Singapore Symphony To Presents Tchaikovsky

Woodlands Central will be filled with exciting classics by the great Russian composers, when the Singapore Symphony Orchestra performs a free outdoor concert there on March 18. The Russian extravaganza will see the SSO perform such well-loved classics as Borodin's Polovtsian Dances, Massenet's soaring Meditation from Thais featuring young violinist Selina Tang, as well as Tchaikovsky's crowd-pleaser, the 1812 Overture.

The orchestra will be conducted by another Singaporean talent Darrell Ang, who recently took the top prize at the 2006 Antonio Pedrotti Conducting Competition in Trento, Italy.

Currently a Secondary One student at Raffles Girls Secondary School, Selina Tang was admitted to the Royal College of Music at the age of seven, and left two years later to study with Erica Klemperer and Hilary Coates. Tang has won several prizes, including the first prize at the North London Music Festival in 2000, 2001 and 2002. She joined the NAFA School of Young Talents in 2005 and in the same year, won the 3rd prize at the National Violin and Piano Competition (Junior Category). Tang recently performed at the charity concert ChildAid 2006.

Featured at the SSO President's Young Performers Concert in 2005, Darrell Ang studied at the Vienna and St Petersburg conservatories, and at masterclasses with Sir Colin Davis, Lorin Maazel and Jorma Panula. He is currently a Graduate Fellow at Yale University, and has appeared with orchestras such as the Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz, New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra, St Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, St Petersburg Opera, and next year will make his debut with various orchestras in Europe.

Admission to this SPH Gift of Music Series: SSO@Woodlands concert is free. The SSO gives regular performances throughout the year on various campuses and outdoor platforms around the island to connect with the Singaporean community. On May 13, SSO brings you a free concert at the Botanic Gardens.

Since its launch in May 2005, the SPH Gift of Music series has been staging outdoor concerts for the Singapore audience. The SPH Gift of Music brings concerts to the community with performances in the heartlands, parks, and now at hospitals and hospices to connect with the community. The SPH Gift of Music series is one of many outreach events supported by SPH as part of its broadening community involvement. -- www.sso.org.sg