Classical music enthusiasts in Singapore (and even Australia) can look forward to a multitude of performances by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) during its forthcoming 2024/2025 season.
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This season promises to be exhilarating for the SSO, as it is set to make its way to Australia in February 2025, marking its first overseas engagement in 7 years. Collaborating with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Choruses, the SSO’s continent tour will include stops in Brisbane, Melbourne, and at the renowned Sydney Opera House.
In an effort to promote the orchestra’s mission to “create memorable shared experiences with music, and enrich [Singapore’s] diverse communities”, SSO’s performances will be made accessible to the public through its free outdoor and community performances at the Singapore Botanic Gardens, Gardens by the Bay, and Paya Lebar Methodist Girls’ School (Secondary). This season will also see the return of its beloved SSO Babies’ Proms and Concerts for Children.
The Singapore Symphony Choruses, consisting of the Singapore Symphony Chorus, Youth Choir and the Children’s Choir, will showcase their vocals in harmony with the full symphony orchestra through performances of ‘Beethoven’s Ode to Joy- the heart of his Ninth Symphony)’, ‘Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony’, and the choral-orchestral extravaganza ‘Carmina Burana’, which will be performed alongside Melbourne’s Symphony Orchestra and Chorus.
What’s more, audiences will be treated to two exciting concerts from the choruses during the Christmas season this year. Gloria!, led by UK’s renowned conductor Stephen Layton, will showcase music spanning from baroque to contemporary compositions. Furthermore, crowd favourite ‘Handel’s Messiah’ will make a comeback for the SSO Christmas Concert at the Victoria Concert Hall, in addition to popular Christmas carols.
During the National Day season, the Singapore National Youth Orchestra will join forces with the SSO for a performance. Premiering at the SSO National Day Concert will be the winning entries from Call for Compositions. Adding to the excitement, the Singapore National Youth Orchestra will be conducted by SSO’s Music Director Hans Graf, for the first time in March 2025.
Besides the aforementioned series of concerts, the 2024/2025 season will continue highlighting notable local talents including violinist Chloe Chua, conductor Kahchun Wong, soprano Victoria Songwei Li, mezzo-soprano Jade Tan. Guests can also look forward to both new and familiar compositions from Koh Cheng Jin, Emily Koh and more. On top of that, the 2024 edition of the President’s Young Performers Concert will also feature performances by pianists Toby Tan and Adrian Yang.
Classical music enthusiasts can also expect to catch performances from SSO’s musicians. Gracing the centre stage are Principal Horn Austin Larson, Principal Clarinet Ma Yue and Principal Cellist/The HEAD Foundation Chair Ng Pei-Sian joined by violinist Chloe Chua.
Moreover, violinist Foo Say Ming will be featured in an SSO Organ Series concert while violinist Chan Yoong-Han will perform the solo in John Williams’ moving Schindler’s List score for SSO Pops: Classics at the Movies. Meanwhile, Principal Harp Gulnara Mashurova will perform in two French-themed SSO Chamber Series concerts this October.
During the season, SSO Music Director Hans Graf is slated to conduct nine programmes such as ‘Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony’ while SSO Associate Conductor Rodolfo Barráez will continue to oversee their Christmas Concert and community outreach concerts.
More details and information regarding the 2024/2025 season can be found here.
