Playing for Singapore!Singapore National Youth Orchestra

Summer 2011 / LAUNCH ISSUE 1

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Musical Futures in Australia

Leong Yoon Pin – a tribute

Developing the Kodály legacy

Young voices: Musical journeys

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Music Education Singapore magazine: Summer 2011 | musiceducationsg.com 3

REGULARS

Foreword

Eugene Dairianathan, National

Institute of Education

News

Reviews

Yes You Can Play Great Rock Guitar

Does reviewer Robert Ahwai agree?

Listings

What’s on locally, regionally and

internationally

Young voices: Musical journeys

Two Singapore students tell us

about the importance of music in

their lives

Musical Futures in Australia

Why students are queueing up to

join an innovative music education

programme Down Under

Developing the Kodály legacy

László Nemes’ keynote address

from the musiclearninglive!2011

conference in Glasgow, UK

Cambodian collaboration

Yong Siew Toh Conservatory and

Royal University of the Fine Arts

students in Cambodia

East, West, home is best

Is music teaching the same the

world over? We talk to teachers in

Singapore and the UK

DIGITAL LEARNING

Project-based learning

George Hess argues the case

Practice makes perfect

Online practice with Charanga

The Apptitude test

Beatwave & NanoStudio

Music Education Singapore Issue 1 Contents

5

7

41

42

22

23

24

COVER FEATURE

SPECIAL FEATURE

SPECIAL FEATURE

A tribute to the Singaporean

composer, conductor and educator

The launch of Singapore Teachers’

Academy for the aRts

A profile of the Singapore National

Youth Orchestra

Leong Yoon Pin

remembered

Singapore’s rising

STARs

16

26

29

33

36

Following this launch issue, Music Education Singapore

magazine will be published bi-monthly from November

2011.

The iPad edition will also be available from November from

the iTunes store.

Subscribe online at at www.musiceducationsg.com

Launch offer: 7 issues for the price of 6: S$36.

Student subscriptions: S$20

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FEATURES

SNYO

Playing for Singapore!

10

13

19

Scan the code to visit the Music Education Singapore website

Supporting music teachers in Thailand and SingaporeA programme of workshops, masterclasses and performances designed to support and inspire music teachers and students in their music making.

Featuring soloists from the world-famous LPO, this two-day event will include interactive workshops and support sessions for music teachers focusing on the new Trinity Guildhall syllabuses for piano and woodwind, masterclasses with soloists from the LPO, and a programme of workshops and demonstrations in schools.

A recital by the orchestra’s chamber group Soloists of the LPO, will also be included.

� Bangkok 29–30 August 2011

� Singapore 1–2 September 2011

For more information about how you can be involved in these exciting events visit:

www.trinitycollege.co.uk/LPO

photos: Tas Kyprianou and Kevin Ricks

Trinity College London in partnership with the

London Philharmonic Orchestra

At a time when public sector

and arts budgets are being

slashed worldwide, the launch of

a new music education magazine

may seem a crazy idea!

But Singapore’s commitment to

the arts and arts-in-education

and the value it places on

creativity within education is self-

evident – most recently with the

launch of the Singapore Teachers’

Academy for the aRts (see page

13). It is this commitment – and

that of our many partners – which

has given us the confidence to

kick-start an ambitious project

which has been several years in

the planning.

We know the enormous value

that is placed on music education

in Singapore. Our vision is to

create an invaluable resource for

Music Education Singapore magazine: Summer 2011 | musiceducationsg.com 5

It is with great pleasure that I write

to introduce Music Education

Singapore magazine.

The magazine’s main objective is

to provide a lively and inclusive

platform for music education and

engagement with musical

practices and music-as-practised

in Singapore.

While the magazine is modelled

on its successful sister

publication, Music Education UK

(now celebrating its 8th year in

print), it is written and published

in Singapore. This encourages

ownership and a sense of

commonwealth of talented

musicians, music students and

music teachers.

Published in print, online and –

from November – on iPad, the

magazine addresses

practices of music in all its

contemporaneity and relevance

in a global and virtual

environment. It hopes to act as

a hub for the sharing of musical

practices and events in

Singapore and the wider world.

The magazine aims to reach an

audience ranging from teachers

delivering music in schools to

practitioners responsible for

creating, performing and

responding to music and

welcomes everyone –

instrumental teachers, early

childhood specialists, those

working in music schools and

higher learning institutions,

artists and arts administrators,

students, parents and the

public-at-large – with an interest

in music and music education.

It is very much the hope that

Music Education Singapore

magazine will delight, excite and

inform you in equal measure as it

showcases the diversity and

quality of musical pedagogies,

practices and behaviours across

Singapore and beyond to provide

a new and stimulating space for

people and ideas to intersect.

Eugene Dairianathan

Associate Professor Eugene Dairianathan

is Music Co-ordinator of the Visual and

Performing Arts Academic Group, Nation-

al Institute of Education, Singapore. He

is a member of the Music Education

Singapore Editorial Advisory Board.

Editor Cathy Tozer

cathy.tozer@musiceducationsg.com

Digital Learning Editor Tim Hallas

tim.hallas@musiceducationsg.com

Contributors

Robert Ahwai, Fatin Nabilah Mohd

Ariffin, Mark Burke, Chan Chi Ling,

Chua Siew Ling, Richard Crozier,

Eugene Dairianathan, Ian Harvey,

George Hess, Chung Shih Hoh, Leong

Wei Shin, Kris Low, Roy McGillivray,

László Nemes, Soh Kuan Wei,

Eleanor Tan, Wang Siao Hua

Editorial Advisory Board

Dr Pamela Burnard (University of

Cambridge), Richard Crozier (ABRSM),

Prof. Eugene Dairianathan (National

Institute of Education, Singapore),

Dr George Hess (Yong Siew Toh

Conservatory of Music, Singapore),

Leong Wei Shin (University of

Cambridge), Dr László Nemes (Liszt

Academy, Budapest), David Price OBE

(Innovation Unit, London), Dr Benjaman

Schögler (Skoogmusic, Edinburgh)

Publisher Ian Clethero

ian.clethero@musiceducationsg.com

Subscriptions & distribution

distribution@musiceducationsg.com

Print & digital advertising

advertising@musiceducationsg.com

Published by

Zone New Media Asia Pte Limited

19 Ubi Crescent, Singapore 408577

Directors: Ian Clethero, Jimmy Pang

Printers

Times Printers Pte Ltd

European representative

Zone New Media Limited

Innovation Centre, Broad Quay

Bath BA1 1UD, UK

musiceducationuk.com

Follow us on

@musicedsg

Welcometo Music Education Singapore

MESg

Editorial

MESg

Publishing

everyone involved in the sector

whether they be educators,

students, musicians or parents:

a dynamic music education hub

for Singapore.

Music Education Singapore

magazine represents the first

phase of a long-term project. In

November, we will be launching a

series of new online resources –

a ‘music education map’ of

Singapore, a Facebook site and

iPad and mobile Apps. Follow us

on Twitter for the latest

developments (@musicedsg).

We’ll also be announcing plans

for a major international music

education conference –

musiclearninglive!Asia 2013.

We are grateful to the many

supporters whose time and

expertise have made it possible

to get this project up and running.

We warmly welcome all

suggestions and contributions so

that Music Education

Singapore – both the magazine

and the larger project – can

flourish in the years to come.

Ian Clethero, Publisher

Cover photo: SNYO – a lighter moment in the Music Studio

Music Education Singapore magazine: Summer 2011 | musiceducationsg.com 7

The stage was set for the 5th

Anniversary Concert of the

Singapore Symphony Children’s

Choir (SSCC) – girls in their ruby red

dresses and boys decked out in their

smart vest suits. Held at the Yong

Siew Toh Conservatory Concert Hall

on Sunday 5 June, the children

mesmerised the audience with their

stunning and entertaining singing.

Performing with much vocal

discipline and deportment, the 70-

strong group were obviously

comfortable with different styles and

textures as they sang with clear

diction in various languages – Latin,

French and Tagalog to name a few –

performing a 90-minute programme

entirely from memory under the

batons of choral instructors, Quek

Soon Hiang and Wong Lai Foon.

The impetus for the formation of the

SSCC in June 2006 was the need for

the Singapore Symphony Orchestra

(SSO) to have available a choir for

orchestral works that require

children’s voices. As the national

orchestra, the SSO has taken pride

over the last five years in nurturing

these young talents and helping

them achieve their musical

potential.

The SSCC made its debut

performance in 2007 at the SSO's

Christmas concerts and, since then,

has performed with the SSO in works

including Mahler’s Symphony No. 3

and Berlioz’s La Damnation de Faust

as well as in the annual Christmas

concerts. Now firmly established in

its own right, the choir has a number

of performances lined up for the

second half of 2011, including a

performance of Berlioz’s Te Deum

with the SSO under Claus Peter Flor

in October.

Additionally, the Children’s Choir

Training Programme provides young

singers aged between 8 and 14

years with a comprehensive initiation

into the art of good singing under

Chorus Master, Maestro Lim Yau.

After one year, the trainees can

audition for placement in the SSCC.

Auditions are held twice a year with

the next round taking place in

November/December.

ss-childrenschoir.blogspot.com

Beijing-born composer Dr Zhou

Long is to present a paper on his

Pulitzer-prizewinning opera, Madame

White Snake, at the second NAFA

Symposium in September.

Recently awarded the 2011 Pulitzer

Prize for Music, Dr Zhou will present

the paper, Imagination Between

Ancient and Modern: Composing A

New Opera on a Legend, at New

Asian Imaginations: (Re)Searching

the Arts in Southeast Asia which

runs from 19 to 21 September 2011

at the Nanyang Academy of Fine

Arts (NAFA).

Dr Zhou, who is Visiting Professor

of Composition at University of

Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory

of Music, USA, has received

numerous awards and gained

international recognition for

his music.

SSCC celebrates 5th anniversary

NAFA partners with RCM

NEWS

residents will pay S$23,400. NAFA is

the first institution outside the UK to

offer the prestigious degree course.

The two-year programme includes

seven weeks’ study at the Royal

College of Music (or seven weeks at

a major Chinese conservatory for

Chinese instrumentalists).

At the official signing ceremony on

25 April, Prime Minister Lee Hsien

Loong said: ‘We have invested in

arts education as well as in science,

technology and sports. Our aim is to

create a mountain range with many

peaks of excellence; within the arts

itself, we are building a mini-

mountain range.’

The ceremony was also attended by

then Education Minister Ng Eng

Hen, NAFA President Choo Thiam

Siew (pictured on left) and RCM

Director Professor Colin Lawson

(right) who said: ‘The NAFA-RCM

partnership will establish oppor-

tunities for gifted young musicians in

Asia to practise the art of music at

the highest level. Students will bene-

fit from an established curriculum

rich in musical heritage and access

to an outstanding faculty.’

www.nafa.edu.sg rcm.ac.uk

Trinity College London is launching

a unique collaboration with the

London Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO)

with the aim of developing the skills

of music teachers all over the world.

The first project will see events for

teachers in Singapore and Thailand

in August and September. The two-

day events will include a range of

masterclasses, interactive ‘how to’

workshops and support sessions

for music teachers.

There will also be a programme of

short workshops and demonstra-

tions in schools and a series of educ-

ation workshops for children. A recit-

al by the orchestra’s chamber group

and soloists will conclude the events.

Pulitzer prize-winning composer at New Asian Imaginations conference

Trinity College/LPO collaboration in Singapore and Thailand

Nicholas Keyworth, Chief Examiner

in Music at Trinity College London,

is working closely with Patrick

Bailey, Director of Education at the

LPO, to put together the events.

He said: ‘We are incredibly excited

about the opportunity to be able to

visit Singapore and Thailand with

this programme which will be of

immense value to music teachers.

We also look forward to strength-

ening our partnership with the LPO

and the further opportunities this

will bring to musicians worldwide.’

Bangkok dates: 29-30 August

Singapore dates: 1-2 September

trinitycollege.co.uk/lpo

The award’s judges hailed

Madame White Snake as ‘a work

that synthesises ancient and

modern, East and West, blending

Asian timbres, instruments and

musical traditions into a Western

musical fabric in ways that

transcend local colour to

become deeply expressive in

their own right’.

newasianimaginations.nafa.edu.sg

musiceducationsg.com/news

Students with a music diploma

from the Nanyang Academy of

Fine Arts (NAFA) are eligible to study

for a degree from London’s Royal

College of Music from August.

The two-year Bachelor of Music

(Hons) course will be subsidised by

the government, bringing tuition fees

down from S$56,000 to S$18,500

for Singapore citizens. Permanent

Music Education Singapore magazine: Summer 2011 | musiceducationsg.com 9

If musicians were travellers

traversing space and time in order

to sample music from the classical

to the avant garde, then the 5th

Singapore International Piano

Pedagogy Symposium might make

an intriguing time machine. Themed

Beyond Piano Teaching: Discovering

the Past, Serving the Future, the

symposium, which ran from 20-24

June 2011 at Yong Siew Toh

Conservatory of Music, invited piano

pedagogues to make a journey into

the past in a bid to rediscover the

present, reports Chan Chi Ling.

For five delightful days, participants

at the 5th Singapore International

Piano Pedagogy Symposium

immersed themselves in an exciting

array of workshops ranging from

lectures and masterclasses given by

a distinguished panel of presenters

to a fun-filled baroque dance

workshop run by eminent dancer,

Paige Whitley-Bauguess.

The exploration of past, present and

future began – appropriately – with

the past. ‘Teachers are time

travellers who go back to the past to

keep it alive,’ said Dean Kramer

and Claire Wachter in their keynote

address and this perfect preamble

to the theme of the symposium was

to linger in most minds throughout.

Examining piano music from various

time periods, Kramer and Wachter

threw new light on the perennial

question of whether composers are

the products or makers of the

cultural zeitgeists that were later

neatly defined as ‘baroque,

classical, romantic, 20th century’.

What emerged was the bold

suggestion that it was the creative

genius of various master composers

that defined their epoch – which

means that each work deserves

interpretation not merely according

to stylistic rules belonging to any

time period but according to the

intentions of its creator.

It was therefore unsurprising that

Kramer and Wachter lent a

personal touch rather than didactic

interpretations to subsequent

lecture/demonstrations on music by

Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, Schumann

and Scarlatti. The takeaways were

not so much ‘answers’ as new per-

spectives that were well worth pon-

dering. Equally thought-provoking

were the many concurrent sessions

running throughout the week – from

pedalling techniques and pedagogy

methods to aural training, music

scholarship, contemporary music

and ways to gain insight into partic-

ular compositions and pedagogues.

What was interesting – admirable,

in fact – was the particular attention

paid to broader issues pertinent to

the local context. In particular,

discussions on the place of piano

examinations in Singapore today

forced a re-evaluation of the

underlying premises behind gearing

up students for examinations. The

closing forum saw participants

entertaining flights of fancy (if you

had the chance to go back in time,

where would you go and what would

you do?), Kramer candidly sharing

his experience of learning under

legendary artist, Vladimir Horowitz,

and important questions on the

relevance of classical music in an

age dominated by pop and rock.

The most memorable moments,

most participants would concur,

were spent dancing to familiar

tunes from baroque dance suites

and recreating a merry folk-dance

party reminiscent of a scene from a

Jane Austen novel. Listening to a

baroque suite will never feel the

same again! And as the time

machine landed gently back in the

present at the end of the five-day

symposium, the time travellers –

teachers and pedagogues alike –

had already begun a new journey to

‘serve the future’.

Discovering the Past, Serving the Future: 5th International Piano Pedadogy Symposium

Educational opportunities at Music China

the event to be another record-

breaking show,’ said Evan Sha,

Deputy General Manager, Messe

Frankfurt (Shanghai) Co Ltd. ‘More

than 90% of exhibitors from last

year’s show have already agreed to

reserve space and some are even

looking to expand. This shows that

the Asian music industry market,

particularly in China, remains strong.’

Running alongside the fair will be a

wide range of fringe events enabling

visitors to gain knowledge of the

music industry as well as live

entertainment and demonstrations.

In her sixth year of organising NAMM

University courses, Ms Betty

Heywood, the Association’s Director

of International Affairs, said: ‘It’s

vital to offer educational activities at

a trade show to give added value to

the face-to-face opportunities.’

Educational seminars will feature

successful Chinese entrepreneurs

and international retailers who will

share their expertise while popular

outdoor drum experience event,

Dancing Drum (pictured), will inspire

participants by creating and fostering

a fun and comfortable atmosphere

in which to enjoy rhythms.

‘The show draws music lovers from

around the world together at one

stage. It further impacts the public

towards the development of the

Chinese music industry,’ said

Mr Stephen Yu, owner of Tycoon

Percussion, who supports

the event.

Other events include principal

forum, retailer forum, Chinese folk

music programme, masterclasses,

electronic music-making workshops,

drum circle and more.

Music China 2011, the sister show

of Musikmesse, held in Germany,

is organised jointly by the China

Music Instrument Association

(CMIA), INTEX Shanghai and

Messe Frankfurt.

musikmesse-china.com

Asia’s largest musical instrument

trade fair, Music China, will run

from 11–14 October at the Shanghai

New International Expo Centre

(SNIEC). The event is expected to

attract more than 50,000 visitors

from around the world.

‘This year we are celebrating the 10th

edition of Music China and we expect

Chan Chi Ling is a freelance writer who

loves writing and learning about music

enough to call herself an amateur music

reviewer. As a student, she has published

a motley hotchpotch of writings ranging

from academic papers to travel books,

literary reviews and poetry. Some of her

writings are available online at

matterandart.wordpress.com

The 5th Singapore International Piano

Pedagogy Symposium was organised by

the Singapore Music Teachers

Association.

smtasingapore.com

Playing for Singapore!

The learning environment provided by the

Singapore National Youth Orchestra is a

safe and non-threatening one in which

friendships are fostered and a sense of

enjoyment in music-making is created.

In addition to developing musical

competence, members are able to

develop non-musical attributes, gaining

essential life skills and, in the case of

student leaders, leadership qualities as

they work closely with adults and peers in

the orchestra, reports Wang Siao Hua.

Musical development

With its focus on young people and their

music, the Singapore National Youth

Orchestra (SNYO) provides opportunities to

develop each and every one of its members to

their fullest musical potential. The orchestra

holds at least six concerts a year so that

members have the opportunity to explore

different kinds of repertoire and perform at

different venues besides the usual concert

setting. Through these concerts, members

develop their individual musical preferences

and, most importantly, their love and passion

for orchestral playing.

To build up the ensemble skills of members,

professional musicians from the Singapore

Symphony Orchestra (SSO) lead ensemble

classes and sectionals for string, woodwind,

brass and percussion playing. Another

important aspect of musical development

comes in the form of chamber music training.

In particular, the orchestra’s string quartets

have the distinct privilege of being coached by

members of the renowned T’ang Quartet.

Interestingly, the T’ang Quartet were once

members of the Singapore (National) Youth

Orchestra and subsequently the SSO. In

1999, the T’ang Quartet went professional

and since then, they have embarked on

various musical projects in collaboration with

musicians both local and abroad. Now

Quartet-in-Residence at the Yong Siew Toh

Conservatory of Music, each of the four

members has helped to get the SNYO

musicians fired up about chamber music.

Through their weekly rehearsals, the members

have also learnt a little more about them-

selves as learners, as communicators and

as musicians.

All this training builds up towards the full

orchestra rehearsals, also known as tutti

rehearsals, which culminate in a concert

performance (see diagram on facing page).

Student development

One of the objectives of Co-Curricular

Activities (CCAs) in Singapore is to provide

platforms outside the formal environment

of the classroom for students to develop

leadership skills. In the SNYO, members

are encouraged to volunteer for positions

in the members-elected Student Commit-

tee. This committee has two functions:

firstly, to act as an avenue for communica-

tion between the orchestra and

management and, secondly, to organise

non-musical events for the orchestra.

Self-nominations and peer nominations

are encouraged and shortlisted members

are interviewed by the current Student

Committee before their names are put up

as candidates for the election. The

purpose of the preliminary interview is to

ensure that the candidates understand

the level of commitment which is required

Music Education Singapore magazine: Summer 2011 | musiceducationsg.com10

SNYO wind players

• Delivery of musical

work in front of an

audience

of them and that they are suitable to take up

positions in the Student Committee. Once

elected, the new members meet with the

outgoing committee for the handover of duties

to ensure continuity.

The appointment of specific posts, such as

Chairman and Secretary, is discussed and

decided amongst members of the new

committee and is based on self-evaluation

and personal preference. The Student

Committee also provides training

opportunities for younger members who may

wish to run for the next committee election as

there is often an open invitation for anyone

interested to run events with the committee.

In this way, current committee members

provide a two-way learning process where they

learn as they share experiences and expertise

with their juniors. This also promotes cohesion

and unity amongst orchestra members.

Going International

In order to develop this group of talented

young musicians further, the SNYO does not

limit itself to local performances but gives its

members international exposure through

various channels.

The orchestra management is constantly on

the lookout for visiting international musicians

in order to invite them to give masterclasses

to the SNYO. Most recently, SNYO members

had the privilege of working with musicians

from the Berlin Symphony Orchestra (2010)

and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra (2011).

Such masterclasses are extremely useful as

SNYO members are able to attend open

rehearsals and concert performances by the

musicians before or after the classes

themselves.

The SNYO International Artiste Series allows

SNYO members to work closely with a soloist

or conductor for one concert a year. The

invited artiste also conducts workshops with

the orchestra and their sharing has been

tremendously inspiring for the members.

Another milestone was reached in May 2010,

when chemicals company, LANXESS, came on

board to support SNYO musicians in a three-

year mentorship programme called the

LANXESS SNYO Classic. Through this

collaboration, the SNYO musicians were able

to work with international artistes such as

Stewart Rose (horn), Lara St. John (violin) and

Andrea Griminelli (flute) in one concert each

year from 2010–2012. Our young musicians

are also selected to go on annual study trips

to hone their musicianship skills with these

mentors in their home countries. In 2011,

Jasper Goh from Temasek Polytechnic, Rachel

Ho from Hwa Chong Institution and Tu Si Jing

from School of The Arts (SOTA) had the

privilege of travelling to Italy to be tutored by

renowned flautist, Andrea Griminelli, for a

week. This wonderful experience has made

them better musicians and encouraged them

to consider pursuing music as a professional

career.

‘A big thank you to LANXESS for presenting us

with the honour to work alongside

Music Education Singapore magazine: Summer 2011 | musiceducationsg.com 11

About the SNYO

The Singapore National Youth Orchestra (SNYO)

first came under the auspices of the Ministry of

Education in 1980. The 200-strong orchestra

consists of students from over 70 primary and

secondary schools, junior colleges, international

schools and tertiary institutions in the country.

The SNYO aims to provide each member with

an exemplary orchestra experience and the

highest quality professional music education

and training.

The SNYO is managed by the Management

Board, consisting of a team of officers from the

Ministry of Education and members of the

public from arts-related industries and

institutions. There is also an Artistic Committee

formed by selected members of the

Management Board to explore programming

possibilities and other artistic matters. In

addition, the main orchestra elects a Student

Committee to work with the Management Board

in matters concerning the well-being of

members and the future direction of the SNYO.

As a National Co-Curricular Activity and a

National Project of Excellence, the SNYO is fully

funded by the Ministry and occupies the apex of

the Music Talent Development Framework for

Co-curricular Activities in Singapore. Interested

students apply and go through an audition

process on their choice of orchestral instrument.

Successful candidates who are Singapore

citizens or permanent residents can apply for

the Individual Training Scheme where they are

offered part-sponsorship for their private

lessons with professional tutors.

snyo.org.sg

Sight-reading

(individual/orchestra)

• Initial contact with

musical work

Practice

(individual musician)

• Motor, cognitive,

social skills

• Musical

knowledge

Rehearsal

(orchestra)

• General musical

knowledge & skills

• Moment-by-moment

information

processing

Performance

(orchestra)

The process of music-making in an orchestra

Soundcheck at the Esplande Concert Hall

12 Music Education Singapore magazine: Summer 2011 | musiceducationsg.com

professional musicians within our immediate

environment and giving us a chance to be

further inspired by them!’

(Lanabel Teo, Lim Hao Wei)

The SNYO travels regularly to international

music festivals to share its music with others

around the world. These concert tours provide

an opportunity for the orchestra to benchmark

itself with other youth musicians. The tours

are also a time for reflection and bonding for

the members.

The orchestra travelled to Italy in 2008 to

participate in the 10th Florence International

Music Festival. The SNYO performed two

concerts in Florence and one more in Milan at

the famous Auditorium di Milano. At each

concert, the audience made a beeline for the

best seats in the house and many stayed

behind to congratulate our young people on

their amazing performances. This was also a

very special and rewarding concert tour for the

SNYO as the Festival organisers had arranged

for a Festival Orchestra concert for the SNYO

and the Amersfoort Youth Orchestra from

Holland. This rare opportunity saw members

of the two orchestras coming together to

rehearse, exchange information about each

other’s countries and cultures and, most

importantly, make music together. The

combined orchestra concert was one of the

highlights of the Festival and was featured in

the Italian media.

In July 2011, eleven years after its first visit in

2000, the SNYO revisited Aberdeen, Scotland.

The orchestra participated in the Aberdeen

International Youth Festival with an all-

Russian concert programme conducted by

Music Director, Darrell Ang. For the first time,

the orchestra travelled with a guest soloist, in

this case, Singaporean award-winning pianist,

Lim Yan. With 60 other performing arts groups

from all over the globe present, the SNYO

worked hard to make Singapore proud as the

nation’s music ambassadors at an

international arts festival.

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Wang Siao Hua is Manager (Orchestra Affairs) of the

Singapore National Youth Orchestra and also a Music

Officer at the Co-Curricular Activities Branch of the

Ministry of Education. She is an SNYO alumni mem-

ber and continues to play the double bass with the

Philharmonic Orchestra.

Playing chamber music in the garden