Singapore Chinese Orchestra

The Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SCO) is Singapore’s only professional Chinese orchestra. Fact|date=February 2007

As the flagship of local performing arts groups, the SCO has the patronage of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. It is located at the Singapore Conference Hall since 2001 after the revamp of the building. Under the baton of music director Tsung Yeh, the 70-strong orchestra aspires to introduce Chinese orchestral music to an ever-broadening audience.

With its aim in becoming a people’s orchestra, SCO has reached out through its Community Series concerts at the heartlands, Arts Education Programmes at schools and Outdoor Concerts at National Parks. In 2004, it launched its Caring and MusiCARE Series to bring Chinese orchestral music to the less privileged.

To develop Singaporean talents, the Orchestra began its Arranger-In-Residence and Conducting Assistant programmes in 2003. The former is to recognise the efforts of its local musicians who have actively been rearranging a number of works for the Orchestra, while the latter is a conducting mentorship for prospective local musicians. It has also set up a youth wing orchestra, the Singapore Youth Chinese Orchestra in 2003 to nurture young music talents into professional musicians.

History

Formerly a performing unit of the People's Association Cultural Troupe, the Orchestra was inaugurated in 1996 at the initiative of the then-Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong.Fact|date=February 2007 This inception has been instrumental to the Orchestra’s elevation in its artistic pursuits, warranting it a national orchestra.

Performances

Aside from its regular concerts, the orchestra performed a symphonic fantasy epic, Marco Polo and Princess Blue, as part of the Opening Festival of Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay in November 2002. This work featured not only the orchestra but also a chorus performing in Chinese and Mongolian. A year later, the orchestra staged a musical and visual conversation with Singapore’s most celebrated multi-disciplinary artist, Mr Tan Swie Hian, at the 2003 Singapore Arts Festival. It was also invited for performances at the World Economic Forum in October and the International Summit of Arts Council in November 2003. In 2004, SCO celebrated the 39th National Day of Singapore by staging a concert featuring over 2300 performers titled "SCO National Day Concert – Our People, Our Music" at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. Recently, SCO produced a mega musical production Admiral Zheng He as part of the 2005 Singapore Arts Festival 2005. SCO also embarked on its very first Europe Concert Tour to Budapest, London and Newcastle the same year.

Patron & Board Of Directors

Patron: Mr Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister

"All musicians’ names (except principal & associate principal) are listed according to alphabetical order."

ingapore Youth Chinese Orchestra

The Singapore Youth Chinese Orchestra , or SYCO , is the youth section of the Singapore Chinese Orchestra . SYCO has produced the finest musicians and composers in the local and international music scene.

SYCO recently staged its third annual concert on June 10, 2006 which saw the entire auditorium fully packed. In September 2006, the "Beautiful Sunday" Concert Series presented yet another breakthrough with SYCO making its debut at the Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay .

In July 2006, 11 SYCO members, together with former conductor Quek Ling Kiong, travelled to Taiwan to participate in the Tainan International ChiShi Art Festival. At the same time, another 5 members successfully auditioned for and attended the Hong Kong Youth Music Camp conducted by Professor Xia Fei Yun.

Contents [ hide ]

* 1 Objectives * 2 History * 3 Committee * 4 List of musicians o 4.1 Music Director o 4.2 Conductor o 4.3 Resident Conductor o 4.4 Instrumental musicians * 5 Instructors * 6 See also * 7 External links

[ edit ] Objectives

SYCO gives talented young musicians the chance to work with some of the best music talents in the SCO and experience high quality professional music education and training. Through the training, SYCO hopes to inspire and nurture potential talents and groom them to be the future pillars of the Singapore Chinese Orchestra.

[ edit ] History

The Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SCO) had envisaged setting up a youth Chinese orchestra that is affiliated to SCO years ago. This idea was initiated by the SCO Chairman, Mr Chew Keng Juea. The SYCO was formerly formed under the auspices of Ministry of Education (MOE) ECAC in 1969. The Orchestra was subsequently under the care of Young Musicians' Society (YMS) in 1980 when YMS became self-supporting. SCO formerly took over the management of SYCO in June 2003.

[ edit ] Committee

SYCO Committee 2006 President Heng XiangleVice-President Low Yin Yin MichelleSecretary Chow Pei QianScores Coordinator Low Yik HangWardrobe Coordinator Neo Wee Siang JasonWelfare Coordinator Chew JunruOng Ting KaiManagers Lum Mun EeYong Shu Rong

[ edit ] List of musicians

[ edit ] Music Director

Maestro Tsung Yeh is currently also the Music Director of SCO, the South Bend Symphony Orchestra in the United States, Principal Conductor of the Beijing Huaxia Chamber Ensemble and Conductor Laureate in the Hong Kong Sinfonietta . He is also a frequent guest conductor for many orchestras around the world.

With growing reputation in the conducting teaching field, he has been one of the Artistic Directors of the Symphony Workshop Ltd in the Czech Republic since 1992, and has also taught the "Conductors' Guild Workshop in Chicago". He is also the master teacher of the International Conductors’ Workshop for contemporary music in Zürich since 1997.

[ edit ] ConductorQuek Ling Kiong, conductor of SYCO.Quek Ling Kiong, conductor of SYCO.

Quek Ling Kiong , a young and renowned homegrown percussionist and orchestra conductor, joined the Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SCO) in 1997. He is currently the Assistant Conductor of SCO and Conductor of SYCO. In 2002, Quek received the Young Artist Award presented by the National Arts Council (NAC).

Quek has been actively involved in his school’s Chinese orchestra as a percussionist. In 1982, he joined the then Singapore Broadcasting Corporation Chinese Orchestra (Present NAFA City Chinese Orchestra ) to further his learning on percussion instruments. In 1994, under the encouragement of his teacher, Singapore Cultural Medallion recipient and renowned local conductor Mr Tay Teow Kiat , he furthered his studies in the Shanghai Conservatory of Music . In the same year, he was awarded the scholarship from the NAC, Lee Foundation and Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan , and continued his degree in the conservatory. Upon graduation in 1997, he joined the SCO.

During his appointment as the Assistant Conductor for SCO, he conducted School Concerts Series (Tunes of SCO) for all levels of audience ranging from Primary to Universities. His specialty of hosting and conducting educational programmes include the Young Children’s Concerts, Young People’s Concerts and Outdoor and Community Series Concerts, are highly acclaimed by audiences.

[ edit ] Resident Conductor

Ku Pao-Wen graduated with a Doctorate in Musical Arts, majoring in conducting from the University of South Carolina . He was also the Assistant Professor in the Tainan National University of the Arts Department of Chinese Music.

[ edit ] Instrumental musiciansInstrument Musician RemarksGaohu Lim Wan Ying Associate ConcertmasterGu Le Le -Koh Shi Hui SylviaWang Koon Lee DeanZhonghu Chia Yong Hong Zhonghu PrincipalKwek Zi Kia -Tan Hong GingYeo Ting Ting ReenaErhu Chew Jun Ru Gaohu/Erhu PrincipalHoo Yuan Yang Gaohu/Erhu Associate PrincipalGiam Yue Ling -Ho Qian HuiLoo JiaminNeo Wee Siang JasonPang Jin JiaTan Kuen CherngTan Ming KwangTay Zhi WenTeo Yu YaoThor JiawenWu Jun Jie ShaunZhou BoyiYangqin Loo Lian Wei William Yangqin/Guzheng PrincipalLur Khim Tian -Tan Hao SongGuzheng Koh Wei Ken KennethTay YvonneWong Whye Khuin NicholasPipa Low Yin Yin Michelle Pipa PrincipalKoh Hui Rong -Kua Hui LinMah Sook ChenNg Kuan Seng NicholasOuyang QianwenSee Cai Yan AntheaTang Yee TingWong Jie Xiang RaymondZhongruan Chow Pei Qian Liuqin/Ruan PrincipalCheng Zi Xin -Chew Kee WeiKoh Puay ChinSum Yu HengTan Hwee Kng StellaTan Su-hui SophyTan Su-min ClaraZhongruan /Sanxian Ngeow Si Ming JonathanDaruan Koh Min HuiLiuqin Chew Xin Yi JesslyLim Yun YiNg Shui Jaet HansonQudi Tan Qing Lun Dizi PrincipalPoh Hui Bin Joyce -Qudi /Xindi Sim Hui Fen PaulineTan Jun Qiang JonathanWong Wai HangBangdi Heng XiangleOng Ting Kai JasonGaoyin Sheng Neo Ye Siang Desmond Sheng PrincipalZhongyin Sheng Wang Chen Wei -Guan Lim Jia WeiTong Wei JieWong De Li DedricGaoyin Suona Tan Jian Shan Jonathan Suona Associate PrincipalBay Chuan Sheng Bennett -Casteels Tzu-mingHeng Shu Ling SereneOng Jun HeZhongyin Suona Lee Ker YihTan BoyuanCizhongyin Suona Goh Wei HongDiyin Suona Ng Chee YaoCello Sim Guan Jie Ryan Cello/Bass Associate PrincipalCheah Li Ping Jolene -Choke Chong HweeChong Mu HeFang YiyuanGan Ying YingNg Xuan WeiTay Shu Wen AudreyTing Zhi Hong ElginDouble Bass Fu Weiqi Cello/Bass PrincipalHuang Hui Xian Julina -Huang ShuinanPercussion Toh Kai Siang Eugene Percussion PrincipalBoo Chong Wei Benjamin -Cheng Siew Sian GinaKoh Bee KweeLiu I-hsinLow Yik HangTan Mei Jou Joel

[ edit ] InstructorsInstructor InstrumentASS Low Cher Yong Gaohu / ZhonghuLing Hock Siang ErhuZhang Rong Hui Zhongruan / LiuqinYu Jia PipaQu Jian Qing YangqinXu Hui GuzhengLim Sin Yeo DiziLim Kiong Pin ShengHan Lei GuanLiu Jiang SuonaJi Hui Ming CelloLee Khiang Double BassNgoh Kheng Seng Percussion

[ edit ] See also

* Chinese Orchestra * Singapore Chinese Orchestra * Singapore Symphony Orchestra * Music of Singapore

[ edit ] External links

* Singapore Youth Chinese Orchestra

Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singapore_Youth_Chinese_Orchestra "

ee also

*Singapore Symphony Orchestra
*Music of Singapore

External links

* [http://www.sco.com.sg/home.asp Singapore Chinese Orchestra's Official Website]