As the year draws to a close, there’s plenty of reasons to be joyous and to let the heart be light. This season, Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) recaptures the magic of the holidays with a thoughtfully curated lineup of concerts featuring highly acclaimed international and Singapore-based musicians.
The eclectic lineup begins in November before it comes to a crescendo in the festive month of December. Highlights include the live SSO Christmas Fundraising Concert 2021 and an SSOLOUNGE-exclusive Christmas At Home with the SSO concert for audiences to watch from the comfort of their homes.
The Concerts for Children also makes a timely return with a delightful ode to Beethoven’s musical genius, along with special performances by French pianist Cédric Tiberghien as part of the vOilah! France Singapore Festival, and the Singapore debut of Andreas Ottensamer, Principal Clarinet of the Berlin Philharmonic.
November
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SSO kicks off the season on 4 & 5 November with violinist Loh Jun Hong taking centrestage in The Butterfly Lovers, a homage to the eponymous Chinese love story. Cellist Ng Pei-Sian and violinist Chan Yoong-Han will also share the stage in Ho Chee Kong’s Concerto for Cello and Violin, There and Back.
On 11 & 12 November, French pianist Cédric Tiberghien will bring audiences on a much-needed getaway to the City of Love with two unique concerts.
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On the first evening, To Paris with Cédric Tiberghien will draw attention to Mozart’s enduring works such as the Piano Concerto No. 13 and the Paris Symphony.
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On the second evening, L’isle joyeuse – Cédric Tiberghien in Recital will delight audiences with the famous Rondo Alla Turca from Mozart’s Piano Sonata No. 11, Debussy’s L’isle joyeuse, and Beethoven’s Eroica Variations.
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In the same week on 13 November, parents can bring their young ones to Concerts for Children: Hello from Beethoven!, where they will get a peek into Beethoven’s incredible life accompanied by his music played live by the strings of the SSO, and a narrator in costume. A perfect introduction to the famed composer, this immersive musical experience is targeted at children aged 4 and up.
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SSO’s November programme ends with a special musical itinerary — Dances of Panama by American maestro Carlos Kalmar, taking place on 18 & 19 November.
Well-known for presenting works that are less often performed, Kalmar will be conducting pioneering African-American composer William Grant Still’s Dances of Panama, Pulitzer-prize-winning Caroline Shaw’s inventive Entr’acte, as well as Nielsen’s elegaic Op. 1 and Frank Bridge’s nostalgic Suite for string orchestra.
December
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Come 1 & 2 December, SSO welcomes acclaimed Latvian violinist Baiba Skride to perform Mozart’s charming Violin Concerto No. 4, alongside French conductor Pierre Bleuse who will also lead the orchestra in Mozart’s great Symphony No. 40, in Baiba Skride Plays Mozart.
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Swiss conductor, Lorenzo Viotti and Principal Clarinet of the Berlin Philharmonic, Andreas Ottensamer join the SSO on 9 & 10 December for the self-titled Lorenzo Viotti and Andreas Ottensamer — the musician-athletes and best friends will share the stage to perform a richly melodious programme of Dvořák, Brahms and Prokofiev.
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The VCHpresents Chamber series return on 11 December with VCHpresents Chamber: Raise a Glass to Mozart, with Andreas Ottensamer, where the Principal Clarinet of the Berlin Philharmonic joins SSO musicians for a third evening, opening the doors to the intimate world of chamber music.
SSO celebrates this Christmas with the SSO Christmas Fundraising Concert 2021 on 16 & 17 December at the Esplanade Concert Hall. The orchestra will be performing Christmas classics from Torelli and Tchaikovsky, plus newly commissioned festive works by Singapore composers Tony Makarome and Adeline Wong. Ticket* price starts at $78.
*All proceeds from tickets purchased will be recognised as donations, and Singapore tax residents will qualify for a 2.5 times tax deduction on their purchase for this fundraiser.
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For those looking to cosy up at home for the holidays, Christmas At Home with the SSO will take place on 19 December via its new streaming platform, SSOLOUNGE. The orchestra will be recorded alongside the Singapore Symphony Choruses to spread love and joy to classical music lovers near and far.
