VICE DEAN'S MESSAGE

I set out in the still night, Across the dark heath. No one bade me farewell, farewell! My companions were love and sorrow!

from "Die zwei blauen Augen" by Mahler, trans.

Richard Stokes

Welcome to tonight’s special YST presentation at the beautiful Esplanade Concert Hall where the Orchestral Institute presents a unique vision of Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 1, restoring the composer’s original five-part conception – including the lyrically sublime “Blumine (Blooming)” movement – as well as premiering the collaboratively composed/improvised Prelude: Awaking the Titan as an inviting frame for Mahler’s iconic work.

One of the great privileges of overseeing YST’s collaborative music making program is witnessing the spirit of innovation and experimentation that imbues the students, staff, and coaches, and is a grounding pedagogical philosophy behind the Orchestral Institute. We believe in the transformative power of playing music in the broadest sense of the term: that great works are not static museum pieces of canon, but rather living, evolving, breathing material, rife with the possibility of joyful, playful in-spiration. Tonight, Mahler is our muse.

When Gustav Mahler premiered his First Symphony at the age of twenty-eight, he still considered himself an evolving wayfarer, a journeyman still honing his craft in both conducting and composition. Like our Conservatory students embarking on their own wayfarer journeys, there is much resonance in Mahler’s own sense of exploration, experimentation and improvisation with his compositional output surrounding his first large scale symphonic work.

That the “Titan” mirrors Mahler’s own cautiously evolving creative-self is evident in the fact that the “final” four movement version (from 1896), and the first publication (in 1898) come after his fivemovement Symphony No. 2 “The Resurrection” was already premiered (in 1895) and published (in 1897). It’s almost as if the successful premiere of the Second Symphony bulwarked his waning confidence in the First.

It’s with this kind of spirit of youthful experimental exuberance that the students of the Orchestral Institute under the guidance of Principal Conductor, Jason Lai, and expert improvisor, Prof Karst de Jong – as well as our team of OI coaches – reinvigorate and reimagine Mahler’s original conception of the Symphony.

In a time of love and sorrow, may this music awake our inner Titans!

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.