- Attracted a total of 335 Chinese and non-Chinese participants
- 24 years old Deborah Siok emerge as Grand category Champion
- Notable mention: 3 pairs of siblings clinch tops in respective categories
Singapore, 12 December 2020 (Saturday) – After 15 days of intense competition, the Singapore Chinese Music Competition (SCMC) 2020 officially concluded tonight. Organised by the Singapore Chinese Orchestra, the competition received overwhelming responses, attracted 335 Chinese and non-Chinese participants from all walks of life, aged between 7 to 34 years old. Doctor, Engineers, Executives, Teachers and students, to name a few, took part in the Solo (Junior, Intermediate, Senior and Grand) and Ensemble categories.
For the newly added Solo Grand category, 24-year-old Deborah Siok Li Chin (erhu) emerged as the Champion. She is also a member of the Singapore National Youth Chinese Orchestra since 2016. In tonight’s finals, Deborah Siok performed Amannisha 《阿曼尼莎》and impressed audience members with her performance. 19-year-old Li Siyu (erhu) performed Ode of King of Western Chu《楚颂》and won the hearts of the audience, as she was awarded the “Audience Choice Award”; she garnered the most votes on the online voting platform. The other finalist is 20-year-old Fu Zifei (guzheng) who performed As Thus 《如是》. Earlier on, 16 participants made it through the preliminary and semi-finals and the 3 finalists competed for the title.
Selected finalists and the Grand category Champion performed alongside Singapore Chinese Orchestra at the SCO Concert Hall (Singapore Conference Hall) led by SCO Resident Conductor Mr Quek Ling Kiong and SCO Associate Conductor Mr Moses Gay on 11 and 12 December 2020 respectively. (Refer to Annex A for full list of winners and Annex E for notable mentions of winners.)
Other notable mentions include: 3 pairs of siblings clinch top places in respective solo categories this year and our non-Chinese participants achieved excellent results. For the ensemble category, second-time participant Reverberance clinched champion, and first-time participants – Xin Sizhu Ensemble and The Purple Symphony won the second and third place respectively. This signals promising and sustained interest for the traditional Chinese music scene ahead.
Celebrating excellence in traditional Chinese music, the competition identifies upcoming talents. SCO Executive Director Terence Ho said: “I was moved, having sat through the entire duration of the competition. I witnessed the rapid development of the Chinese music education in Singapore. Many of our Senior and Open Category repertoires performed back then can now be performed pretty well by the Junior Category participants. And of course, many parents and teachers play an important role in cultivating interests of the younger generation. ”
President of Singapore Chinese Music Federation Dr Tay Teow Kiat is also one of this year’s adjudicator. He said: “Although the Singapore Chinese Orchestra administrative team faced many challenges and restrictions organising the competition amid this COVID-19 period, the team has successfully completed this difficult task well. Not only was there an increase in the number of participants this time round, the overall performance standard has also improved significantly.”
Adjudicators also shared their thoughts on the entire competition on 10 December 2020 (Thursday). This online video featured local and overseas adjudicators who shared positive sentiments about the high level of performance standard this SCMC 2020 and they celebrated outstanding achievements of the participants. Click here for the video.
In addition, this was also the first time whereby the competition had local adjudicators present on site and overseas adjudicators tuning in via livestream. There were a total of 27 adjudicators, comprising of 18 local and 9 overseas adjudicators, judging for different categories and sections. (Refer to Annex B for the list of adjudicators and their written biographies.)
The 1st edition of Singapore Chinese Music Competition 2020 was held from 23 November to 12 December 2020. The Singapore Chinese Music Competition 2020, previously known as National Chinese Music Competition, seeks to provide an excellent platform to develop the performing skills of young musicians, raise musical standards, discover new talents, and to connect our people by supporting their lifelong interest in pursuit of Chinese music in Singapore. There is a total of S$147,700 worth of prizes. (Refer to Annex C for the Prize categories)
The Singapore Chinese Music Competition is supported by Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, National Arts Council, Tote Board, Temasek Foundation, and in partnership with People’s Association, Singapore Chinese Music Federation, Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations (SFCCA) and Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre.
To download high-resolution images of the highlight at the SCMC 2020 Finals for Grand Category & Prize Presentation Ceremony on the evening of 12 December 2020, kindly go to here: All Award Winners and Grand finalists.
Click here for SCMC 2020 Prize Winners’ Concert and Finals for Grand Category & Prize Presentation Ceremony Programme Booklet.
For more information, please refer:
- · Annex A: List of winners
- · Annex B: List of adjudicators
- · Annex C: Prize categories
- · Annex D: Write up of SCMC 2020 Grand category Champion
- · Annex E: Notable mentions of winners
Please click here to read the full document with Annexes A, B, C, D and E.
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About Singapore Chinese Orchestra
Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SCO) is Singapore’s only professional Chinese orchestra. Inaugurated in 1997, the orchestra made up of more than 80 musicians took on the twin role of preserving traditional arts and culture and establishing new frontiers through the incorporation of Nanyang music elements in its repertoire. SCO has impressed a broadening audience with its blockbuster presentations and is fast establishing itself among its counterparts around the world. Known for its high performance standards and versatility, the SCO is recognized through invitations to perform at numerous prestigious events locally and internationally. In line with its vision to be a world-renowned people’s orchestra, SCO continues to inspire, educate and communicate through its music.
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