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 like violinist Chloe Chua come about? The reasons are complex, but much of it has to do with young people having an early start, pure dedication and superior teaching. This second concert of re:Sound’s Prodigious series had five more talented young soloists performing concertos with Singapore’s only professional chamber orchestra.
Opening the evening was Francesco Geminiani’s Concerto Grosso in D minor, or the La Follia Variations, a single movement based on an early Iberian theme later popularised in works by Franz Liszt, Fritz Kreisler and Sergei Rachmaninov. The concertino component showcased violinists Low Peng Yang (14 years old) and Andrei Slobodyanuk (12) and cellist Charlotte Tseng (14), backed by the ripieno section of eight players.
The threesome began as part of the general ensemble, and then stood out as the variations unfolded. Low had the juiciest and most virtuosic solos, unchanged from the Arcangelo Corelli sonata which this concerto was based. Slobodyanuk and Tseng had more than supporting roles, complementing Low well. All three played with confidence and accuracy.
Following that were two works where 25 young string players from various youth orchestras and school ensembles were placed side-by-side with the professionals musicians of re:Sound. The results were revelatory. Who would have expected the massed sonority in Czech composer Josef Suk’s Serenade for Strings (Op.6) to have been this smooth and homogeneous?
The four-movement work is united by the opening movement’s congenial theme, and every recurrence evoked a sense of nostalgia. The overall string tone was one of warmth and largesse, with a togetherness well fostered by concertmaster Yang Shuxiang’s exemplary leadership.
The second movement’s Waltz flowed with charm and lilt. The Adagio slow movement opened with Lin Juan’s cello solo, later blossoming in an exquisite central E major section with the work’s most passionate violin playing. The playful but tricky finale showcased what can be achieved at high speeds when people put their collective minds to it.
Finnish composer Einojuhani Rautavaara’s Pelimannit (The Fiddlers) was played by re:Sound last year, and this reprise with 36 players had an even more festive feel. Based on 19th century Finnish fiddler tunes, the folksiness was milked for all its worth, with the imitation of punch-drunk musicians captured with full fervour.
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| Photo: Joelcaptures |
Another two young soloists, violinist Chua Suen Ern (11) and violist Kaden Khew (10) were spotlighted in Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante in E flat major (K.364). Despite their extreme youth, the authority both exuded in their solo parts had to be seen and heard to be believed. It was not just the sheer sureness in their mission that impressed but also the clarity and quality of sound they coaxed from their sub-sized instruments.
The sublime central slow movement was distinguished by sweetness of tone, and the sheer sense of cohesion in the exciting finale drew the cheers. As the Singapore Symphony Orchestra’s annual President’s Young Performers Concert highlights older youths, re:Sound Collective’s Prodigious series has become the new magnet for the very young and very talented.
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