AN EVENING OF DOUBLE HAPPINESS / Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (University of the Arts Singapore)

Judging from the title, I thought this was going to be a Chinese wedding dinner. In a way it was, as the evening marked the union of the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (University of the Arts Singapore) and London's Royal College of Music with the formation of their Bachelor of Music (Honours) degree programme. 

NAFA and RCM have been dating had over a decade of working together, with local music undergraduates spending their last semester in London to complete their basic B.Mus degree. This one goes all the way one step further, a consummation of a joint project to further our musical students' education. The evening also marked the start of a working relationship with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra. Here are photos of the auspicious event, complete with a gong-beating ceremony and a concert to boot.

Guest-of-honour Heng Sweet Keat
and NAFA CEO Tan-Soh Wai Lan
gave mercifully short speeches.

Singapore Symphony Group CEO Kenneth Kwok
receives a gift from NAFA.

All the honoured guests reveal
the inner percussionists in them.

Zechariah Goh conducted the opening work,
Joey Yeo's Retrospect. The composer was also
the guitarist in this performance

NAFA Chinese Ensemble performs
Li Bochan's Ancient Tea-Horse Road.

Close-ups of the exquisite performers.

The piece de resistance was 
Dante Tan performing Henri Tomasi's
Alto Saxophone Concerto with the 
NAFA Orchestra conducted by Lin Juan.

Dante had earlier performed this concerto 
with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra
at the President's Young Performers Concert.

The repeat performance was just as awesome.

And here are some of

the wedding guests:

Esplanade's Christel Hon with
NAFA Head of Vocal Studies Jessica Chen.

SSO's Ong Shu Chen with
Lianhe Zaobao's Zhang Heyang.

Former Ding Yi Music Company's Elvia Goh
with former NAFA CEO
Mr & Mrs Choo Thiam Siew.

British concert pianist Ashley Wass
with Kenneth Kwok and 
NAFA's Nellie Seng

Pianists all:
See Ning Hui, Nicholas Ong & Zhou Yun.

NAFA Dean of Performing Arts Ernest Lim (centre)
made sure everyone had a good time.