Aw Cheng Wei

SINGAPORE - Music can be a way to connect people from all walks of life, and celebrate our shared national identity, said Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Grace Fu on Saturday (Aug 11).

She was commenting on the Singapore Symphony Orchestra's (SSO's) National Day concert at the Esplanade, adding that the works showcased reflected "the richness and diversity of our multicultural society".

Ms Fu was among the 1,400 people who attended the Saturday concert.

The concert was also streamed on Facebook and at the Esplanade Outdoor Theatre, a first for the SSO.

Mr Chng Hak-Peng, chief executive of Singapore Symphony Group, which manages the orchestra, said: "We did this to create and share memorable experiences for Singapore's National Day with more people."

He added that the concert paid tribute to the nation with a local showcase.

"Today, we can proudly say that we have a strong repertoire of local orchestra music, and outstanding musicians...who have established themselves on the international stage," Mr Chng said, listing conductor Darrell Ang and violinist Kam Ning as examples.

Mr Ang's recording of Humen 1839 with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra landed him a Grammy nomination for best orchestral performance in December 2015.

A former recipient of the Young Artist Award from the National Arts Council, Ms Kam joined the faculty of the Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles as Professor of Violin in September last year (2017), according to her website.

Both Mr Ang and Ms Kam performed in Saturday's SSO concert which featured local classics such as Home, Munnaeru Vaalibaa and a xinyao medley.

The SSO had also invited beneficiaries, staff and volunteers from local charities such as Alzheimer's Disease Association, Nursing Home Foundation and Mendaki, according to an SSO spokesman.

A recording of Saturday's concert is expected to be shown to 3,500 foreign workers at a dormitory on Sunday (Aug 12), as part of non-profit group Project Chulia Street's National Day celebrations.

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