Symphony Ball Raises $1.4m for SSO
In line with SG60, the funds raised help the national orchestra continue its mission of spreading the joy of music with audiences in Singapore and abroad.
Singapore, 28 April 2025 — A record $1.4 million was raised for the Singapore Symphony at the SSO Symphony Ball on Saturday, 26 April 2025. Presented by DBS, the gala event was held at The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore, and welcomed over 380 guests, with Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat gracing the occasion as Guest-of-Honour.
This year’s Ball, themed Straits Serenade, paid tribute to Singapore’s 60th birthday. Led by Committee Chair Ms Paige Parker, the evening featured Singaporean influences woven throughout the musical programme and cuisine.
The generosity of donors and guests shone through their support, with tables reserved at $15,000 and above, alongside outright donations and a live charity auction featuring eight premium spirits donated by various benefactors. In the auction alone, $152k was raised.
The evening’s centrepiece was the Singapore Symphony Orchestra performing under the baton of Associate Conductor Rodolfo Barráez. The showcase included local works such as Spring! by Cultural Medallion-recipient Kelly Tang, and spotlighted SSO musicians violinist Kong Xianlong and trumpeter Lau Wen Rong as soloists. Returning to the annual fundraiser after seven years, the Singapore Symphony Children’s Choir performed a heartwarming rendition of the nation’s unofficial anthem, Dick Lee’s Home. To close the night, they delighted audiences with an encore - Gilpin's Why We Sing.
Since its inception in 1984, the SSO Symphony Ball has been a fixture in Singapore’s social calendar. It has played a vital role in raising funds to sustain the SSO and support its ongoing mission of staging world-class performances in Singapore and beyond. The contributions have also helped to enrich diverse communities through free community concerts and in-school programmes, as well as nurture the talents of the Singapore National Youth Orchestra and the Singapore Symphony Choruses.
The next edition of the SSO Symphony Ball will return on 16 May 2026, at the Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore.
ABOUT THE SINGAPORE SYMPHONY GROUP
The Singapore Symphony Group manages the flagship Singapore Symphony Orchestra, the Singapore Symphony Choruses, the Singapore National Youth Orchestra, the SSO Chamber & Organ series, the Singapore International Piano Festival and the biennial National Piano & Violin Competition. The Group also represents the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) in Singapore.
The mission of the Group 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.
For media enquiries, please contact:
Elizabeth Low
Senior Executive, Marketing Communications, Singapore Symphony Group
E: elizabeth.low@sso.org.sg
Celine Tan
Assistant Account Director, Havas Play
E: celine.tansl@havas.com
M: +65 9816 1204