Mid-autumn celebration with family-friendly show

The Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SCO) led by associate conductor Moses Gay celebrated the Mid-Autumn Festival with an hour-long concert filled mostly with short pieces, well suited for children and those with a limited attention span.

- Chang Tou Liang

As to be expected, works which extolled the moon and with lunar related titles were trotted out for an airing.

Very brief was the Axi Moon Dance, arranged by Peng Xiuwen, based on the courtship rituals of the Yi people. Its infectious rhythm and earworm of a tune spun over multiple short variations made for an invigorating start.

Just as popular was Ren Guang’s Rousing Clouds Chasing The Moon, arranged by Law Wai Lun, with its unforgettable melody couched in a rustic setting.

A little more serious was SCO composer-in-residence Wang Chenwei’s Aspirations, a 2008 work commissioned by the Ministry of Education and written for young musicians to perform in an orchestral camp.