Impressive soloists and enjoyable romp by re:Sound

If one thinks that classical music is old-fashioned, staid and boring, one just needs to attend the latest concert by re:Sound, Singapore's first professional chamber orchestra, for a serious rethink.

- Chang Tou Liang

CONCERT IMAGES OF EXOTIC LANDS re:Sound Victoria Concert Hall Nov 13

Which famous orchestra has as its motto, "True pleasure is serious business"? That could very well apply to re:Sound's identity as well.

The concert opened with the world premiere of Cultural Medallion recipient Eric Watson's Concerto Arabesque for flute and strings. A happy marriage of the Baroque concerto grosso and hallowed British string work tradition, its four movements were highly engaging and enjoyable.

A more excellent soloist than Rachel Ho, familiar to concertgoers as Red Dot Baroque's traverso player, would be hard to find. She comfortably surmounted the onerous technical challenges in the work's fast outer movements, yet yielded a silky smooth tone for the second movement's filigreed and sinuous lines, accompanied by sliding string portamenti.