Rodolfo Barráez takes his final bow as Associate Conductor of the Singapore Symphony

Lift up your spirits with music! The Singapore Symphony Orchestra’s popular free Lunchtime Concert returns in July 2025, taking you on a symphonic journey from Romantic classics to the sounds of Singapore.

Admission is free on a first-come, first-served basis.

• Please collect a ticket at the ground floor atrium before proceeding to the Concert Hall.
• Tickets will be available from 11.45am. We recommend collecting before 12 noon. We regret that tickets cannot be collected on behalf of persons not present.
• Doors open half an hour before the concert. This concert will last approximately 60 minutes.

Singapore Symphony Orchestra / Rodolfo Barráez, Associate Conductor / Tomoki Natsume, tuba

Free admission

Celebrate the vibrant cultures of Singapore and the Americas where Venezuelan conductor Rodolfo Barráez hails from in this free, open-air concert at Gardens by the Bay.

Arrive early and join in the fun with our free pre-show activities:

From 4pm

• Instrument Petting Zoo (4pm–4:45pm)
• Food and drinks available for purchase (burgers, hotdogs, nachos and popsicles)
• Balloon sculpting
• Glitter tattoos
• SG Culture Pass roadshow - pop by and enjoy a special discount on your next SSO concert!

From 4.30pm

• Bubble artist

5pm–5:45pm

• Instrument Petting Zoo (second session)

This concert may be delayed or cancelled in the event of inclement weather. Please check our Facebook and Instagram pages for updates.

Singapore Symphony Orchestra / Rodolfo Barráez, Associate Conductor / Low Peng Yang, violin

Free admission

Embark on a journey of discovery and friendship with Wild Symphony, an interactive picture book and live concert experience composed by Dan Brown (yes, the author). This modern musical carnival of animals details the adventures of Maestro Mouse and his companions from the animal kingdom. Fusing family-friendly sounds and pithy poetry with a positive message, Wild Symphony is an immersive feast for eyes, ears, and mind — all at the same time.

• Features live orchestral music with illustrations from the Wild Symphony book projected on screen, and a story narrated by a presenter.

• This is a relaxed environment performance where rules are eased, allowing audiences to freely enter and exit the concert hall when needed. No modifications are made to the performance.

• Pre-concert activities will begin an hour before each show.

• A pre-event visual guide has been created to help prepare you and your family for this concert experience. View it here.

Singapore Symphony Orchestra / Rodolfo Barráez, Associate Conductor / Lian Sutton, narrator

$40, $30

In this multi-hued collaboration with the renowned Ding Yi Music Company of Singapore, musicians of the SSO explore an elemental gathering of Chinese/Asian and Western musical traditions, with music by Singaporean composers Sulwyn Lok and Ho Chee Kong as well as Chinese-American composers Tan Dun and Zhou Long.

Musicians of the SSO / Musicians of Ding Yi Music Company / Wong De Li, Dedric, conductor

$50, $40, $30

Baroque and Beyond in this instalment of the SSO Organ Series takes you from the familiar hymns and heights of Bach and Corelli to the majestic Organ Concerto No. 2 by Josef Rheinberger (1839–1901).

re:Sound / Koh Jia Hwei, organ / Isaac Koh, chamber organ

$30, $20

Hailed as “a virtuoso in the grand Romantic tradition, plumbing the depths of demanding repertoire with no trace of empty display,” organist Jens Korndörfer is credited for “creating performances that are deeply musically satisfying as well as exciting” (The American Organist). Experience his artistry in this eloquently curated programme of organ music from France and Germany.

Masterclass on 14 March. Registration managed by Singapore AGO.

Jens Korndörfer, organ

$10

From Princess Mononoke to Harry Potter, this programme invites you to be transported for an enchanted hour to a place somewhere between cinematic fantasy and classical rapture. Specially curated by conductor Jason Lai, this lineup also stars SSO Principal Tuba Tomoki Natsume in the animated and witty tuba concerto by Young Sherlock Holmes composer Bruce Broughton. Even if you recognise few of the titles in the list, we know you’ll enjoy this musical box of chocolates that’s sure to sweeten your evening.

Singapore Symphony Orchestra / Jason Lai, conductor / Tomoki Natsume, tuba

$98, $78, $58, $48, $38, $28

In this relaxed one-hour programme at the Esplanade’s new Black Room, take an intimate look into the heart and soul of the string quartet by the father of the genre, Joseph Haydn, and prolific Singaporean composer Chen Zhangyi. Excerpts performed by musicians of the Singapore Symphony will be interspersed with introductions by Chen Zhangyi himself.

Chen Zhangyi, composer & presenter / Cao Can, violin / Renyu Martin Peh, violin / Ye Lin, violin / Xu Jueyi, violin / Dandan Wang, viola / Gu Bing Jie, viola / Jamshid Saydikarimov, cello / Guo Hao, cello

$20

Go on a journey of incredible images and sounds with the SSO and conductor Pierre Bleuse, starting with Prokofiev’s Scythian Suite – a fantastical saga written for an orchestra of mythic proportions, bursting with ferocious energy and ending in primeval sunrise. Continue through the famed galleries of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, painted in striking colours via Ravel’s famous orchestration. The acclaimed French pianist Bertrand Chamayou stars in a masterpiece between these musical murals – Liszt’s First Piano Concerto, a Romantic portrait of the legendary pianist-composer.

Hear Pictures at an Exhibition again in a completely different orchestration by Kahchun Wong on 24 Apr 2026.

Singapore Symphony Orchestra / Pierre Bleuse, conductor / Bertrand Chamayou, piano

$100, $75, $55, $40, $30, $15

The SSO is joined by musicians of the Singapore Chinese Orchestra as Singaporean conductor Kahchun Wong presents his orchestration of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition for symphony orchestra with five traditional Chinese instruments, the dizi (笛子 bamboo flute), erhu (二胡 two-string fiddle), yangqin (扬琴 hammered dulcimer), pipa (琵琶 Chinese lute) and percussion.

This impressive programme also features Cambodian-American composer Chinary Ung’s strikingly imposing Water Rings, showcasing his multi-textured synthesis of Cambodian musical tradition and symphony orchestra to grand effect. And what better way to pair this than with the SSO’s signature piece, Debussy’s evocation of the sea, La Mer.

Singapore Symphony Orchestra / Kahchun Wong, conductor / Musicians of the Singapore Chinese Orchestra / Benjamin Boo, percussion / Lee Jun Cheng, dizi / Ma Huan, yangqin / Tan Manman, erhu / Wang Siyuan, pipa

$100, $75, $55, $40, $30, $15

Shostakovich and Beethoven – two giants among composers whose names and music have commanded respect since their time, well past the 50 years and two centuries respectively since their passing. Renowned for their ability to harness titanic sounds from orchestras, they are also masters of invoking symphonic gravitas from the smallest of ensembles. Hear for yourself in these one-hour recitals performed by musicians of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra.

Foo Say Ming, violin / Nikolai Koval, violin / Janice Tsai, viola / Chan Wei Shing, cello / Jin Li, violin / Luo Biao, viola / Guo Hao, cello / Victor Lee, double bass / Li Xin, clarinet / Guo Siping, bassoon / Marc-Antoine Robillard, horn

$30, $20

Beethoven and Shostakovich – two giants among composers whose names and music have commanded respect since their time, well past the two centuries and 50 years respectively since their passing. Renowned for their ability to harness titanic sounds from orchestras, they are also masters of invoking symphonic gravitas from the smallest of ensembles. Hear for yourself in these one-hour recitals performed by musicians of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra.

Ye Lin, violin / Jamshid Saydikarimov, cello / Liu Jia, piano / Zhang Si Jing, violin / Christopher Mui, cello / See Ning Hui, piano

$30, $20

True to its 56 years of history collaborating with over 300 composers to birth new music for their instrument, the Raschèr Saxophone Quartet presents the world premiere of the quadruple saxophone concerto by renowned Danish-German composer Søren Nils Eichberg (b. 1973), a commission by the Singapore Symphony.

Our guest conductor Kolja Blacher leads the SSO in his father Boris Blacher’s sixteen dazzling orchestral variations on the famous theme from Paganini’s 24th Caprice, before taking you back to the familiar strains of the evergreen concert hall favourite, Dvořák’s New World Symphony.

Singapore Symphony Orchestra / Kolja Blacher, conductor / Raschèr Saxophone Quartet

$100, $75, $55, $40, $30, $15

A new Earth – an SSO commission written by Singaporean composer Joyce Koh – joins Holst’s orchestral spectacular The Planets, completing this famous musical portrait of our solar system. Witness our place in the universe cast in symphonic soundscapes, from the shattering war engines of Mars to the towering majesty of Jupiter, ending in Neptune’s mystical glimpse of eternity. Be pulled back to the ground as the SSO and Hans Graf explore the emotional gravity of the human condition through Elgar’s heart-rending Cello Concerto, starring Austrian cellist Julia Hagen.

In celebration of the Singapore Symphony Choruses' anniversaries. Learn more.

All proceeds from the Premier Box seats for Friday, 23 January only, (priced at $198 each) will be recognised as donations. Singapore tax residents will qualify for a 2.5 times tax deduction on the donation amount.

Due to the fundraising nature of these seats, the Premier Box seats are not eligible for any discounts, Donor Premium Pass redemption, and cannot be purchased using SG Culture Pass credits.

Singapore Symphony Orchestra / Treble Voices of the Singapore Symphony Chorus and Youth Choir / Hans Graf, Quantedge Music Director / Julia Hagen, cello / Eudenice Palaruan, Choral Director / Wong Lai Foon, Choirmaster

$168, $138, $108, $78, $58, $38

Deeply respected for his masterful interpretations, Eliahu Inbal conducts the Singapore Symphony in Shostakovich’s colossal Symphony No. 11 – “The Year 1905”, its title commemorating the Russian Revolution in an apocalyptic storm of musical despair and triumph. Joining him is the critically acclaimed pianist Simon Trpčeski, the “best thing to come out of Macedonia since Alexander the Great”, in Rachmaninoff’s Second Piano Concerto, the beloved concert hall favourite laden with fin de siècle nostalgia and poignant passion. Not to be missed!

Singapore Symphony Orchestra / Eliahu Inbal, conductor / Simon Trpčeski, piano

$100, $75, $55, $40, $30, $15

Update: Please note that Yeol Eum Son will perform Shostakovich Piano Concerto No. 1 instead of Mozart Piano Concerto No. 23.

Renowned for her fluid celerity and mesmerising artistry, popular South Korean pianist Yeol Eum Son returns to Singapore to be joined by SSO Principal Trumpet Jon Dante in Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 1, a hectic work of sardonic wit and energy originally intended as a trumpet concerto. This programme led by Austrian conductor Thomas Rösner also includes Mendelssohn’s Reformation Symphony, a symphonic interpretation of Martin Luther’s rousing Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott (“A Mighty Fortress Is Our God”) – the battle hymn of the Reformation.

Singapore Symphony Orchestra / Thomas Rösner, conductor / Yeol Eum Son, piano / Jon Paul Dante, trumpet

$100, $75, $55, $40, $30, $15

This powerhouse combination of famed Greek violin virtuoso Leonidas Kavakos and SSO Music Director-designate Hannu Lintu is one you won’t want to miss. Witness the full fury and ultimate triumph of Shostakovich in his relentless First Violin Concerto as well as his Seventh Symphony. Recorded in the history books for its role during the devastating 872-day Siege of Leningrad, the Leningrad Symphony is famed for being played there in 1942 under desperate circumstances and deliberately broadcast over public radio in bitter defiance at the enemy.

Singapore Symphony Orchestra / Hannu Lintu, Music Director-designate / Leonidas Kavakos, violin

$148, $118, $88, $68, $48, $38

Update (13 Feb): Please note a change in the programme order. Bach’s Concerto No. 5 will be performed first, followed by Concerto No. 1.

Update: Due to health reasons, Mario Venzago is unable to conduct this concert. We are very grateful that Gábor Takács-Nagy has agreed to step in. There is no change to the programme.

Pianist Polina Osetinskaya performs two Bach concertos, BWV 1052 & 1056, which are among the first solo keyboard concertos ever composed. This programme, highlighting Bach's foundational genius before pivoting to the magnificent Romanticism of Schumann's noble Second Symphony, is conducted by the renowned Hungarian conductor Gábor Takács-Nagy.

This concert is dedicated to the late Dr Goh Keng Swee, founding patron of the SSO.

Singapore Symphony Orchestra / Gábor Takács-Nagy, conductor / Polina Osetinskaya, piano

$100, $75, $55, $40, $30, $15

Conductor Masaaki Suzuki and violinist Sayaka Shoji are two of the most eminent Japanese personalities in the classical music world. Both make welcome returns at the Singapore Symphony to present Mozart’s delightful Violin Concerto No. 5 and two Romantic symphonies by Bohemian composer Jan Kalliwoda (1801–1866), often called the missing symphonic link between Beethoven and Schumann.

Singapore Symphony Orchestra / Masaaki Suzuki, conductor / Sayaka Shoji, violin

$100, $75, $55, $40, $30, $15

In his second outing with the SSO this season, trail-blazing Singaporean conductor Kahchun Wong directs the world premiere of a new work by acclaimed Singaporean composer Wang Chenwei. Immerse yourself in the heartfelt Romanticism of Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with the outstanding Leeds Piano Competition Gold Medallist Eric Lu, before the SSO regroups for Bartók’s modern masterpiece – the Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta that places percussion and keyboards centre stage flanked by split strings, making for a visually and aurally striking experience.

Newly crowned 2025 Chopin Competition Winner and Leeds 2018 Gold Medallist Eric Lu returns to Singapore with the heartfelt Romanticism

Singapore Symphony Orchestra / Kahchun Wong, conductor / Eric Lu, piano

$100, $75, $55, $40, $30, $15

Written to unite the voices of children and adults in song, John Rutter’s Mass of the Children combines English poetry and the Latin Missa brevis in joyous celebration. The Singapore Symphony Chorus, Youth Choir and Children’s Choir rise to the occasion with the Singapore National Youth Orchestra to perform this inspired work, led by SNYO Music Director Joshua Tan. The SNYO opens this concert with Ralph Vaughan Williams’s early masterpiece, The Solent, a nostalgic evocation of the sea, as well as the powerful Sixth Symphony by his contemporary, Arnold Bax.

In celebration of the Singapore Symphony Choruses' anniversaries. Learn more.

Singapore National Youth Orchestra / Singapore Symphony Chorus / Singapore Symphony Youth Choir / Singapore Symphony Children’s Choir / Joshua Tan, SNYO Music Director / Eudenice Palaruan, Choral Director / Wong Lai Foon, Choirmaster / Kaitlyn Kim, soprano / Wong Yang Kai, baritone

$30, $25, $20, $15

Led by Choral Director Eudenice Palaruan and Assistant Choral Conductor Ellissa Sayampanathan, indulge in an enriching and memorable day at the Victoria Concert Hall alongside choristers from the Singapore Symphony Chorus and Youth Choir, performing choral masterpieces.

Don't miss this exciting and unique opportunity to immerse yourself together with like-minded choristers in this collaborative and joyful session. Join us and be part of this unforgettable musical journey.

Please note that the classical repertoire may include liturgical works.

What to Expect

• Workshops and rehearsals, covering choral masterpieces
• Classical Choral training, performance tips and vocal techniques

When and Where

• Date: Sun, 29 Mar 2026
• Time: 12 - 6pm
• Location: Victoria Concert Hall

Registration Dates

• Application Open: 9 Feb
• Application Close: 19 March

Fees

• $109 (Price before $5 SISTIC booking fee)
• This event is eligible for SG Culture Pass redemption

Perks

• Conclude your participation in The Choral Encounter by singing in an evening presentation concert in the Victoria Concert Hall. Friends and Families welcome to watch!
• Ticket discounts to selected concerts
• Exclusive merchandise by the Singapore Symphony Group

Featuring

• Eudenice Palaruan, Choral Director
• Ellissa Sayampanathan, Assistant Choral Conductor
• Choristers of the SSC and SSYC

Registration Requirements

Participants must be 18 years of age to join.

$109