Welcome to this historic world premiere performance. Tonight, we witness the culmination of a remarkable artistic journey as we present the world premiere of A Bridge Across the Sea, a monumental work composed by Jonathan Dove CBE to commemorate Tanglin Trust School’s centenary. Drawing inspiration from the ancient Sanskrit epic Ramayana, this ambitious choral work tells the timeless tale of Rām’s quest to rescue his beloved wife Sita from the demon Ravan. As Rama builds a bridge across the sea to the island of Lanka, we are reminded of how art itself serves as a bridge—connecting cultures, traditions, and communities across time and space. We are also very grateful to our consultant producer Mr Paul Hughes who has assisted us in the commissioning of this work and the organisation and staging of this evening’s concert.
This evening represents a unique collaboration between Singaporean and international musical talents. The combined choirs of Tanglin Trust School join forces with the Raffles Singers, instrumentalists from Resound Collective, and acclaimed soloists Jonathan Tay and Victoria Songwei Li. Under the sensitive and dynamic leadership of conductor Lien Boon Hua, over 250 performers unite on the prestigious Esplanade Concert Hall stage to bring this epic narrative to life. As the ancient story unfolds through contemporary musical language, we invite you to reflect on the bridges we all build—between East and West, past and present, youth and experience. In celebrating Tanglin Trust School’s hundred years of educational excellence, we also celebrate the enduring power of music to connect us across the oceans that separate us. We are deeply grateful for your presence at this landmark event and hope the performance resonates with you long after the final notes fade.
MESSAGE FROM ROB HALL, DIRECTOR OF MUSIC
A very warm welcome to this evening’s Centenary Concert here at the prestigious Esplanade Concert Hall. Tonight, we come together to celebrate a remarkable 100-year journey of Tanglin Trust School, while looking forward to the exciting future ahead. Months, if not years, of planning have led us to this moment, and I sincerely hope that tonight’s performance will be one to remember. The first half of the concert features Tanglin musicians, with the invaluable support of our incredibly talented team of Visiting Music Teachers. These dedicated professionals, alongside our faculty staff, have worked tirelessly to prepare our ensembles. As with most Tanglin Concerts, we present a rich and diverse programme, showcasing music from across the centuries and reflecting the breadth and depth of our musical provision.
In a truly inspiring display, young musicians from the Junior School will perform alongside Senior Students, offering them a unique opportunity to witness firsthand how their musical journeys can evolve over time. This special collaboration brings together over 330 students on stage during the first half, followed by a further 120 Tanglin singers and instrumentalists who will perform the world premiere of Jonathan Dove’s A Bridge Across the Sea. I would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt thanks to the staff who have worked so diligently behind the scenes to bring this evening’s performance to life: Helen Owain, Will Hyland, Richie Baxter, Fiona Knight Lucas, Nicole French, Delphine Hastwell, and Tanaz Byramjee. We are also deeply grateful to our Music and Co-Curricular Administration and Technical Support Teams, as well as the Theatre & Events staff, whose logistical support has been invaluable. A special thank you to the volunteers who have assisted backstage to ensure the smooth running of this event. We hope you enjoy this evening’s celebrations and thank you for being part of this very special occasion.
Symphony Orchestra
Hebrides Overture
PROGRAMME
Felix Mendelssohn
Festival Symphonic Wind
Renaissance Dances Tielman Susato, arr. Mark Williams
Black Forest Overture Michael Sweeney
Centenary String Orchestra
A Festival Rondo Richard Meyer
Big Band
Song for Bilbao Pat Metheny
Big Band & Senior Choir
Dancin’ Fool
~ INTERVAL ~
Barry Manilow, arr. Kirby Shaw
Combined Choirs of Tanglin Trust School and Raffles Singers
Musicians of Tanglin Trust School and Resound Collective
A Bridge Across the Sea (World Premiere)
Jonathan Dove CBE
JONATHAN DOVE CBE
Jonathan Dove’s music has filled opera houses with delighted audiences of all ages on five continents. He is one of the most performed living opera composers and few, if any, contemporary composers have so successfully or consistently explored the potential of opera to communicate, to create wonder and to enrich people’s lives.
Born in 1959, Dove’s early musical experience came from playing the piano, organ and viola. Later he studied composition with Robin Holloway at Cambridge and, after graduation, worked as a freelance accompanist, repetiteur, animateur and arranger. His early professional experience gave him a deep understanding of singers, with opera and the voice being central priorities in Dove’s output throughout his subsequent career.
Dove’s innate understanding of the individual voice is exemplified in his large and varied choral and song output, and his confident optimism has made him the natural choice as the composer for big occasions. In 2010 A Song of Joys for chorus and orchestra opened the festivities at the Last Night of the Proms, and in 2016 an expanded version of Our Revels Now Are Ended premiered at the same occasion.
Throughout his career Dove has made a serious commitment to community development through innovative musical projects. 2015 brought the World Premiere of The Monster in the Maze , a community opera commissioned by the London Symphony Orchestra, Berliner Philharmoniker and Festival d’Aix-enProvence, performed under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle in three separate translations and productions. The Monster in the Maze has since been performed around the world, translated further into Taiwanese/Chinese, Portuguese, Swedish and Catalan, and received a BASCA British Composer Award in 2016’s ‘Amateur and Young Performers’ category.
Jonathan Dove was made a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) in the Queen’s 2019 Birthday Honours for services to music. His music is published by Edition Peters.
SOLOIST
VICTORIA SONGWEI LI
Victoria Songwei Li is a London-based Singaporean soprano. A graduate of the Royal Academy of Music and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, she trained with Yvonne Kenny and Jennifer Dakin. In 2024, Victoria made her Garsington Opera debut singing the role of Amour in Platée (Rameau), and stepping in for the penultimate performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream (Britten) as Tytania.
Victoria made her operatic debut at the age of 17 as Giannetta with New Opera Singapore in L’elisir d’amore (Donizetti). Since then, opera roles have included Rusalka (Dvorak), Elle in La Voix Humaine (Poulenc), Blanche in Dialogues des Carmélites (Poulenc), Poppea in L’incoronazione di Poppea (Monteverdi), Cupidon in Orpheus in the Underworld (Offenbach), Pepik, Woodpecker and Cricket in The Cunning Little Vixen (Janacek) and First Singing Apple in The Little Green Swallow (Jonathan Dove).
Opera aside, Victoria is a keen song performer and has performed song recitals in the Barbican Hall, Wigmore Hall, LSO St. Luke’s, amongst others. She was also a part of the Royal Academy of Music/Kohn Foundation Bach Cantata during her time at the RAM.
In 2020, Victoria was the winner of the Opera Class in the David Clover Festival of Singing (UK) and the recipient of the Cyril Greaves Bursary. In 2019, she was awarded First Prize and the Osaka Governor Award at the 20th International Osaka Music Competition in Japan.
Orchestral work include soloist engagements with the Alps Angeles Philharmonic under the baton of Gustavo Dudamel in the 2018 European tour, and the Singapore Symphony Orchestra. She also performed with the Guildhall Cantata Ensemble as a soprano soloist in Handel in Buxtehude Cantatas at the London Handel Festival conducted by James Johnstone.
SOLOIST TENOR
JONATHAN CHARLES TAY
Tenor Jonathan Charles Tay is one of the leading opera singers in Singapore. He graduated from the Manhattan School of Music in New York City and earned his Master of Music degree at Northwestern University in Chicago.
Tay’s performance highlights include Eisenstein in Strauss’s Die Fledermaus and Don José in Bizet’s Carmen with the Singapore Lyric Opera, Beethoven’s Choral Fantasia with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, Rodolfo in La Bohème with Musician’s Initiative, Bertrando in Rossini’s L’inganno felice with Lirica Arts, Der Zwerg in Dwarf by Alexander Zemlinksy, Mozart’s Idomeneo, Oronte in Handel’s Alcina and Elvino in La Sonnambula with The Opera People.
Concert highlights include Before Life and After with the Singapore International Festival of Arts and Britten’s Serenade for Tenor and Horn with Orchestra of the Music Makers. Jonathan’s performances have garnered praise from OPERA magazine as “excellent and very lyrical.”
Jonathan is also co-founder and co-artistic director of the Singaporean Opera Company, The Opera People. They were founded in 2018 and have since produced multiple staged and digital presentations, including five opera productions.
CONDUCTOR
LIEN BOON HUA
Singaporean conductor Lien Boon Hua is acclaimed as one of Asia’s leading interpreters of contemporary music, celebrated for his stylistic versatility and emotional depth. In recognition of his accomplishments, he was invited in 2022 to lead the Singapore Symphony Orchestra in a landmark concert celebrating the 20th anniversary of Esplanade, Singapore’s national performing arts centre. Since founding Wayfarer Sinfonietta in 2021, Lien has established the ensemble into a dynamic force in Singapore, known for its artistic excellence and bold programming.
Lien’s international conducting career spans collaborations with renowned orchestras across three continents. He has also appeared at many music festivals such as the Singapore International Festival of Arts, IntAct Festival, Thailand International Composition Festival, Gdańsk Music Festival and International Mozartiana Festival. Previously, Lien served as Assistant Conductor of the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra (2016-2018) and at the Richard Strauss Festival (2018) in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
A dedicated educator, Lien has served on the faculty of the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music since 2019, where he directs the contemporary music ensemble OpusNovus and teaches conducting. Under his leadership, OpusNovus embarked on its maiden tour to Australia in 2023. In 2024, Lien expanded his educational impact as Visiting Lecturer of Large Ensembles at the Princess Galyani Vadhana Institute of Music in Bangkok.
His commitment to nurturing young musicians extends to work with the ASEAN-Russian Youth Orchestra, RondoFest Festival Orchestra, Orchestra of the Music Makers, Hong Kong Children’s Symphony Orchestra, and the Princess Galyani Vadhana Institute of Music Youth Orchestra.
TOH BAN SHENG CHORUS MASTER
Toh is Singapore’s homegrown conductor who paves the road less travelled. From a physicist to a self-taught musician to one of the most awarded Singaporean conductors with seven Conductor’s Prizes in Europe, he has been invited to adjudicate, conduct, or teach in some 25 countries. Known for his artistry, he is one of few who has also judged in international choral conducting and choral composition competitions.
Toh is recognised as an eminent conductor and educator with an illustrious track record, having garnered eight Grands Prix, numerous Category Champions and Jury Prizes, and some 70 gold awards. Toh was also conferred the Young Artist Award (2006) by the National Arts Council and the Honorary Member (2016) by the Choral Directors Association of Singapore.
As the founding member of the International Choral Conductors Federation (ICCF), he was appointed the ICCF Continental Ambassador of Asia in 2022. Since assuming Artistic Directorship, the annual International Choral Festival Orientale Concentus has grown larger and more established than ever before. “Toh Ban Sheng Choral Series” with Earthsongs Music Publication (USA), a first for Asian outside USA, was launched in 2012. He has also written for the International Choral Bulletin and had his music published in Europe.
His work as a Chorus Master for Mahler Symphony Nr. 2 and Beethoven Symphony Nr. 9 has won him rave reviews by The Straits Times . Among other notable appointments, he conducted the 800-strong National Day Parade Combined Choir at the National Stadium in 1999.
THE CENTENNIAL ARTS TRAIL
MICHAEL HOLIDAY
The Centennial Arts Trail was conceived as part of Tanglin Trust School's centenary celebrations, aiming to integrate art into the everyday experiences of its community. Supported by the Tanglin Trust School Foundation, the trail features distinctive works created by renowned artists, each piece reflecting aspects of the school's legacy, values, and aspirations for the future.
Established in 1925, Tanglin has been a cornerstone of British-based international education in Singapore. As the school approached its centenary in 2025, we embarked on a series of initiatives to commemorate this significant milestone. One of the most notable projects is the Centennial Arts Trail, a curated collection of commissioned artworks that celebrate the school's rich history and its deep connection to Singapore's vibrant arts scene. Tonight’s commission is the fourth in the series, with the previous three being visual.
Unveiled on 12 January 2023, The Brain is a captivating sculpture by Singaporean artist Victor Tan. Suspended prominently in the atrium of the Centenary Building, this intricate piece symbolises the complex interactions among billions of neurons that define human identity. The sculpture serves as a metaphor for the learning journey, encouraging students to appreciate and interpret artistic expressions. Students had the unique opportunity to engage with Victor during the creation process,
visiting his studio to gain insights into the materials and techniques used in crafting a public sculpture.
The second installation in the Centennial Arts Trail is We Dreamed a Forest by local artist Donna Ong. Unveiled in early 2024, this ethereal piece is located at the far end of the atrium in the Centenary Building. Ong's work provokes curiosity, inviting viewers of all ages to explore and interpret her art. The installation adds a sense of wonder to the school's environment, aligning with Tanglin's commitment to fostering creativity and imagination among its students.
The third work in the Centennial Arts Trail is Symphony of Growth by acclaimed sound artist Zul Mahmod; this work will be unveiled in June 2025. It will be a kinetic sound sculpture that delves into the concepts introduced by Charles Darwin in his influential 1859 work, On the Origin of Species . At the core of Darwin's masterpiece, and the inspiration of this work, lies a captivating illustration—a complex tree portraying the branching and extinction of species over time, which he referred to as the great Tree of Life.
The school will continue expanding the trail with new commissioned works reflecting evolving themes. This is made possible by the donors of The Foundation and the Arts Advisory Committee: Dominic Nixon, Neil Tottman, Craig Considine, Eugene Tan, Paul Hughes, Keir McGuiness, Abhra Bhattacharjee, and Michael Holiday.
The Brain by Victor Tan
We Dreamed a Forest by Donna Ong
A BRIDGE ACROSS THE SEA JONATHAN
DOVE
LIBRETTO BY ALASDAIR MIDDLETON
Commissioned by Tanglin Trust School in celebration of the school’s centenary and premiered at the Esplanade Concert Hall Singapore on Wednesday 23rd April 2025.
A Bridge Across the Sea tells a story from the Ramayana, one of ancient India’s great epics, alongside the Mahabharata.
After Sita marries Rām (avatar of Vishnu and future king), she is abducted by the demon Rāvan and carried off to Lankā. Hanuman (monkey commander of the monkey army) learns where Sita is imprisoned, and makes a giant leap across the ocean to find her. But only Rām can rescue her. How can Rām and his forces cross the sea? The ocean king arises from the waves. He promises that if the monkeys build a bridge, he will hold it up. Under Hanuman’s command, the monkeys rip trees, hoist boulders and break off mountain peaks to build the bridge, forming into battalions to complete the task. On the fifth day, they lay the final stone. With Rām riding on Hanuman’s back, the monkeys accompany the army across the bridge in a joyful procession to rescue Sita.
This ancient story, from 5th century BC or earlier, has been endlessly retold, with Indonesian, Burmese, Tibeto-Chinese and Malay versions among others. It was chosen both to reflect Singapore’s diversity and speak to a wider audience beyond. Sita and Rām provide good roles for soprano and tenor soloists, the dramatic events are narrated by the adult chorus, and the children’s chorus embody the armies of monkeys, supported by the colourful sounds of the symphony orchestra. The joyful procession, with Rām and Sita singing to each other across the distance, makes a rousing finale.
The dramatic cantata is intended to be exciting for all the performers, without in any way disrespecting the sacred aspect of the story. It feels universal, yet resonant in Singapore. The culminating image, reaching out across the ocean in a grand communal, collaborative endeavour, feels just right for Tanglin’s centenary celebrations, reflecting the cultural diversity of the school’s community, its sense of purpose, its striving to send out the best into the wider world.
LIBRETTO
1. ABDUCTION
SITA: Ram.
RAM:
Sita. Tender Eyed! Slim Fingered!
SITA: Golden Hearted!
CHORUS: Ah!
Ravan! Ravan! Ravan!
Snatched by a demon Tricked, trapped, snatched, stolen. Snatched by a black-fanged, tenheaded demon –
RAM: Sita! Where are you?
SITA:
Ah! Ram! Save me!
CHORUS:
Carried across the sea
RAM: Where are you?
CHORUS:
Captured! Trapped in his palace prison
In her prison From each window Mock malignant, jeering parakeets and coarse macaws Ah Sita! Ah Sita! What fate waits?
SITA: Ram! Find me! Free me, save me!
2. SEARCH
RAM:
Find Sita! Search! Sharp-eyed circle the world! East. West. North. South. No leaf unlifted. No stone unturned. Each inch of earth sift. Seek! Search!
SEMI-CHORUS: We
Scoured each darkening corner of the North, Hard arms lifting lit lamps high, Ardently searchingNo sign.
SEMI-CHORUS:
We
Braved the blazing deserts of the East Scanning, fiercer than the sun, Every horizonNo sign.
RAM: Sita, where are you?
CHORUS:
In her prison Round her ankles Ropes of serpents lisp obscenities around her feet
Ssss-so Sss-sita, sss-so Sss-sita, What fate waits?
SEMI-CHORUS:
We
Rode on whistling whirlwinds through the West, Tongues of Thunder burst the clouds, Brazenly calling –No sign.
RAM:
Sita, where are you?
SITA:
Ram! You do not come. Have you forgotten me?. Once I was the light in your eye. Have you forgotten me?
RAM: Are
We condemned never to meet again? Forced asunder. Spend our days Bitterly weeping No hope.
3. HANUMAN
Wait, there is Still hope! In the South Hanuman! We have not heard from Hanuman! Hanuman the mighty monkey!
CHORUS: Hanuman! Hanuman!
RAM: Son of the wind! Steadfast and True
His clever eyes! He shifts his size
His skilful hands
Hold a thousand tricks and plans.
CHORUS:
The forest quivers, something swings, leaps light, lithe through the leaves, braggadocio in the branches, laughing each twitch of his exuberant tail. Who?
Hanuman! Hanuman! Son of the wind! Steadfast and True His clever eyes! He shifts his size
His skilful hands
Hold a thousand tricks and plans. Who? Hanuman! Hanuman!
4. THE LEAP
CHORUS:
Hanuman stands on the shore, the vast ocean before him Senses Sita beyond the seas. Shoots sparks, His fur erect, electric, He swells to twice, four times, a dozen times, a hundred, a thousand times his size
He leaps! Leaps across the sea to Sita
She is found! She is found! And his shouts resound Around the world
RAM: She is found!
SITA:
Hanuman.
You, faithful, true, Have found me. Take this pearl, Spotless, perfect, As a token.
Now bring Ram to my rescue.
Ram, brave, beautiful, Golden Hearted! Bright Browed! come to my rescue
Only you can lead me a jewel on your arm To safety.
CHORUS:
Ram stands on the shore
RAM:
How high the waves, How deep the sea
That keeps my love Away from me. Strong as the love Deep in my heart
The sea that keeps us Far apart.
CHORUS:
The sea seethes about him. He shouts at the sun
Shoots a fiery arrow at its heart.
RAM:
Scorch the sand, Turn waves to flame, Boil, burn the water, So I walk dry To Sita.
CHORUS:
Now the seas heave Now Emerges
The Sea God’s barnacled brow Crowned with kelp, his head
He will help.
Build a bridge –
The sea god will secure it. His forehead its foundation.
7. MONKEYS
RAM:
A bridge
Hanuman, a bridge.
Throw a bridge across the sea
CHORUS:
Hanuman calls!
Then –
MONKEYS:
Whispering, giggling, twittering, whittering –
The leaves and branches seem alive
Shivering, shuddering, then arriveGibbering, gossiping galloping, lolloping -
With cheeks of red and bums of blue, The buoyant babbling Baboon crew. Howling, gurning, chattering, nattering
The gibbon gang, the Mandrill band
All assemble on the strand.
Numberless as grains of sand Hanuman’s simian armies stand.
RAM:
A bridge
Hanuman, a bridge.
Throw a bridge across the sea
8. THE BRIDGE
MONKEYS:
Oh come all you monkeys of powerful paw,
Throw up a bridge to the opposite shore
With axes and chisels, machete and saw. And hammer and hammer and hammer.
Rough rubble and stubble and reed beds and rocks
Tough Tree trunks, big boulders all bashed into blocks
Resound to the pounding of piledriving shocks
And hammer and hammer and hammer
CHORUS:
Oh come all you monkeys etc
(MONKEYS
Whispering, giggling, twittering, whittering –)
CHORUS:
All of them working, the whole monkey nation,
Strengthen the arches, fix firm the foundation
With grit and with drive, and with determination
Together, together, together.
Lift it and load it and hack it and hew it.
Shift it and shape it, knock ninety nails through it.
Draw it and drag it, we know we can do it
Together, together, together!
Hanuman flies to the high mountain top
He slices the summit with one mighty chop
Lifts it over the ocean and then lets it drop.
Now hammer and hammer and hammer.
RAM & SITA:
What can keep we two apart
Held in Hanuman’s strong heart?
MONKEYS/CHORUS:
Look what we made by the skill of our paws!
A mighty bridge joining the different shores!
We chatter our praise and we roar our applause, Together, together, together!
Marching and singing we soon will be where
The dark demon waits in his dark forest lair,
Fair Sita waits for her shining Ram there,
To hold him, forever, forever.
RAM & SITA:
Take me by the hand
And lead me to the place
Where no gloomy shadow falls upon our face
But lit by the sun above We walk
A land of light and love.
CHORUS:
We set out for tomorrow together, Tomorrow is splendid and bright. My hand in the hand of my brother
Over a bridge made of light.
ALL:
How sturdy the bridge is! Secure, strong and wide!
Effortless arching the turbulent tide!
A magnificent army so confident ride, Together, together, together.
RESOUND COLLECTIVE LIMITED
Resound Collective Limited is a Singapore-based musicians’ collective and registered charity (Institution of a Public Character) that promotes music for small orchestra and chamber ensembles. The company organises re:Sound - a chamber orchestra, and the Concordia Quartet - a string quartet of prize-winning players. The company also presents the biennial Singapore Chamber Music Festival.
re:Sound chamber orchestra made its debut in 2016, and has presented concerts with music ranging from Baroque to the 21st century, including several new commissions. Often performing without a conductor, the orchestra has been hailed by The Straits Times as “Singapore’s answer to London’s Academy of St Martin in the Fields.”
Guest artists who have performed with re:Sound include violinists Enrico Onofri, Pavlo Beznosiuk, Chloe Chua, Igor Yuzefovich, Ike See, Mark Gothóni, and Kam Ning, cellists Ng Pei-Sian and Yuko Miyagawa, pianists Stephen Hough, Melvyn Tan, Dennis Lee, Lim Yan, Shaun Choo and Koh Jia Hwei, toy pianist Margaret Leng Tan, tenor Thomas Ruud, the Nidaros Cathedral Male Choir, and conductors Bjørn Moe, Ralf Gothóni, Jason Lai, Lim Soon Lee, Adrian Chiang and Lien Boon Hua.
Highlights of re:Sound’s 2025 calendar include the Singapore leg of Sigur Rós’ orchestral world tour, the world premiere of A Bridge Across the Sea by Jonathan Dove, and return performances with violinist Keila Wakao and cellist Qin Li-Wei.
For more information: resoundcollective.org
RAFFLES SINGERS
Raffles Singers was founded when alumni singers of Raffles Chorale, the choir of Raffles Junior College and recipient of the 1999 Best Choir of the Year award at the Singapore Youth Festival competition, reunited and sang to a full house at Victoria Concert Hall for a concert in 2001. Since its inaugural concert, Raffles Singers has continued to draw choristers from top Singaporean school choirs, experienced independent singers, accomplished choral conductors, and voice and music teachers. Under the artistic direction of award-winning conductor Toh Ban Sheng, the group continues to showcase their passion for choral singing.
Raffles Singers has performed publicly both locally and overseas, from the inaugural International Garden Festival in Singapore (2008) to the concert at the Holy Cross Church in Warsaw, Poland (2015). In 2016, the choir collaborated with the Orchestra of the Music Makers (OMM) and the Queensland Festival Chorus (Australia) for the performance of Beethoven’s “Choral” Symphony No. 9 , Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg and Esenvalds’ Lakes Awake at Dawn in Singapore’s Esplanade Concert Hall to rave reviews. In 2018, the choir collaborated once more with OMM to perform Mahler’s “Resurrection” Symphony No. 2 . In 2019, Raffles Singers served as the demonstration choir for a three-day music interpretation workshop with the famed Maestro Stojan Kuret, two-time winner of the great European Grand Prix for Choral Singing and recipient of the illustrious Prešeren Foundation Award, Slovenia’s highest national decoration for culture.
Today, Raffles Singers continues to be recognised as a premier Singaporean choir and remains committed to singing, pursuing both period and contemporary choral music, enthralling audiences local and abroad with its signature fusion repertoires.
