Welcome To The 2019/20 Season At Victoria Concert Hall

The iconic Victoria Concert Hall (VCH) marks the fifth anniversary of its re-opening this July after a series of unique concerts commemorating Singapore’s Bicentennial last year. VCH has continued to blend its historical charm with state-of-the art acoustics and establish itself as a distinct venue for outstanding chamber performances that resonate deeply with audiences.

The 2019/20 season presents a series of versatile performances at the hall, which is home to the Singapore Symphony Orchestra.

VCH Organ Series

The season opens with the signature VCH Organ Series. Dutch-born Japanese organist Masato Suzuki, who is also conductor and composer, brings Organ, Omakase – a tantalising programme of toccatas and sublime fugues, carefully interspersed with chorale preludes to cleanse the aural palate.

Singaporean organists Evelyn Lim and Joanna Paul present a free lunchtime recital of organ music with Pipes de deux. This duet will feature clarion fanfares, jolly gigues, even an evocative jaunt to Salamanca, Spain – heard on the VCH’s 2012-pipe Klais organ. Pipe Up! II is another duo showcase with SSO trombonist Samuel Armstrong pairing up with Singaporean organist Isaac Lee. This turn-of-the-century programme channels Germany’s Rheinberger to England’s Holst, culminating in Ives’s inspired Variations on America and French composer Guilmant’s highly acclaimed trombone masterpiece, the Morceau Symphonique.

Samuel Armstrong and Issac Lee – A special occasion to hear the trombone apart from the symphony orchestra, joining forces with the massive sound of the organ

In 2020, Organ, Français goes back to Bach but every piece has a French touch in this fascinating organ recital by organist François Espinasse. The Singapore Chapter of the American Guild of Organists supports this concert. The French theme continues in Second Wind with Singaporean flutist Cheryl Lim and organist Koh Jia Hwei in this one-hour recital of multiple musical pipes featuring works by Vierne, Franck and Martin as well as two beguiling pieces for flute and organ representing the extraordinary French composer Jehan Alain.

In time for the school holidays, The Composer and the Mouse is a fun introduction to classical music combining film and original music for organ and piano, performed live by the Scott Brothers Duo.

A fun introduction to classical music combining film and original music for organ and piano, performed live by the Scott Brothers Duo

SSO Artist-in-Residence Rachel Barton Pine

The latest in our VCHPresents series is the award-winning violinist and Singapore Symphony Orchestra 19/20 Artist-in-Residence Rachel Barton Pine. Bringing metal intensity to classical music, the innovative orchestral initiative Excite!: Shredding with a String Quartet on 27 Oct amplifies the cross-connection between Van Halen and Sibelius, Nine Inch Nails and Shostakovich, Paganini and Led Zeppelin.

Award-winning classical violinist, Rachel Barton Pine (Photo credit: Lisa-Marie Mazzucco)

VCH Chamber Series

This season’s chamber series explores themes of love, longing, dreams and nostalgia against a backdrop of French and Italian arias contrasted with songs of yearning. With a stellar line-up featuring Chinese tenor Long Long, Malaysian pianist Tengku Irfan, Chinese baritone Zhou Zheng Zhong, Singapore pianist Lim Yan and SSO musicians, Lynnette Seah and Gulnara Mashurova.

To mark the 250th anniversary of the birth of Beethoven, the Stradivari Quartet presents two of the celebrated German composer’s string quartets. Surrounded by these classics is Eight Colours by the prolific contemporary Chinese composer, Tan Dun, eight pieces of concentrated drama and ritual.

One of the world’s most exciting contemporary chamber ensembles, the much-lauded Pavel Haas Quartet have a reputation for championing the music – both familiar and unfamiliar – of their homeland. The concert ends with the titanic Op. 130 Quartet by Beethoven, one of his final works. The Pavel Haas Quartet perform it in its original version with the famous Grosse Fuge or “Great Fugue”, which Igor Stravinsky called “an absolutely contemporary piece of music that will be contemporary forever.”

Lynnette Seah

Gulnara Mashurova (Photo credit: Singapore Symphony Orchestra)

NEW!

Intimate Moments

A new series, a new perspective: Intimate Moments is a new series in collaboration with Chinese-language paper Lianhe Zaobao, where SSO musicians and audience members gather for a performance of chamber music that is personally significant to them. In Intimate Moments I: From West to East 乐享时光: 从西至东 and Intimate Moments II: The Colourful World of Animals 乐享时光: 缤纷的动物世界, audiences can get up close and personal to interact with Zhang Si Jing, Cindy Lee and musicians from the Singapore Symphony family in the snug atmosphere of the VCH Dance Studio.

Baroque Festival – Orpheus of Rome and Eternal City

Leader of the famous Academy of Ancient Music, Bojan Cicic directs the ever-popular Baroque Festival this year. Familiar names such as Vivaldi and Corelli share their muse with composers such as Locatelli and Colista, the “Orpheus of Rome”. Be lifted by the twin programmes of colourful, spirited music by composers who were active in Rome – the Eternal City of art and inspiration.

Leader of the famous Academy of Ancient Music, Bojan Cicic directs the ever-popular Baroque Festival at the VCH this year

Tickets available via https://ticketing.sso.org.sg