Birds Of Paradise Come To Singapore Symphony

Respighi’s suite Gli Ucelli (“The Birds”) is based on a selection of lesser-known 17th-century keyboard music and evokes birds as diverse as the hen and the nightingale, while Messiaen’s fascination with birdsong was the chief inspiration for the array of brilliant orchestral colours found in Oiseaux exotiques (“Exotic Birds”).

Prominent Singaporean pianist Shane Thio will perform the solo part in Messiaen’s Oiseaux exotiques.

Taking centrestage in the jazzy Serenade by Bernstein is the exciting 28-year-old violinist Huang Mengla, first prize winner at the 2002 Paganini International Violin Competition in Italy, where he was also awarded the Renato De Barbieri Memorial award for the best interpretation of Paganini's caprices and the Mario Ruminelli Memorial award. In 2000 he won second prize at the 2000 Wieniawsky International Violin Competition in Poland. -- www.sso.org.sg