For the first time in its 46-year history, the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) performed in Australia, kicking off its sold-out three-city tour at the iconic Sydney Opera House on February 12.
The concert began with a special composition from Singapore, Luciola Singapura, inspired by the discovery of a firefly species in Nee Soon Swamp Forest. Written by Singaporean composer Koh Cheng Jin, this award-winning piece features the Chinese dulcimer (yangqin) and was commissioned by the SSO in 2021.
The evening also featured the talented Singaporean teenage violinist Chloe Chua and the SSO’s principal cellist Ng Pei-Sian, a Sydney-born Australian, who captivated the audience as soloists in Johannes Brahms’ Concerto For Violin And Cello In A Minor (Op. 102).
In a delightful surprise, the duo also performed Waltzing Matilda, Australia’s unofficial national anthem, much to the audience’s joy.
Kenneth Kwok, the Singapore Symphony Group’s chief executive, expressed his surprise that the SSO had never performed in Australia, especially when planning the tour in 2022. He described the relationship between Singapore and Australia as a “very natural friendship” during his post-concert reception speech.
Chan Yoong-Han, the SSO’s assistant principal violinist, who spent his high school years in Adelaide and honeymooned in Sydney, shared an emotional connection to the performance, saying it felt like “home.” Reflecting on the experience, he remarked on how the orchestra typically feels a bit tense during tours, but in Sydney, they felt incredibly comfortable, impressed by the acoustics and the audience’s warm reception.
The Sydney Opera House recently underwent a A$150 million (S$127 million) renewal and reopened in July 2022. The update included replacing the iconic doughnut-shaped acoustic reflectors with new petal-shaped ones in magenta, complementing the hall’s signature magenta seats.
One of Chan’s highlights was performing Symphony No. 5 in E Minor (Op. 64) by Tchaikovsky, which received vigorous applause from the 2,100-strong audience — even between movements. Chan interpreted the applause as a sign that they were engaging new listeners, possibly those who don’t attend concerts regularly.
Dr. Kevin Su, a general practitioner from Kuala Lumpur now based in Sydney, attended the concert as a guest of a close friend who sponsors the event. He praised the SSO’s performance, particularly noting the power and precision of the trumpets and French horns in the second half of the program.
SSO’s music director, Austrian-born Hans Graf, who has also conducted the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, expressed a deep sense of pride in Singapore during his speech. He will be succeeded by Finnish conductor Hannu Lintu in July 2026. Graf acknowledged the significance of international tours, saying, “Every orchestra worldwide wants to go to Europe, every European orchestra wants to go to America, every Asian orchestra must tour Europe. It’s great to tour here (in Australia).”
The SSO’s international relationships continue to grow, as seen in their 2018 memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. The two orchestras will perform together at the Esplanade Concert Hall in Singapore in August 2024. Additionally, in 2024, Singapore’s National Arts Council signed an MOU with Creative Australia to foster increased arts collaboration between the two nations over the next five years.
The SSO’s tour will continue with sold-out performances at Hamer Hall at the Arts Centre Melbourne on February 14 and at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre in Brisbane on February 16.
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