Just like a great symphony that unfolds movement by movement, a donor’s journey evolves over time. For Farhana Sharmeen, Suzanne Lim, Adeline Ang and Jeanne Lee, their love for the Singapore Symphony Orchestra deepened over the decades, transforming them from casual concertgoers into devoted donors.
Bonding over regular SSO concert outings together since their school days, the ladies have also formed a strong friendship around their shared philanthropic values. This is evident with the group's collective support towards the orchestra through our Have A Seat programme, where they generously ‘adopted’ a seat together in the Victoria Concert Hall – Home of the SSO. Reflecting on this shared gift, Jeanne remarked: “What better way to commemorate our fabulous friendship and common love for the SSO!”
Bravissimo spoke with these four inspiring donors to find out what moved them to give and the joy of being part of the SSO’s legacy.
Farhana Sharmeen: Charting the course for the Group
Born into a Bengali family, Farhana spent much of her childhood surrounded by different forms of art. Her colourful upbringing has moulded her into a passionate advocate for our local arts scene, lending support to artists and organisations such as the Singapore Ballet and various theatre groups. Since 2024, Farhana’s philanthropic work with the SSO has extended to her current role on the board of the Singapore Symphony Group.
How would you describe the SSO when introducing it to a newbie?
The best orchestra in Asia and in my view, one of the best in the world (which is saying a lot given its ‘youth’). On my travels, I would watch a concert when a city I’m visiting has a great orchestra. The Berlin Philharmonic was the last foreign orchestra I watched and my takeaway was: The SSO could hold its own today with the Berlin Phil.
What stands out to you from your experience as an SSO board member?
I’ve seen the amount of hard work that goes into running an orchestra and helping it reach the next tier of excellence. None of us can be complacent in the pursuit of excellence and notwithstanding where the SSO is today, I firmly believe that we have the foundation to become a household name around the world in respect of orchestras to watch perform.
Why should someone consider supporting the SSO?
A world without music would be a soulless world. Music is evocative in so many ways from accompanying us in our daily lives to experiencing it live whether as a soundtrack to a movie, an advertisement, a sports game. Without sponsorships, the ability of the SSO to continue its path of excellence – be it through community outreach programmes, attracting the best talent – would be impacted. Every contribution the SSO receives gives us more mileage to continue the journey of excellence, creating and bringing music to Singaporeans and the world. As Shakespeare said “If music is the food of love, play on."
Suzanne Lim: Helping music play on
As a fundraiser in the higher education sector for over two decades, Suzanne fully understands the importance of philanthropy in vital initiatives in Singapore, particularly arts charities such as the SSO. Her dedication is evident in her continued support towards the national orchestra since 2012. Fuelled by her deep affinity for classical music, she turns to SSO concerts for her regular live-performance fix and has even taken up the piano at the golden age of 51. Describing an SSO concert experience, Suzanne shared: “I can just leave my cares at the door and let myself be transported to another world.”
Share your natural progression from a regular concertgoer to an ardent SSO donor.
I started as a Friend of SSO back in the day and as I progressed in my career, I didn't think twice about giving more to SSO - why would you not want to support an institution that brings joy to your life? And as a fundraiser, I recognise the challenges organisations face in garnering philanthropic support, especially arts groups, so it was a no-brainer for me.
Share what motivated you to support SSO’s Have A Seat programme.
I was aware of the Have A Seat initiative and after the Group’s CEO Kenneth Kwok approached the four of us, being regular SSO attendees, if we would consider supporting it as a group and we all thought “What a great idea!”. It's a fantastic way to support the SSO, celebrate our decades-long friendship and love for music, plus it’s in the historic Victoria Concert Hall! We had such fun coming up with the name for our seat which took us longer to decide than the actual making of the gift!
What is one thing you wish more people knew about the impact of their support on the orchestra?
Many people think because it's the national orchestra that it's the government's responsibility to fund it. The government already does a lot, but the most successful cultural institutions in the world are also well supported by the community. Many also think SSO is only just about playing concerts in the concert halls, but outreach forms part of their work too which is important to keep the audience for classical music growing.
Jeanne Lee: Championing the national orchestra
“A sense of belonging” is what Jeanne alluded to Bravissimo when she described the connection the national orchestra has fostered with its audiences. This sentiment is reinforced by the Victoria Concert Hall – a venue for countless live concert experiences shared by all. Reflecting this deep connection, Jeanne, together with our featured interviewees, demonstrated her support towards the SSO with an adopted seat in the Home of the SSO. We thank her sincerely for her generosity.
What does the SSO mean to you on a personal level?
Having a national orchestra is an important symbol of Singapore’s commitment to the arts and music, things which make us human. I really enjoy being able to go to a concert at the end of a hectic workday or week and wind down and soak in some good music, it feeds the soul and takes you to another place.
What do you appreciate most about the SSO?
I am so proud of the SSO which plays really good music, has interesting programming not just popular music, is technically excellent and not afraid to experiment. I enjoy orchestral music more than solo works because it’s special when all the instruments come together to play and you can hear each one but the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Lastly, I really appreciate that the SSO is still affordable and reasonably priced for everyone to enjoy.
Adeline Ang: Igniting the spark in young listeners
Growing up in a musically rich household, Adeline believes in the positive influence of music and seeks to pass down this appreciation to the next generation. In tune with the Group’s mission of spreading the love for music, she initiates invitations to young audiences to SSO’s community concerts as a gentle introduction to classical music. By doing so, Adeline hopes to nurture the next generation of concertgoers and potential donors, ensuring a vibrant future for the orchestra and its role in the cultural landscape.
What do you love most about attending SSO concerts?
I love when the orchestra is warming up as the audience enters the concert hall, I feel like I’m getting a little sneak peek into the musicians’ thoughts as they run through that one particularly tricky passage, or their favourite phrase in one of the pieces to come.
Beyond attending concerts, what has been a particularly meaningful experience for you as an SSO donor?
One of the ‘perks’ I appreciate the most as a donor is the privilege to sit in on open rehearsals - to be able to witness some of the hard graft that goes on behind the scenes, and to watch the orchestra and conductor fine-tune their work before it gets presented to the general public. It gives me an even greater appreciation for the experience which the SSO creates for the audience on concert night by moving together so beautifully as one.
Singapore turns 60 this year. What do you hope your contributions to the SSO will inspire by the time it marks that milestone?
I hope the Millennials and Gen Zs whom I’ve been introducing to the SSO through the years would have become the new generation of donors of the organisation!
Have A Seat in the Home of the SSO
If the ladies’ generous gesture has struck a chord with you, we invite you to take part in our Have A Seat programme to leave your mark your mark on your preferred seat(s) in the Victoria Concert Hall. With donation tiers of $8,000, $15,000, $25,000, your adopted seat will bear a dedicated plaque for the next five years. For more information, please write to director_development@sso.org.sg