TitianBudayaNight: CrossingCultures CELEBRATING YEARS OF SINGAPORE- MALAYSIA FRIENDSHIP PROGRAMME 8 December 2015, Tuesday 8.30pm Dewan Filharmonik PETRONAS TITIAN BUDAYA NIGHT: CROSSING CULTURES Singapore Chinese Orchestra and Friends Music Director / Conductor: Tsung Yeh Izpirazione II Simon Kong Su Leong Movement II: Rambutan 3’ 10” Dialogue for Solo Tabla and Chinese Orchestra Eric Watson Tabla: Jatinder Singh Bedi 10’ The Silly Little Girl & The Funny Old Tree* Adapted and composed by Wayang Kulit: Eyo Hock Seng and Kumpulan Sri Yii Kah Hoe from Kuo Pao Campuran Kun’s play of the same title 23’ Intermission 20’ Montage: Three Movements for Jazz Piano & Kelly Tang Chinese Orchestra Piano: Jeremy Monteiro Drum: Tamagoh Bass: Frankie Lee 23’ Songs of P. Ramlee* Composed by P. Ramlee Vocal: Taufik Batisah Re-arranged by Eric 10’ Watson Approximate concert duration: 1h 30min *Commissioned for Titian Budaya All works are Malaysian premieres 3 Message from Message from MINISTER FOR CULTURE, COMMUNITY AND YOUTH, MINISTER FOR TOURISM AND CULTURE, SINGAPORE MALAYSIA Titian Budaya is a celebration of fifty years of close Cultural cooperation and exchange programmes are friendship between Singapore and Malaysia. important to foster friendly relations between people, especially neighbouring countries and to strengthen Since 1965, we have enjoyed many cultural exchanges cultural cooperation based on the principles of mutual that have thrilled audiences on both sides of the respect for sovereignty, equality, reciprocity and mutual Causeway. Many of Singapore’s artists have had the benefit. Such cultural exchanges provide opportunities opportunities to perform or exhibit their works in for us to learn about each other’s distinctive cultures Malaysia. At the same time, Singapore has had the and traditions. privilege of hosting many of Malaysia’s talented artists at Singapore’s cultural events, festivals and institutions. In this regard, the Ministry of Tourism and Culture of Malaysia is honoured to host Singapore’s Titian Budaya Riding on the spirit of collaboration between our artists, cultural showcase to celebrate the friendship between Titian Budaya is a specially curated cultural season. Singapore and Malaysia, marking 50 years of established Some 400 artists and creative talents, of which 150 are diplomatic relations between both nations. from Malaysia, have come together to present the best in music, dance, art and film from our countries. Titian I strongly believe that the variety of events including Budaya is a fitting tribute to the close ties between the traditional orchestral sounds to indie music and people of Singapore and Malaysia. acoustic beats, photography, short and feature films and craftworks will give an opportunity for us to At the heart of this cultural season is Titian Budaya have a closer insight and appreciate the social and Night: Crossing Cultures. It brings together outstanding traditional aspects of Singapore. It is also believed Singaporean and Malaysian artists and composers that Titian Budaya will create awareness and closer to celebrate the shared musical icons, traditions and bonds amongst Malaysians and Singaporeans on the influences of our countries and our people. importance of understanding the distinctive culture of our neighbouring countries as culture has been I would like to express my deepest appreciation to the recognised as the essence of life regardless of borders. Ministry of Tourism and Culture and all our partners from Malaysia, without which tonight’s event would not With that, I would like to congratulate Her Excellency have been possible. Grace Fu, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, Singapore for successfully hosting Titian Budaya in Kuala Lumpur. We appreciate the opportunity given to GRACE FU us to witness and experience Singapore’s fabulous and vibrant cultural landscape. “Malaysia Year of Festivals 2015 - Endless Celebrations” 4 MOHAMED NAZRI BIN ABDUL AZIZ 5 About SINGAPORE CHINESE ORCHESTRA Inaugurated in 1997, the 85-musician such as the World Economic Forum and Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SCO) is International Summit of Arts Council in Singapore’s only professional Chinese 2003, and the 2006 International Monetary orchestra as well as a flagship local arts Fund (IMF) Annual Meeting. group. Its patron is Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Taking on the The orchestra also toured Beijing, Shanghai twin role of preserving traditional arts and Xiamen in 1998 and Taiwan in 2000. and culture and establishing new frontiers In 2005, it performed at the Budapest through the incorporation of Southeast Spring Festival and the Singapore Season Asian cultural elements, its home is the in London and Gateshead. In 2007, SCO Singapore Conference Hall. performed at the Beijing Music Festival, the Singapore Season in the China Shanghai Since its inception, SCO has impressed a International Arts Festival, and the Macau broadening audience with its blockbuster International Music Festival. In May 2014, presentations and is fast establishing itself SCO was invited to perform at the Shanghai among its counterparts around the world. Spring International Music Festival and In 2002, it staged a symphonic fantasy epic in Suzhou to celebrate the Singapore- Marco Polo and Princess Blue as part of the Suzhou Industrial Park’s 20th anniversary. opening festival of Esplanade – Theatres on These international platforms provided the Bay. The following year, SCO produced SCO with the opportunities to showcase its a musical and visual conversation with talents, propelling it to the forefront of the Singapore’s most eminent multi-disciplinary international music arena. artist Tan Swie Hian at the Singapore Arts Festival 2003. The orchestra celebrated In line with its vision to be a world-renowned Singapore’s 39th National Day in 2004 people’s orchestra, SCO widens its outreach with a spectacular concert – Our People, by performing regularly at various national Our Music – featuring 2,400 local music parks, communities and schools. SCO also enthusiasts at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. commissions its own compositions and in In 2005, it produced a mega musical 2006 and 2011, organised the Singapore production, Admiral of the Seven Seas, as International Competition for Chinese part of the Singapore Arts Festival 2005. Orchestral Composition that incorporates In 2007, SCO was part of the 240-strong Nanyang musical elements from Southeast combined orchestra that performed at Asia. In 2012, SCO organised Singapore’s the Singapore National Day Parade. In the first 23-day National Chinese Orchestra Singapore Arts Festival 2008, SCO joined Marathon, a spectacular feat that drew hands with TheatreWorks to present the the participation of 31 local Chinese ground breaking production Awaking, orchestras, with over 44 performances and which brought together Kunqu opera an audience of 20,000. On 28 June 2014, music and Elizabethan music. In 2009, SCO SCO created history through the second made history by becoming the first Chinese instalment of Our People Our Music by orchestra to perform in the opening week breaking two Guinness World Records with of the Edinburgh International Festival, and the Largest Chinese Drum Ensemble of in 2010, performed in Paris as part of the 4,557 performers and the Largest Chinese Singapour Festivarts. Orchestra of 3,558 performers at the National Stadium, Singapore Sports Hub. Well-known for its high performance It is with this vision that SCO continues to standards and versatility, the SCO has inspire, influence, educate and communicate 6 performed at numerous prestigious events through its music. 7 Photo: SCO Music Director / Conductor TSUNG YEH Photo: SCO Tsung Yeh joined the Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SCO) as Tsung Yeh is also the Music Director of the In 1983, he began his post-graduate study Music Director in January 2002. Under his direction, SCO South Bend Symphony Orchestra in the at Yale University under Otto Werner- expanded its repertoire with innovative works such as Marco Polo United States. In 1995, he was honoured with Mueller. He also studied conducting with and Princess Blue – A Symphonic Epic, Instant is a Millennium the ASCAP Award together with the South Max Rudolf, Leonard Slatkin, Murry Sidlin, – A Musical Conversation with Tan Swie Hian, The Grandeur of Bend Symphony Orchestra. In addition, Sidney Harth, Han Zhong Jie, Huang Yi Jun Tang, Thunderstorm, Admiral of the Seven Seas and Awaking. In he has served as the Music Director of the and Cao Peng. Awaking, he melded Shakespeare and Tang Xianzu’s plays into Hong Kong Sinfonietta. one, elevating Chinese orchestral music to a higher level. In May 2001, Tsung Yeh conducted the Paris- As part of the Conductors’ Mentor Shanghai Duplex Concert – a collaboration As Music Director of Singapore’s National Day Parade 2007, Programme sponsored by the Chicago of the French National Symphony Orchestra Tsung Yeh conceptualised a symphonic music structure with Symphony Orchestra, he worked with and Shanghai Broadcasting Orchestra – supreme, textured virtuosity that incensed national pride in Music Director Daniel Barenboim and that was broadcast via satellite to millions the air. 240 musicians from the SCO, Singapore Symphony Principal Guest Conductor Pierre Boulez. of viewers in Europe and Asia. His previous Orchestra (SSO), Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Central Band, In April 1991, he replaced the indisposed engagements include San Francisco, Malay and Indian ensembles Nanyin ensemble and a chorus Barenboim