The Singapore National Youth Orchestra (SNYO) will hit the road this December, to perform one night in Guangzhou’s Xinghai Concert Hall (23 December) and one night in Hong Kong’s Cultural Centre Concert Hall (26 December). Ahead of their tour, the youth orchestra will present the same programme on 6 December at the Esplanade in Singapore.
The programme features Arutiunian’s thrilling trumpet concerto performed by world-renowned trumpeter Pacho Flores. A Deutsche Grammophon artiste, Pacho was nurtured in the ground-breaking Venezuelan System of Youth and Children Orchestras (“El Sistema”). He has received top recognition for his versatile performances, and has held Leading Trumpet positions in the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela, Saito Kinen Orchestra from Japan, and the Symphony Orchestra of Miami.
Touring provides an opportunity to set a high artistic bar for the musicians to aspire to perform at an unprecedented level.
“It is also an invaluable opportunity for bonding between musicians, working towards the same goal of performing at different venues for different audiences. A successful tour lends confidence to the musicians and creates awareness in the region of SNYO’s artistic level.
The concerts will open with young Singaporean composer Lee Jia Yi’s Bloom, commissioned by the SNYO. Jia Yi is studying composition at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, National University of Singapore. An SNYO member from 2014 to 2016, she also plays the trumpet.
The concerts in Guangzhou and Hong Kong will be led by SNYO Principal Conductor Joshua Tan, who is also Associate Conductor at the SSO.
The Singapore concert will be conducted by SNYO Principal Guest Conductor Peter Stark, who is Professor of Conducting at London’s Royal College of Music, Rehearsal Director to the European Union Youth Orchestra.