CONCERT

DREAMSCAPES: PANG KAPANG AND SCO

- Chang Tou Liang

Singapore Chinese Orchestra Singapore Conference Hall March 1 Music written for large orchestras of Chinese instruments is a relatively new phenomenon. It is thus little surprise that much of it is modelled on established examples in Western symphonic music.

The poor composers simply plagiarise and misappropriate while the better ones innovate to find the best of both worlds.

This concert by the Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SCO) led by guest conductor Pang Kapang, artistic director of the Suzhou Chinese Orchestra, featured four works which, thankfully, fell into the latter category. This made for an invigorating and satisfying sonic encounter.

Wang Danhong's tone poem The Clouds, The Mountains And The Distant Geese opened Dreamscapes: Pang Kapang And SCO.

Here was a very evocative score which fully exploited the myriad tonal colours of Chinese instruments, from its nebulous and misty beginning to a gentle awakening of the senses depicting scenes of nature.