An arrangement says it all (Part I)

Was sharing this with my composition students today-

without going into details here, doesn’t an arrangement make all the difference to how we perceive and appreciate a song?

Two different versions, the original by MJ, the other by my teacher Dr Kelly Tang, for SATB choir.

One meaning, many facets. Beautiful.

Still gives me goosebumps everytime I listen to this brilliant arrangement.

If you follow it with the score you’ll fall even deeper into ‘Inception’.

Of course kudos to the ever-fantastic SYC led by Ms Jennifer Tham as well!

2010 Season

We have updated the TENG Company’s website!

Latest recordings from our 2009-2010 recordings are uploaded there, alongside photos and other updates.

You will also find under ‘EVENTS’ a special tab introducing Sun Huang, a top erhu performer of our generation that we are bringing in for a 2 night only concert this October!

The TENG Company

Gerald Teo, Business Director

Yang Jiwei, Executive Director

Dr Samuel Wong, Artistic Director

Your truly, Composer-in-Residence

On our home page you’ll get to hear excerpts of 《长门怨》 Longing《合》He, which I wrote for TENG last year.

You can listen to the full tracks here on my website, under ‘Compositions’, or on TENG’s website as well.

Weekends are too short.

Been a while since I last wrote. Been too sick to do anything.

Started with a mild gum soreness in my left jaw, then went into a full sore throat, flu

then fever, and now the cough. I seriously think I have been too heaty with all the lack of sleep,

and right now I have two huge mouth ulcers that torment me.

Life’s not all that bad though.

Had time to catch up on much needed rest.

Posting up some pictures of my busy past few weeks as well!

~

Post-production to the film ‘Forever’ that I’ve been scoring music for is almost complete!

Here, one of my students, Enzo, is pictured with director Wee Li Lin.

I think he had a fun time helping us with some recordings!

Wee Li Lin I think was recently featured in Her World magazine for being one of the most dynamic women of Singapore today.

Well I certainly had lots of fun and learnt lots from such a brilliant and inspiring film director/auteur.

Another completely random trip one day found me at Woodlands, right next to the checkpoint.

Ok, I don’t know if it’s just me, but I was totally appalled surprised to find that such old and ‘Malaysian’ signs and shops still existed in Singapore!

Yet, it wasn’t without charm. This shop I took a picture of really reminds me of my HDB childhood days, where such grocery shops were oh-so-ubiquitous.

Don’t you just love buying biscuits from those huge tin cans?

Several weekends ago (before my health gave way), I chaperoned some Vietnamese exchange scholars to Sentosa too.

I seriously think I’ve been holed up with my music for way too long- I was amazed at how crowded and changed Sentosa has become!

Felt embarassed to be a tourist ‘in my own backyard’, so to speak.

But, no, I did not bring a camera to snap like a tourist.

I furtively let my inner geek snap this one though, to add to our musical musings:

will update back real soon with stuff on The TENG Ensemble’s next few exciting performances for the Youth Olympic Games!

Am also busy in the midst of writing a sheng solo for Mr Ong Yi Horng of the Singapore Chinese Orchestra.

¡Adios amigos!

Estoy enfermo. Tengo gripe y fiebre.

National Day Theme Song

This year’s Singapore National Day Theme Song is out!

Written and performed by Corrine May.

It’s such an interesting and nice departure from previous years- starting from last year we had local Indie band Electrico, and this year Corrine May.

A good move towards supporting local music I must say!

It rocks too that most of the video is about a music teacher. I think the authorities are beginning to show a softer, cultural sensitivity apart from the typical economic and political achievement rara of previous National Days.

Article on ZBnow!

Thanks to the good folks at Lianhe Zaobao, I’ve received a soft copy of the article that ran on 29 June!

Nice to be featured alongside some old friends like Chen Zhangyi and Diana Soh, whom I’ve known since JC days.

It’s also interesting to note that I am the only composer featured in the article not to have graduated from the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music.

- Click to enlarge -

17th National Chinese Orchestra Music Camp 2010

Finally received pictures from the much awaited annual MOE-CCAB music camp.

Pictures here are from the lecture that I conducted for the students, on my commisioned piece ‘Falling Leaves’ 《落叶归根》.

getting the nuances of the music

Musical Musings #2

Alright, music geeks. More stuff to gawk at!

Following my earlier posts here and here,

I came across more music paraphernalia on my recent trip to Tokyo!

And so, first up,

Kinda cute for hooks, eh?

Postcards from Tokyo

I know it’s been a long long time since I last updated, I’ve just been so so busy, my friends!

I’ve been working non-stop on the film since my return, and I’m glad to say the post-production work is almost ending!

But I’ll save that bit of good news when the film releases in Sept/Oct this year

Lots of (good) things have happened since I returned from Tokyo-

my piece for Chinese Orchestra ‘Falling Leaves’ premiered on 18 June,

I had two photoshoots (in 3 days!) and I have totally geeked out with my new DAW (Digital Audio Workstation)

that it’s hard to tear me away from it now!

Here’re some collages from the trip:

It was real nice for me to be back again in Tokyo!

I was there in 2006 for almost 10 days, but alas, I only had the chance to travel around Ginza then.

I remember the place very fondly- here’re some picture from that trip in 2006-

I miss my youth

The 'Asia Major' Band: Nawaz (Tabla), Me (Sheng), Azman (Gamelan), Ruth Ling (KB), Alemay (Vox)

Ah ben(g) with a leg up during performance (!)

I’ve taken a (much needed) break away from busy Singapore, right in the middle of my film scoring, to return to Tokyo!

Already I can feel my creative energies being reinvigorated.

More updates to come my friends!