At the end of each year, The Straits Times invites reviewers to nominate their "Best and Worst" concerts of the year. For 2019, the list was shared by three reviewers. Here was my pick for the "Best Classical Concert", which was published in the 22 December 2019 edition of ST in print.
HOMECOMING III
Singapore Chinese Orchestra
Singapore Conference Hall
27 April 2019
The best new work of the year is Ho Chee Kong’s There And Back, a double concerto for violin, cello and Chinese orchestra, premiered by Siow Lee-Chin, Qin Li-Wei and the Singapore Chinese Orchestra under Yeh Tsung’s direction.
The 20-minute single movement work had a atmospheric and cinematic feel, breathtaking with both solo instruments battling the elements in a rugged and exhilarating dance of the steppes. With stage-lights dimmed, Siow and Qin in a final intimate duet of rapt stillness provided the work’s most poignant moments. Here is a rare and perfect marriage of Western and Chinese music, done right for once.
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