A trip back in time awaits those who join the Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SCO) at its next concert, Journeying Together: Shao En and SCO.
The destinations that they will be visiting are the 1970s and the 1980s — important periods in the history of Chinese instrumental music. The former, for instance, saw Chinese orchestras, which were influenced by their Western counterparts' large-scale orchestration — take shape.
Through revisiting classical works that were created decades ago, Singapore's sole professional national Chinese orchestra, which has been active since 1997, hopes to reconnect with the more senior members of its audience.
At the helm, concert-goers will find a seasoned navigator in the form of Shao En, an acclaimed conductor whose has been the chief conductor of the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra, worked with symphony and Chinese orchestras around the world, and been an educator in the Conducting Department of China Conservatory of Music.
A musician with a "profound" understanding of both the Chinese culture and Chinese music, Shao En, who last worked with the SCO back in 2018, was seen as the right person to lead the concert as its Guest Conductor.
An unparalleled live experience
During his return to Singapore, concert-goers can look forward to watching him present compositions such as 'Flowers Blooming Everywhere', 'Days of Emancipation', 'Towards a Bright Future', 'Blossoms on a Spring Moonlit River', and 'Night Banquet at the Shu Palace' alongside musicians from the SCO.
And in what is set to be a highlight of the concert, Shao En will team up with the SCO's Concertmaster, Li Baoshun, for a performance of 'Autumn Moon over the Han Palace'. Their rendition of the familiar age-old piece will feature orchestral arrangement from composer Huang Xiaofei and be played on the diyin erhu (bass erhu).
He teased what concert-goers can expect when they listen to these works live: "Besides the direct influence of the live atmosphere, the impact of the sound is more genuine and direct. No matter how good the streaming device is, it can never fully replace the infectious power of real instruments."
The uniqueness of Chinese orchestras
Having observed both symphony orchestras from the Western world and Chinese orchestras of the East, Shao En notes that the latter is distinguished from the former by its sound.
In symphony orchestras, which are based on Western classical music traditions, the goal is to achieve "coordination" and unity" among the various instruments This is done by arranging timbres in a manner that makes them complementary within Western harmonic structures.
Due to the larger variations between the resonance, acoustic properties, and tonal qualities of Chinese instruments, Chinese orchestras take another approach when bringing them together.
"A Chinese orchestra achieves a good sound by carefully balancing and blending the timbres of these instruments. Rather than suppressing each instrument's tonalities, the aim is to artfully utilize their unique qualities to create a rich and dynamic music experience," Shao En explained.
Of the 60 orchestras that he has conducted to date, the SCO, which he regards as the "pinnacle of Chinese orchestral performance", stands out thanks to its uniqueness.
"The SCO possesses a distinctive sound characterized by its delicacy, precision, harmony, and elegance. It reflects a blend of Chinese cultural heritage with influences from South Asian cultures, while also incorporating elements from Western musical traditions," shared Shao En, who also said that being invited to perform alongside the orchestra again was an "honour".
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More than just setting the tempo
When a conductor picks up the baton to lead an orchestra like the SCO, what they are doing is much more than just dictating the tempo of a performance, according to Shao En.
He stressed the importance of developing an understanding of music if one were to be keen to learn the art of conducting. Shao En also shared that contrary to common belief, practising conducting patterns should not be made the priority.
"Once you understand the music, the gestures come naturally," he said.
A multi-disciplinary perspective
Aside from his years of experience in music, Shao En, who also has a passion for interior design, brings fresh perspectives from his cross-diciplinary expeditions to his works and performances.
To him, music and interior design — along with painting, calligraphy, cuisine, architecture, sculpture, and fashion design — have similar "aesthetic standards" and "artistic orientations".
He explained the advantage of being a multi-disciplinary creative: "Performing a piece is like cooking a dish; interpreting and rehearsing a work is akin to mastering the timing and seasoning in cooking. Engaging with multiple art forms allows an artist to broaden their creative perspective, draw inspiration from diverse sources, and develop a more holistic understanding of aesthetics and artistic expression.
Journeying Together: Shao En and SCO will be happening at the SCO Concert Hall at 7:30 PM on 27 April. Tickets, priced from SGD 20 to SGD 80, are available here.
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