EVERYONE LOVES A SOIREE: HARI RAYA MUSICA @ HEYANG'S TAMPINES HUT

It's the eve of Hari Raya Haji, a Muslim public holiday that has to do with the pilgrimage to Mecca or a haj, not to be mistaken with Hari Raya Puasa, the end of the fasting month Ramadan. Very soon after the "Three Chef" Soiree, Lianhe Zaobao musical journalist Zhang Heyang organised his Hari Raya Musica which brought together more of his musical friends on a Tuesday evening (26 May). There are more violinists this time, he promised but we were not expecting an actual concert pianist and composer to be present. But like a true jouno, Heyang knows everybody...

Enough of waffling, so here are the photos of another every enjoyable soiree. Nobody quite knew what they were going to play, so it was a case of "let's see what scores we have available". Thankfully, there were some emergency Bach and emergency Kreisler at hand, sure prophylactics against boredom and somnolence.

Where are the greens?
Here they are, very healthy!

Getting to know everybody

The ice was broken when Two-Set Zhang
played Ohne Dich by Erich Korngold

It sounded completely different when
played by true professionals:
Jonathan Shin & Zhang Xiaomeng

Jon Shin's The Other Swan
where the bird swims in an opposite direction
due to the Coriolis effect in Singapore.

Young Pei En plays Elgar's Salut d'Amour

J.S.Bach's Double Violin Concerto
with different duos in three movements.
I. Heyang with Yang Liuyi

II. Liuyi with Xiaomeng

III. Xiaomeng with Heyang

Shostakovich-Atovmyan
5 Pieces for two violins

Heyang's Intermission Tiramisu
with Tommaso from Genoa,
who certainly knows his Italian desserts.

Erik Satie's Gymnopedie No.1
with added modifications

Improvising on some Chinese songs

Bryan Ong sings Stars
from Les Miserables

More Shostakovich

Kreisler's Liebesleid & Schone Rosmarin

Jon Shin plays improvisations.
NB. He will perform a Late Night recital
at the Singapore International Piano Festival
at The Arts House on 3 July

Liuyi plays more improvisations
before locking her violin for good.

In reality, this was an Arsenal
Premiership 2025-2026 celebration.

Three-Set Zhang
(Chang + Zhang X 2) + Hubby of Zhang

 

Till the next soiree!

THE THREE CHEF SOIREE @ YING'S

A German, an American and a Chinese enter a kitchen. No, this isn't the start of a joke. Neither is this the start of World War Three. Instead, it is a cook-out that all of us will remember for a long time to come. 

Held at the Joo Chiat residence of German culture chief Huang Ying, the leader is food scientist Stefan Klade who had put in years as a top chef in Bavarian hotels. Assisting him was food / flute professor Eric Lamb of the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory and music / culture journalist Zhang Heyang from Lianhe Zaobao, and the results were enjoyed by a hungry and appreciative audience from Singapore, Germany and Lithuania. 

Ying, ever the great host,
made sure all were plied with wine.

You can call this a Three Chef Soiree and United Nations of foodies, and what a wonderful time we had. The evidence is in the photos. 

Here are the starters.

With lots of vegetables,
it was a very healthy meal. 

Deborah and Andrius

Eric and Stefan do the serving.

What tucking in looks like.

Here is the meat!

You cannot have a more healthy
or delicious meal as this!

Let's not forget the tiramisu.

After a hearty meal, here comes the music. The subject was springtime, and the pieces - picked on the spot - were an expression of renewal and making of new friends.

Gluck's Melodie from Orpheus
followed by the slow movement
from Mozart's Flute Concerto No.2

Francis Poulenc's Flute Sonata
with the first two movements.

The slow movement is one of
Poulenc's best-ever melodies.

At least the third movement 
of the Poulenc began and ended together!

Beethoven's Spring Sonata,
just the first movement.
We'll learn the rest later!

Vielen dank, Ying,
for having all of us over.
We'll never forget this!