Music Musings
My journal of cherished concert memories
The Phantom of the Opera
I’ve always loved musicals, and The Phantom of the Opera is one of my favourites. I’ve watched the recorded musical several times, as well as the movie, but nothing beats watching it live. I especially loved the songs Think of Me , having sung this solo for a competition, as well as the Main Theme, which was majestic and mysterious with gorgeous set transitions and such a mesmerising scene in the musical!
Akiko Suwanai and Kahchun Wong – Dvořák and Elgar
Hearing Akiko Suwanai perform Dvořák’s Violin Concerto was unforgettable. Her playing was expressive and refined, bringing out the lyrical beauty and folk character of the piece with ease. Kahchun Wong, now a world-renowned conductor and Chief Conductor of the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra, returned home to lead the SSO. The programme also featured Malcolm Arnold’s playful Four Scottish Dances and Elgar’s deeply moving Enigma Variations. I left feeling both inspired and proud.
SNYS Concert - Biru and the Deep Blue Sea
Performing Biru and the Deep Blue Sea with SNYS was a unique and exciting experience. We rehearsed alongside voice actors and a foley artist who created live sound effects, bringing the story to life. The trombonists even dressed up as moray eels!
Huge thanks to Music Director Jonathan Shin, director and playwright Adib Kosnan, the Open Score Project team, and of course our incredible conductor Mr Seow Yibin, for their inspiring storytelling and vision. It was a magical performance I’ll always remember.
The Magic Flute
Watching The Magic Flute at The Metropolitan Opera was an amazing experience. The colourful costumes, giant puppets, and magical sets made the whole opera feel like a living fairy tale. I especially loved the Queen of the Night’s entrance and her famous aria with all the high notes. It was fun to see how music, acting, and design came together. The whole performance was simply magical.
Beethoven with James Ehnes and Lawrence Renes
Beethoven’s music has always fascinated me; how it can shift from bold and dramatic to gentle and lyrical. This programme showed that perfectly. The Coriolan Overture was full of intensity, while the Symphony No. 4 felt light and cheerful. But it was James Ehnes in the Violin Concerto who left the strongest impression. I’ve listened to him often online, but hearing his warmth and clarity in person made the music feel even more human. His playing reminded me how powerful restraint and honesty can be.
SSO Gala: Sibelius with Maxim Vengerov and Okko Kamu
The Sibelius Violin Concerto has always felt like a mystery to me — full of icy beauty and hidden emotion. I first heard it on a recording, but hearing Maxim Vengerov perform it live with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra was completely different. From the first quiet notes to the powerful finale, his sound was full of colour and depth. It made me realise how much feeling this piece carries beneath the notes, as a violinist I’ve looked up to for years brought the concerto to life just a few metres from where I sat.
Julia Lehzneva in Recital
Attending Julia Lezhneva’s recital with a fellow vocalist from ChildAid 2022 was unforgettable. Her programme spanned Baroque to Romantic, and her voice was so powerful and angelic. I was especially impressed by her performance of Schumann’s Liederkreis, as I am currently learning a simple German song for my upcoming classical singing exam. Hearing her sing with such clarity and expression gave me something to aspire to.
Lan Shui and Bomsori
This was my first time hearing Nielsen’s Violin Concerto live. Composed in 1911 and premiered in Copenhagen the same year, it is his only concerto for violin and orchestra. The piece is known for its unusual structure, with two movements each divided into contrasting sections, and demands both technical agility and lyrical sensitivity. Watching Bomsori Kim, a violinist I really admire, lead the performance with confidence and artistry was incredibly inspiring. It made the experience even more exciting and meaningful.
VCH presents Chamber: Leonidas Kavakos in Recital
The first time I heard the Franck Violin Sonata was when my own violin teacher played it - I was immediately drawn to its beauty. Hearing it again, performed live by maestro Kavakos, was like being transported straight to France. His tone was rich and expressive, and the way he shaped each phrase made the music feel alive. Sitting in the hall, I felt completely pulled into his world... full of warmth, elegance, and quiet intensity.
SSO Gala: Mischa Maisky and Han-Na Chang
When we found out Mischa Maisky would be performing Saint-Saëns’ Cello Concerto in A minor live in Singapore, my family booked tickets immediately. We had watched his YouTube recording of the piece countless times, especially with my younger brother learning the cello. Hearing Maisky live, with his rich tone and spontaneous phrasing, made the music feel completely new. From the concert hall to the autograph line, it was a night we will always remember.
Chloe Chua Plays Paganini
The concert began with Rossini’s Overture to Il viaggio a Reims, played with bright energy and crisp articulation by the orchestra. It was the perfect way to start the evening. Next came the star of the night — Chloe Chua, performing Paganini’s Violin Concerto No. 1. Her playing was full of clarity and confidence, with dazzling technique that felt effortless. As a young violinist, I was especially drawn to the way she shaped the lyrical lines, never letting the showy passages overshadow the music itself.
Visiting Artist Series: Koichiro Harada & Friends Chamber Recital
Attending the chamber recital with Koichiro Harada and the senior faculty of YST Conservatory was an unforgettable experience. Sharing the stage were Professors Qian Zhou, Zhang Manchin, Qin Liwei, and Ning An - musicians I’ve looked up to for a long time. As a young violinist, it was inspiring to watch such experienced performers communicate so naturally. Their playing felt effortless, but every detail was thoughtful. It reminded me how chamber music is really about listening — not just playing.
Wagner's Das Rheingold
Wagner’s Das Rheingold was unlike anything I had experienced before. Performed by the Orchestra of the Music Makers, the concert featured a beautiful film backdrop that brought the world of gods, gold, and betrayal to life, making it easier to follow how each leitmotif shifted and changed. I especially loved the Rhinemaidens’ shimmering theme. A fun surprise was seeing Loki glide across the stage on rollerblades - a clever and refreshing twist! Even without knowing German, the music and singing made every emotion clear and powerful.
He Ziyu with SSO: Winds Above The Sea - Hans Graf and He Ziyu
Stravinsky’s Violin Concerto in D major comes from his neoclassical period, where he used fresh rhythms and surprising harmonies while following traditional concerto forms. At the Winds Above the Sea concert at the Esplanade, I heard He Ziyu perform it with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra. The music felt bright, energetic, and full of surprises, like the notes were dancing in unexpected ways. He Ziyu played with amazing precision, especially in the tricky, fast sections. In the slower parts, his tone became very gentle and expressive, making the music feel alive and thoughtful.
Looking Back, Moving Forward: Blossom
Blossom was one of my favourite concerts at YST. This special concert featured previous students of Professor Qian Zhou , performing violin solos. As Professor Qian Zhou was my violin teacher's teacher when she was at YST, I was extremely excited to be able to watch her amazing playing. All performers were so inspirational, and when it was Professor Qian’s turn to perform, her Chaconne was mesmerising and unforgettable. It was also very interesting to listen to Mr Yang and Mr Loh's La Cucaracha and Mr Loke's jazzy You Are My Sunshine. This concert was an eye-opener as it showed me the great versataility of the violin, played by some of the top musicians in Singapore.