April. March. May. Jan - Apr Britten and his War Requiem p.6 Getting To Know You Conductor Jason Lai! p

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1 upcoming events February Gala: Neeme Järvi & Nicola Benedetti Fri & Sat, 1 & 2 Feb 13, 6.30pm Speaker: Mr Seah Huan Yuh March Brahms Doubled Fri, 1 Mar 13, 6.30pm Speaker: Dr Margaret Chen SSO on Campus Thu & Fri, 7 & 8 Mar 13 Darrell Ang conductor Details to be announced Concerts for Children Vivaldi s Ring of Mystery Sat, 16 Mar 13, 11am & 1pm Republic Cultural Centre Theatre Republic Polytechnic Darrell Ang conductor Classical Kids LIVE! Each concert lasts one hour. Suitable for ages 4 to 14. Rozhdestvensky - Rachmaninov Fri, 22 Mar 13, 6.30pm Speaker to be announced Published by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra The Wagner Symphony Fri, 29 Mar 13, 6.30pm Venue to be announced Speaker: Dr Marc Rochester April Open Rehearsal War Requiem Thu, 4 Apr 13, 6.30pm Lan Shui conductor Lim Yau conductor (chamber orchestra) Elena Zelenskaya soprano Barry Banks tenor Detlef Roth bass baritone Combined Chorus Lim Yau choral director Open to ticketholders, Friends of SSO and subscribers. Turkish Concerto Sat, 13 Apr 13, 6.30pm Speaker: Dr Marc Rochester May SSO Classics in the Park Istana Wed, 1 May 13, 6pm Istana Lan Shui conductor Free admission Pre-concert Talk Gala: The Labèque Sisters Poulenc Pour Deux Sat, 4 May 13, 9.30am Speaker: Mr Lionel Choi Lan Shui conductor Katia and Marielle Labèque piano Open to ticketholders, Friends of SSO and subscribers. Grand Romantics Fri, 10 May 13, 6.30pm Speaker to be announced SSO Classics in the Park Mother s Day Concert Sun, 12 May 13, 6pm Singapore Botanic Gardens Joshua Kangming Tan conductor Free admission Concerts for Children A Whimsical Tale A Comic Opera Sat, 18 May 13, 11am & 1pm University Cultural Centre Joshua Kangming Tan conductor L Arsenal à Musique SSO on Campus Wed & Thu, 22 & 23 May 13 Darrell Ang conductor Details to be announced For more information, please visit us at or hazel@sso.org.sg All SSO events are endorsed by the National Arts Council and local schools are eligible for up to 50% claim/subsidy from Totalisator Board Arts Grant. Singapore Symphonia Co Ltd 4 Battery Road #20-01 Bank of China Building Singapore Tel: Fax: ssonet@singnet.com.sg Information correct at time of print and is subject to change. Printed by Ngai Heng Book Binder Pte. Ltd. MICA (P) No. 043/03/2012 Newsletter of the SSO Community Outreach Department Jan - Apr Britten and his War Requiem p.6 Getting To Know You Conductor Jason Lai! p.8

2 Dear Readers, Editor s Note The year 2012 was full of wonderful musical adventures and we are grateful to have shared these memories with you. In our Cover Story, let s look back at the wonder and magic we experienced at the Concerts for Children: Symphonic Sorcery the Music of Harry Potter. We also continue to celebrate inspiring musical talents like composer Benjamin Britten, whose life and work are featured in Classipedia, and conductor Jason Lai, whom you ll get to know more in this issue s Getting To Know You. We look forward to bringing you more fun and exciting programmes this brand new year. Happy New Year! Yours Truly, The Editor Contents Cover Story 3 Classipedia 6 Getting To Know You 8 Fun & Games 10 Recent Happenings 12 Ask Auntie Melody 14 Fun Facts 15 Upcoming Events 16 Editorial Team Editor & Coordinator: Hazel Faye Jingco Contributors: Mona Lim Dr Margaret Chen Senior Manager, Programmes: Kua Li Leng For inquiries or purchases, please call You may not know just how much work goes into the preparation of each SSO concert, so why not sit in at our Open Rehearsal? See how the conductor shapes each note and phrase with the orchestra, and hear how individual musical parts slowly come together to form a harmonious whole! Open Rehearsal Britten s War Requiem Thu, 4 Apr 13, 6.30pm 10.15pm Lan Shui conductor Combined Chorus Lim Yau conductor (chamber orchestra) & choral director FREE ADMISSION Open to the public Perhaps some of the most easily recognised and best-known of cinematic themes is music from the much beloved Harry Potter series of films. On 31 Aug and 1 Sep, the enchanted world of Harry Potter swung open at the as the Singapore Symphony Orchestra presented Concerts for Children: Symphonic Sorcery the Music of Harry Potter. The SSO under the baton of conductor Jason Lai and Canadian presenters Dandi Productions gave a treat to every music lover and Potter fanatic by vividly capturing the most memorable moments of six Harry Potter films through brilliant music, creative costumes and superb acting. RhapSSOdy 2 RhapSSOdy 3

3 Cover Story ences of Harry at Hogwarts - moments filled with joy, sorrow, pride and loss, where true friendships, personal success and the quest for good were celebrated. With the iconic Hedwig s Theme, the journey began, filled with dark caves, flying brooms, giant spiders and magic spells. The cast, an old wizard and his playful assistant Igor, entered the dark hall, past the seats and then up on to the stage. The luminous sounds from the celesta and the rising and falling notes of the string section evoked the image of Harry as a young boy entering Hogwarts to receive his magical education. The wizard then welcomed everyone to Hogwarts School of Magic and Wizardry to experience the adventures of Harry and his friends. As the music continued to play while Igor lighted candlesticks, the wizard told the audi- ence members that one can interpret a scene and experience what the charac- ters are feeling and thinking just by simply listening to the music. As the SSO performed Nimbus 2000, Igor handed the wizard his very own broomstick resembling Harry s flying broom, the Nimbus. The wizard then recounted the moment when Harry first climbed onto his flying broom to train to be a Quidditch player. The woodwind section s quick and fluttery notes perfectly portrayed the excitement of flying. The sounds from Harry s Wondrous World gave a sense of adventure and suspense as the audience members were led through Harry s first year at Hogwarts. During the light and quirky Dobby the House Elf, the wizard explained that the transformative power of the Polyjuice Potion had the ability to change one s appearance. As the strings and woodwinds performed the playful theme, the children laughed uncontrollably as the wizard announced that Igor was to drink the potion later in the concert to demonstrate its power! The interaction between the wizard and Igor delighted with their quick humour and impressive ability to involve the audiences in the story by encouraging them to listen to the music and use their imaginations. In Fawkes the Phoenix, the music soared high and powerful just like the wings of Fawkes, Dumbledore s beloved white owl. Next, the lights started to dim and everyone was told to imagine being in a dark cave, as the haunting notes of The Chamber of Secrets played in the background. The music conveyed a sense of danger and mystery, and upon seeing Igor on stage with a giant spider on a leash, the children noticed and started to point at the huge spider web spun by an Acramantula hanging just behind the musicians! The melodious adventure continued with excerpts from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. The wizard had a light-hearted moment with conductor Jason and the musicians when the wizard borrowed Jason s baton upon realising that it was a special wand that caused the orchestra to produce beautiful music! When he tried to cast a spell using Jason s baton to change the lights for the next piece, an odd deep sound emerged from the musicians, but the wizard was surprised to find that the lights remained unchanged! Remembering that each wizard or witch has a wand suited to his or her own power, he returned Jason s baton and brought out his own wand. He then invited the kids to join him in saying the Lumos Transformo spell. Everyone lifted their hands and cast the spell together with the wizard and Igor. As the opening notes of Witches, Wands and Wizards filled the hall with the brass section s loud and blazing sounds, the lights magically changed and transported everyone to the magical and noisy corners of Hogwarts. The rhythmic motif of Knight Bus also reminded everyone of the crazy ride Harry took into London aboard this purple, triple-decker bus. Its jazzy, playful theme allowed the audiences to imagine the scene of the bus picking up stranded witches and wizards, including Harry. More adventures and magical memories were relived when Igor entered the stage dressed as a Quidditch player on a flying broomstick, the game s tension and the players triumphs wonderfully represented by the heraldic brass section playing The Quidditch World Cup & Foreign Visitors Arrive. Next, everyone was invited to the Hogwarts Grand Ball and Igor, who had drunk an excessive amount of the Polyjuice Potion, was transformed into a dashing young man to everyone s disbelief! Igor then started swaying to the sweeping melody of Potter Waltz and even invited some members of the concert audience to dance with him. As the music came to an end, Igor was asked to drink an antidote, and found himself back to his normal appearance immediately after. He also donned a cape of a student of Hogwarts and was handed a graduation diploma. The audience clapped as Igor waved to them, as the melancholic Hogwarts Hymn led by the string section produced a warm and poignant melody, bringing to life once again the many experi- The concert concluded with the orchestra exploring themes heard throughout Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. Alongside the wondrous adventures of the flying phoenix, Dumbledore s army, and the many curses and potions which figured in the two stories, the audiences cheered at the wonderful music that transported them back to the magical world of their favourite boy wizard. Spell-binding, powerful, magical... Symphonic Sorcery The Music of Harry Potter truly captured the essence of Harry s magical world and the SSO s excellent rendition of the music gave every scene portrayed in the concert an even deeper meaning.the wizard and Igor happily swayed to the rhythmic beat of Dumbledore s Farewell and The Friends & The Weasley Stomp as the children waved goodbye to the cast and musicians who masterfully brought the recollection of Harry s six years in Hogwarts to a wistful yet upbeat close. RhapSSOdy 4 RhapSSOdy 5

4 Benjamin britten and His war requiem In an all British-fashion greeting, top of the morning to all of you! It looks like a fine day today! I was born on St. Cecilia s Day, 22 November She s the patron saint of music what a happy coincidence! Perhaps that explains why I became a musician, and a really good one at that! *haha* Oh sorry, I m Benjamin Britten! Where are my manners?? *smile* I was the youngest of four children. My father was a dentist and my mother was an amateur musician but she gave me my first piano lessons. Between my mother and St Cecilia I was definitely a musician in the making! *laugh* I began composing when I was five and never stopped until my death. As a young boy I enjoyed mathematics and was the captain of the cricket team. So, it wasn t always just music. *grin* In 1927, I met Frank Bridge at a concert and showed him some of my compositions. He really liked them and took me in as his pupil. Later, I entered the Royal College of Music in London in 1930 where I studied composition with John Ireland and piano with Arthur Benjamin. I won several prizes for my composition there! Those were some of the best years of my life! *smile* One of my first jobs was composing music for documentary films produced by the General The ruins of Coventry Cathedral after the Second World War. By Mona Lim Post Office (GPO) in April This gave me some good leverage for writing my future operas, like Peter Grimes (1945), The Rape of Lucretia (1946), Billy Budd (1951), The Turn of the Screw (1954), just to name a few...*smile* In 1939, I went to the United States with a friend, the tenor Peter Pears. I went out of discontent and my anti-war feelings were showing quite prominently then. Why must there be wars? Why can t people just live in peace and harmony with each other? Hmm... I was later commissioned to write the War Requiem for the re-consecration of Coventry Cathedral, destroyed during the Battle of Britain in World War II... See what I mean about how destructive war is?!?! Humph!! The War Requiem was first performed inside the new cathedral on 30 May 1962 at the ceremony marking its completion, built alongside the ruins of the original millennium-old structure. The composition was not meant to be a pro-british piece or a glorification of British soldiers, but a public statement of my anti-war convictions... a denunciation of the wickedness of war, not of other men! Hey, I wrote it for three specific soloists a German baritone (Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau), a Russian soprano (Galina Vishnevskaya) and a British tenor (Peter Pears). This was my symbolised way of showing the importance of reconciliation! I wanted this to serve as a warning to future generations of the senselessness of taking up arms against fellow men. This piece is dedicated to four of my friends who had been killed during World War II. Later, this Requiem was incorporated into a movie of the same name. It was a rather strange, dark work, seemingly pointless. Perhaps it was their intention to show the pointlessness of war! *smile* You do know one of my best-known works is the Young Person s Guide to the Orchestra which I wrote in I wrote it to accompany instruments of the orchestra. It then became an educational film produced by the British government. I took a melody from the great 17th century English composer, Henry Purcell my countryman! and used it as the central theme. I gave individual variations to each of the instruments in the orchestra starting with the woodwind then the strings followed by the brass and finally the percussion section. The whole orchestra then came together in a fugue, restated the theme and brought the entire work to a close. It was no mean feat but I managed to pull it all together! I m quite proud of myself... *chuckle* I guess, by then, my status as one of the greatest English composers of the 20th century was already secure among professional critics. I thought I could be assured of being an established musician in my own right... but... criticism of my music was mostly entangled with consideration of my personality, political beliefs and my personal life. Humphrey Carpenter s 1992 publication of my biography, revealed me in a rather negative light. Apparently, I was often fraught with personal and professional problems... It appears I will remain a controversial figure in history! *sigh* Thankfully for me, many musicians admired my flawless technique, CLASSIPEDIA broad musical ideas and my ability to treat the most traditional of musical forms with freshness and originality, thus placing me near the head of great composers of my generation... *grin* I was awarded the Order of Merit in March In May 1973, I underwent open heart surgery which left me an invalid for the rest of my life. Later, I was conferred the title Baron Britten of Aldeburgh in the County of Suffolk, in the Queen s Birthday Honours List in June Yes, me, a Baron! God Save the Queen!! Oooh! I realise I would have been a hundred this year if I had not died on 4 December 1976! Happy Birthday to me!! *chuckle* Ms Mona Lim is a music consultant, educator and composer. She also manages and develops talents and writes curriculums for music education. The soloists for whom War Requiem was specially written (from L-R): baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, soprano Galina Vishnevskaya and tenor Peter Pears Join the SSO for an evening of music as they perform Britten s War Requiem LIVE! War Requiem Fri, 5 Apr 13, 7.30pm RhapSSOdy 6 RhapSSOdy 7

5 getting to know you seems brilliant and fresh; Beethoven, because of his strength of purpose and humanity (even though he often kicked dinner guests under the table); and Mahler, who was not just a brilliant symphonist but also a fantastic conductor and I would hope to get some tips from him on conducting his music. Jason Lai Conductor Hello Jason! You have led the SSO in two Concerts for Children: Bach to the Future in 2011 and the recent Symphonic Sorcery the Music of Harry Potter. Can you tell us more about these experiences? These were family concerts I conducted with the SSO; I had a lot of fun working on them! Both the shows were quite tricky to put together, in Bach to the Future there was a lot of music from all different periods so we would play Bach one minute and then Shostakovich the next. And then we had to make sure that we played in the right place as the drama unfolded with the actors on stage! The Harry Potter concert was more straightforward in terms of the acting on stage but the music is terribly tricky, never underestimate how difficult film music is to play! Of course the SSO made it all sound easy and I hope the audiences enjoyed the shows as much as we did. In today s technology-driven world, why do you think symphony productions are important and effective in introducing children to the wonders of music? Quite simply you just can t beat a live concert. It s the thrill of being there in the hall while the orchestra takes you on a journey and tells you stories through music and sound. I was first introduced to classical music through tapes and CD s but when I first sat in a concert hall and listened to an orchestra, I was overwhelmed! But I m also a techno buff and love gadgets and see that technology has made accessing music much easier. I now subscribe to a music streaming service and can listen to anything at any time. When I was at school we didn t have access to such a service, so... go and listen to music!!! When did you first become interested in music? Have you always wanted to be a conductor? I wanted to play the cello after seeing it and hearing it in some movies. I went to my music teacher at school and said I d like to play the cello, please, and luckily there was a space and so that started my love affair with music. Soon I also started to compose and then I played the piano, music was all I could think about. Then I went to a music school where everyone shared a common joy of performing music and it was here that I wanted to try conducting. But it was at Oxford University where I got my first chances and I soon became Music Director of one of the orchestras there. I ve always wanted to make music with others, I played a lot of chamber music at school, and orchestral music has always fascinated me so it seemed natural that conducting would be the next step, and since then I ve never looked back. It is remarkable how you achieved significant milestones at such an early age conducting orchestras around the world, appearing on the British Broadcasting Company (BBC) in classical talent shows and training future musicians. Who do you credit for these achievements and what inspires you? Being a musician is all about hard work, hours of practice, study, repetition, nervousness, joy the whole range of emotions. A big dose of luck also helps; I was lucky enough to win a BBC conducting competition, but it s also about getting help and advice from others so I see my role as mentor as giving back to others what I have received. When I was asked by the BBC to be a mentor and presenter in various programmes on TV, I happily accepted. Nurturing talent is something that is very important to me and seeing progress is really thrilling, this is what makes it special. Aside from your career as a conductor, you have also been involved in other works as a presenter and mentor. What makes these roles so special to you? My parents have been hugely supportive, they are not tiger parents in any sense but they have instilled in me a sense of pride about my work. They have never forced me to do anything or nagged me but have always taken the view that if you want to do something then do it well. Also I ve had some very good teachers along the way who encouraged me to pursue my passions, this is very important particularly in the early stages where you re still developing and need some positivity to drive you forward. Luck also certainly helps, but a sense of balanced belief is vital, strength comes from within and during the hard times you have to remain strong and resilient, yet still show humility. Quite simply music inspires me, the pure joy of music. Who are the composers you most find intriguing or fascinating? If you were to pick among them, who would be your three desert island buddies and why? Wow this is a tough question! I love so much music and my centers of interest change as I discover new pieces but composers who had innovative tendencies fascinate me: Haydn, who gave birth to the symphony; Chopin, who developed piano technique; Debussy, who created new sound worlds; Schoenberg, who challenged tonality. But if I had to pick just three buddies then they would be: Bach, who I think is a complete and utter genius and whose music even today over 300 years later Any advice or tips for aspiring musicians? I always say to young musicians three things are most important, practise, practise and practise. Then if you have any spare time after you practise then listen to all types of music (and not just classical), read as much as you can and live an interesting life with trips to the cinema, long walks, falling in love and lively conversations. Then when you stand in front of an audience to perform, use all of this life experiences to communicate the music. Catch Jason as he conducts the SSO on Sun, 20 Jan 13! Casual Concert 4pm, Tickets available via SISTIC. Please visit for more information RhapSSOdy 8 RhapSSOdy 9

6 fun & GAMES Pictionary Do you know that composers such as Tchaikovsky and Prokofiev composed music that were inspired by or created for timeless fairytales and folklores? In this Pictionary, let s see if you can guess the music from the illustrations and stories below. Check out the next page for a list of answers to choose from! Tchaikovsky s This classic ballet is a tale of a young girl, Clara, whose grandfather gives her a very special gift for Christmas which eventually comes to life. The story is filled with magical and mysterious characters such as a Mouse King, Toy Soldiers and a Sugar Plum Fairy. Mendelssohn s Mendelssohn composed the music for this famous Shakespeare play which tells the story of two lovers who ran away into an enchanted forest filled with elves and woodland fairies. Prokofiev s Perhaps the most familiar scene in this fairytale is when the main character leaves behind her precious glass slipper at the ball as she was running when the clock struck midnight. The Barber of Seville A Midsummer Night s Dream The Nutcracker The Magic Flute The Flying Dutchman Cinderella Sleeping Beauty Swan Lake The Firebird Don Giovanni Stravinsky s Based on a Russian folktale, Prince Ivan encounters a magical glowing bird, falls in love with a beautiful princess trapped in an evil sorcerer s forest, and defeats the sorcerer with a wave of the glowing bird s feather. Mozart s Here are the answers to last issue s Crossword Puzzle! V F R A N C E I I M O Z A R T H A N D E L L R A E I O P E R A L N M P I Mozart s famous opera tells the story of a bird-catcher, an evil queen, a captured princess and a prince who wants to rescue her. The prince was given a magic flute to protect him from danger. B O N E O V E R T U R A V E E Answers to be revealed in the next issue! L RhapSSOdy 10 RhapSSOdy 11

7 Recent Happenings 25 Oct 9 Nov 17 & 19 Sep SSO on Campus at Nanyang Technological University and Republic Polytechnic with Dr Margaret Chen: In the Country with Dr Katherine Wallace: Messiah soon filled the hall with an elegant waltz and immediately brought to life the famous story so well known to many from the Disney cartoon. Conductor Joshua Kangming Tan who led the SSO in the successful Classics in the Park: Botanic Gardens concert on 2 Sep was back on stage for another remarkable outreach concert series on 17 and 19 Sep. These free campus concerts at Nanyang Technological University and Republic Polytechnic also featured as soloist the SSO s very own concertmaster, Alexander Souptel. Joshua gave brief descriptions of each piece which helped the audience members further understand and appreciate the music performed at the concerts. He told the story of Wagner s Die Meistersingers von Nürnberg (The Mastersingers of Nuremberg) about a song contest held in Nuremberg where the winner was to marry the goldsmith s daughter as the prize. The variety of themes from marchlike tunes, serene and lyric passages and a splendid climax in Wagner s overture made a wonderful start to the concert! A familiar excerpt from Tchaikovsky s Sleeping Beauty Suite, a ballet favourite of young and old alike, As the concert progressed, Joshua explained the background of Kreisler s Liebesleid and Liebesfreud ( Love s Sorrow and Love s Joy ) two works very representative of the composer s expressive style. Bursting with energy, soloist Alexander Souptel (or fondly known as Sasha ) performed the piece with a continuous stream of beautiful notes from beginning to end! In addition to these pieces, the concerts also featured Mussorgsky s dark and mysterious Night on Bald Mountain, popularised in the movie Fantasia, and the magnificent fourth movement of Dvorák s New World Symphony. Sasha s excellent flair in playing the violin and the SSO s brilliant performances roused everyone to excited applause as each concert came to an end! On 25 Oct, music history teacher and organist Dr Margaret Chen explored two great works by 20th century composers, the Third Piano Concerto by Prokofiev and The Phoenix s Nirvana by Singapore s own Leong Yoon Pin. Margaret linked Prokofiev s Third Piano Concerto to the concert title In the Country as she narrated how the flow of its three movements was like taking a trip in the country with three companions, all with very distinct characteristics but which held a strong thematic relationship. She also recounted how Prokofiev started writing the piece with sketches of the second movement first, then completed the work several years later, and that the work received its successful Chicago premiere in After her presentation of Prokofiev s work, Margaret reflectively recalled an encounter with Singapore s music icon, the late Leong Yoon Pin at the Victoria Concert Hall, and briefly shared with the audience how she remembers the great local composer and mentor. She then began to unravel the fascinating stories surrounding The Phoenix s Nirvana, a work based on a Chinese poem of an Arabian tale. Margaret provided a wonderful outline of that evening s concert a musical journey which started in the country and concluded in a mystical land with a celebration of rebirth and joyfulness of the spirit of the Phoenix. Handel s Messiah, a glorious work written during the Baroque era, continues to dazzle even the modern listeners. Dr Katherine Wallace, choral director, performer and Assistant Professor at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music shared the stories behind the composer s famous oratorio: its mark in history, its uplifting messages and the emotional impact that it had on audiences, that even propelled Beethoven s admiration of Handel saying, He is the greatest composer that ever lived. I would uncover my head and kneel before his tomb. Katherine also shared the fascinating story of Messiah s premiere in London, where King George II rose to his feet at the Hallelujah Chorus and remained standing until the end of the piece. It has since become the tradition, and when Katherine played an excerpt of the chorus, the audiences stood up and were moved by the magnificent lines! Given the sense of history and tradition, everyone was all prepared to witness the live performance of this breathtaking musical celebration! RhapSSOdy 12 RhapSSOdy 13

8 Dear Auntie Melody, What is the difference between a concerto and a symphony? - Kyra Hi Kyra, A concerto is a musical work where the soloist carries the main theme of the composition. Most concertos have three movements, feature a solo instrument and display the soloist s virtuosic ability. There are different concertos such as violin, piano and cello concertos among others. A symphony on the other hand is usually in four movements and showcases the power of the full orchestra. Though a symphony contains passages for solo instruments as well, it does not usually place the spotlight on one individual soloist. Both a concerto and a symphony have distinct characteristics. To put it simply, a concerto is a work for one or more principal instruments in which the orchestra plays the accompanying role whereas a symphony is meant for the orchestra sounding as a whole. your questions to hazel@sso.org.sg or snail mail them to: SSO Community Outreach Department, 4 Battery Road #20-01, Bank of China Building, Singapore Don t forget to include your name, birth date, identification number, address and contact number! Do you have any burning questions about music? Auntie Melody is here to help! If your question is featured, you will win a surprise! Dear Auntie Melody, I heard that the trumpet was originally used for military or ceremonial purposes. When did it become a classical music instrument? - Nathan Low Dear Nathan, That s true! The history of the trumpet dates back to ancient times where it was used not mainly as a musical instrument, but as a device for military and court ceremonies and sometimes even for religious purposes. Though the trumpet s musical capability was recognised during the 16th century, it only gained its popularity as an orchestral instrument during the 17th-19th century when valves were added into its original form to make it more versatile so that it could play more notes. Trumpet parts were then integrated into compositions by Bach, Handel and Haydn among others. The trumpet s sound, the highest of the brass section, is full of character. Some examples of the vibrant and mighty sounds of this instrument can be heard in Tchaikovsky s Capriccio Italien, Richard Strauss Also Sprach Zarathustra and Ravel s Pictures at an Exhibition. Its ability to blend in or stand out from the rest of the instruments makes it such a brilliant member of the orchestra, don t you think? :) Winners will be notified by phone or post *All questions are subject to editing for clarity. Erich Wolfgang Korngold ( ) By DR MARGARET CHEN On April 23, 1910, an article Prodigy Amazes Musicians appeared in The New York Times. The prodigy, a thirteen year-old Viennese boy, who was proclaimed the new Mozart, was Erich Korngold. Mahler and Strauss called him a genius; Puccini said Erich could give half of his talent away and still have enough for himself. What did a thirteen year-old boy do to deserve this? At the age of eleven he composed a ballet, The Snowman, which became a sensation when performed at the Vienna Court Opera; then the famous pianist Artur Schnabel played Korngold s Second Piano Sonata all over Europe. No wonder! What does a child genius do with his life after all this hoop-la? Well, a lot, it seems... By the time he was twenty three, Korngold was a well-regarded composer of operas and concert music. In the 1930 s, he went to Hollywood and began a career composing film music. He received an Academy Award for his film score The Adventures of Robin Hood. Around 1945, disillusioned by the quality of films he was given, Korngold stopped composing for the movie industry. He returned to writing for the concert stage. His first masterpiece of this period was the Violin Concerto in D major, a dramatic work in the post-romantic idiom. Each movement of the concerto quotes themes from Korngold s films. The great violinist, Jascha Heifetz premiered the work. To play the Korngold Violin Concerto in Singapore is the talented young violinist Nicola Benedetti, who was born in Scotland in Nicola started playing the violin at four by mimicking her older sister s playing. At eight, she became the leader of the National Children s Orchestra of Great Britain and at nine was admitted to the prestigious Menuhin School. At sixteen, she won the BBC Young Musician of the Year award and in Oct 2012, was named the Best Female Artist at the Classic Brit Awards. You may even call her Dr. Benedetti; Nicola has honorary Doctor of Letters degrees from two universities in Glasgow and Edinburgh! Experience the cinematic character of Korngold s Violin Concerto in this special two-night Gala Concert! Gala: Neeme Järvi & Nicola Benedetti Fri & Sat, 1 & 2 Feb 13, 7.30pm Neeme Järvi conductor Nicola Benedetti violin RhapSSOdy 14 RhapSSOdy 15