Singapore Symphony Orchestra National Day Concert 2018
GOH: Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, Ms Grace Fu
Esplanade Concert Hall
11 Aug 2018 (Sat), 7:30pm – 9:30pm
Pure Talents veteran emcee Danny Yeo was most delighted and excited about hosting this event for many reasons:
– this was Singapore Symphony Orchestra’s very first National Day Concert;
– it was the first time a SSO concert was being broadcasted live on Facebook;
– Danny has been attending SSO concerts since his teenage years thus it felt special to serve as the emcee at this important event; and
– it was a golden opportunity to reunite with a childhood friend who was performing at the concert, someone he hasn’t met for more than 30 years!
The evening’s programme had many well-loved Singapore songs that are sung at every National Day celebration. More importantly, it featured works by many talented local composers:
– Syafiqah Adha Sallehin’s Bidasari, inspired by a pan-Malay folklore
– Chen Zhangyi’s violin concerto Vanda, with its world premiere that night
– Wang Chenwei’s The Sisters’ Islands, first composed for Chinese orchestra
There were two reunions of sorts. Conductor Darrell Ang happened to be Danny’s brother’s classmate in primary school. The soloist Kam Ning, renowned Singaporean violinist who resides in London, was back home to perform for this concert. She acted in a children’s television series with Danny when they were both in primary school! Talk about blast from the past!
We heard wonderful compliments from the organiser, performers and audience members, praising Danny for his elegant hosting, putting all at ease, engaging in light-hearted banter with the composers, and most notably, enjoying a humourous exchange with Kam Ning onstage.
Pure Talents is proud to have contributed to the success of this concert that celebrated all things Singaporean and particularly Singapore talents!
