TAIKOO PLACE
WINTER
2014
THE SPOTLIGHT
a cappella-la-la The Art and Joy of Unaccompanied Ensemble Singing Performance art lovers, take note. From 23 January to 6 February 2015, ArtisTree will be hosting “Double Bill”, a unique series of a cappella performances that combine music veterans from Hong Kong’s first professional a cappella choral theatre company, Yat Po Singers, with talented amateurs drawn from Taikoo Place and Cityplaza office tenants. Perfectly fusing a cappella singing with body movements and dialogue, the shows will storm the audiences with an art form rarely seen in Asia.
At the master class, renowned singer-songwriter Mr. Hanjin Tan generously shared his a cappella experience and also improvised a few songs with the participants.
Each of the four 30-minute pieces that comprise “Double Bill” is created and directed by a different Yat Po Singers Resident Artist. Raoul’s piece, performed in Mandarin, reinterprets Turandot, the famous opera with a twisted ending. Ronald’s piece is a pure display of music and body movement. Sam’s piece is inspired by a Korean reality show and presents the dark side of married life. And Keith’s piece explores work life – a theme that is sure to hit home among the audience.
Rehearsals are currently in full swing, during which the Resident Artists from Yat Po Singers have worked closely with the office tenants to develop and craft the performances. On top of regular rehearsals, a master class led by producer and singer-songwriter Hanjin Tan was specially arranged to improve participants’ a cappella singing skills. The three-week casting call and auditions for “Double Bill” kick-started the project, with over 40 aspiring singers selected from 200 applicants by a judging panel that included renowned music producer Chiu Tsang Hei and artistic directors from Yat Po Singers. The successful applicants have diverse career backgrounds spanning different sectors, including banking and finance, luxury and fashion, IT, media and advertising, and they come from 40 different companies, including JPMorgan, Citi, LVMH, Tiffany & Co., Mindshare and more.
The two-day audition was a great success, office tenants underwent a series of assessments from singing to body movements where they demonstrated their great talents outside of work.
“Double Bill” is presented as part of a cappella-la-la Swire Properties’ new initiative TAIKOO PLACE PROJECT AFTER 6. This creative tenant engagement programme has enabled musically inclined office tenants from Taikoo Place and Cityplaza to learn a new art form from the masters, let off steam and enjoy some afterwork fun with their office neighbours and colleagues. Stay tuned!