THE TENG ENSEMBLE In Collaboration with Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay

11 OCT 2019, FRI, 7.30PM ESPLANADE CONCERT HALL 2 CREATIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE

uch is the melting pot that is known as network of instrument dealers, luthiers, teachers and - I grew up in an English-educated family, but musicians. Many of these practitioners had other day jobs have been playing the traditional Chinese and stopped playing music for a decade or so, out of fear for the past 25 years. I dream in English, but of being labelled as communist in Singapore’s early years. my ears are most familiar with melodies from Chinese traditions. I also discovered the very different trajectory that S Chinese music took in Singapore, as compared to in Ten years ago, as a graduate student studying Singapore’s . In Singapore, Chinese migrants who had brought Chinese music history, I learnt that the first Chinese music from their respective provinces began to integrate orchestra in Singapore was set up by the late Mr Yeo their traditions with each other, creating new methods of How Jiang in 1959, under the auspices of Thau Yong performance and even inventing new instruments. Amateur Musical Association. I had the honour of being the last student taught by Mr In 2016, I had the honour of finally meeting Mr Yeo, Yeo, who passed away in 2017. Through his experiences, who was still with Thau Yong. A very humble man and an I discovered how Chinese music innovated and adapted expert Pipa player himself, Mr Yeo had however stopped itself to Singapore, and how the Chinese forefathers in playing Chinese orchestral music for decades. Instead, Singapore approached music and music-making. he focused his attention on music from the Teochew and Waijiang folk music traditions, which were rooted in his Heirlooms is a documentary-concert inspired by the heritage and blood. music of our Chinese forefathers in Singapore. In similar fashion, The TENG Ensemble has innovated and Such folk traditions were unfamiliar to a musician such integrated these folk traditions with a sound of our own. as myself, who had been playing music that was rooted Through creating a new method of presentation and in the Chinese orchestral tradition. Unknown to most performance, we hope to invoke a greater appreciation , Singapore’s early Chinese music was not of these folk traditions. Chinese orchestral music, but migrant folk music from the south of China. Generally, younger Chinese musicians All these would not have been realised without the in Singapore are not exposed to such folk traditions. As generosity of our partners. Our utmost gratitude goes to such, most Singaporean audiences today find it difficult Mapletree Investments, whose steadfast support of The to appreciate Chinese folk music. Forefathers Project made possible our four-year long research process into Singapore’s Chinese music heritage. Mr Yeo’s music was so different from what I was accus- Special thanks must also go to Esplanade - Theatres on tomed to. He introduced me to the ebbs and flows of the Bay for coming onboard as our collaborative partner Teochew music: for a year, I learnt from fellow musicians for Heirlooms. in Thau Yong. Almost every weekend, the Thau Yong musicians drank tea and ate Malay kueh at a long table, This concert is dedicated to the community of first- while playing Teochew (and occasionally Waijiang) generation Chinese musicians in Singapore. music. The average age of these musicians was about 75 years. Nevertheless, despite the age gap between the musicians and myself, they generously accepted me into their ensemble as one of their own.

Through this experience, I discovered an underground community of music practitioners in Singapore from DR. SAMUEL WONG the Hokkien, , Teochew and Hakka music Creative Director, The TENG Company traditions. This community was a small but close-knit October 2019

3 PROGR AMME

(1hr 15min, no intermission)

The Forefathers Project was initiated by TENG in 2016 to uncover and explore the ’s early Chinese migrants. Over the course of four years, TENG interviewed, documented and learnt from a community of first-generation masters, luthiers, instrument dealers and proteges from local Hokkien, Cantonese, Teochew and Hakka traditions to shed light on the lesser-known elements of Singapore’s Chinese music heritage.

Heirlooms is a documentary-concert of eight new works that were inspired by such traditions. In each of the works, The TENG Ensemble re-imagines the sounds that were carried in the hearts of Singapore’s Chinese forefathers.

INSPIRED BY NANYIN

TR ACING 《寻迹》 Nanyin Pipa, , Pipa, , , , Daruan, Guitar, Keyboard and Electronics

XIN ZAO BEH 《新走马》 Pipa, Guzheng, Daruan, Electric Guitar, Keyboard and Electronics

INSPIRED BY CANTONESE MUSIC

HANG GAI 《行街》 Sheng, Cantonese , Gehu, Cantonese Qinqin, Keyboard and Electronics

REMEMBERING 《难忘》 Sheng, Pipa, Cantonese Qinqin, Guzheng, Cantonese Gaohu, Gehu, Guitar, Keyboard and Electronics

DIPTYCH 《双重》 , Guzheng, Pipa I, Pipa II, Keyboard and Electronics

CONTEMPOR ARY 《时代》 Sheng, Pipa, Yueqin, Cantonese Gaohu, Electric Guitar, Keyboard and Electronics

INSPIRED BY WAIJIANG & TEOCHEW MUSIC

MEMOIR 《回忆录》 Teochew Zheng, Teochew Pipa, Keyboard and Recording

FAR FROM HOME 《思乡》 Teochew Pipa, Sheng, Pipa, Teochew Zheng, Erhu, Gehu, Daruan, Guitar, Keyboard and Electronics

All music composed by CHOW JUNYI and produced by BANG WENFU.

4 INSPIR ATION

NANYIN

Hokkien is a widely spoken dialect that originated from the region of Southern Minnan. Hokkien music is most commonly known as Nanyin (southern orchestral music).

Traditionally, Nanyin is widespread among the Southeastern Coast of Quanzhou, Xiamen, Hangzhou and – where Hokkien is widely spoken, and was brought into Southeast Asia with the immigration of the Mainland Chinese. Nanyin heavily utilises sizhu (silk and bamboo) musical instruments with the belief that a sizhu ensemble is able to produce a much more harmonious sound. There are four key instruments in Nanyin: Pipa, Dongxiao, (similar to the Erhu) and .

CANTONESE MUSIC

Originating from the Pearl River Delta. Cantonese music is mostly used as instrumental interludes during Cantonese opera performances and narrative singing. Cantonese music can be classified into three types, depending on their historical origin, musical structure and style, dramatic function and creative function. These three types are banghuang (arias), xiaoqu & paizi (short, fixed tunes) as well asshuochang (oratorical singing).

The lead instrument of a Cantonese music ensemble is typically the Gaohu. Cantonese music ensembles also frequently feature instruments in the high orchestral register (similar to the soprano singers of a choir) due to their piercing sound and loud volume, as well as their close resemblance to the tone used by opera performers.

WAIJIANG MUSIC

Waijiang music - also known as ruyue (scholar’s music) - refers to a genre of music that is popular within the regions of Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Huai River.

A pre-Cultural Revolution genre of Chinese music, Waijiang music traditions can be traced back to the Guangdong province during the Qing dynasty. Back then, Waijiang music was performed purely for the purpose of intellectual entertainment. As such, it was consumed mainly by officials, elites and the literate. With the passage of time, however, the music tradition soon reached the Teochews and Hakkas living in nearby areas.

While classified by most as a genre of Teochew music, Waijiang music can also be considered as a genre of Hakka music, due to the strong Hakka influence.

TEOCHEW MUSIC

Teochew music is widely regarded as an integral part of Lingnan culture and a treasure of China’s folk music. It is widespread in regions like Minnan, Yuedong, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Taiwan, and Macau, as well as some East Asian regions.

Teochew music is largely based on the pentatonic scale (as used in most Chinese music forms) and adopts the ersi pu (“two-four system tablature”) notation system. Over time, the development of Teochew music saw variations of the pentatonic scale being used, which has become so progressively complicated that even music experts struggle to understand it.

5 PROGR AMME NOTES

TR ACING 《寻迹》 Nanyin Pipa, Sheng, Pipa, Guzheng, Erhu, Gehu, Daruan, Guitar, Keyboard and Electronics Tracing pays homage to Lovebirds Singing in Harmony 《鸾凤和鸣》, which was composed by Zhuo Sheng Xiang and the late Cultural Medallion recipient Teng Mah Seng, who was also the former Chairman of Nanyin group Siong Leng Musical Association. Using structured improvisation and inspiration from the concept of breath used in performing Chinese music, the melody of Lovebirds Singing in Harmony is effectively rehashed with a new musical language. While this melody is one that is typically familiar to audiences of Nanyin, the overwhelming presence of counterpoints between the Nanyin Pipa and the other instruments in Tracing creates a limbo that evokes the sentiment of déjà vu. Tracing invites audiences to begin reconsidering their relationship with their roots. How do we retain an appreciation of the past, whilst retaining the impetus to continually move forward and strive for greater heights?

XIN ZAO BEH 《新 走 马》 Pipa, Guzheng, Daruan, Electric Guitar, Keyboard and Electronics In Xin Zao Beh, the four plucked string instruments – supported by the keyboard and electronics in the background – alternate between coming together to play the melody, and undertaking brief, yet virtuosic solos. The result of this musical collaboration is a jazz harmony that occasionally breaks into atonality and dissonance, and a funky re-imagination of the carefree image of horses galloping around open grasslands in Eight Horses 《八骏马》 – which is widely considered as one of four must-know classics in traditional Nanyin repertoire.

6 PROGR AMME NOTES

HANG GAI 《行街》 Sheng, Cantonese Gaohu, Gehu, Cantonese Qinqin, Keyboard and Electronics In everyday usage, the Cantonese words hang is commonly used to refer to the act of shopping. This piece Hang Gai 《行街》 is a combination of Autumn Moon Over the Calm Lake 《平湖秋月》and Thunder in Drought 《旱天雷》, two famous 20th century pieces composed by Lu Wencheng and Yan Laolie respectively. Hang Gai lulls audiences into reminiscing the homely sensation of walking through a bustling marketplace. In the serene, opening arrangement of Thunder in Drought, audiences experience the bliss of having all the time in the world to absorb the sights and sounds of a typical marketplace. Upon transiting into the more frenetic Han Tian Lei, however, the said marketplace abruptly bursts into life, as if it were on the receiving end of a never-ending influx of shoppers haggling for a good deal. Towards the end of the piece, the music fades off – signifying not just the end of the journey through the marketplace, but also how one is walking further and further away from the memories that have been made there.

REMEMBERING 《难忘》 Sheng, Pipa, Cantonese Qinqin, Guzheng, Cantonese Gaohu, Gehu, Guitar, Keyboard and Electronics Remembering is a fusion of a particular phrase from the music from the opera Princess Changping 《帝女花》 (“落花滿天蔽月光”, which roughly translates to “the moonlight is concealed by the falling leaves”) and the children’s lullaby Moonlight 《月光光 》. On the one hand, Princess Changping narrates the star-crossed romance between Princess Changping and her lover Zhou Shixian during the Ming Dynasty. Moonlight, on the other hand, alludes to a mother expressing her aspirations for her young child’s future while looking at the moon. While the stories behind Princess Changping and Moonlight are significantly different, Remembering reconciles them by positioning their respective melodies in continuous conversation with each other. The result of this musical reconciliation is the creation of two different perspectives of the imagery of the moon, and the gradual evocation of a sense of longing for greater kinship.

7 PROGR AMME NOTES

DIPTYCH 《双重》 Yueqin, Guzheng, Pipa I, Pipa II, Keyboard and Electronics Diptych is inspired by the Cantonese folk piece The Lamentations of Lady Zhao Jun 《昭君怨》, which depicts the life of Wang Zhaojun and the arduous struggles she faced in maintaining peace between the Han Empire and the Xiongnu Tribe after being married off to the latter. As a re-invention of the Guzheng interpretation of The Lamentations of Lady Zhao Jun, Diptych taps on both the slow to fast tempo progression traditionally used in Cantonese music and the fugal textures prevalent in Western Baroque music. The result of this East meets West combination is the invocation of a contemplative mood that challenges audiences to reconsider the lenses through which they view tradition and culture.

CONTEMPOR ARY 《时代》 Sheng, Pipa, Yueqin, Cantonese Gaohu, Electric Guitar, Keyboard and Electronics One of the most famous theme songs in Chinese film history isA Man Should Stand Strong 《男儿当自强 》, which was made famous by the 1991 Hong Kong-Chinese martial arts movie Once Upon a Time in China 《黄飞鸿》. What not many people know is that the melody for A Man Should Stand Strong was actually adapted from The General’s Command 《将军令》, an ancient Cantonese piece that was originally composed for string instruments! In Contemporary, The General’s Command and the folk song Horses Galloping in a Spring Field 《春郊试马》 are melded into a piece with rock and synthesiser pop elements. In the middle of the work, the contemporariness of this piece is juxtaposed against a field recording of drums and temple played by Lao Sai Tao Yuan Teochew Opera Troupe. The simultaneous presence of these seemingly incompatible musical elements signifies a common struggle that many music practitioners face today: how does one react to contemporary influences that have skewed our perceptions of the origins of traditional music?

8 PROGR AMME NOTES

MEMOIR 《回忆录》 Teochew Zheng, Teochew Pipa, Keyboard and Recording In 2016, TENG had the privilege of shadowing the late Mr Yeo How Jiang to learn several Waijiang and Teochew pieces via oral communication. This encounter with Mr Yeo inspired TENG to embark on The Forefathers Project and conduct research into the origins of traditional folk music over the past four years. Memoir is a posthumous tribute to Mr Yeo and his lesser known contributions to Singapore’s Chinese music scene. For the most part, the ensemble plays a rendition of Mr Yeo’s all-time favourite Teochew piece Jackdaws Frolicking in Water 《寒鸦戏水》, which depicts a flock of jackdaws playfully hovering over a body of water. As an interlude, the ensemble’s performance is accompanied with rare footage of Mr Yeo playing the Waijiang piece Little Yangzhou 《 小 扬 州 》. The musical conversation that happens between the ensemble onstage and Mr Yeo’s presence begs the question: how do we honour the legacy that our forefathers have painstakingly built up, and maintain a forward-looking mindset at the same time?

FAR FROM HOME 《思乡》 Teochew Pipa, Sheng, Pipa, Teochew Zheng, Erhu, Gehu, Daruan, Guitar, Keyboard and Electronics Far From Home is an interplay between four popular Teochew melodies – Lotus Emerging from the Water 《出水莲》, Feng Qiu Huang 《凤求凰》, The Lamentations of Lady Zhao Jun 《昭君怨》 and Jackdaws Frolicking in Water 《寒鸦戏水》. In the first half ofFar From Home, the Erhu and Teochew Pipa play an excerpt from Lotus Emerging from the Water, retaining the long, elegant melodies that it was originally composed with. An interlude of Feng Qiu Huang is also played in its entirety in the middle of the piece. In the second half of the piece, however, The Lamentations of Lady Zhao Jun and Jackdaws Frolicking in Water are played with a heterophonic texture by the entire ensemble. Through simultaneous variations of the same melodic line, a grand epiphany is created to bring closure to the journey of exploration that the piece has initiated. Ultimately, Far From Home attests to how identity is a concept that is inevitably fluid, and that the labels that one associate with can change with varying extents over time.

9 “A SPECTACULAR PERFOR M ANCE by The TENG Ensemble marrying Eastern and Western musical instruments.” — PRESIDENT HALIMAH YACOB

“A WELL-LOVED Singaporean band with a unique fusion sound comprising Western and Chinese musical instruments.” — MOTHERSHIP

“The TENG team not only EXCELS IN CHINESE MUSIC but is keen to introduce more people to it.” — MINISTER GRACE FU

10 THE TENG ENSEMBLE

The TENG Ensemble is a critically acclaimed Singaporean Chinese fusion music group that bridges between cultures East and West, boasting musical influences from both the traditional and the contemporary.

As a collective of music educators, scholars and award-winning instrumentalists, the Ensemble’s performances have been a staple in Singapore’s arts scene since 2009. At the 2015 National Day Rally, The TENG Ensemble was described by Prime Minister as ‘creating something uniquely Singapore’.

The group has performed at events such as the ASEAN Tourism Forum, TEDxPetaling Street, Youth Olympic Games, Shanghai World Expo, Singapore Day in Melbourne, George Town Festival and Singapore International Jazz Festival.

The Ensemble’s two full-length albums were both rated 4.5 out of 5 stars by and their second album Stories from an Island City peaked at #1 on Hong Kong’s iTunes World Music Chart. In 2018, the group was awarded the CHT International Award for Musical Performance and Education.

11 CREATIVE TEAM

SAMUEL WONG CHOW JUNYI Creative Director / Nanyin Pipa, Teochew Pipa, Pipa Composer

Dr Samuel Wong is the Co-Founder and Creative Director Chow Junyi is currently Composer-In-Residence at The of The TENG Company. He spearheads the company’s TENG Company (Singapore) and Vivo Experimental Performance, Academy and Research Divisions. Orchestra (). He was previously the conductor of Chinese Music Ensemble of New York (2018 – 2019). Samuel obtained his PhD in Ethnomusicology from the As a pianist and cellist, Junyi plays classical repertoire as University of Sheffield in 2009 where he was awarded dual well as free improvisation. scholarships from the Harry Worthington Foundation and the Hokkien Huay Kuan for his doctoral studies in music. Junyi began studying piano and music theory at the age of 5. Born and raised in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Junyi He is author of the books Impressions of a Pipa Player studied at the Central Conservatory of Music in China (2003), QI: An Instrumental Guide to the Chinese Orchestra and Indiana University Jacobs School of Music in the (2005) and co-author of The TENG Guide to the Chinese USA. Junyi presently lives in New York City. Orchestra (2019). His books are used as reference texts for the ‘O’ and ‘A’ Level Music Examinations in Singapore. Junyi’s music has been lauded by The Financial Times for its “skillful contrasts in both volume and texture”. His Samuel was awarded The Outstanding Young Persons music compositions explore the indefinite possibilities of of Singapore Award (2009), The Japanese Chamber of tone, colour and sound. Junyi’s thorough knowledge of Commerce and Industry Singapore Foundation’s Culture skills and characteristics of both Chinese and Western Award (2009) and Singapore Institute of Management’s instruments has made him a leading figure in merging Teaching Excellence Award (2012) for his work in Music music from both the East and the West. and Education. The awards that Junyi has received include Finalist for In his youth, Samuel was described by the Singapore United States ASCAP Morton Gould Prize and Grand Business Times as “one of the best Pipa players in Prize for Best Original Orchestra Work from Hong Singapore” and was a two-time Pipa Champion at Kong Chinese Orchestra International Composition Singapore’s National Chinese Music Competition (2000, Competition. Junyi has been previously commissioned 2002). He has performed internationally and was a by the Albany Symphony Orchestra, Hong Kong Chinese featured soloist in Singapore’s National Day Parade Orchestra, Singapore National Youth Chinese Orchestra, (2009), Youth Olympic Games (2010) and the Shanghai Georgetown Festival in Malaysia, Malaysian Philharmonic World Expo (2010). Youth Orchestra and Sound of Arts Festival in New York. Samuel is also concurrently Adjunct Faculty at University His works have been performed worldwide in countries at Buffalo - Singapore Institute of Management (UB- like Malaysia, Singapore, , Taiwan, SIM) and Dissertation Supervisor at LASALLE College Hong Kong, , Japan, Korea, Germany, Italy, of the Arts - two posts which he has held for over 10 years. Lithuania, United States, Canada and Thailand. He also sits on various boards and advisory panels in the Junyi’s multimedia live production Stillness in Queens – Arts, Music and Education. in collaboration with Karen Y. Chan (USA) – premiered at Flushing Town Hall in New York in 2017, with support from Queens Council of Arts. His album A Traveler’s Portrait – in collaboration with Seungmin Cha (South Korea) – was nominated for the Global Music Award in 2018. Junyi’s other productions and concert series include Shan.Shui (with Chatori Shimizu, Miyoko Satoh & Satoshi Haga), Borderless (with Steve Hui) and Tango Night (with Lance Low). As an active researcher in music for the Chinese orchestra, Chow co-authored The TENG Guide to the Chinese Orchestra, which serves as a one-stop guide for composers, scholars and enthusiasts alike.

12 CREATIVE TEAM

BANG WENFU JOEL NAH Music Producer Rehearsal Director / Head of Music

Bang Wenfu is one of Singapore’s most sought-after music A recipient of Singapore’s National Arts Council Arts producers, arrangers and composers. Over the years, he Scholarship, Joel is the first Singaporean to graduate, has established a distinct creative signature in all of his summa cum laude, from Berklee College of Music’s Master works and his versatility enables him to explore a diverse of Music degree program in Valencia, Spain, majoring in range of musical styles. Scoring for Film, Television and Video Games. At the start of 2019 he was commissioned to compose Prior to this, Joel studied classical piano under Singapore three original pieces and one arrangement for the River virtuoso Ong Lip Tat, was mentored by Cultural Hongbao’s Bicentennial version of the fireworks display. Medallion recipient Iskandar Ismail, and esteemed He was further commissioned by the People’s Association choral conductor Nelson Kwei. In Berklee, Joel studied to compose the opening and grand finale for the 2019 composition and orchestration with Alfons Conde, and Chingay Parade. conducting with Maestro Constantino Martinez Ortz. Joel has collaborated with the Singapore Symphony In 2018, he oversaw the Music Production, Arrangement Orchestra and Metropolitan Festival Orchestra, the and Direction of ’s 25th anniversary of showbiz Budapest Art Orchestra, and several principal players live concert at the Esplanade. In addition, he produced from the London Symphony Orchestra and the Orquestra two soundtracks for Gardens by the Bay’s immensely de la Comunitat Valenciana. successful light & sound show Garden Rhapsody, for which he and lighting designer Adrian Tan have co-created a Upon his return from studies, Joel has been actively total of 14 shows to date. involved in the local musical theatre scene as a music director, arranger and orchestrator. Selected theatre In the pop industry, apart from Kit Chan, he is most credits include: Singapore Repertory Theatre’s Forbidden well-known for his near 20-year collaboration with music City: Portrait of An Empress (2006, 2017), A Peter Rabbit producer Eric Ng, producing string arrangements for Tale ; Pangdemonium Productions’ RENT, Peter and dozens of top-selling albums of Chinese pop artistes such the Starcatcher, The Full Monty, Spring Awakening, Next To as , , , , Fish Normal, The Rise & Fall Of Little Voice; Dream Academy Leong, A*Mei, Show Luo, Wakin Chau, Jaycee Chan, Wu Productions’ Company, Crazy Christmas (2008-2010), Into Jiahui, amongst others. He has recently started working The Woods; Vizpro’s The Addams Family; I Love independently on Wakin Chau’s indie releases. He has You, You’re Perfect, Now Change; SingTheatre’s Jacques Brel Is also produced the EPs of a few of Singapore’s top music Alive & Well & Living in Paris (2016); BASE Entertainment acts, including The Sam Willows, Ng Ling Kai, Strait (Marina Bay Sands)’s The Lion King, WICKED, West Side Groove and Gareth Fernandez. Story, The Phantom of the Opera (2013); Wild Rice’s A Singapore Carol and Hansel & Gretel pantomimes. Joel is also a keen composer, having scored for several short films, commercials and stage shows.

13 MUSICIANS

YANG JI WEI DARREL XIN Sheng Erhu, Gaohu

Ji Wei read music at the Central Conservatory of Music Darrel started learning the Erhu in 1995. He is a member in , China under renowned Sheng masters of the widely acclaimed The TENG Ensemble as well as Professor Yang Shoucheng and Feng Haiyun. He is co-founder of Nen, an instrumental trio. Darrel was a the recipient of the Singapore Youth Award 2015, the member of the SAF Music and Drama Company during nation’s highest accolade for outstanding youths. He his National Service and was a contract musician with the is also a multiple-award winning Sheng performer Singapore Chinese Orchestra from 2004 to 2005. Darrel and an active advocate in the Singapore music scene. was a member of the Macau Chinese Orchestra from He is the recipient of the prestigious Shell-National 2009 to 2012. Arts Council Scholarship in 2005; co-founder and In 2009, Darrel graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Executive Director of The TENG Company; Treasurer Erhu Performance from the Central Conservatory of of the Singapore Chinese Music Federation; President Music in Beijing, China under the tutelage of renowned of the Singapore Sheng Association; co-founder of the Erhu master Mr Zhao Hanyang. He has participated in Singapore Musicians Guild; a member of the China instructional videos made by Mr Zhao. During his studies Sheng Musicians Society; Music Director and Founder in Beijing, he was also a freelance musician for the China of the first and only Sheng ensemble in Southeast Asia, Central Broadcasting Chinese Orchestra. “Resonance”; and the Music Director and Conductor of the Chinese orchestras in (Year 1-6), In the year 2000, Darrel emerged champion in the Raffles Girls’ School, Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Erhu Senior Category of the National Chinese Music Road), Catholic High School (Primary), Elias Park Competition. He was the Erhu player for the Primary School and Rosyth School. musical, for its first two and latest seasons as well as for the CD album. He played the Erhu parts As a conductor, Ji Wei has led many orchestras to achieve for the soundtracks of local movies Singapore Dreaming new heights of musical excellence at the Singapore Youth (2006), 12 Lotus (2008) and The Fortune Handbook (2017). Festival Central Judging. He was the youngest conductor He was also the Concert Master of the 2004 Singapore of a Gold Award winning school at the Singapore Youth Youth Chinese Orchestra, and in that performance Festival Central Judging 2005 and remained as the only he performed the Erhu concerto Erhu Rhapsody No. 1 conductor in Singapore with a stellar record of producing accompanied by the Singapore Chinese Orchestra. In distinction awards for Chinese Orchestras over the last 10 2013, he recorded for The TENG Ensemble’s critically years of his career. acclaimed debut album, Eight. In 2015, Nen released their In August 2018, Ji Wei was appointed Council Member debut album, First Steps, featuring all-original music of the Promote Mandarin Council by the Ministry of composed by Nen. Darrel also recorded tracks under the Culture, Community and Youth. More recently, Ji Ocean Butterflies label for Chingay 2017. In June 2018, Wei was invited to co-host the Mediacorp television Darrel held his debut solo recital at the Esplanade Recital programme At the Crossroad of Realities 《 华文 华 语。今天 Studio, to a full house and rave reviews. Darrel’s erhu 明日》, where education and cultural practitioners from music was also featured in the 2019 National Day Parade. different walks of life reflected on the future of the Chinese language in Singapore.

14 MUSICIANS

GABRIEL HOE GER ALD TEO Keyboard Gehu

Gabriel Hoe has a lifelong dream - to experience the Gerald Teo is the Co-founder, Treasurer and Board life and culture in as many different parts of the world Member of The TENG Company and sits on the Editorial as possible, through Music. In order to achieve that, he Panel for the Chinese Music Instrumental Grading has dedicated his life to becoming a People Musician - Examinations run by The TENG Academy. a person who enjoys interacting with others, through He obtained his Honours and Masters Degrees from Music. People Musician is a term he created for himself, the University of New South Wales, Australia along with reflecting his awareness of the role he plays in the a Licentiate from the Royal School of Music in Cello. community at large. In 2010, he graduated with a Postgraduate Diploma in Having all-rounded experiences, Gabriel is capable of Education from the National Institute of Education. integrating himself in a variety of performance capacities. Gerald had extensive engagements with numerous Among all of them, he loves to collaborate with people music groups such as Singapore Chinese Orchestra, most and share his perspective of music whenever the Asian Cultural Symphony Orchestra, The Philharmonic opportunity arises. Notable collaborations include Orchestra, Singapore National Youth Orchestra, forming a piano duo “duodentity” with Adriana Chiew Singapore Youth Chinese Orchestra and The Singapore in March 2018, with which they won 3rd place in the 6th Indian Orchestra amongst others. His appointments North West International Piano Ensemble Competition as principal cellist in various orchestras and ensemble held in Vancouver in November 2018, and being the pianist groups have enabled him to perform in Beijing, Shanghai, of the Singapore Symphony Children’s Choir (since 2012), Korea, Hong Kong, Philippines, Malaysia and Australia in which he recorded the piano accompaniment for their throughout his career. debut album And I’ll Sing Once More. As an established educator and cellist, Gerald is a much Gabriel is very grateful for the opportunity to collaborate sought-after coach and has tutored many esteemed with The TENG Ensemble and to come on board The Chinese Orchestras & String Ensembles in various Forefathers Project. Such collaborations have not only institutions such as Temasek Polytechnic, Anglo-Chinese enabled him to diversify and embrace music more in its School (International), Anglo-Chinese Junior College, entirety, but also to offer his audiences a refreshing and Raffles Girls Secondary, Nanyang Girls High School, St. unique experience of music. Margaret’s Secondary, Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Gabriel’s recent highlights include graduating from Road), Catholic High Primary and Rosyth Primary to Yong Siew Toh Conservatory with a Bachelor of Music in name a few. He also dedicates much of his time coaching Piano Performance with Honours (Highest Distinction) many talented performers in his own cello studio; many in July 2019. of whom have performed in various Music Ensembles and National Youth Orchestras, with some having been inspired to continue pursuing a career in music.

15 MUSICIANS

LEONARD GOH JEREMY WONG Guitar Pipa

Leonard is a graduate from Musician’s Institute As an award-winning Pipa player and ensemble Hollywood’s Guitar Performance and Audio Engineering musician, Jeremy studied under Dr Samuel Wong when program. While in Los Angeles, he worked with Deidre he was 14. By the age of 18, Jeremy won the 1st prize Powell, Stevie Wonder, opened for Macy Gray, Hall and 2nd prize in the Pipa Youth and Open category and Oates, Michael Macdonald and many more. Since of the biennial National Chinese Music Competition returning to Singapore, his band Finger Funk won respectively, while also clinching 3rd prize at the Asian the 2018 Noise competition. He has been featured on Youth Music Competition 2007 (Chinese Music). After 98.7FM, Class 95FM as well as Swee Lee’s Artist program. graduating from Singapore Polytechnic with a Diploma in Music and Audio Technology, Jeremy went on to He has worked in professional studios with Neve, API attain his Distinction in Diploma for Pipa Performance and SSL boards in studios about LA including The from NUS. He also took on the role of Principal Pipa Village, Kingsize, DTLA, Legends and many others. player for Toa Payoh West Chinese Orchestra from He has shadowed engineers such as Dennis Herring, 2007 to 2017, which has won multiple prizes - including Dave Pensado and Barry Rudolph both in recording 1st prize in the National Chinese Music Competition and mixing. In Singapore, he runs his own production Ensemble Open category. studio Soul Dot Studios. Since then, he has been featured as a soloist in numerous concerts and events, working with local organisations such as Hsing Hai Arts Association Chinese Orchestra and Toa Payoh West Community Chinese Orchestra, among others. After completing his national service as a musician in the ’ Music and Drama Company, Jeremy was also featured by Steinway Gallery Singapore at Singapore Men’s Fashion Week 2012 alongside local pianists. In 2013, Jeremy was invited to perform as a soloist with Orchestre Symphonique De Bretagne in France to high acclaim. Never one to settle for the status quo, Jeremy collaborated with Samuel and formed The Pipa Quartet in 2013, and developed the world’s first electro-acoustic Pipa. Following the Quartet’s performances in Thailand and Kuala Lumpur, Jeremy began coaching at various Chinese Orchestras such as Hong Wen School, Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) and Elias Park Primary School. Subsequently in 2017, Jeremy combined his love for music with a growing passion in through his work at the Singapore National Youth Chinese Orchestra.

16 MUSICIANS

JOHNNY CHIA NEIL CHUA Guzheng, Teochew Zheng Daruan, Qinqin, Yueqin

Born and raised in Singapore, Johnny is a classically Graduating from the prestigious Shanghai Conservatory trained Guzheng player and school CCA instructor. of Music, Neil is the first and the youngest musician of the Conservatory to receive a Masters degree in . He is a co-founder of Nen (formed in 2013) and also the Currently a Permanent Resident in Singapore, Neil is co-founder of the Guzheng Association (Singapore) the Founder of RuanAtWorkz Musical Arts, a registered established in 2014. Charity in Singapore which promotes traditional culture, Johnny started proper Guzheng training in 1994, under music, art and traditional values. Neil is also the first the tutelage of Mdm Chen Hui Lan, Mdm Yin Qun and musician to be invited to represent Malaysia to participate Ms Xu Hui respectively. In September 2006, he gained in the acclaimed OneBeat Programme, an exchange admission into the China Music Conservatory, under programme by the U.S State Department’s Bureau of the studio of renowned Guzheng Associate Professor Educational and Cultural Affairs in 2014. Through the Qiu Ji. Johnny graduated with a Bachelor of Performing programme, Neil had the opportunity to interact, educate Arts in Chinese Traditional Music (Guzheng) in 2010. and promote the Ruan to students and musicians from around the world in the United States of America. Neil’s Since then, Chia has been actively teaching in various passion also led to an invitation to participate in the primary, secondary and tertiary level schools. Over the years, Silkroad Ensemble’s Global Musician Workshop 2015 & the schools he has taught has achieved many ‘Distinction’ 2017 supported by Cello Maestro Yo Yo Ma. awards in the Presentations. Neil staged his first solo performance under the invitation Notable concerts that Johnny has played in include the of the Malaysia Professional Cultural Centre Chinese Millennium Concert in 2000 and Extravaganza of Strings Orchestra in June 2005 at the Kuala Lumpur City in 2002 both held by Singapore Chinese Orchestra; Government Concert Hall. Since then, Neil has been Remembrance of Maestro Liu Ming Yuan Concert held by invited to perform in numerous events and festivals around China Conservatory at the Beijing National Theatre in the world, including the Asian Performing Arts Market 2007; Remembrance of Maestro Qiu Da Cheng Concert at (APAM) in Japan, Setouchi Triennale (Japan) and the China Conservatory Concert Hall in 2008; the Chinese Solo International Performing Arts (SIPA) in Indonesia. musical play Er Hei held by China Conservatory in 2009 and 2010 at the Beijing National Theatre and Neil is also the Director for the sold-out Sesaji Segoro – China Conservatory Theatre respectively as well as The Daughter of the Ocean, where he infused 5 different recording the Guzheng part for the soundtrack for the cultures in a groundbreaking opera. Neil’s dedication in Olympics in China in 2008. using music to break borders is clearly reflected in his most recent project Breve where he brought together 7 internationally renowned musicians across Asia and USA to Singapore for a 11-day music-cultural exchange with a series of engagement activities with local arts groups, schools and communities. Neil dedicates his time to promoting the Ruan and works closely with composers and young musicians. He also conducts regular classes to impart his skills to the younger generation.

17 PRODUCTION TEAM

KOO CHIA MENG XU XIN’EN Head Filmmaker / Director Head of Production / Production Stage Manager

Trained as a filmmaker, Chia Meng has been actively Xin’en believes in doing whatever it takes to create involved in various aspects of film production since 2009. magic in the theatre. Motivated by her passion for the arts, she has taken on a myriad of roles within the local In 2013, he started directing music videos for theatre industry. Singaporean musicians as well as casting for feature films such as Boo Junfeng’sApprentice (2016) and She first gained invaluable backstage experience as Anthony Chen’s Wet Season (2019). a sound operator, before trying her hand at a range front-of-house duties including ticketing and events As a multimedia designer, Chia Meng’s credits include management. As a producer, Xin’en has worked with productions by Wild Rice, The Finger Players, Drama Dream Academy and Double Confirm Productions Box, Toy Factory, The TENG Company, Warner Music on popular and critically acclaimed shows such as Singapore and Singapore Repertory Theatre. Chia Meng KUMAR: What Makes A Man A Man?, Company, Crazy then ventured into larger scale shows like Ah Boys To Men: Christmas, The Hossan Leong Show and the Hossan-AH! The Musical, Michael Learns To Rock 25: Live in Singapore as series. Later, she made her debut as a stage manager well as National Day Parade 2017 & 2018. for the 2015 revival of iconic Singapore musical Beauty World, directed by Dick Lee. She took on the role of At the Straits Times Life Theatre Awards 2019, Chia production manager at Wild Rice in 2016, managing Meng and co-designer Andrew Robert Ng were the Singapore Theatre Festival and its annual awarded Best Multimedia for their work on Wild pantomime. Xin’en was multimedia producer for NDP Rice’s Supervision. 2017 and 2018. In 2017 and 2018, Xin’en delved straight Chia Meng completed his Master of Fine Arts in Film from NDP into the role of production coordinator in Directing at the National University of the the Singapore F1 Grand Prix. Arts. He continues to develop video content as Fiction Xin’en has a Masters in Cultural and Creative Industries Shore’s Creative Director, for both the film and theatre from the Taipei National University of the Arts. Xin’en industries, along with other collaborators and artists. has produced a number of commercials and short films, such asPlague , directed by Boo Junfeng for National Volunteer and Philantrophy Centre. She has also produced music videos for local artistes like Ugly In The Morning and The TENG Ensemble. Xin’en was also post-producer at Infinite Frameworks Pte Ltd for Asia’s Got Talent season 3.

18 PRODUCTION TEAM

GABRIEL CHAN CK CHIA Lighting Designer Art Director (Set & Marketing)

A recipient of the Singapore National Arts Council CK art-directs and designs for the performance scene Overseas Bursary, Gabriel graduated from the Hong in Singapore. Notable works include: Wild Rice’s Kong Academy for Performing Arts with First Class Singapore Theatre Festivals, The Importance of Being Honours in Lighting Design. He was also awarded the Earnest, Romeo & Juliet, Cook a Pot of Curry, The House Strand Lighting Scholarship, funding his training at of Bernarda Alba, Public Enemy, Monkey Goes West, Mama the Metropolitan Opera (New York ’09 Winter Opera White Snake; Singapore Repertory Theatre’s Fried Season). A chameleon of a designer, Gabriel is well- Rice Paradise, Othello, The LKY Musical, Hand to God; versed in lighting for theatre, dance, music concerts Dream Academy’s Dim Sum Dollies, The Hossan Leong and live events. Show, Crazy Christmas, Into The Woods; Singapore Lyric Opera’s Turandot, Les Contes D’Hoffmann, Don Giovanni, Gabriel started collaborating with The TENG Ensemble Madama Butterfly; The TENG Company’s Stories from for their main stage concerts in 2013, starting with Eight, an Island City. He designed the set for Wild Rice’s Stories from an Island City, and most recently, Mind the Aladdin, Romeo & Juliet, The Optic Trilogy, Grandmother Music. Other lighting design credits for music include Tongue ; Dream Academy’s Dim Sum Dollies - The History Pipa virtuoso, Wu Man, in Borderlands (SIFA 2016), of Singapore; Ocean Butterflies Music’s Liang Wenfu Nine Songs, Soul Journey Ten Years, (Siong Leng Musical Charity Concert 2018; Boo Junfeng’s Plague; Majoolah’s Association) and Sound of Wisdom - Heal (IMMPAC). Mother Knows Best. Signature theatre designs include Constellations, Rising Son, Shakespeare in the Park: Julius Caesar (2018), Romeo & Juliet (2016), The Tempest (2015) (Singapore Repertory STEVE ZHANG Theatre), The LKY Musical (Metropolitan Productions), Sound Engineer First Fleet (Nine Years Theatre), Sometime Moon, The Story (Toy Factory Productions) and (The of Kumarajiva Fluid A graduate from Singapore Polytechnic’s Diploma Theatre Practice). in Music & Audio Technology in 2010, Steve is a Dance productions: Festival Lighting Designer for sound engineer, music producer and lyricist, having M1 CONTACT Contemporary Dance Festival 2016 recently penned the lyrics for the 2019 SingTel CNY (T.H.E. Dance Company) and Swan Lake 2015 campaign. Having worked with SCO, SCCC and other (Singapore Dance Theatre). He has designed for establishments, he also worked with The Pipa Quartet Frontier Danceland’s main seasons since 2012, which under The TENG Company as a producer and arranger feature an array of international choreographers. Just for original EDM-Chinese fusion music. over summer, Gabriel opened two European dance Steve has been the sound engineer of The TENG commissions - for the Festspielhaus in St Pölten, Ballroom Ensemble since 2015, touring with the group locally Austria, and Dancing Mahler in the 21st Century, a double and internationally. After the well-acclaimed Stories bill for the Opéra National du Rhin, France. from an Island City concert, Steve is now back for their Other design ventures include Symphony of Life, the second concert at the Esplanade, Heirlooms. Gardens By The Bay opening festival anchor, Marina Bay Countdown 2015: Drum Gaia, Dance in the Park: A Pop-tastic Countdown to 2017 at Universal Studios TERENCE LAU Singapore, and last but not least, Singapore’s National Technical Manager Day Parade 2017 and 2018. Terence Lau is a technical theatre professional who has worked in the Singapore arts scene for more than ten years, managing productions for arts companies such as Arts Fission, T.H.E. Dance Company, TheatreWorks, The Necessary Stage, Wild Rice, and KULT. In his spare time, he is a sound artist who has performed regionally in countries such as the Philippines, Japan, Korea, and Hong Kong.

19 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

CREATIVE TEAM

CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Dr Samuel Wong COMPOSER: Chow Junyi MUSIC PRODUCER: Bang Wenfu REHEARSAL DIRECTOR/HEAD OF MUSIC: Joel Nah

PRODUCTION TEAM

HEAD FILMMAKER/DIRECTOR: Koo Chia Meng HEAD OF PRODUCTION/PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER: Xu Xin’en ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER: Anne Lee LIGHTING DESIGNER: Gabriel Chan MULTIMEDIA ASSISTANT: Maximilian Liang ART DIRECTOR (SET & MARKETING): CK Chia SOUND ENGINEER: Steve Zhang MONITOR ENGINEER: James Pong TECHNICAL MANAGER: Terence Lau

SPECIAL THANKS

ENG TIANG HUAT Jeff Eng

LAO SAI TAO YUAN TEOCHEW OPERA TROUPE

SIONG LENG MUSICAL ASSOCIATION Celestina Wang, Joel Chia, Lim Ming Yi, Lin Shao Ling, Lyn Lee, Seow Ming Fong, Seow Ming Xian

TOH KOON SWEE

THAU YONG AMATEUR MUSICAL ASSOCIATION Javier Lee, Lim Soo Hiang, The Late Yeo How Jiang

TUNG ON OPERA Chen Xiao Rui

XIAO DONG TIAN HOKKIEN OPERA TROUPE

YI SHENG CANTONESE OPERA TROUPE Tse Yee Ling

20 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Elaine Teo Chairman Dr Daniel Seah Treasurer Gerald Teo Dr Lee Kwok Cheong Rachel Teo Dr Samuel Wong Tham Chee Soon Wong Su-Yen Yang Ji Wei

MANAGEMENT TEAM

CREATIVE DIRECTOR: ASSISTANT MANAGER Dr Samuel Wong (PRODUCTION): Anne Lee EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Yang Ji Wei ASSISTANT MANAGER (OUTREACH): GENERAL MANAGER: Beryl Leong Ng Siew Eng ASSISTANT MANAGER HEAD OF EXAMINATIONS: (DEVELOPMENT & PARTNERSHIPS): Lum Yan Sing Clarice Handoko

HEAD OF MUSIC: ASSISTANT MANAGER Joel Nah (ADMIN & FINANCE): Samantha Lim HEAD OF OUTREACH: Nancy Ong ASSISTANT MANAGER (MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS): HEAD OF PRODUCTION: Shawn Par Xu Xin’en EDITOR: HEAD OF RESEARCH & EDUCATION: Ke Weiliang Wang Chenwei INTERN SENIOR MANAGER (MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS): (EXAMINATIONS & OUTREACH): Britaney Tasha Chitty Pu YuHui INTERN MANAGER (PROJECTS): (ADMIN & FINANCE): Calista Liaw Lim Kwuan Boon

21 WITH GR ATITUDE Here are the people and organisations who have supported our cause through the years:

GOLD − S$200,000 & ABOVE Eason Enterprises Conrad Lim Cheng Lock Mapletree Investments Pte Ltd Gan Seow Ann David Zemans Temasek Gavin Tan Deborah Joanne Ho Nguk Choo Ascendas Land (Singapore) Pte Ltd George Raymond Zage Dilhan Pillay Goh Geok Khim Dominic Pemberton WOOD − S$50,000 & ABOVE Goh Yew Lin Doris Sohmen-Pao Binjai Tree Goon Hsin Yue Edmund Lee Direct Funeral Services Pte Ltd Graham Macdonald Bell Emi Eu Elaine Teo Henry Liew Ena Su Ho Bee Foundation Ho Ching Eric Wong Kim Khoo Jennifer Fan Li You Ernest Kan Ng Teng Fong Charitable Foundation Ltd John William Friedman Evgeny Tugolukov The Fullerton Heritage Karen Fawcett Evy Swanna Siarif Kenneth Kan Feature Development Pte Ltd WATER − S$10,000 & ABOVE Kuok Meng Xiong Francoise Henriette Maurine Tsakok Anthonia Hui Kwan Wong Geoffrey Eu Bebe Zecha Lam Nguyen Phuong Goh Eck Meng Chan Chia Lin Margaret Wolf Goh Geok Ling Mary Ann Tsao Hoesons Private Limited Christopher Franck Michael Lien Jown Leam James Marshall Chua Siew Eng Nicholas Chan Kei Cheong Jason Ong Wie CMIA Capital Partners Pte Ltd Olivier Lim Tse Ghow Jean Chia Cornerstone Wines Ong Hwee Suan Jeremie Bonnin Dr. Rosslyn Leong Sou Fong Patrick Lee John Koh Freeman Pte Ltd Paul Tseng Seng Loke Johnson Chen GKG Investment Holdings Pte Ltd Richard Koh Jonathan Knowles GK Goh Holdings Ltd Shareen Khattar Kwa Chong Seng Holywell Foundation Limited Sunny Verghese Lam Chih Tsung Keith Chua Tan Chin Tuan Foundation Lee Sieu Kin Kuok Oon Kwong Tang Wee Loke Lee Wei Hock Lee Chong Min Teo Choo Kiat Lee Whai Yih Lee Kwok Cheong The Community Foundation of Singapore Lindsay Cooper Lighthouse AM Pte Ltd Thomas Wolf Low Sze Chuan Nehemiah Foundation Timothy Chia Chee Ming Margaret Chew Sing Seng Ng Mien Yi Jeanne Xavier Ian Teo Michele Lim His Yen Ong Tze Boon Yip Hoong Mun Michele L Marshall Rasel Catering Singapore Yong Hsin Yue Michael Palmer Sandy Friedman Yong Hon Kong Foundation Michael Syn Hsien Min Singapore Press Holdings Ltd Monica Low Strongbow Investments Holdings Pte Ltd EARTH − S$500 & ABOVE Ng Ee Fang Tantallon Capital Advisors Pte Ltd Alex Tan Tiong Huat Niranjan Arasaratnam Tembusu Events and Communications Pte Ltd Allen & Gledhill LLP Patricia Yuen The Events Artery Alyce Chong Paul Carr Consultancy Pte Ltd Tommy Tan Ang Hao Yao Philip Lee Sooi Chuen Wine Advocate Pte Ltd Anita Fam Siu Ping Phoenix Advisers Pte Ltd Antoine Alfred Firmenich Poh Tiong Choon Logistics Ltd FIRE − S$3,000 & ABOVE Arjun Raghavan Rachel Teo Adam Jason Levinson Calvin Cheng Ronald Stride Bengawan Solo Pte Ltd Carmen Lee Chai Lian Roy Chan Kum Wah Capital Group Inc Casey Chew Kian Wu Sanjiv Misra Catherine Tan Catherine Tan Suat Wah Simon Cheong Cellresearch Corporation Pte Ltd Chan Wing Kwong Tan Keng Keng Cheah Sui Ling Chee Soo Leng Tania Pemberton Chew Sutat Cheng Khin Tin Thio Syn Ghee Chin Bottinelli Chew Gek Khim Tina Lee Choo Oi Yee Chew Ghim Bok Vemala Rajamanickam Christina Leong Shau Ling Chew Kwee San Vincent Lien Chua Thian Poh Christina Firmenich Wong Lee Yuen Chua Hong Thuan Christopher Ho Wong Sau Bek Claire Chiang See Ngoh Claire Ngo Yang Eng Coleads Business Consultants Claudine Lim Hsi Yun Yap Su-Yin David Fu Colin Lang Yat Yuen Hong Co Ltd

The Teng Ensemble Ltd is an Institution of a Public Character (Current IPC period: 01/12/18 to 30/11/20) and is supported by the National Arts Council under the Major Company Scheme for the period from 1 April 2018 to 31 March 2021. Donations made in support of the CAL-TENG Joint Fundraiser in March 2019 are credited based on 50% of the donation amount.

22 SUPPORT US

The TENG Company (TENG) is a full-fledged If TENG’s work has struck a chord with you, we invite charitable organisation and an Institution of a Public you to make a difference in the lives of the next Character. TENG has made a name for itself through generation of traditional Chinese music practitioners its signature flair of reimagining traditional Chinese and audiences. You may make a donation by scanning music accessible for audiences from all walks of life. the QR code below, or approach a TENG ambassador should you wish to explore other ways to join our cause. Our award-winning Performance division, The TENG TENG is grateful for all our donors who have supported Ensemble, continues to grow our music audiences and our work in countless ways, empowering and building advocate the heritage value of our work; the Education this holistic ecosystem together. and Outreach division, The TENG Academy, nurtures the next generation of musicians, efficiently allocating MAKE A resources to deserving students of potential; the DONATION Research division of TENG drives works in tandem with TODAY! the rest of the company to innovate effective pedagogies All donations above $50 are and push the boundaries of traditional Chinese music eligible for 250% tax deduction.* for modern sensibilities. UEN: 201502077Z

*If you would like a tax deductible or non-tax deductible receipt, please kindly approach one of our friendly TENG ambassadors.

THE FOREFATHERS BOX

In line with our commitment towards shedding light on • Soundtracks of all eight pieces performed during Heirlooms the lesser-known elements of Singapore’s Chinese music • The five documentaries published on TENG’s social media heritage, TENG is pleased to announce the release of platforms leading up to the concert The Forefathers Box. • Write-ups on the various genres of traditional Chinese music The Forefathers Box is an elegantly designed in Singapore memorabilia box that contains the painstaking work that TENG has embarked on over the course of the Receive a complimentary Forefathers Box before or four-year long The Forefathers Project. The contents of after the concert with a minimum donation of $100 to the box include: TENG. (Limited Quantities Available) Interested in bringing home The Forefathers Box? Please approach any of our friendly TENG ambassadors at the Esplanade Concert Hall Main Foyer!

23 PRESENTED IN COLLABORATION BY WITH

THE TENG COMPANY & THE FOREFATHERS PROJECT ARE PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY

SPECIAL MATCHED WITH SUPPORT THANKS BY FROM

THIS CONCERT IS ORGANISED IN SUPPORT OF THE SINGAPORE BICENTENNIAL.

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