SUBITO CON FORZA! / Yong Siew Toh Orchestral Institute / Review
 SUBITO CON FORZA! Yong Siew Toh Orchestral Institute Esplanade Concert Hall Saturday (19 April 2024)This review was published in The Straits Times on 22 April 2025 with the title "Graduating students...
View ArticleEARTH: UNHEARD / Ding Yi Music Company / Review
 EARTH: UNHEARD Ding Yi Music Company Esplanade Recital Studio Sunday (20 April 2025)This review was published in The Straits Times on 22 April 2025 with the title "Returning to the basics and...
View ArticleSTRAITS SERENADE / Singapore Symphony Orchestra Fundraising Gala Dinner
It's been ages since I was last invited to a Singapore Symphony Orchestra fundraising gala dinner. All thanks to musical philanthropist and serial Patron of The Arts award winner Kris Tan, I made a...
View ArticleCOMPOSITIONS EXCHANGE 2025: SOLO & CHORAL / Association of Composers...
 COMPOSITIONS EXCHANGE 2025: SOLO & CHORAL Association of Composers (Singapore) Esplanade Recital Studio Wednesday (23 April 2025)This review was published in The Straits Times on 25 April 2025...
View ArticleBIZET'S CARMEN / Singapore Lyric Opera / Review
 BIZET’S CARMEN Singapore Lyric Opera Victoria Theatre Friday (25 April 2025)This review was published in The Straits Times on 28 April 2025 with the title "Stripped down Carmen buoyed by pleasing...
View ArticleMOZART AND FINZI - RODOLFO BARRAEZ AND MA YUE / Singapore Symphony Orchestra...
 MOZART AND FINZI - RODOLFO BARRAEZ AND MA YUE Singapore Symphony Orchestra Victoria Concert Hall Friday (2 May 2025) This review was published in The Straits Times on 3 March 2025 with the title...
View ArticleTHE CLASS OF 1685 / Mervyn Lee, Yang Tien & Brenda Koh / Review
 THE CLASS OF 1685 Mervyn Lee, Yang Tien & Brenda Koh School of the Arts Orchestral Rehearsal Studio Wednesday (30 April 2025)This review was published in The Straits Times on 3 May 2025 with the...
View ArticlePRODIGIOUS II / re:Sound / Review
 PRODIGIOUS II re:Sound Victoria Concert Hall Sunday (4 May 2025)This review was published by The Straits Times on 7 May 2025 with the title "Young soloists steal the show".Ever wondered how prodigies...
View ArticleART THROUGH MUSIC SERIES: VISIONS AT THE GALLERY / Blumine Gallery
ART THROUGH MUSIC SERIES:VISIONS AT THE GALLERYSunday (11 May 2025), 4 pmThe Singapore-based Armenian cellist Khachatur Khachatryan has done it again. His Blumine Gallery went on the road to the 28...
View ArticleFIRST PIANO TEACHER TO STAND IN THE GENERAL ELECTIONS 2025
This is not a blog on political matters, but I thought it interesting that a piano teacher has decided to stand for election at this year's General Elections on 3 May 2025. The would-be politician name...
View ArticleSTAGE & SCREEN / Singapore Armed Forces Central Band / Review
 STAGE & SCREEN Singapore Armed Forces Central Band Esplanade Concert Hall Friday (9 May 2025)This review was published in The Straits Times on 12 May 2025 with the title "SAF Band gets cinematic...
View ArticleAN 1825 HOPSCOTCH / Tang Tee Khoon & Alasdair Beatson / Review
 AN 1825 HOPSCOTCH Tang Tee Khoon, Violin Alasdair Beatson, Piano Esplanade Recital Studio Saturday (10 May 2025)This review was published in The Straits Times on 13 May 2025 with the title "Virtuoso...
View ArticleA PIANO RECITAL NOT TO MISS: ZHANG HAOCHEN on Friday 23 May 2025
Here is a piano recital not to miss. The young Chinese pianist ZHANG HAOCHEN has made waves after sharing joint first prize at the 2009 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. He was the first...
View ArticleALEXANDER MALOFEEV Piano Recital / Review
 ALEXANDER MALOFEEV Piano Recital Victoria Concert Hall Wednesday (14 May 2025)This review was published in The Straits Times on 16 May 2025 with the title "Former child prodigy matures into nuanced...
View ArticleTUNGGU SEKEJAP: THE P.RAMLEE SUITE / Wild Rice, Julian Wong, Foo Say Ming &...
 TUNGGU SEKEJAP: THE P.RAMLEE SUITE Wild Rice Ngee Ann Kongsi Theatre, Funan Centre Thursday (14 May 2025)This review was published in The Straits Times on 17 May 2025 with the title "Virtuoso strings...
View ArticleIN FULL BLOOM / THE ONE THING / The ROS Singers / One Chamber Choir / Review
 IN FULL BLOOM The ROS Singers Esplanade Recital Studio Friday (16 May 2025)THE ONE THING One Chamber Choir Victoria Concert Hall Saturday (17 May 2025)This review was published in The Straits Times on...
View ArticleZHANG HAOCHEN Piano Recital / Review
 ZHANG HAOCHEN Piano Recital Victoria Concert Hall Friday (23 May 2025)Zhang Haochen was the reason how I got to attend the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in Fort Worth, Texas. He was...
View ArticleMAHLER'S RESURRECTION / Singapore Symphony Orchestra / Review
 MAHLER'S RESURRECTIONSingapore Symphony OrchestraEsplanade Concert HallSaturday (24 May 2025) This review was first published in Bachtrack.com on 27 May 2025 with the title "A Mahler Resurrection in...
View ArticleHEARTSTRINGS: THE MUSIC OF ANITA MUI / Yoyo Wu & Wu I Ling / Review
 HEARTSTRINGS: THE MUSIC OF ANITA MUI Yoyo Wu Deng Kai, Cello Wu I Ling, Piano Victoria Concert Hall Sunday 25 May 2025 Honestly, I know nothing about Anita Mui except that she died from cervical...
View ArticleHONG KONG'S ARISTO SHAM MAKES GRAND FINALS OF 17TH VAN CLIBURN INTERNATIONAL...
The 29-year-old Hong Kong pianist ARISTO SHAM has been admitted into the Grand Finals and Piano Concerto round of the 17th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition! 28 pianists from around the world...
View ArticleSINGAPORE'S VINTAGE EATING PLACES: COLBAR @ PORTSDOWN ROAD
This is not a foodie blog, but I thought it would be nice to do what Singaporeans do most, that is to rave about food and the places they regularly to makan. Finding new places to feast on comfort...
View ArticleA PIANO RECITAL NOT TO MISS: VADYM KHOLODENKO on 12 June 2025
Here is another piano recital not to miss. Ukrainian pianist VADYM KHOLODENKO, 1st prize-winner of the 2013 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, makes a welcome return to Singapore for a...
View ArticleTUTTI - AN SG60 SYMPHONIC CELEBRATION / SONGS WITHOUT WORDS / Ventus & Band...
TUTTI – AN SG60 SYMPHONIC CELEBRATION Ventus & Band Academy Singapore School of the Arts Concert Hall Friday (30 May 2025)SONGS WITHOUT WORDS Orchestra of the Music Makers School of the Arts...
View ArticleHONG KONG'S ARISTO SHAM WINS CLIBURN GOLD!
Hong Kong pianist, 29-year-old ARISTO SHAM has just been awarded the Gold Medal (1st Prize) at the 2025 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. He bested 27 other pianos from around to world to...
View ArticleEVERYBODY LOVES A SOIREE: TAMPINES EDITION
It was not actually a soiree but a lunch, in the company of Lianhe Zaobao music journalist and recent Yong Siew Toh Conservatory graduate in Music Leadership Zhang Heyang and his guests. These included...
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