SSO President's Young Performers Concert

Last evening's Singapore Symphony Orchestra President's Young Performers Concert marked the final concert graced by the Singapore President S.R.Nathan before the coming Presidential Election. Although this series was started by his predecessor Mr Ong Teng Cheong, President Nathan has over the years been an ardent supporter of young Singaporean musicans. He and Mrs Nathan never missed a concert and always stayed till the very end to meet the young talents. His encouragement of the Orchestra of the Music Makers has also been a heartwarming one.

President Nathan has presided over 11 editions of this event, which has showcased a generation of young Singaporean musical talent. The performers over the years and the works they performed are as follows:

2001

GRACE LEE (Violin) - Glazunov Violin Concerto

LIM YAN (Piano) - Rachmaninov Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini

2002

KEEGAN NG (Piano) - Mozart Piano Concerto No.21

LIM CHUN (Viola) - Walton Viola Concerto

2003

ABIGAIL SIN (Piano) - Mozart Piano Concerto No.13

CHAN YOONG HAN (Violin) - Lalo Symphonie Espagnole

2004

SEAH HUAN YUH (Violin) - John Adams Violin Concerto (Singapore premiere)

KIM FORSTER (Piano) - Saint-Saëns Piano Concerto No.2

The latter is a Swiss pianist whose mother is Singaporean.

2005

AMANDA LOW (Violin) - Lalo Symphonie Espagnole

DARRELL ANG (Conductor) - Tchaikovsky Romeo and Juliet Overture

2006

PAN YI AN (Piano) - Mozart Piano Concerto No.17

JONATHAN LIM (Piano) - Shostakovich Piano Concerto No.2

2007

JIN YUJIA (Piano) - Grieg Piano Concerto

2008

LEE SHI MEI (Violin) - Korngold Violin Concerto

ALBERT LIN (Piano) - Rimsky-Korsakov Piano Concerto

2009

MERVYN LEE (Piano) - Haydn Piano Concerto in D major

2010

JONATHAN SHIN (Piano) - Franck Variations Symphoniques

2011

LOH JUN HONG (Violin) - Wieniawski Faust Fantasy

AZARIAH TAN (Piano) - Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue

JOSHUA KANGMING TAN (Conductor) - Barber Second Essay, Sibelius Karelia Suite & Gershwin An American in Paris

One question remains: Only pianists, violinists and a single violist have been featured in this series. Why aren't there any singers, cellists, woodwind or brass players among this roster of Singapore musical talents?