ORCHESTRAL INSTITUTE
Prayers for Halcyon
SATURDAY, 18 FEBRUARY 2023, 7.30 PM
YST CONSERVATORY CONCERT HALL
PROGRAMME
YST Orchestral Institute with JASON LAI, conductor
ALAN CHOO, artistic director, Red Dot Baroque
RED DOT BAROQUE, ensemble-in-residence
NATASHA BOON, dancer
POH HIAN, dancer
CLARISSE BU, graphic designer
MARIN MARAIS
Chaconne from Alcyone
GEORGE FRIDERIC
HANDEL
Concerto Grosso in B-flat major, Op. 3 No. 1, HWV 312
I. Allegro
II. Largo
III. Allegro
WILHELM FRIEDEMANN BACH
Adagio and Fugue in D minor
I. Adagio
II. Allegro e forte
HEINRICH IGNAZ FRANZ VON BIBER
Battalia à 10
I. Presto I
II. Allegro
III. Presto II
IV. Der Mars
V. Presto III
VI. Aria
VII. Die Schlacht
VIII. Lamento
IGOR STRAVINSKY
Symphony in C
I. Moderato alla breve
II. Larghetto concertante
III. Allegretto
IV. Largo; Tempo giusto, alla breve
VICE DEAN'S MESSAGE
Now peer into the inner world Of this composer’s mind, What of the struggles underneath This symphony’s design?
- Frances LeeWelcome to tonight’s special collaborative concert between YST’s ensemble in residence, Red Dot Baroque and the Orchestral Institute in a curation we’ve entitled Prayers for Halcyon.
One of the magical wonders of great music is its sublimative, transcendent power. Throughout history composers have utilized consorts of human imagination to transcribe the mythical, the emotional, the political and the spiritual into beautiful tapestries of sound. Igor Stravinsky (18821971) whose iconic The Rite of Spring, evokes brutally dissonant cacophony, was also capable of composing ethereal sublimity.
His neoclassical Symphony in C (1940) is a perfect example. Filled with bubbling nods to the Viennese classicism of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven, the
composer concludes the piece with a decidedly Stravinskian – and a heavenly-prayerful – sleight of hand. Whereas in classical symphonies –particularly in major tonalities – we expect the triumphant grand finale, Stravinsky leaves us with something entirely different. Given the global turmoil of World War II, not to mention Stravinsky’s own personal struggle, his evocation of “prayers for halcyon” feel particularly touching.
When we approached Alan Choo, RDB’s Artistic Director, for a first half pairing that would set up an appropriate call, to Stravinsky’s response, he soon selected a number of brilliant baroque-era evocations of struggles abstracted – Handel and Bach – and concrete Marais and Biber (who makes Stravinsky particularly proud with his battle depictions!). The OI students’ arc of growth working alongside RDB is an inspiration to behold!
Lin Xiangning and her creative curation team, including our guest dancers Natasha Boon, Poh Hian, and image design artist Clarisse Bu bring the concert’s narrative arc to full fruition.
If there was a twentieth-century composer who embodied “Looking Back, Moving Forward,” it’s hard to imagine a composer more apropos than Stravinsky. We are also reminded that, despite
all the technological and social progress in the centuries that separate us from the baroque, the perennial folly, frailty, and global conflict that plagues the human condition is seemingly ever present. We are all in need of answers to our halcyon prayers.
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.
ABOUT THE YST ORCHESTRAL INSTITUTE
The YST Orchestral Institute is a creative musicians’ laboratory, designed as an innovative forum for conservatory-level orchestral training. First conceptualized in 2018 by former YST Dean, Prof. Bernard Lanskey, as a way of revitalizing learning and teaching systems within a large ensemble context, the Orchestral Institute has emerged as a dynamic platform in which aspirational orchestral musicians work collaboratively alongside professionals drawn from Conservatory faculty, staff, and alumni, as well as YST partner institutions, from Southeast Asia and beyond. Pioneering interdisciplinary programming, a unique production style, collaborative-composition creation, musician
health & well-being, and an open-dialogue approach to rehearsing are all hallmarks of the Orchestral Institute approach – a philharmonie philosophy which seeks to create a safe ‘play-space’ emphasizing creativity, mutual learning, and skills development appropriate for large ensemble musicmaking, with the ambition of enabling musicians to be even more open, daring, questioning, collaborative and passionate about the music they make together.
Currently under the leadership of YST Conservatory Principal Conductor, Jason Lai; Vice Dean of Ensembles, Brett Stemple; OpusNovus Conductor (and YST Artist Fellow), Dr Lien Boon Hua, and Orchestral Manager, Yap Zi Qi; and working alongside Conservatory students, faculty, staff, and YST Artist Fellows – the Orchestral Institute has created and curated a number of groundbreaking orchestral productions including Telling Beyond Words (2019), and – despite the global pandemic – Springs of Uncertainty (2020), Lichtbogen (2020), Landscapes of Souls (2021), Transfigurations (2021), Dream for Future (as part of SoundBridge Music Festival 2021) and a special collaborative family concert with the Kids’ Philharmonic, Symphonies
Simple and Philharmonic Friends (2021), among others, many of which are available for viewing at the YST Conservatory’s YouTube channel.
JASON LAI
PRINCIPAL CONDUCTOR
Jason Lai is the Principal Conductor at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory, Principal Guest Conductor at the Orchestra of the Swan, and former Associate Conductor of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra and Hong Kong Sinfonietta. He’s been a prominent figure in Singapore’s musical life since his arrival in 2010, but also active internationally giving masterclasses in Europe and China. He has also guest conducted the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, New Japan Philharmonic, Podlasie Opera Philharmonic in Poland, Macao Orchestra, Hong Kong Sinfonietta, and the Osaka Symphony.
Intent on broadening the appeal of classical music to audiences who would not normally think of going into a concert hall, Jason is also building a unique reputation as a communicator with mass appeal through his television appearances in both the UK and Asia. He has frequently appeared on BBC television as a judge in both the BBC Young
Musician of the Year competition and the classical talent show “Classical Star”. He reached his widest audience when, as a conducting mentor in the series “Maestro”, his celebrity student, the popular comedienne Sue Perkins, won with a nailbiting final in front of the BBC Concert Orchestra and a live studio audience. Other BBC television appearances have include “How a Choir Works” and “The Culture Show”. Jason also starred in “Clash” for the children’s television channel, CBBC.
Since settling in Singapore he has continued with his television work. He was presenter and conductor for “Project Symphony”, an eight part series for Okto where he was filmed setting up a community orchestra. He has recently been involved in filming for a BBC series “Heart of Asia” which explores the contemporary arts and culture scene in Thailand, Indonesia, Korea and the Philippines, and a further series for BBC World called “Tales from Modern China”.
Jason’s roots lie in Hong Kong but he was born in the UK and was a pupil at the prestigious specialist music school in Manchester, Chetham’s, where he studied cello. At Oxford University he studied both cello and composition, and went on to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London where he was awarded a Fellowship in Conducting.
Despite having toured as a cellist with the Allegri String Quartet and having been a finalist in the BBC Young Composers Award, Jason gravitated increasingly towards conducting after he won the BBC Young Conductors Workshop in 2002. This led to his appointment as Assistant Conductor to the BBC Philharmonic with whom he made his BBC Proms debut in 2003. Following his work with various British orchestras, he was appointed Artist Associate to the Hong Kong Sinfonietta and became their Associate Conductor in 2009. Jason most recently had debuts with the Adelaide Symphony and Macau Orchestra and made return visits to conduct the Hong Kong Sinfonietta and Orchestra of the Swan.
Education is an important part of Jason’s work in Singapore. At the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory he trains the next generation of conductors, many of whom have had many successes both at home and abroad, and with the SSO he spearheaded the education and outreach programme, helping the orchestra reach new audiences notably through his Discovering Music and Children’s concerts.
RED DOT BAROQUE
ENSEMBLE-IN-RESIDENCE
Inspired by the richness of Baroque music and close friendships, Red Dot Baroque (RDB) was formed by a group of Singaporean musicians dedicated to bringing out the essence and spirit of the Baroque on period instruments. Led by Alan Choo, rotating concertmaster of the Grammy Award-winning Apollo’s Fire Baroque Orchestra, RDB has presented numerous critically-acclaimed programmes in Singapore since 2018 and collaborated with guest soloists from The Netherlands for their first international tour to Malaysia in July 2019. Since 2021, the group has been named Ensemble-in-Residence at the Yong Siew
Toh Conservatory of Music.The COVID-19 pandemic led to the postponement of RDB’s USA concert tour in June 2020, which would have featured appearances at the Kennedy Center, the Indianapolis Early Music Festival, Apollo’s Fire and more. Nevertheless, the group stayed busy in Singapore with the production of four high-quality music videos, the commission of A Barojak Suite from composer Phang Kok Jun, vodcasts with the Singapore International Festival of Arts, Reflections Arts Festival and MapleTree Arts in the City, and appearances on Channel NewsAsia, zbNOW and vOilah! 2020. That same summer, RDB made their virtual debut at the Boston Early Music Festival Fringe Series and the Indianapolis Early Music Festival 2021.
Cross-genre collaboration is also a signature of Red Dot Baroque’s productions. Their performance of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons included a recitation of The Lost Seasons by poet Dr. Sara Florian, specially commissioned for the project. Lighting designs by Alberta Wileo featured alongside classical string quartets by Mozart, Mendelssohn and Arriaga in Child Prodigies, performed in an intimate setting with the audience around the performers. In keeping with the roots of their music, music of Lully and Purcell were presented with baroque dancing by Tan Qin Ying in The Seasons of Love and One Charming Night.
Other recent highlights include a staging of
Handel’s Alcina with The Opera People and Bach’s St. John’s Passion performed without a conductor in collaboration with the YST Conservatory – “a performance not lacking in conviction and passion.”
(The Straits Times, 2022) Visit www.reddotbaroque. com and RDB’s social media pages for updates on upcoming performances!
PROGRAMME NOTES
The music we share tonight – and the narratives they inspire – might bring back memories of bedtime tales, of mythical lands from a time before time, of conflicts and resolutions wrapped in an idealized package; in short, of halcyon days. Maybe you will be reminded of hazy afternoons in history class, daydreaming about distant wars and battle calls. Or – closer to the heart – be stirred with emotions of struggles bitingly real: lived traumas, tribulations, and torment, internal or external; personal or sociopolitical. Perhaps there is even a sense that our human condition is cursed and coded with inherent conflict—within ourselves and amongst our kind. Dastard attacks, petty wars, grievous violence, when can we say, “no more”?
Throughout history, creatives have turned to their craft to find expression for ineffable sorrows and to transcend the grips of thorny reality. With tonight’s concert and the curation that accompanies it, we offer Prayers for Halcyon; an idealized space where peace and calmness prevail, even if fleetingly...
MARIN MARAIS
Chaconne from Alcyone
Come one, come all, to hear a tale, A story of struggle and peace, Of gods and humans, of love and death, The story of Alcyone and Ceyx.
The Queen and King, so full of pride
Did Zeus condemn to die
Two kingfishers from their places emerged On wings of love, they fly.
Act I
GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL
Concerto Grosso in B-flat major, Op. 3 No. 1, HWV 312
WILHELM FRIEDEMANN BACH
Adagio and Fugue in D minor
Imagine now, a little town, Of innocence and bliss
Of trees and fields, and families, Where nothing feels amiss.
Prelude
The boys and girls, they play all day, With shields and swords of wood, With war a game, they frolic away Believing that all is good. But darkness falls, and pity now The ones they call to war, With heavy sadness, one by one They join, and play no more.
Act II
HEINRICH IGNAZ FRANZ VON BIBER
Battalia à 10
The troops assemble and reminisce, They drink to halcyon days, The dances turn to marches and drums, And soon the flags are raised.
The fight begins, the battles rage, The armies rise and fall, As losses grow, does anyone feel Victorious at all?
Act III
IGOR STRAVINSKYSymphony in C
Now peer into the inner world
Of this composer’s mind, What of the struggles underneath This symphony’s design?
The ravages of world-wide war
Revealed this fragile life, To illness did his loved ones succumb: Mother, daughter, and wife.
But through his art, a voice did rise, Perhaps a way to cope, The sounds of the past renewed, they bear A message of peace and hope.
Framing text by Lin Xiangning
Poems by Frances LeeArtworks in order of appearance:
Lemoyne, François. The Apotheosis of Hercules. 1731-1736, Chateau de Versailles.
Bayeu y Subías, Francisco. Olympus: The Fall of the Giants. 1764, Museo del Prado, Madrid.
Romano, Giulio. Chamber of the Giants. 1532-34, Palazzo del Tè, Mantua.
Unknown artist. Camp.
Rhomberg, Hanno. Boy Playing with Toy Soldiers. Date and location unknown.
Schussele, Christian. Boys playing soldiers. 1853. Location unknown.
Tidemand, Adolph. Sad News. 1848. Location unknown.
Cusachs, Joseph I. Military Encampment.
Unknown artist. The Army Camp at Rijen. 1831, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.
Dudley, Robert. Let me the Canakin Clink. 1856-58.
Hoecke, Robert van den. Military Encampment. Musée Municipal, Dunkirk.
Paton, Joseph Noel. Home (The Return from the Crimea). 1859, Royal Collection, Windsor.
Picasso, Pablo. The Happy Family. 1917, Musée
Picasso, Paris.
Picasso, Pablo. Pierrot. 1918, Museum of Modern Art, New York.
Picasso, Pablo. Weeping Woman with Handkerchief. 1937, Broad Contemporary Art Museum, Los Angeles.
Picasso, Pablo. Dove with Sun. 1962. Private Collection.
MUSICIANS
FIRST HALF
FIRST VIOLIN
ALAN CHOO, concertmaster *
WU TSAI-JOU ^+
BRENDA KOH *
GUM SENG AUNG DU ^+
KOMILA IZATULLOYEVA #=
SIM JING JIE JORIM JIREH #=
SECOND VIOLIN
GABRIEL LEE *
WU TSAI-JOU #=
GUM SENG AUNG DU #=
KOMILA IZATULLOYEVA ^+
SIM JING JIE JORIM JIREH ^+
VIOLA
PLACIDA HO *
ZHENG JINGJING
ERLENE KOH *^#=
LIU WEI-JIA
* Red Dot Baroque
^ Marais only
# Handel only
+ Bach only
= Biber only
CELLO
LESLIE TAN *
SARAN CHAROENNIT ^=
DENISE TAN SHI LING #+=
DOUBLE BASS
JULIAN LI *=
SHOHEI YOSHIHARA
TRAVERSO
CHERYL LIM *^+
ALEKSANDR TIAN ^
QUEK JUN HAO JULIEN +
OBOE LEOW RUI QING *^#
NESTOR JOSE SOLORZANO MEJIAS ^#
BASSOON
DANIEL AW YONG TIAN *^#
STEPHEN MAK WAI SOON ^#
* Red Dot Baroque
^ Marais only
# Handel only + Bach only
= Biber only
THEORBO
CHRISTOPHER JOHANN CLARKE *
HARPSICHORD MERVYN LEE *
* Red Dot Baroque
^ Marais only
# Handel only + Bach only
= Biber only
STRAVINSKY
FIRST VIOLIN
LEONID DATSIUK, concertmaster
MA QICONG
CHAN WAI MUN JOANNE
CHANG CHANG-YEN
ALYSSA GOH HUI YI
SHIM FINE
ZOU MENG
SHIH WEI-CHUN
TEO WEI EN REINA
ZOU ZHANG
SECOND VIOLIN
HOI KHAI-WEING
MEGAN LOW SHUEN WEI
SHERZOD ABDIEV
QIU ZHENGYI
MA MINGYUAN
TAN XIN JIE
THANATAT SRIARANYAKUL
EDGAR JAVIER LUCENA RODRIGUEZ
* Guest/alumnus
VIOLA
HUANG YI
WANG DANDAN *
PAO YU-LIN
LEE WEI-FAN
XIAO LEI
LIU LE
CELLO
LIU JIAQI
LIU CHIEN-WEI
CAO HUIYING
GUO MINGAI
HAN HUIJAE
LIU YOU-YU
DOUBLE BASS
KHEE YU HANG
HIBIKI OTOMO
CHEW CHIEN PHING EUGENE
JULIAN LI *
FLUTE
LI JIA-EN
LEE MINJIN
LEE YU XIAN NATASHA
* Guest/alumnusOBOE
SONIYA RAKHMATULLINA
SHO YONG SHUEN
CLARINET
MA YI-TING
LEE PIN-YI
BASSOON
SONG YUHUI
XU ZIXUAN
FRENCH HORN
TSAI YI-FANG
THANACHOCK UDOMPHAT
KALIA DIANE CRAIG
CHAI MEI QIN
TRUMPET
NUTTAKAMON SUPATTRANONT
AMIR HASIF BIN ROSLI
TROMBONE
YEE CHOON YONG WILLIAM
ONG AUN GUAN
SHIN TANAKA
* Guest/alumnusTUBA
UVAHRAAJ S/O ANBARASAN
TIMPANI
K.GUN MONGKOLPRAPA
* Guest/alumnus
OUR BENEFACTORS
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
For their support in the establishment of a conservatory of music in Singapore
YONG LOO LIN TRUST
Yong Siew Toh Endowment and Scholarship Fund
THE LATE MR RIN KIN MEI AND MRS RIN
Rin Collection String Instruments
SHAW FOUNDATION
Ones to Watch Concert Series
SINGAPORE TOTALISATOR BOARD
LEE FOUNDATION
Ong Teng Cheong Professor of Music
FACULTY, STUDENTS, ALUMNI OF YST CONSERVATORY
Steven Baxter Memorial Scholarship Fund
THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF SINGAPORE
S R Nathan Music Schoalrship Endowment Fund
PROF KWA CHONG GUAN AND MS KWA KIM HUA
Mabel and Soon Siew Kwa Scholarship
MDM YONG LIEW CHIN
Yong Liew Chin Music Scholarship
MR GOH GEOK KHIM
Madeline Goh Professorship in Piano
CHENTER FOUNDATION
Chenter Foundation Cathy and Tony Chen
Community Outreach Fund
KRIS FOUNDATION
Kris Foundation Viola Masterclass Fund
MDM ONG SU PIN AND MR MERVIN BENG
OKK Wind Prize
MR GEOFFREY YU
Guy Hentsch Prize for Piano Performance
MS VIVIEN GOH
Goh Soon Tioe Leadership Award
DEAN'S CIRCLE
LIFETIME AMBASSADORS
Ms Gao Jun
Mr Geoffrey Yu
Mr Goh Geok Khim
Mr Goh Yew Lin
Mr Hamish McMillan Dyer
Mdm Ong Su Pin & Mr Mervin Beng
Ms Phalgun Raju & Mr Nicholas A. Nash
Mr Rin Kei Mei & Mrs Rin*
Mr Tan Kah Tee
Ms Vivien Goh
Mr & Mrs Willy Tan Kian Ping
Mr Whang Tar Liang
Dr & Mrs Yong Pung How
BinjaiTree
CapitaLand
Chenter Foundation
The Community Foundation of Singapore
Far East Organisation*
Hong Leong Foundation*
Keppel Corporation Limited
Kris Foundation
Lee Foundation*
National Arts Council
Shaw Foundation
The Community Foundation of Singapore
Far East Organisation*
Hong Leong Foundation*
Keppel Corporation Limited
Kris Foundation
Lee Foundation*
National Arts Council
Shaw Founwdation
Singapore Airlines Ltd
Singapore Pools
Singapore Technologies Electronics Ltd
Singapore Technologies Engineering
Singapore Technologies Pte Ltd
Singapore Technologies Telemedia
Singapore Telecommunications Ltd
Singapore Totalisator Board
Yong Loo Lin Holdings
Anonymous donor
* Founding Partners of the Singapore International Violin Competition
ANNUAL MEMBERS
Bowen Enterprises Pte Ltd
Prof Bernard Lanskey
Assoc Prof Brett Stemple
Prof Christopher Cheng
Dr Dang Vu and Ms Oanh Nguyen
Dr Guy Hentsch
Dr James C M Khoo
Ms Kyin Nwe Moong
Prof Lee Eng Hin
Dr Paolo Adragna
Dr Robert Teoh
Mr Shaun Hoang
Ms Xuan Nguyen and Mr Uche Diala
Anonymous donors
INSTRUMENT DONORS
Mr Goh Yew Lin
Paul McNulty fortepiano
Mr Tan Kah Tee
Bösendorfer Imperial Model 290
Bösendorfer Johann Strauss
MUSIC COLLECTIONS
Family of the late Mr Leong Yoon Pin
Leong Yoon Pin Manuscripts
The late Mr S R Nathan
Digital Music Resources from the Madras Music Academy
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
AUDIO AND VIDEO
YST AUDIO ARTS AND SCIENCES
LIGHTING
WAN ZHONG HAO
CREATIVE CURATION TEAM
LIN XIANGNING
BRETT STEMPLE
ALISON WONG
ORCHESTRAL INSTITUTE AND ENSEMBLES
VICE DEAN OF ENSEMBLES
BRETT STEMPLE
ORCHESTRA MANAGER
YAP ZIQI
ASSISTANTS
NESTOR JOSE SOLORZANO MEJIAS
QUEK JUN RUI
QUEK JUN HAO JULIEN
HOI KHAI WEING
EDGAR JAVIER LUCENA RODRIGUEZ
SHO YONG SHUEN
FOO YUE NING
PROGRAMMING AND PRODUCTIONS
TANG I SHYAN
POO LAI FONG
HOWARD NG
MIKE TAN
WAH PENG
ALISON WONG
INTERN
JULIA HILL
COMMUNICATIONS AND ENGAGEMENT
ONG SHU CHEN
