VICE DEAN'S MESSAGE

There is something dense, united, settled in the depths, repeating its number, its identical sign. How it is noted that stones have touched time, in their refined matter there is an odor of age, of water brought by the sea, from salt and sleep.

from Unity, by Pablo Neruda

Happy New Year and thank you for joining us for this Orchestral Institute: Concerto Prizewinner Showcase! The level of excellence in YST’s 2022 iteration of the annual concerto competition was so impressive that our international panel of judges felt utterly compelled to award five prizewinners!

With the Orchestral Institute’s ongoing initiative to partner with outstanding ensembles within Singapore and beyond, two of these outstanding prizewinners, pianists Cheryl Pandora & Viona Sanjaya were showcased with the Orchestra of the Music Makers as featured soloists, performing the Francis Poulenc Concerto for Two Pianos, at School of the Arts Singapore (SOTA) on December 11, 2022

Tonight, we showcase the three remaining 202122 prizewinners – serendipitously performing a set of concertos all infused with post-romantic nationalistic identities: Armenia via Aleksandr Arutiunian’s Concerto for Trumpet, Poland through Karol Szymanowski’s first Concerto for Violin, and Bohemia in Antonín Dvořák’s beloved Cello Concerto.

As YST continues its 20th year celebrations by “Looking Back” and “Moving Forward” we are reminded of the Conservatory’s mission that aims for “excellence, inclusion, community and agency” as key institutional drivers behind everything we do. With that, it is apropos that within the stylistic framework of all three pieces you will hear tonight, there is a universal resonance that flows from each of the composers’ respective communities. Similarly, one of the great privileges of being part of the YST community is its inherent global perspective: the collective shared experience of communal identity and personal agency refracted through the universality of music performance.

Nowhere is this more apparent than in the exceptional talent of the Conservatory’s students.

Cheryl, Viona, Nuttakamon, Meng and Jiaqi, all embody and exemplify these aspirations.

There is something dense, united, and settled in those depths.

Associate Professor Brett Stemple

Vice Dean (Ensembles, Research & Professional Awareness)

About Yst

Inspirational life-affirming music-making is at the heart of the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music at the National University of Singapore. Centred in one of the world’s most dynamic countries, the Conservatory is uniquely placed to offer a distinct and powerful contemporary Asian voice.

Founded in 2003, YST quickly established a reputation as Asia’s most exciting international conservatory by bringing together a worldclass faculty and facility to develop excellence in instrumental performance and composition. Building on this strong foundation, the Conservatory has evolved over the past two decades to become one of the world’s most distinctive music schools, diversifying its offerings and continually seeking to connect authentically with its surrounding community. Specialisations added subsequently include Voice, Audio Arts & Sciences, Conducting, Music & Society and Music, Collaboration & Production. Alongside students from Singapore, the Conservatory community is internationally diverse, with representation from over 20 countries and five continents.

Keenly focused on nurturing identity as a driver for excellence, YST’s Bachelor of Music programme offers full financial support for all its undergraduate students, enabled by major gifts from the Yong Loo Lin Trust. The Conservatory’s continuum of offerings further includes Master of Music and Master of Music Leadership degrees, NUSfacing Second Majors, Minors and modules, Continuing Education & Training courses for adult learners, and a Young Artist programme. We host a vibrant performance calendar with around 200 concerts annually, featuring students and faculty alongside international artists and ensembles. Our community engagement and professional integration programme has extensive local, regional and global reach. Students are supported to find their own artistic pathways through exchanges, festivals, competitions and projects. More broadly, our international networks and partnerships further enhance the educational experience and ensure our continued evolution.