All posts tagged: Singapore

A Review of “Honestly! 3 Operas, One Hour.”

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A review of “Honestly! 3 Operas, One Hour.” L’arietta Productions 02 April 2016, 7pm 10 Square, Orchard Central. The Gentlemen’s Island Music by Joseph Horovitz (1925 – ), libretto by Gordon Snell Window Shopping Music by Chen Zhangyi, libretto by Jack Lin. A Hand of Bridge Music by Samuel Barber (1910-1981), libretto by Gian Carlo Menotti (1911-2007) Honestly! is L’arietta’s first full length production and oh boy was this a fun night! Opening with Horovitz’s 1958 opera “The Gentlemen’s Island”, Reuben Lai (Tenor) and Brent Allcock (Baritone) were an absolute joy to watch and listen to. Both artists were evidently comfortable in their comedic roles, with beautiful individual musical touches to their lines (turtle souPP and juuicy oysters anyone?). Do not however, mistake this one-act comedy opera to be musical fluff! Horovitz’s work while tonal in nature was nonetheless difficult music even though Lai and Allcock sang it with aplomb, making it sound a lot easier than it really is. The libretto was a cutting commentary on social classes and rules… two shipwrecked ‘gentlemen’ ridiculously …

A Choral Tribute to Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew

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Sparked by the passing of Minister Mentor Mr. Lee Kuan Yew, I wrote a new choral work that will be premiered by the Schola Cantorum Singapore’s auditioned mixed adult choir. The text is adapted from Epictetus: When death overtakes thee how wouldst thou be found? Enough if I can hold my hands to the heavens and say, “I’ve not neglected the talents thou gavest me as to understand thy Rule: I’ve laid nothing to thy charge: I’ve not murmured or repined.” For the life thou gavest me, I thank thee. More details to follow! Albert

Gazing into the Crystal Ball for Singapore’s Music Education

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I was recently invited to be one of the workshop panelists at a recent weeklong 2013 Kodály Course organised by Singapore Teachers’ Academy for the aRts (STAR). A ‘music commando’ team of clinicians gathered here, comprising of the Principal of the Kodály institute (KI), Dr. László Nemes, KI lecturer Szirányi Borbála (fondly known as ‘Bori’) as well as Lucinda Geoghegan who works with the Royal College of Scotland & the National Youth Choir of Scotland (NYCoS). Sheryl Sim, in her dual capacity as a fellow alumnus of KI and STAR staff was also on the panel as one of two Singaporeans offering training & local perspectives. In the course of the week, common singing (mass singing in the mornings and evenings), methodology (the science & art of teaching), musicianship (building of personal musical skills), singing games for children (experiencing and designing music games) were delivered by the panel. From the simplest activities to the most complex and demanding of tasks, careful preparation, sophisticated ideas and pedagogy underpins all these activities ensuring progress at all times. …