24 VARIATIONS ON TZE'S WORLDS OF IMPROVISATION

Tze is an artist with a special set of skills. Although classical trained during his musical studies at the LaSalle School of the Arts, Toh Tze Chin broke out of the classical strait jacket to become jazz pianist, one infinitely curious about world music, film making and IT, which has influenced his music making with his inimitable TO Ensemble.

On this occasion (Saturday, 6 December 2025) at the National Library Board's first floor foyer, he gave an interesting and illuminating talk about the art of improvisation and how he approached this quintessential skill of all jazz musicians. With a deep and intimate knowledge of harmonies, scales, instrumental styles and world cultures, he provided multiple examples of how he varied colours, moods and imagery in his music making. 

Time truly flew when one is having fun, and not a few members of his audience stayed on all the way to the end. Children and their parents were also drawn to his accessible and non-didactic style of presentation that was refreshing. Now he makes one want to experiment on the keyboard and long for the next TO Orchestra concert! 

 

Even Martha Argerich appears spellbound.

Many took out their handphones
to record his talk and played examples.

He's really having fun now!

Detailed notes about his talk.
He certainly takes his art seriously.

To find out more about Tze, 

check his website:

TZE TOH

EVERYONE LOVES SOIREES: THE UNITED NATIONS @ HEYANG'S TAMPINES HUT

This was one of those special occasions when everybody, regardless where you come from, joined in to enjoy good food, congenial company and make eine kleine musik together. All thanks to Lianhe Zaobao journalist Zhang Heyang, our wonderful host, for opening his home, which he playfully referred to as his "Tampines Hut". His friends literally come from everywhere, but the common factor is a love of good music. 

So does it matter that we do not play as well as those Conservatory prodigies, pianists of the International Fredyryk Chopin Competition, or the Singapore Symphony Orchestra? The fun was in making music itself, and all the silly mistakes and frantic scrambling through. Nobody paid good money to hear us, and the bonds of friendship strengthened or at least still held through. After the food, there was the piece de resistance that was Heyang's homemade Tiramisu, the only regret was not having more. So here is the photographic evidence of an evening at the Tampines United Nations.

Welcome item: Kreisler's Liebesfreud.
And we haven't had any liquor yet!

Heyang's the perfect host, with
Lianhe Zaobao's editor Hu Wenyan and
SSO's French hornist Gao Jian.

Mugging for a shot.

The Poles have arrived,
Agnieszka & Milena from the Polish embassy.

Jonathan Shin's The Other Swan from
Heyang and Conservatory accompanist Liu Jia.
Apparently, Saint-Saens had visited Singapore
and the swans swim in the opposite direction.

Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite from
Huang Ying & Zhang (D) Liang. 

We played the Miniature Overture,
March & Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.

Ying & Jia play the Trepak &
Arabian Dances (with flying camels).

The Dance of the Reeds
and Chinese Dance.

Finally, the Waltz of the Flowers.

The Tiramisu to die for.
Die die must try!

Stefan from Germany has some.

Our EU Friends having a good time.

The quite sinful Mandarin Orange cake.
Ying with Straits Times arts journalist Shaun Hoo.

Vivaldi's Spring from Four Seasons.

Winter from Four Seasons.

Chopin's Waltz in A minor (Op.34 No.2) with
composer Tan Chan Boon as celebrity page-turner.

Germans coming face to face,
Ying plays Beethoven sonata movements.

Tan Chan Boon picks up a violin
for the first time in five years!

One for the road,
Handel's Arrival of the Queen of Sheba.

To quote a Sartori & Quarantotto song,
Time to Say Goodbye.
Till the next soiree!

Photography: The Two Zhangs of SPH