Last month, there was the Halloween night when many people celebrated the night of the dead and ghost. But on that night( 31st Oct, 2009) was the big event for the Singapore Press Holding Lte (which is known as SPH) as for their 25th Anniversary. Thus, the Singapore Chinese Orchestra(SCO) would be houner to perform the music together with the photochoreograhy, James Westwater for the first time of the event.
SPH has been doing the media papers for over 25 years in history and still keep on growing for the lastest news update. From home covers to world news, maketing sockets to sports and enterment. And of cause, is still growing ever now and then.
For the two night concert(which was fall on Friday and Saturday) the orchestra group were performed the musical right at the Esplanade Concert Hall(that was where I went with my family on that Halloween eve).
Here were the list for the night's concert:
1)Molly on the Shore
2)Rumanian Folk Dances
3)Farandole
4)Vanishing Forest*
-The Lark Ascending(by solo violinist, Ling Yun Zhi)
5)Singapore Capriccio(by solo pianotis, Lim Yan)
6)Time Changes Light
7)Torrents of the River(by solo Guanzi, Han Lei)
8)Night Thought(by solo Jing Erhu, Li Bao Shum)
9)Engaging Moments-25 years of Photojournalism*
-Sea Source of Life
-People
(Chour by SYC Ensemble Singers and the River Valley Chamber Singers)
*Photochoreograhy by James Westwater
One of the feather for the night's concert was the "Molly on the Shore" and "Rumanian Folk Dances" which was based on the 6 pieces of the suits from Transylvania and Eastern Hungary like Dance with Stick and Quick dance. The "Farandole which was composed in 1872. A farm boy who falls in love with a young lady from Arles. But his parents were objected for him a match. And due her revelation of her lack of virtue, he eventual went suicided at the end. While "Singapore Capriccio" was composed in West meets East in Singapore styet, "Time Changes Ligths" was based the concept of concerto which is virtuosic treatment of the various insturments that inspirtional of nature of photography and the Chinese orchestra. The "Torrents of the River" which was based on the folk music of the north-eastern of China where the story of an ill-fate woman who was seprated from her husband by force into the army and later died in a foreign land. She went searched for him everywhere despite of hunger and chill till she cried farewell for her late husband at the riverbed. The "Night Thought" was from the Peking Opera which traditional from Kunqu area. This was taken from "Wishes for a Mortal Life".
The main photochoreograhy by Mr Westwater, himself, was based the pictures that captured throughout from one place to another in means through music. The first picture, "Vanishing Forest" which was showed about the main forest that seem about the disappear in many years to come. That way was forced on the environment matter because the forests are known as green lungs which is however some of them may destroyed through cultures and other human activities. The music, "The Lark Ascending" was combined together with the rainforest pictures to give a sense of the evoke the whole world and the treasures of beautiful forest. The second work, "Engaging Moments" which was created to celebrate the 25th anniversary of SPH. Those photos taken by photojournalists for past of 25 years in the making, were selected by Mr Westwater and combined with the music by the SCO people into the 'dance of light' throughout the main screen. The first piece, "Sea-Source of Life" is based about the history making of Singapore from early 20 century to the present of the modern days. The second piece, "People" showed about the faces of the people and other citizens who have been seen in everyday life. From one person to group of people that worthwhile into the society of life in Singapore for many years and ever more years to come.
Lastly, just before end of the show, the Orchestra group were playing the "Molly on the Shore" once more for enchore. Oh dear, guess everyone in the concert seem to enjoy the music concert all the way that night before the short talk at 10 PM later after the concert. >_<
