March Odyssey

It's been a while since there has been an entry here. Before this blog starts gathering cobwebs, here's an article which I obtained from CFA, written by Quek Yong Siu. It was published in their quarterly newsletter, artzone.

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Reflections of the Concert
by Quek Yong Siu, President of Singapore
Association of Composers, and Vice Chairman
of Singapore Chinese Music
Article translated by CFA

March Odyssey by NUS Chinese Orchestra
11 March 2007 5pm
University Cultural Centre Hall, NUS

It has been a long while since I last heard the NUS Chinese Orchestra perform. March Odyssey was part of the four-week long NUS Arts Festival. A sense of familiarity swept over me, performance standards are significantly higher than ordinary amateur Chinese orchestras. The audience was greeted by a tremendous welcome - the Orchestra's opening piece, Heroic Conquest of the Dadu River, with its boundless and grandiose spirit.

The Lan Huahua Rhapsody
Erhu Solo: Lum Yan Sing
Resident Conductor, NUS Chinese Orchestra

This is the most anticipated piece of evening. It has been more than 10 years since Lum Yan Sing last took to the stage as a soloist. I came with a wary heart and fingers crossed!

His first note put my heart at ease immediately Twenty to thirty years ago. Lum was already a renowned international erhu soloist in the Chinese music circle. His impeccable techniques were and still are. leading industry standards. As a soloist, Lum possesses a more acute sense of the piece with commendable skills in speed, cleanness, clarity and pitch. Detached notes and tremolos pose no challenge for Lum - the piece was tackled effortlessly with professional ease and poise. Lum left the audience in awe, commanding immense respect for this veteran performer.

The Golden Peasant Flying Out of the Mountain
Percussion Ensemble

The first halt of the concert ended on a high note with this exciting performance by the Percussion Ensemble. Indulging in the versatility of percussion instruments and complex rhythmic structures, The Golden Peasant presented a mischievous, lively and merry scene. The performers adopted cheeky actions to complement the rhythmic modulations, drawing laughter from the audience. One of the most successful programmes for the evening!

Finale: The Red Flag Canal
Conducted by Lum Yan Sing

The finale item depicts the mega construction of the water canal from the mountains into He Nan province. Built by the He Nan people, the Red Rag Canal was a magnificent sight beyond human comprehension. I visited the sophisticated waterway some 10 years ago and have witnessed this supreme feat of human engineering. NUS Chinese Orchestra has epitomized this miracle through this finale piece under the baton of maestro Lum Yan Sing. Each movement gradually climaxes to the next, building up the tension to a wonderful explosion of grandeur.

The NUS Chinese Orchestra has a strong section of suona players. They stood out in terms of pitch and fullness. The erhu section is neat, has an accurate pitch although individual standards may vary. Overall, NUS Chinese Orchestra is very organized, disciplined and achieved a perfect pitch with perfect balance between the various sections. Individually, members have good standards with high potential. I feel that the orchestra deserves more opportunities to showcase their talents and release their potential to the fullest,

The only strange thing is most members are women. Where are all the men?