Choy Siew Woon Neville Athenasius Ang
Foreword
The Chorallective is a collective, project-based group of musicmakers who come together to explore how music, affect, and knowledge co-exist and expand each other. Laurie Vickroy writes that “emotions are part of the thinking process”, investigating how this is true for many literary novels. The same holds true for us when we think about music and how it expands in the body, how it is carried by the breath outward to you, our audience, and how it sparks bodily feelings that can be recognised as emotions
It’s something like gut-feeling, like instinct, the way these feelings bring new knowledge, or expand areas in our mind we thought we already knew And music is the map or our legend for the map, is a trail of street lamps lighting the way, the coloured dye that reveals things otherwise unseen in a science experiment
We dip into the familiar and repeating patterns and ask what we know, and how it can be taken apart so that we can know even more. In Living On A Prayer, we look into the deep water of religious music, both in its history and its fresh connections, taking on sounds that are familiar like home and others that are new and so unexpected as to be briefly startling. We ask: what are the thought processes and emotions that lie at the heart of this artichoke? If the chords and harmonies are the leaves, what do we arrive at after we traverse them all, and peel them down? What new flavours await when we breathe in and let the familiar pass through?
Frank Martin Agnus Dei
Tine Bec Immaculata*
Tanishqa Verma, Ayesha Omer, Renu Suresh, Nawaz Mirajkar
Beauty of Rain (Medley of Compositions in Raag Miya Ki Malhaar)
Nana Forte Mantra
arr. Moses Hogan Wade in the Water
- intermission -
Sarah Kirkland Snider Mass for the Endangered*
Asian Premiere
Singapore Premiere
Stare at a stained glass window or mosaic; what do your eyes see?
Do you find yourself connected to the whole, the image and its story, or to each individual tile, translucent or textured, and its place amidst the whole?
AgnusDei
Frank Martin (1890 - 1974)
From Mass for Double Choir, re-arranged for SATB choir and string quartet
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona nobis pacem
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, grant us peace
Slovenian and Latin text interweave and extend towards the same faithful waiting that we know
From certainty, then, we’ll venture
Immaculata
Tine Bec (b. 1993)
Immaculata
Kdo vse je že molil pred Tvojo podobo?
Čudno, da ni obledela do nerazpoznavnosti, alida ni zoglenela od tolikih prošenj
Iz njene miline lije milosti mir; živa voda teši našo žejo, in glad prebičanega telesa
Ostaja lepa in večna Nekdo je vanjo dahnil, zato ostaja lepa in večna, ta Tvoja podoba
The Immaculate Conception
Who has ever prayed in front of Your image?
It’s a miracle you haven’t faded beyond recognition, or been charred by so many prayer requests
Peace flows from your grace; Living water quenches our thirst, and the hunger of Christ’s beaten body
You remain beautiful and eternal
Someone has sent a breath inside you, Therefore it remains beautiful and eternal, this image of you
We tunnel deep into a connection with the earth, growing an experience of faith and music
What do you think of as religious music, and what expectations do you hold for how it sounds, or how the sound eddies inside you?
Part 1 Aa~
BeautyofRain
Tanishqa Verma (Prepared Part 1)
Ayesha Omer (Rendition of Part 2)
Renu Suresh & Nawaz Mirajkar (Composers of Part 3)
Medley of Compositions in Raag Miya Ki Malhaar
[Swar Vistaar in Aakaar Aakaar is a form of singing using only the vowel “Aa” instead of in words or Sargam (known as solfege in Western music) ]
Part 2 Ghan garajat baadar aaye (x4)
Umad-ghumad kar baadar chhaye (x2)
Ghan garajat baadar aaye (x2)
Bijuri chamake, jiyara tarase (x2)
Meha barase chham-chham-chham
Ghan garajat baadar aaye (x2)
Umad-ghumad~ (x2)
Umad-ghumad ghan garaje baadar (x2)
Kaare-kaare~
Kaare-kaare at-hi daraaye
Kaari-kaari ratiyaan maa room-jhoom
Umad-ghumad ghan garaje baadar
Chamak-chamak~
Chamak-chamak chamake bijuriya
Dhamak-dhamak dhamake daamaniya
Chalat purvaayu sanana room-jhoom
Umad-ghumad ghan garaje baadar
Garaje baadar kaare-kaare
At-hi daraaye kaari-kaari ratiyaan
Maa room-jhoom umad-ghumad
Ghan garaje (x3) baadar
Part 3 Ghanana-ghanana (x2) ghananana
Barse megha
Jamta-jamta (x2) jhananana
Bhoomi gaaye Malhaar
-Taan + Aalaap-
-Tihai-
Thick thundering clouds are coming
Tumbling clouds loom overhead like a blanket
As lightning strikes, my hearts yearns
Rain pours down, pitter-patter
Thick thundering clouds are coming
Roiling, tumbling
Tumbling thick clouds thunder
Dark black
So dark they threaten/scare
In the dark nights they blow swiftly
Tumbling thick clouds thunder
Sparkle-sparkle
Sparkle-sparkle the lightning glitters
Lightning flashes across the sky
The east wind blows swiftly across
Tumbling thick clouds thunder
Black clouds growl in thunder
The dark nights scare too much
The clouds blow swiftly
Tumbling thick clouds thunder
With the loud sound of ‘ghanan ghanan' clouds are pouring cats and dogs (rain)
Jhanana is the sound of anklets chiming
Mother Earth herself sings raag malhaar
[This part is sung fully in Sargam Aalaap is a composition, long or short, in a slow pace lacking rhythmic pulse and meter, while Taans are similar but sung in either double, triple or quadruple speed ]
[Translating to "3 times", Tihai is a phenomenon of thrice-repeating a rhythmic phrase, in this context the Aalaap, to often end a Hindustani composition Usually, a Tihai is used to ensure the final note of the phrase falls on the 1st beat of the underlying Taal, which is the rhythmic cycle a particular composition runs on ]
Mantra
How many different sounds does devotion have? How does your body register the sounds are you resisting or moving sympathetically, reflexively with us?
Nana Forte (b. 1981)
Such heavy stories exist simultaneously with so much light pouring through them,
and amidst it all, the miracle of human strength
WadeintheWater
arr Moses Hogan (1957 - 2003)
Wade in the water
Wade in the water, children, Wade in the water
God’s gonna trouble the water
See that host all dressed in white,
The leader looks like an Israelite
See that band all dressed in red, Well, it looks like the band that Moses led
MassfortheEndangered
In it we locate a belief that transcends culture, a deep hope for the world we live in and the future we want to build.
Sarah Kirkland Snider (b. 1973)
1.Kyrie
Kyrie Eleison
On earth, air, and water, have mercy.
On stone, tree, and flower, have mercy.
World have mercy
Kyrie Eleison
Give mercy to all wing and paw, Mercy to all creed and claw, on flower, seed, leaf, and root
Give mercy to all broods and tribes, mercy to all nests and prides; to tide and spring, squall and breeze, To those who plead for calm and peace not hunted, hounded, poisoned, fleeced
To barren, poisoned land: Forgive us.
To the vanished, and the left: Forgive us.
World forgive us
Mercy on this refuge, this braided boundless stone. Mercy for their old, mercy for their young And mercy now for what we've done
Kyrie Eleison
Nathaniel Bellows
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
2.Gloria
Et in terra pax hominibus bonæ voluntatis.
Laudamus te; benedicimus te; adoramus te; glorificamus te
Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam
Domine Deus, Rex caelestis, Deus Pater omnipotens.
Domine Fili unigenite Jesu Christe
Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris
Qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.
Qui tollis peccata mundi, suscipe deprecationem nostram.
Qui sedes ad dextram Patris, O miserere nobis.
Quoniam tu solus Sanctus, tu solus Dominus, tu solus Altissimus, Jesu Christe. Cum Sancto Spiritu, in gloria Dei Patris.
Amen.
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace to people of good will.
We praise you; we bless you; we adore you; we glorify you We give you thanks for your great glory
Lord God, heavenly King, O God, almighty Father.
Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son, Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father
You take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. You take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer. You are seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us.
For You alone are the Holy One, You alone are the Lord, You alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ. With the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father.
Amen.
3.Alleluia
Sea of cradle, foundling, current, cold and quelled as morning
Braid of vapored ashes, shadowed creche, collapsing
Contour, carve, corrode breathe through camphor, coal, seed each breeze with gold Poison, parch, pollute plow the coast, the dune, flow toward constant moon.
Alleluia
Hearth of stone, of tar, of lava, shelter shielding mother Oh, save us mother!
She who is sleeping, Is she who will wake
Fracture, foist, defoul shatter cliff and shoal, sand each stone to whole Harbored, held, unharmed she’ll wake, rise, rejoin, her daughters and her sons.
Alleluia
Nathaniel Bellows
4.Credo
We believe in stone and moss, sand and grass Land limned on loam, haven to the harmed and the whole, the lesser and the left, the spirit housed in the opposite
We believe in all who are offset
We believe in the blessing of wing, angelic, ingenious every soaring thing We believe in the holy pelt and fin, hoary hide and shell
The armor of every beast is blessed, adorned in their own regalia
Mercy, now, on all animalia
Take no tooth or tusk, steal no heart, hair, or husk
Et expecto
No shark robbed of its fin, no mink denied its skin
resurrectionem mortuorum et vitam venturi saeculi
No bath in bowls of salted blood
And I await the life of the world to come no cove for corpse, no reddened veldt
A flora fashioned, valued, known to heal the mind and mend the bone
We believe in all who are at risk
We believe in all who are voiceless
We believe in all who are helpless
We believe in all who are at risk
Lay down the spear, lay down the hook, lay down the gun, the knife, the net
No majesty in poison No virtue in the snare No salvation in a strangled spirit
We believe in songs at daybreak, cries and calls at dusk
In quell and coo, drone and hum, in hollow, hovel, river, pond
We believe in listen We believe in wish And to be worthy of their gift: this chance to look within ourselves and change how we have lived, to change how we have lived
We believe in all who are offset
We believe in all who are outcast
We believe in all who are voiceless
We believe in all who are stranded
We believe in all who are stalwart
We believe in all who are fearless
Expecto vitam venturi saeculi
We believe in all who are dauntless
And I await the life of the world to come
We believe in all offset, outcast, voiceless, stranded, stalwart, fearless, dauntless, promised
We believe in all who are silenced
We believe in all silenced
We believe in all who are promised
We believe in all promised
And I await
Nathaniel Bellows
5.Sanctus/Benedictus
Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Domine Deus Sabaoth. Pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria tua Osanna in excelsis.
Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini Osanna in excelsis.
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts. Heaven and earth are full of your glory Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord Hosanna in the highest.
6.AgnusDei
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi
Lamb of God, of longing, loss, have mercy on us. Accept, embrace these sins—release the callous, the conquering, replace this hardened wrath, with calm
Lamb of God, in calling, call, grant them peace
The deepest sleep of safety, the unencumbered yawn. To bathe and breed with no threat or risk trade our sins, our trespasses, for bliss.
Let, allow, admit, accord:
The slumbering of gods
The wandering unbound
The hunted hunting whole
The grazing under moon
The breathing boundless breath
The freedom found in self
The feeling life is whole
The meaning known, unknown
Lamb of God, of goodness, gold, share your mercy
Enslaved by sordid time the inward-turning eye, in scarcity, with lie They who take our basest acts—Lamb of God no punishment no cruel attack.
They who rise from what we lack Lamb of God—give wonder, wish, give kindness back
Agnus Dei
Nathaniel Bellows
Sopranos
Cheryl Ho Heng Leng
Erika Kesuma
Goh En Qi
Kong Xin Yan
Ng Kim Yi
Ng Li Yen
Tan Jin Hui Felicia
Teo Xin Lin
Tiong Wen Xuan
Wee Jie Qi
Wong Xiu Min
Zhang Xiaohan
Tenors
Delin Kong
Jason Yeo Thiam Poh
John Ethan Prince Asuncion Roy
Jonathan Chee
Mark Tan Xi Yuan
Oliver Li Yinuo
Ong Wei Shen Keane
Tan Song Ern
Torence Goh
Xiao Congchen
Altos
Caitlin Seet Wing
Alicia Cheong Jia Rong
Chin Qin You
Foong Yue Qian
Glenvicia Sim Hui Xian
Lee Yu Xuan, Anthea
Nicole Chiong Xin Yi
Siew Ying
Vanessa Chan Min Er
Wong Yut Yeng
Basses
Lew Yaw Fung Russell Ming Gao
Low Liyang
Rooney Ng
Russell Lee Yu Yang
Tan Hua Jian Sebastian
Tan Wei Yang
Tang Xin Yi, John
Teo Hsin Yeong
Tommi Huang JunYao
FirstViolin
Neville Athenasius Ang Xin Chun**
Lim Haowei
Megan Low Shuen Wei
Amanda Gnai Song Hui
SecondViolin
Chieh-An Tseng*
Parn En Hui Gloria
Lia Liu
Chen Hui
Viola
Patcharaphan Khumprakob*
Hsu Min Joelle
Cello
Trinh Ha Linh*
Loh Hsiao Shan
DoubleBass
Kuek Jia Xin*
Lee Zi Xuan
**Concertmaster
*Principal
Flute
Rachel
Ho
Oboe
Hu Qiuzi
Clarinet
Natalie Gail Pimentel
Bassoon
Kee Ruihan
Percussion
Sng Yiang Shan
Harp
Nigel Foo Shi Rong
Piano
Clarence Lee Zheng Le
TheChorallective
The Chorallective is a project-based collective of singers and musicians who gather for choral music and its interdisciplinary possibilities with different musicians and artists each season, exploring the humanness that drives the act of musicking, bridging the gap between choristers, instrumentalists, artists and audiences
Founded by Choy Siew Woon, the group is committed to a balanced and empathetic exploration of music, of each other, and of the human condition Drawing from different personal and musical histories, each individual brings to the table an ownership of musicmaking and an interest in what it means to translate the technicalities of a score from the page into an experience and a headspace, for both musicians and audiences alike Concerts are themed specially to help new and old audiences see the relevance of choral music in their lives
The Chorallective also seeks to provide a space for collaboration, inspiration and growth amongst young musicians, artists and authors, as we collaborate and discover our individual a es and roles in the ecosystem
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The Chorallective will next perform at Esplanade’s Voices: A F mber 2024 In 2025, The Chorallective will be staging a fusion o sical theatre and choral elements Stay tuned!
F echorallective
C ve@gmail com
ChoySiewWoon
Choy Siew Woon is a Singaporean choral director, music educator and vocalist She is the founder and artistic director of The Chorallective, a seasonal collective of singers and musicians who gather to explore the humanness of choral music and its interdisciplinary possibilities Her interests as a conductor encompasses chant, soundscaping, improvisation, Laban movement application and choral music education through Critical Pedagogy In her work, she aims to integrate her knowledge and experiences in both choral and orchestral conducting to foster fresh and meaningful approaches in musicmaking
Her involvement in Singapore’s music scene includes collaborations with The Esplanade, the Choral Directors’ Association of Singapore (CDAS), the Young Musicians’ Society, as well as the SYC Ensemble Singers, where she served as Assistant Conductor (2009 – 2018)
As a clinician, she has helped to organise choral music education programmes for youth choristers, including the East Zone Arts Festival (2016) and CDAS’ Choral Workshop for Student Leaders (2023 – 2024) She has also been involved in The Esplanade’s Voices: A Festival of Song, facilitating choral sing-along workshops for the public in 2018, and most recently, in 2022 and 2023, she helped to facilitate and co-conduct the choral programme for The Esplanade’s inaugural Voices Festival Choir, an auditioned choir of 80 youth choristers aged 17 – 26 Siew Woon has taught and mentored part-time at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music (National University of Singapore), in the Orchestral Pedagogy and Leading & Guiding modules respectively
Internationally, she has represented Singapore as both conductor and soprano She was selected to sing in the Asia Pacific Youth Choir (APYC) in 2011 (Macau) and 2014 (Seoul, Korea), performing and promoting choral music of the Asia Pacific region In 2019, Siew Woon was awarded a Conducting Fellowship with the Yale School of Music’s Norfolk Chamber Music Festival (USA), where she both conducted the Norfolk Festival Orchestra and Choir In 2022, she emerged as semifinalist in the 2nd Fosco Corti International Competition for Choral Conductors (Turin, Italy) In 2023, she was selected as one of the top 10 conductors at the Marktoberdorf International Masterclass and Competition for Choral Conductors (Marktoberdorf, Germany)
In 2020, Siew Woon was conferred the National Arts Council Arts Scholarship (Postgraduate), in support of her pursuit of the Master of Music (Conducting) programme at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music Simultaneously, she completed the Master of Music Education (Choral Emphasis) programme at Westminster Choir College (USA), as a recipient of the Trailblazer Foundation Study Grant Till date, she has studied choral conducting under the guidance of Simon Carrington (UK), Gary Graden (Sweden), Georg Grün (Germany), Maria Guinand (Venezuela), Volker Hempfling (Germany), James Jordan (USA), László Nemes (Hungary) and Jennifer Tham (Singapore)
Having grown up in school choirs, Siew Woon is also the conductor of several school choirs in Singapore, and has guided them to awards in Czech Republic, Hong Kong and Singapore Most importantly, she is thankful for the privilege of guiding her students through their musical and personal journeys, and hopes that they, too, will find their time in choir joyous, fulfilling and thoughtprovoking
Nevill h sAng
Neville obtained his Bachelor’s with Honours (Distinction) and his Masters of Music from the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music. His previous teachers include Associate Professor Zuo Jun, Head of Violin at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, Singapore Symphony Orchestra Fixed Chair Violinist, Chan Yoong Han and Concertmaster of The BBC Symphony, Igor Yuzefovich As an active orchestral musician, Neville freelances with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra. He also actively leads and perform with other local groups such the Metropolitan Festival Orchestra ReSound Collective, Red Dot Baroque and the Wayfarer Sinfonietta.
Between June to August 2022, Neville attended the Aspen Music Festival under scholarship Subsequently, he attended the World Orchestra Forum in Shizuoka, Japan, as an invited guest speaker. During the forum, he gave a presentation about the impact of music in the lives of young people to an audience that included Japanese Royalty, Princess Takamado. As an invited guest, he was also given the opportunity to perform for the Princess as well
This June, Neville will travel to Taiwan to serve as the guest concertmaster for the 25th Annual Concert of the Taoyuan City Jungli Youth Orchestra. Additionally, he will conduct masterclasses for the students
Neville is deeply committed to music education in Singapore, where he serves as an instructor at multiple institutions. At the Singapore Korean International School, he shares his expertise and inspires students to explore the world of music As a mentor with the Kids Philharmonic Orchestra, Neville guides young musicians in honing their talents and achieving artistic excellence His role at Nanyang Polytechnic involves educating both young adult learners and aspiring musicians, nurturing their technical skills and creative abilities Beyond formal settings, Neville also dedicates time to coaching private students, fostering a deep understanding and appreciation for music in each individual.
MathildaD’Silva
Mathilda D'Silva is a renowned Singaporean vocalist and entertainer, known for her dynamic stage presence and powerful vocal abilities From her days singing and acting on TV, she captured the hearts of many with her sensitive yet commanding voice, establishing herself as one of Singapore’s most captivating performers as well as a seasoned comedian
Mathilda's career highlights include performing for Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej and touring internationally, notably at the prestigious Java Jazz Festival She also had the honor of performing at Liverpool's iconic Cavern Club, the historic venue that launched The Beatles into global fame
Beyond her musical achievements, Mathilda is the founder of the Ocean Purpose Project, a social enterprise dedicated to addressing ocean plastic pollution Her journey into ocean conservation began after a traumatic experience in 2015, where exposure to polluted waters in Boracay, Philippines, led to severe autoimmune conditions This personal ordeal fueled her passion for creating solutions to combat ocean pollution, ultimately leading to the establishment of the Ocean Purpose Project in 2020
Under her leadership, the Ocean Purpose Project has gained significant recognition, Singapore's nominee for Earthshot Prize 2024 and part of Singapore's United Nations Global Compact With 20 awards and accolades, including the Most Sustainable Marine Conservation Solutions 2020 by Global Brands Magazine and APAC Insider's Most Pioneering Ocean Plastic Mitigation Initiative 2022- the social enterprise is routinely invited to global events at the Hague, United Nations and G20 summits with Mathilda as a keynote speaker
Mathilda's commitment to ocean conservation and sustainability is deeply personal and impactful She continues to leverage her platform to raise awareness and drive initiatives aimed at creating a healthier and more sustainable planet
TanishqaVerma
Tanishqa Verma, now a 21-year-old, has been learning Hindustani Classical Vocal Music for the past 14 years under the guidance of Shri. Ravindra Parchure at Temple of Fine Arts (TFA) Singapore
In 2014, she sang a short classical piece for the TFA play ‘The Rajput Princess’ She has since performed at various programmes like Sur Taal Sangam telecasted on Zee TV and the Kalaa Utsavam 2019 event at Esplanade alongside other TFA youth in an Indian-style choir
In 2019, she also received the opportunity to perform with her 2 classmates in the prestigious Kalavaibhavam Festival at SIFAS. Throughout these years, Ravindra Ji has guided her to participate in the National Indian Music Competition (NIMC) under NAC every other year as well as emceeing and performing at his & his students' Guru Purnima event annually held at Ramakrishna Mission
Her latest performance was as a solo singer with 5 TFA musicians at the Esplanade Concourse for Kalaa Utsavam 2023; the musical titled 'Our Planet, Our Home', written and composed by Smt Renu Suresh
Alongside learning at TFA, Tanishqa has been a soprano singer in SACPS' choir CCA for 5 years, a lead singer in Ngee Ann Sec's Jam Band CCA for 4, and an Alto+Tenor singer in Temasek Poly's Chorale CCA for 3 years
Acknowledgements
Our most heartfelt and special thanks to:
National Arts Council, Singapore, for your kind support
Venue Management and Production Team at Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, for your help and guidance towards staging this concert
Venue Management at Arts House Limited and Song Lovers Choral Society, for your help in rehearsal space coordination
Jonathan Chee, Alicia Cheong, Kong Delin, Ethan Prince, Glenvicia Sim, and Wong Yut Yeng, for all your help and dedication as our Concert Working Committee
Tan Yao Guang, for being our amazing stage manager
Jollin Tan and Vanessa Chan of Cool People Concepts, for your beautiful wordsmithing and genius graphic design
Chua Wei Hao and Steven Cheong, for helping us document this special concert
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