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Young People Symphonic Band Concert This year's Young People Symphonic Band comprises of band members from six schools. Namely, Ang Mo Kio Secondary, Commonwealth Secondary, Nanyang Junior College, Singapore Chinese Girls School, Xin Min Secondary and Whitely Secondary. Similar to the last YPSB set up in 2006, this year's YPSB is formed by the the secondary 3s and Junior College Year 1 students to give them valuable learning experience and exposure. This is also due to the fafct that these groups of students will be the key leaders and role models for the respective bands in the Singapore Youth Festival (SYF) in the year 2009. This year, the various band members from the different schools were split into two bands, the Symphonic Band and the Wind Ensemble and both groups were able to work with Prof. Shuichi Komiyama from Montana State University. The YPSB is also honoured to have with us the Guangzhou Youth Wind Orchestra to be part of this event with us. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Despite the fact that the concert was held on the evening of the 8th of August 2008, around the same time as the opening of the Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremony, large crowds still turned up in the concert hall who filled up approxmiately three quarters of the seating capacity in Victoria Concert Hall. The YPSB would like the express our deepest gratitude for the crowd's support of this event. Now onto the event itself. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Symphonic Band opened the concert with Irish folk song , "Irish Tune from County Derry". This was followed by a piece that traces back to the great logging drives in the 1800s, "Chorale and Shaker Dance" was next on the list. This piece is is a lively composition based on the shaker tune. Several portions of this song feature "call and response" between instrumental groups. The ending of this piece with low instrument chorale, a repetition of the melody and thundering timpani, concluding the performance by the Symphonic Band and setting the stage for the Wind Ensemble. "Children's march: Over The Hills and Faraway", carefree and delightful composition, featuring a prominent piano part played by Tan Share Ler from Ang Mo Kio Secondary, brought the audience back into the days of childhood with its lilting music from the wind ensemble. "Sòlas Ané", Yesterday's Joy in Gaelic, is another Irish Melody played during this concert. "Havendance", the last piece played by the Wind Ensemble, is a drastic contrast to the first two pieces.The driving rhythms represent the energy of an eight year old, who was "Havendance" concluded the YPSB's part of the performance and after the intermission, the Guangzhou Youth Wind Orchestra took over. Several Pieces such as "Cajun Folk Song, and "Fiddler on the Roof" was played by the the wind orchestra. In addition, the Guangzhou Youth Wind Orchestra also played "Singapura" , a singaporean's children song and its timing could not be more apt as the concert was during the eve of Singapore's National Celebration. Two combined pieces by the YPSB and Guangzhou Youth Wind Orchestra was played after that, one of them being "Happy Times March". The combined band managed to play impressively despite the fact that the all of the participants for the combined band only met on the day of the performance to rehearse for the pieces Ultimately, this concert has greatly benefited all band members from the various school thanks to Prof. Shuichi Komiyama's direction of music. Best of luck to all participanting bands for their respective upcoming concerts and for the SYF 09!
Gerard Loh
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