SSO rounds up 2022 with Krystian Zimerman Gala concerts and the Christmas Fundraising Concert in December
Singapore, 12 September 2022 — The Singapore Symphony Orchestra rounds up the first half of its 2022/2023 season with exciting concerts which will appeal to both the classical music fans and casual listeners. Notable highlights include two Gala concerts – Strauss Four Last Songs and Sibelius Symphony 5 on 14 October will feature Richard Strauss’s famous Four Last Songs conducted by veteran Finnish conductor Jukka-Pekka Saraste and performed by distinguished soprano Evelina Dobračeva, while Krystian Zimerman In Concert on 7 and 8 December will spotlight renowned Polish pianist Krystian Zimerman. Back after a three-year hiatus is the SSO’s sold-out Babies’ Proms concert on 8 October, which will bring parents and kids on an amazing musical adventure to discover the fun and fantastic world of the orchestra and its different instruments.
Fans of the video game franchise FINAL FANTASY will be thrilled that the SSO is going to perform exclusive arrangements from throughout the gaming series in SSO POPS: A New World: intimate music from FINAL FANTASY on 1 and 2 November, led by conductor-composer Eric Roth. Happening on 13 November is the Concerts for Children: Family Film Favourites presented by Alasdair Malloy which will be an engaging family concert featuring music from The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, Frozen, Toy Story and many more. On 16 November, internet sensation TwoSet Violin will join the SSO for a one-night concert – TwoSet Violin & SSO: Mendelssohn Violin Concerto. The sold-out concert will also be livestreamed on the TwoSet Violin YouTube channel and the SSO’s Facebook Page.
Come 4 December, join the Singapore National Youth Orchestra (SNYO) as they perform two favourite pieces of the concert hall, Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique and Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker Suite, in SNYO in Concert: Tales of Fantasy. To end the year on a festive note, the SSO and the Singapore Symphony Choruses are set to present the SSO Christmas Fundraising Concert on 15 and 16 December. This Baroque-themed Christmas programme will feature yuletide tunes from Handel’s Messiah, Bach’s Christmas Oratorio and Pachelbel’s Canon. The concert on 16 December will also be livestreamed on the SSOLOUNGE platform.
Strauss Four Last Songs and Sibelius Symphony 5
Singapore Symphony Orchestra / Jukka-Pekka Saraste, conductor / Evelina Dobračeva, soprano
Fri / 14 Oct 22 / 7.30pm
Esplanade Concert Hall
Spring. September. Going to sleep. At sunset. Richard Strauss’s Four Last Songs, written at the very end of his life, are songs of soaring beauty suffused with calm and acceptance. Veteran Finnish conductor Jukka-Pekka Saraste and distinguished soprano Evelina Dobračeva take us on this journey of twilight serenity, bookended by the divine Act 1 prelude from Wagner’s Lohengrin and Sibelius’s supreme paean to nature’s majesty.
FeaturingSingapore Symphony Orchestra / Jukka-Pekka Saraste, conductor / Evelina Dobračeva, soprano
Programme| Richard Wagner (Wagner) | Prelude to Lohengrin |
|---|---|
| Richard Strauss (R. Strauss) | Four Last Songs* |
| Richard Strauss (R. Strauss) | Morgen!* |
| Jean Sibelius (Sibelius) | Symphony No. 5 in E-flat major, Op. 82 |
A New World: intimate music from FINAL FANTASY
Eric Roth, conductor / Musicians of the SSO
Tue / 01 Nov 22 / 7.30pm
Wed / 02 Nov 22 / 7.30pm
Victoria Concert Hall
From the team that brought you Distant Worlds: music from FINAL FANTASY, the FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE: Orchestra World Tour, NieR: Orchestra Concert and more, SQUARE ENIX and AWR Music Productions are proud to present a special new program of music to celebrate the 35th Anniversary of FINAL FANTASY performed by A New World: intimate music from FINAL FANTASY live in concert. Under the direction of Eric Roth, a chamber ensemble featuring musicians from the SSO will perform exclusive arrangements from throughout the FINAL FANTASY series in the thrillingly personal style of this outstanding musical production.
A New World: intimate music from FINAL FANTASY has performed spectacular concerts for spellbound audiences on four continents since its 2014 debut. Beloved musical selections from composers Nobuo Uematsu, Masashi Hamauzu, Naoshi Mizuta, Hitoshi Sakimoto, Tetsuya Shibata, Yoko Shimomura, and Masayoshi Soken are performed in a transparent and engaging format, achieving an astounding variety of musical textures and moods. The A New World experience is fresh every time, drawing audiences deeper into the musical worlds of FINAL FANTASY.
FeaturingEric Roth, conductor / Musicians of the SSO
Concerts for Children: Family Film Favourites
Singapore Symphony Orchestra / Leonard Tan, conductor / Alasdair Malloy, presenter
Sun / 13 Nov 22 / 10.30am
Sun / 13 Nov 22 / 2.30pm
Esplanade Concert Hall
We’re taking a musical trip to the movies! Travel to a galaxy far, far away with the music of Star Wars and drop in on Hogwarts with the tunes of Harry Potter. Hear all your favourite music from The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, Frozen and many more!
Attending this concert? Best dressed wins!
We are looking for the coolest, most awesomely dressed children at the concert.
Prizes include a $100 Toys 'R' Us gift card, and other SSO merchandise items.
- Follow @singaporesymphony on Instagram
- Tag @singaporesymphony in your photo
T&Cs: IG account has to be set to public. Contest closes at 12pm, 14 Nov. Winners will be notified via DM.
Singapore Symphony Orchestra / Leonard Tan, conductor / Alasdair Malloy, presenter
Programme| Various | Movie Magic Medley |
|---|---|
| John Williams | Raiders of the Lost Ark |
| Kristen Lopez | Remember Me from Coco |
| Various | The Cunningly Conceived Concealed Cartoon Character Quiz |
| John Williams | Harry Potter: Hero of Hogwarts |
| Frode Fjellheim | A Frozen Fantasy |
| Various | Everything is Awesome because we're Happy! |
| John Williams | Star Wars Main Theme |
TwoSet Violin & SSO: Mendelssohn Violin Concerto
Brett Yang, violin / Eddy Chen, violin / Singapore Symphony Orchestra / Rodolfo Barráez, Associate Conductor
Wed / 16 Nov 22 / 7.30pm
Victoria Concert Hall
Download a printable poster version of the programme flyer here.
Internet sensation TwoSet Violin will be joined by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra to bring their eagerly anticipated 4 million YouTube subscribers special celebration to Singapore on the 16th of November 2022 at the Victoria Concert Hall.
In 2020 and 2021, Brett Yang and Eddy Chen have celebrated their 2 million and 3 million subscribers milestones by performing the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto and the Sibelius Violin Concerto respectively, live streamed from their filming studio to a worldwide audience. This year, in commemoration of hitting 4 million subscribers, Brett and Eddy decided to go one step further by bringing this tradition to a concert hall with a symphony orchestra, with Brett performing the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto. This concert will also be live streamed on the TwoSet Violin YouTube channel and the SSO’s Facebook Page.
FeaturingBrett Yang, violin / Eddy Chen, violin / Singapore Symphony Orchestra / Rodolfo Barráez, Associate Conductor
Programme| Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Mozart) | Overture to The Marriage of Figaro |
|---|---|
| Felix Mendelssohn (Mendelssohn) | Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64* |
| Johann Sebastian Bach (J.S. Bach) | Concerto in D minor for Two Violins and Orchestra, BWV 1043 |
SNYO in Concert: Tales of Fantasy
Singapore National Youth Orchestra / Peter Stark, conductor
Sun / 04 Dec 22 / 4.00pm
Victoria Concert Hall
Tchaikovsky’s Christmas season classic of fairies, toys, mischief, magic and the vivid dreams of a girl make an enchanted companion to the psychedelic evocations of a Romantic composer in love. Watch the young musicians of the Singapore National Youth Orchestra as they bring fantasy to life with these two favourites of the concert hall.
FeaturingSingapore National Youth Orchestra / Peter Stark, conductor
Programme| Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Tchaikovsky) | The Nutcracker Suite No. 1, Op. 71a |
|---|---|
| Hector Berlioz (Berlioz) | Symphonie fantastique, Op. 14 |
Krystian Zimerman In Concert
Singapore Symphony Orchestra / Krystian Zimerman, piano/conductor
Wed / 07 Dec 22 / 7.30pm
Thu / 08 Dec 22 / 7.30pm
Esplanade Concert Hall
29 Nov Update: Change of programme order - Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4 will be performed in the first half, followed by Symphony No. 4 after the intermission.
One of the greatest living pianists today, Polish legend Krystian Zimerman's unparalleled subtleties and expressive luxuriance can only come from a wisdom distilled from a lifetime of consummate artistry. Zimerman leads the SSO as both soloist and conductor in Beethoven’s meditative Piano Concerto No. 4 and the vigorous Fourth Symphony. Not to be missed!
FeaturingSingapore Symphony Orchestra / Krystian Zimerman, piano/conductor
Programme| Ludwig van Beethoven (Beethoven) | Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major, Op. 58 |
|---|---|
| Ludwig van Beethoven (Beethoven) | Symphony No. 4 in B-flat major, Op. 60 |
SSO Christmas Fundraising Concert
Singapore Symphony Orchestra / Singapore Symphony Choruses / Rodolfo Barráez, Associate Conductor / Eudenice Palaruan, Choral Director / Wong Lai Foon, Choirmaster / Koh Jia Hwei, organ
Thu / 15 Dec 22 / 7.30pm
Fri / 16 Dec 22 / 7.30pm
Esplanade Concert Hall
The voices of the Singapore Symphony Choruses make a welcome return to the popular SSO Christmas Concerts! Join the SSO in a heartwarming family of joyful tunes from Handel’s Messiah to Pachelbel’s heavenly Canon, ending with a newly arranged Christmas sing-along in Baroque style!
The 16 Dec concert will be streamed live on SSOLOUNGE.
FeaturingSingapore Symphony Orchestra / Singapore Symphony Choruses / Rodolfo Barráez, Associate Conductor / Eudenice Palaruan, Choral Director / Wong Lai Foon, Choirmaster / Koh Jia Hwei, organ
Programme| Pietro Locatelli (Locatelli) | Christmas Concerto |
|---|---|
| Georg Frideric Handel (Handel) | Andante-Allegro from Organ Concerto in B-flat major, Op. 4 No. 6 |
| Antonio Vivaldi (Vivaldi) | Winter - Largo for solo organ (arr. Scott) |
| Arcangelo Corelli (Corelli) | Excerpts from Christmas Concerto |
| Johann Sebastian Bach (J.S. Bach) | Jauchzet, frohlocket! from Christmas Oratorio |
| Johann Pachelbel (Pachelbel) | Canon (arr. Khachatryan) |
| Georg Frideric Handel (Handel) | Sinfonia, For Unto Us A Child Is Born, Pastorale and Hallelujah Chorus from Messiah |
| Yuting Tan (Tan Yuting) | A Night of Carols |
ABOUT THE SINGAPORE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Founded in 1979, the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) is Singapore’s flagship orchestra, touching lives through classical music and providing the heartbeat of the cultural scene. In addition to its subscription series concerts, the SSO is also known for its outdoor and community appearances. The orchestra also presents intimate chamber performances in the SSO Chamber Series and SSO Organ Series, the annual Singapore International Piano Festival (SIPF) and the biennial National Piano and Violin Competition (NPVC) at the Victoria Concert Hall, Home of the SSO. The SSO is part of the Singapore Symphony Group, which also manages the Singapore Symphony Choruses, and the Singapore National Youth Orchestra. The Group’s vision is to be a leading arts organization that engages, inspires and reflects Singapore through musical excellence. Our mission is to create memorable shared experiences with music. Through the SSO and its affiliated performing groups, we spread the love for music, nurture talent and enrich our diverse communities.
The Singapore Symphony Orchestra clinched third place in the prestigious Gramophone Orchestra of the Year Award 2021. In 2022, BBC Music Magazine named the SSO as one of the 21 best orchestras in the world.
Find out more about the Singapore Symphony Orchestra HERE
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ABOUT SSOLOUNGE
Launched in September 2021, the SSO’s streaming platform SSOLOUNGE allows audiences to watch live and pre-recorded masterworks of great composers, as well as premieres of classical performances from the comfort of their own screens. From reliving the best of Mozart’s concertos to revelling in the passages of lyrical grace from Romantic works, SSO fans and concertgoers can enjoy access to a repository of digital premieres and archived concerts. SSOLOUNGE comes with two subscription options: the 12M Premium All-Access Pass offers exclusive access to archived concerts, as well as 3-month unlimited access for new releases, and the Single Access Pass which allows the user to view one concert for 3 months.
Visit the SSOLOUNGE platform
ABOUT THE SINGAPORE NATIONAL YOUTH ORCHESTRA
The Singapore National Youth Orchestra (SNYO) showcases the extraordinary capability of our youth. It inspires them towards artistic excellence, nurtures them to reach beyond their potential and develops them through rigorous training within a vibrant, supportive, and diverse environment. Established formally in 1980, the SNYO has welcomed generations of youths into the transformative world of orchestral music, performing locally and representing Singapore on prestigious international stages.
The SNYO family comprises two orchestras: the Singapore National Youth Orchestra and Singapore National Youth Sinfonia, with over 180 members aged 10 to 24 from more than 60 schools across Singapore, guided by professional musicians in rehearsals, sectionals, and masterclasses. Recognised by the Ministry of Education as a National Project of Excellence, members of the SNYO have their participation in the orchestra recognised as a Co-Curricular Activity.
Music Director Joshua Tan has been leading the SNYO since 2018 while Associate Conductor Seow Yibin has been in position since 2022.
Over the years, SNYO has performed in concert venues and music festivals across Australia, Austria, China, Germany, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, and the United Kingdom. Other musical endeavours include collaborations with the Singapore Ballet, TwoSet Violin and side-by-side concerts with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra.
Find out more about Singapore National Youth Orchestra.
ABOUT THE SINGAPORE SYMPHONY CHORUSES
A premier body for classical choral singing, the Singapore Symphony Choruses comprise the Singapore Symphony Chorus (SSC), Singapore Symphony Youth Choir (SSYC) and Singapore Symphony Children’s Choir (SSCC).
Drawing membership from diverse ages, nationalities and walks of life, our Choruses embody a comprehensive singing ecosystem that nurtures the brilliance of our brightest young talents, inspires youthful passion for the art and celebrates the best of choral excellence!
At the heart of our holistic training approach, our Choruses are committed to fostering artistic growth and well-rounded personal development, in delivering outstanding performances. Singers are provided with the richest and most unique performing experiences and opportunities to record and perform with some of the world’s most distinguished conductors, artistes and renowned orchestras.
Straddling musical worlds and styles, the Choruses’ repertoire ranges from orchestral masterpieces to a cappella favourites, spanning the Renaissance to contemporary 21st-century music.
Find out more about Singapore Symphony Choruses
For media enquiries, please contact:
Elizabeth Low
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E: elizabeth.low@sso.org.sg
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M: +65 9816 1204