
Temasek Foundation × SSO
Temasek Foundation × SSO
Music of a Nation
16 Aug 2025
Esplanade Concert Hall
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,
Temasek Foundation × SSO
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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
(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
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
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
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
Yang Zheng Yi Acting Principal
Karen Yeo Assistant Principal
Po-Yu Fang
Victor Lee
Jacek Mirucki
Wang Xu
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
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
Allen Meek Principal
Damian Patti Associate Principal
Samuel Armstrong
Bass Trombone
Wang Wei Assistant Principal
Tomoki Natsume Principal
Christian Schiøler Principal
Mario Choo
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.
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
conductor
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.
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.
Eudenice Palaruan Choral Director
Ellissa Sayampanathan Assistant Choral Conductor
Ng Sheh Feng Choral Associate
Wong Yang Kai Choral Associate
Shane Thio rehearsal pianist
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.
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.
Wong Lai Foon Choirmaster
Ellissa Sayampanathan Assistant Choral Conductor Low Jinhong rehearsal pianist
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
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
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
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
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.
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
© Sloth Creatives
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.
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.
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.
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.
— Notes by Izharul Haq
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.
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.
— Notes by Tan Yuting
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
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
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
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.
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
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.
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”.
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.
— Notes by Chok Kerong
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
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.
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
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
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
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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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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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
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
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
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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