong Chuk Kwin

Yong Seow Kin

Yuna Chang

Zeng Qiao Jia

Zhang Zheng

Zhu Yulin

Anonymous (50)

This list reflects donations that were made from 1 Jul 2024 to 30 Jun 2025. 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.

4

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

Corporate Giving

We provide our Corporate Patrons with impressive entertainment and significant branding opportunities. Through our tailored 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.

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.

For more details, please write to Sarah Wee at sarah.wee@sso.org.sg

SPECIAL RECOGNITION

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.

F or more information, please write to Chelsea Zhao at chelsea.zhao@sso.org.sg

SSO Concertmaster l 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. 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.

SSO Principal Viola

Tan Jiew Cheng Chair

In recognition of a generous gift from the Estate of Tan Jiew Cheng, we announced in February 2024 the naming of our Principal Viola, “Tan Jiew Cheng Chair”. The position is currently held by our Principal Violist Manchin Zhang.

SPECIAL RECOGNITION

Quantedge Music Director

Maestro Hans Graf

The SSO is delighted to announce the naming of the “Quantedge Music Director” position, currently held by Maestro Hans Graf.

With his spirit of musical exploration, innovative programming, and captivating stage presence, Maestro Graf has consistently inspired audiences and elevated orchestras to new heights. We are deeply grateful for his continued leadership as Chief Conductor in the 2020/21 season and Music Director since the 2022/23 season.

We extend our sincerest gratitude to our anonymous donor for this generous gift of $3 million to mark SG60.

Board of Directors and Committees

Chair

Goh Yew Lin

Board of Directors

Chang Chee Pey

Chng Kai Fong

Andress Goh

Kenneth Kwok

Clara Lim-Tan

Jesher Loi

Lynette Pang

Prof Qin Li-Wei

Jovi Seet

Farhana Sharmeen

Doris Sohmen-Pao

Prof Peter Tornquist

Geoffrey Wong

Andrew Yeo Khirn Hin

EXECUTIVE & NOMINATING COMMITTEE

Goh Yew Lin (Chair)

Chng Kai Fong

Lynette Pang

Geoffrey Wong

HUMAN RESOURCES COMMITTEE

Doris Sohmen-Pao (Chair)

Jesher Loi

Prof Qin Li-Wei

Heinrich Grafe*

Carmen Wee*

FINANCE & INVESTMENT COMMITTEE

Geoffrey Wong (Chair)

Andress Goh

Chua Keng Hong*

Alex Lee*

AUDIT & RISK COMMITTEE

Jovi Seet (Chair)

Prof Peter Tornquist

Andrew Yeo Khirn Hin

Ryan Siek*

COMMUNITY & YOUTH E NGAGEMENT COMMITTEE

Clara Lim-Tan (Chair)

Chang Chee Pey

Farhana Sharmeen

Asst Prof Kat Agres*

Cecilia Pang*

SSO Musicians' Committee

Hoang Van Hoc

Austin Larson

Li Xin

Christopher Mui

David Smith

Elaine Yeo

Zhao Tian

SSO Council

Alan Chan (Chair)

Odile Benjamin

Prof Chan Heng Chee

Prof Arnoud De Meyer

Dr Geh Min

Heinrich Grafe

Khoo Boon Hui

Liew Wei Li

Lim Mei

Sanjiv Misra

Paige Parker

Dr Stephen Riady

Priscylla Shaw

Prof Gralf Sieghold

Prof Bernard Tan

Dr Tan Chin Nam

Wee Ee Cheong

Yong Ying-I

*co-opted member

Singapore Symphony Group Administration

Chief Executive Officer

Kenneth Kwok

Deputy CEO

Programmes & Production

Kok Tse Wei

CEO OFFICE

Shirin Foo

Musriah Bte Md Salleh

ORGANISATION DEVELOPMENT

Lillian Yin

A rtistic Planning

Hans Sørensen (Head)

Christopher Cheong

A RTISTIC ADMINISTRATION

Jodie Chiang

Terrence Wong

Jocelyn Cheng

Michelle Yeo

Operations

Ernest Khoo (Head)

L IBRARY

Wong Yi Wen

Cheng Yee Ki

Ng Yi Xiu

ORCHESTRA MANAGEMENT

Chia Jit Min (Head)

Charis Peck Xin Hui

Kelvin Chua

P RODUCTION MANAGEMENT

Noraihan Bte Nordin

Nazem Redzuan

Leong Shan Yi

Asyiq Iqmal

Khairi Edzhairee

Khairul Nizam

Benjamin Chiau

DIGITAL PRODUCTION

Avik Chari

Deputy CEO

Patrons & Corporate Services

Jenny Ang

Community Impact

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Kua Li Leng (Head)

Whitney Tan

Samantha Lim

Lynnette Chng

Darren Siah

C HORAL PROGRAMMES

Kua Li Leng (Head)

Lu Heng

Chang Hai Wen

Mimi Syaahira

SINGAPORE NATIONAL YOUTH ORCHESTRA

Ramu Thiruyanam (Head)

Tang Ya Yun

Tan Sing Yee

Ridha Ridza

ABRSM

Patricia Yee

Lai Li-Yng

Joong Siow Chong

Freddie Loh

May Looi

Corporate Services

F INANCE, 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

Netty Diyanah Bte Osman

Patrons

D EVELOPMENT

Chelsea Zhao (Head)

Nikki Chuang

Sarah Wee

Kevin Yeoh

C OMMUNICATIONS, DIGITAL & MARKETING

Cindy Lim (Head)

Communications

Nikki Loke

Elizabeth Low

Data & Digital Projects

Calista Lee

Lim Wen Jie

Marketing & Content

Chia Han-Leon

Hong Shu Hui

Myrtle Lee

Jana Loh

Kashmira Kasmuri

Carrie Woo

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

Randy Teo

Dacia Cheang

Joy Tagore

Upcoming Chamber & Organ Concerts

at the V i ctoria Concert Hal l

SSO Chamber Series: Summer Music 21 Sep 4pm

A lazy summer’s frolic, a jester’s gambol with fate, and finally, peaceful Romantic serenity. This attractive programme of chamber music performed by musicians of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra is a display of the versatile voices of the woodwind instrument family.

SSO Chamber Series: Die Fledermaus in a Pocket 10 1 1 Oct 7.30pm

Filled to the brim with lively polkas and irresistible waltzes, Johann Strauss II’s Die Fledermaus (“The Bat”) is a tale of love affairs and lovers’ identities gone awry. Come see this abridged 90-minute version of one of the most popular comic operettas of all time.

SSO Organ Series: An Organ Halloween with Joseph Nolan 26 Oct

7.30pm

The award-winning British-Australian organist Joseph Nolan has been hailed as “indisputably one of the world’s finest organists” (Limelight) “for his towering technique, vivid virtuosity, and inspired interpretive insight’’ (Gramophone). Step into the Victoria Concert Hall this October and hear him play haunting classics on the Klais Pipe Organ, including Bach’s famous “Toccata” (BWV565), Saint-Saëns’s Danse Macabre and selections from Boëllmann’s Suite Gothique.

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