KIDS' PHILHARMONIC 10TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT / Review

KIDS’ PHILHARMONIC

10TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT

Victoria Concert Hall

Wednesday (23 December 2022)

 

For those wondering how Singapore has so many good young orchestras, there is one consistent answer: excellent education. The number of music schools and teachers in Singapore is staggering and these orchestras are the end result of that. On one end of the age spectrum is the Orchestra of the Music Makers, Singapore’s most outstanding non-professional orchestra (it identifies as a volunteer orchestra), and on the other is the Kids’ Philharmonic which caters to the tween and early teen demographic. That it is celebrating its tenth anniversary is a landmark in itself.

 

This concert conducted by Yong Siew Toh Conservatory alumnus Luo Wei is a good indication of high levels achieved by the orchestra’s youngsters. Kids’ Philharmonic already has its own composer-in-residence (unlike the Singapore Symphony) in 12-year-old Nathanael Koh, a student of Phoon Yew Tien and Wang Chen Wei (both composers-in-residence of the Singapore Chinese Orchestra, past and present). The World Premiere of his short orchestra work Stellar was impressive to say the least.

Nathanael Koh with his
composition teacher Phoon Yew Tien

 

A short introduction for strings and oboe leads to the Allegro proper which is lively and optimistic in C major. Rousing like film music, it has a profusion of ideas and spiced with dissonances not unlike those of Leong Yoon Pin or the young Benjamin Britten. Providing strings with lots of work, it displayed and delivered real promise. At eighteen, he may be ready to commit murder (the same was said about Aaron Copland when he was 23).

 

Next was Schubert’s Symphony No.8 in B minor, or the Unfinished Symphony, a work performed by the Singapore Symphony at its 1979 inaugural concerts by 41 musicians. Kids’ Philharmonic has far more players and one dares to say it gave more given the musicians’ sheer youth. Its opening with low strings showed intent and purpose while the big first movement melody was carried confidently by the cellos. The orchestra then surged ahead in the development, led single-mindedly by Luo, and they never looked back.

 

The second (and slow) movement was perhaps more difficult to pull off, but the ensemble showed restraint and good pacing, ending with a cadence of harmonious satisfaction. This serious symphony was performed with much thought and studied detail if not perfection, and should have received far longer applause than it did. Conductor Luo rendered his charges a disservice by not milking the plaudits for their efforts. The clapping just stopped midway through his swift exit. Here he should have learnt something from his alma mater’s vice-dean conductor Chan Tze Law.

 

All this might not have prepared one for the musical triumph that was Beethoven’s Triple Concerto in C major (Op.56). Conceived as a concerto for piano trio, the soloists were 15-year-old violinist Chloe Chua (student of Yin Ke, Nanyang Academy of Arts), 20-year-old cellist Liu Jiaqi (student of Qin Li-Wei, Yong Siew Toh Conservatory) and 14-year-old pianist Toby Tan (student of Rena Phua, NAFA). To say they were magnificent would be an understatement.

The stage configuration which placed both string soloists behind the pianist could have hobbled the threesome’s progress, as Chloe and Jiaqi were in perfect communicado (both eyeing each other alertly throughout) while leaving Toby as a unit operating on his own. But no, they more than coped especially Toby who was in sync with his partners while also keeping tabs on the conductor and orchestra. The tuttis were at times overwhelming but trust Beethoven to ensure his trio would prevail through the storms. The opening movement had the longest and most tumultuous moments, but the entire stage remained unflappable.

 

The slow movement gave much interplay to violin and cello, but that interlude was all too short, before launching into the finale Alla Pollaca's infectious polonaise rhythm. By now, the trio had let their hair down and truly began to luxuriate in the music's free-spiritedness. Forty years ago, this listener was enthralled by the Music Group of Landon (Hugh Bean, Eileen Croxford and David Parkhouse, below) and the SSO in this same concerto. That this youthful performance (the trio's combined age would still have been less than any one of the Londoners') gave this pair of ears equal jolts of excitement speaks volumes of their prowess. 

 

The less said about the encore, a hastily cobbled medley of Christmas songs which nobody within earshot sang along to, the better. That all involved had properly invested their time and effort in the Koh, Schubert and Beethoven was more than enough. Kids’ Philharmonic has a very bright future indeed, and that is the bottom line.

 

Watch the full concert here:

(2) Kids' Philharmonic Orchestra 10th Anniversary Concert - YouTube