THE TENG ENSEMBLE

In Collaboration with Esplanade Theatres on the Bay

12 AUG 2016 | FRIDAY | 7.30PM

ESPLANADE CONCERT HALL

welcome
We hope that
our work will
inspire more to
love Singapore s
music.

the end of 2014, following The TENG Ensembles

successful debut CD launch and concert, the idea
to create a set of works that spoke about Singapores
heritage came to me. The works were to be created in an
accessible manner and yet would encompass various underlying
themes about urban life in Singapore. They would resonate with
most Singaporeans and would have an educational component.
The works would look to the past to help us make greater sense
of our present.

At

With the help of our brilliant composer Chow Jun Yi, who wrote the
works, and music arranger Huang Peh Linde, who then created the
plethora of electronic soundscapes that help merge technology
with our tradition, this set of works has come into fruition.
This concert will showcase 10 specially crafted works named
the Temasek Heritage Series in recognition of Temaseks
support towards the ensemble and our company. These works
were inspired by our heritage and our multicultural island citys
popular lullabies, folk tunes and ditties that have been lovingly
passed down from generation to generation. While not all of
them originate from Singapore, many of these pieces play an
important role in forming and shaping the cultural identity of
many Singaporeans, young and old.
Through these 10 works, The TENG Ensemble will rework,
innovate, update and redefine traditional music. It is with hope
that our work will inspire more to love Singapores music and
ignite an interest in the generations to come.

Photograph by Ejun Low

DR SAMUEL WONG
Artistic Director
The TENG Company

Programme
1hr 15min, no intermission

ANCIENT

CITY BY MOONLIGHT

For Full Ensemble

For Sheng, Pipa, Cello, Guitar and Electronics

The folk song Tian Hei Hei (The Darkening Sky)

was an extremely popular childrens ditty sung in
Hokkien by early migrant Chinese Singaporeans.
Originating from Northern Taiwan, the piece
was inspired by the rainy season in the town
of Jinguashi. With witty lyrics describing a
disagreement between the cooking style of
a grandfather and a grandmother, the ditty
sings in praise of the creativity and optimism of
Taiwanese farmers.

In 1979, the late Taiwanese singer Teresa Teng

caused a sensation when she sang the song
Tian Mi Mi (Sweet as Honey). The piece was
initially banned by communist China as it was
deemed to be pornographic and decadent
when it was released. Despite censorship,
many mainland Chinese people would listen
to this piece in secret and such underground
music activity paved the way for Teresa Teng to
become a Chinese music icon when China was
eventually liberated in the 1980s. This piece has
since been featured in numerous movies, most
notably the 1996 Hong Kong film Comrades:
Almost a Love Story starring Maggie Cheung
and Leon Lai.

(Tian Hei Hei)

Ancient uses this folk song as a source material

in the creation of a new work that juxtaposes
the Eastern concepts of Civil and Martial and
the Western concept of Impressionism. Civil
(Wen) and Martial (Wu) works are categories in
traditional Chinese music, while Impressionism
is a movement in art that gained popularity
between the late 19th to 20th centuries, especially
in France. The latter played an important role in
influencing the compositions of composers such
as Debussy and Ravel, who featured extended
harmonies and ambiguous tonality in their work.
Ancient starts off in the tradition of a Civil piece
by making the musicians play slow but elegant
and broad strokes, while using Impressionist
harmonies and timbres as accompaniment.
The composer intended for this section to feel
spatial, spiritual and soulful. Midway, the piece
evolves and takes on Martial characteristics. The
musicians tackle the fast and robust passages
in the second half of the work and take turns
in playing alternating phrases of the folk ditty,
pushing the melody to a climax before ending
off in a flourish.

(Dayung Sampan)

Tian Mi Mis source material comes from the

Indonesian folk song Dayung Sampan (Row
Your Boat). The original folk song speaks of
rowing a wooden boat also known as a sampan
and the catching of fish. The lyricist Zhuang Nu
reworked the lyrics of the original folk song and
turned the piece into a love ballad that is well
loved by Mandarin speakers all over the world.
City by Moonlight uses the same source
material to recreate an instrumental ballad for
Pipa, Sheng, Guitar, Cello and Electronics. The
TENG Ensembles version of the piece uses
the musical concept of antiphony or call and
response to hark back to Dayung Sampans
original Indonesian roots and an arrangement
that seeks to retain the sentimentality and
expressiveness conveyed by Teresa Tengs
Tian Mi Mia piece that defied censorship and
unified a billion Chinese people.

CHILDHOOD

FUSION

FESTIVAL

GRATITUDE

For Full Ensemble

For Sheng, Guitar, Percussion and Electronics

For Sheng, Pipa, Cello, Guitar and Electronics

For Voice, Cello, Guitar and Electronics

Childhood consists of four Asian songs that were

popular among Singaporean children in the 70s
and 80s. Often used as musical accompaniment
for childrens rides in amusement parks, these
four songstwo sung in Mandarin and two
sung in Malayfeature lyrics that border on the
whimsical and downright nonsensical. Childhood
uses the melody lines in each of these pieces as
the point of inspiration. Split into five sections
and starting off as a medley of pieces, the work
slowly evolves into a showcase that interweaves
these four disparate melodies together through
the compositional technique of counterpoint.

Fusion is written for Sheng and accompanied

by Guitar, Electronics and Percussion. The piece
draws its inspiration from the Malay folk song
Chan Mali Chan and the multi-cultural musical
identities found in Singapore.

Festival is an instrumental arrangement of the

Eurasian folk song Jingli Nona.

The song Shi Shang Zhi You Mama Hao (Mothers

are the Dearest in this World) was written by
Chinese composer Liu Hongyuan and first sung
in the 1958 movie Nobodys Child starring Hong
Kong actress Josephine Siao. The movie, about
an orphaned child, was based on the novel
Sans Famille by French author Hector Marlot.
Shi Shang Zhi You Mama Hao has since gained so
much popularity among the Mandarin speaking
community that it has become an unofficial
Mothers Day song, beloved by millions.

The first section features the melody of

San Lun Che (The Tricycle). This melody
originated as a Taiwanese folk song that
was composed by primary school teacher
Chen Shisong in the 1950s to be submitted
for a new compilation of song works titled
Xinxuan Geyao. Chief editor of the compilation
Lu Tsuan Sing felt that the original lyrics were
too quiet and did not complement the melodys
energetic style. Lu then rewrote the lyrics and the
song was released in 1953. The piece is now a
fixture in Taiwanese music syllabi. This first section
is led by the Pipa, which opens the instrumental
interplay for the rest of the ensemble.

Fusion is specially written to showcase the

virtuosity of the Sheng through the use
of non-traditional Sheng chord fingering
combinations. The piece comprises two main
sections: the first, a reworked melody of
Chan Mali Chan and the second, the original
melody of the folk song itself.

(Ikan Kekek, Burung Kakak Tua, Ni Wa Wa & San Lun Che)

The second section uses the melody of

Ni Wa Wa (Mud Doll), which was written by
Liang Hongzhi and Luo Mingdao. The song was
popularised by the late Teresa Teng, who sang
it in Mandarin in the 1960s. The Sheng fronts
the melody line in this section and then passes
it to the Cello to conclude.
The third section utilizes the melody of
Burung Kakak Tua (The Cockatoo Bird), an
Indonesian folk song about a cockatoo and a
village grandmother who listens to it sing. This
section adopts a faster pace and is led by the
Cello and accompanied by the Voice.
The fourth section features Ikan Kekek (The
Silver Belly Bream Fish), a Malay folk song about
perseverance, and uses the Malay poetic form
pantun in its lyrics. In this section, the ensemble
bursts into a tutti chorus and the Voice finally
breaks into lyrics, leading this section of the piece.
The final section showcases the interplay of the full
ensemble in counterpoint, each instrumentalist
taking turns to play the melodies from each of the
first four sections, passing their melodies around
and forming harmonies between them. This
creates a whirling frenzy of cooperating melodies,
akin to the blending of multiple watercolours on a
piece of paper to form a picture.

(Chan Mali Chan)

The song Chan Mali Chan tells the story of a

shy young man asking for the whereabouts of
a goat and thereafter, the whereabouts of his
lover. While the lyrics of the song cannot be
fully translated logically, the songs melody is
distinctive and easily remembered for its catchy
rhythms and repeated chorus.

The song begins with various motifs of the

folk song being introduced. The motifs are a
departure from the conventional Chan Mali Chan
that is familiar to most Singaporeans. Midway,
the song transitions into the more distinct main
melodic lines. The Sheng then breaks into the
full melody of Chan Mali Chan, unleashing a
rendition with its bright and clear timbre.

(Jingli Nona)

More commonly used in Eurasian Branyo

dances, Jingli Nona is a humourous love song,
describing how a young suitor tries to court a
fair maiden in vain. The song literally translates
to Dancing Fair Maiden from the creole
language Kristang, which boasts a combination
of Portuguese and Asian influences. Today,
Jingli Nona has become the unofficial national
anthem of the Portuguese Eurasians and is often
heard at Eurasian wedding receptions. A unique
feature of this song is its chorus, which is sung
in the voice of a third person unlike its other
verses. This third person cajoles the maiden to
love the suitor despite his lack of riches.
Academics have postulated that the story
between the young man and the fair maiden
signifies the early European suitors who desired
the hand in marriage of local brides, with the
local village people being represented by a
third-person perspective in the chorus.
Festival opens with an Acoustic Guitar solo,
followed by syncopated Afro Cuban rhythms
produced by Electronics. The instrumentalists
take turns to layer the melodic themes of
Jingli Nona, driven by the constant beat of
the clave, interacting with each other using
extended techniques that include clapping,
stomping of feet and percussive effects from
each instrument. Towards the end of the piece,
an accelerando led by the Pipa brings the work
to a closing flourish.
The piece is light, playful and raucous, and meant
to be played in the manner of a celebration.

(Shi Shang Zhi You Mama Hao & Ke Ren Lai, Kan Baba)

Ke Ren Lai, Kan Baba (My Fathers Guest) is a

childrens song most often sung to toddlers to
teach them the virtues of respect and hospitality
in an Asian context. The lyrics talk about how
tea and a seat are respectfully offered to a
guest visiting the narrators father, who was
absent from home at that time.
Gratitude is written as a duet between
the Voice and Cello, and accompanied by
Electronics and Acoustic Guitar. The work
takes two Mandarin childrens songsone
about a father and another about a mother
and merges both of them as if it were a single
piece. Both songs are originally sung from a
childs perspective, and represent the virtues
of graciousness and appreciation.
Inspired by liturgical music, the climax of
the song features the use of a church organ
soundscape in the middle of the piece,
emphasising the spiritual and divine roles that
parents play in a childs upbringing.

JOURNEY

STORM WAR

DEPARTURES

THE LITTLE WHITE BOAT

For Accordion, Sheng, Pipa, Cello, Guitar and Electronics

For Pipa, Guitar, Percussion and Electronics

For Full Ensemble

For Full Ensemble

Performed on the accordion, an instrument

commonly used in Malay music today, and by
the instrumentalists of The TENG Ensemble,
Journey is a song inspired by a day in the life
of a Malay kampong (village). The work is based
on the traditional Malay and Indonesian folk
songs Gelang Sipaku Gelang and Rasa Sayang.

The unique ability to pitch bend has made the

Pipa one of the most versatile and expressive
Chinese instruments. In Storm War, a piece
written for Pipa, Electric Guitar, Electronics and
Percusssion, the Pipa as an instrument is used
to emulate the performance aesthetic used in
Indian music with its multiple pitch bends and
strong striking tone.

Departures is inspired by lost love and

unforgettable memories. Two Malay songs
feature prominently in this work: the lullaby
Suriram and Osman Ahmads Di Tanjong Katong.

Rich with history and once home to various

communities, the 3.2km long Singapore River
is a symbol of the nations success and cultural
diversity. Inspired by the river and Singapores
identity as a convergence of the East and West,
past and present, this work draws from two
childrens songs that did not originate from
Singapore, but have found their way into the
hearts of local Singaporeans. These songs were
often sung in schools, heard in amusement
parks in the early days of Singapore and taught
by locals to their children.

(Gelang Sipaku Gelang & Rasa Sayang)

Gelang Sipaku Gelang is a Malay folk song

about the virtues of respect and tolerance in
community living. Rasa Sayang is a traditional
Indonesian folk song that originated from the
eastern islands of Maluku. The song, which
translates to loving feeling, has been sung
for generations to express the peoples love for
their environment. Both folk songs explore the
notions of surroundings, nature and care for a
larger ecosystem.
Journey takes the thematic idea of a kampong
from dusk till dawn. The early hours of the
kampong is depicted by an accordion solo
based on Gelang Sipaku Gelang. The other
instrumentalists take turns to accompany the
accordion line. The Sheng then takes over the
melodic line and the Cello and Pipa form an
antiphonal accompaniment to the Sheng.
The ensemble gradually builds into an interlude
with long and expressive phrases, featuring the
accordions sound texture before the melody of
Rasa Sayang is introduced, signifying the middle
of the day. The Pipa and Cello create percussive
effects with their instruments, imitating the
sounds of drums that emanate from the village.
The reprise of Gelang Sipaku Gelangs melodic
line signals the beginning of dusk and the
music takes on a more relaxed pace. The piece
gradually slows down and eases its intensity,
signifying the end of another day in a village.

(Munnaeru Vaalibaa)

The traditional work which inspired this

piece is none other than the 1966 Tamil song
Munnaeru Vaalibaa (Moving Forward), which
was written by a former Raffles Insitution
teacher, S. Jesudassan. Jesudassan described
the piece as a rally call for the youth to strive
and reach out for the sky. The song was
eventually popularised in 1967 when it was
adopted as an official community song that was
taught and sung in schools.
Storm War fuses the melody line of
Munnaeru Vaalibaa with metal and Japanese
rock influencesa huge departure from how it
was originally heard and sung. The Pipa and the
Electric Guitar undertake alternating melodic
lines and even compete in many aspects of
the song. The technical abilities of both the
Pipa player and Electric Guitarist are pushed in
a cadenza section in the middle of the piece,
where fast running passages and strong sweeps
of the strings can be heard.
A key change nearing the end of the work pushes
the piece forward and raises the intensity.
The Pipa and Electric Guitar play in harmonic
progressions together, before finally bringing
the work to a large and resounding conclusion.

(Suriram & Di Tanjong Katong)

Suriram, believed to be written in the 1400s,

speaks of a mother pining for her child, while
Di Tanjong Katong, which was written by Ahmad
in the 1900s, features a chorus that speaks of
yearning and longing for love.
The Cello introduces the melodic theme of
Suriram when it first enters. This theme is then
passed to the Sheng and thereafter the Pipa,
and a lively exchange slowly ensues between
the three instruments. The Voice echoes the
melodic sentiment and the interplay between
the three instrumentalists, slowly cumulating
in a small fugal section that develops in the
middle of the piece. The tense buildup of the
instruments eventually unleashes a second
melodic lineDi Tanjong Katong. This section
is played in unison by all the instrumentalists
and accompanied by the Voice, which soars
above the ensemble.
As this section comes to a close, a recapitulation
happens and the theme of Suriram is brought
back once more. The Voice now takes over the
theme, which was first heard from the Cello in
the opening, singing the opening verses of the
lullaby, reminding us once again of the melody
that underwent a musical exposition a few
minutes earlier. The piece slowly fades out and
ends off quietly.

(The More We Get Together & Xiao Bai Chuan)

The first song, The More We Get Together,

was adapted by the British in the 18th century
from the 1679 Viennese tune by Marx Augustin,
Ach, du lieber Augustin. This simple melody
has since been adopted by multiple cultures,
with each culture translating, developing and
propagating its own version of the song for
children. The song has since been translated
into Malay, Mandarin, Japanese, Spanish,
Korean and even sign language, among others.
The second piece Xiao Bai Chuan (Little White
Boat), is frequently mistaken as a Chinese lullaby
due to its popularity in Mandarin-speaking
countries. Originally titled Ban Dal (Half Moon),
this piece was written by Korean composer
Yung Geuk Yong in 1924. The song was
subsequently translated into Mandarin in 1950
and renamed Xiao Bai Chuan, gaining mass
appeal among the Chinese and the Chinese
diaspora. Written during the period of the Korean
War and the loss of Yungs brother-in-law, Yung
wrote the piece to speak of hope in adversity
and looking forward to a better tomorrow.
Following a dance-like opening by the Cello
and Electronics, The Little White Boat enters
a moderato section of variations to the theme
of The More We Get Together. The various
instrumentalists take turns to develop their own
idiomatic renditions of the upbeat melody.
The middle of the work transitions into a largo
section, where the melodic lines of Xiao Bai
Chuan are first introduced. The moving lyrics of
Xiao Bai Chuan are sung by the Voice and
complemented by the Cello, Guitar and Pipa.
A key change nearing the finale drives the piece
into its grandest element. The musicians belt
out the final theme of Xiao Bai Chuan in a bold
and majestic fashion while a running ostinato of
Electronics based on the Malay musical idiom
provides an undercurrent of supporting sound
textures. The eventual buildup erupts into a
magnificent finish.

REFERENCE LIST
1.

(). Folk Songs of Taiwan. Accessed March

06, 2016. http://library.taiwanschoolnet.org/cyberfair2001/
C0118800001/f3.htm.

2.

The Melancholy Pop Idol who haunts China. The New

Yorker. Accessed 22 May, 2016. http://www.newyorker.com/
culture/cultural-comment/the-melancholy-pop-idol-whohaunts-china

3.

Medley of Malay Folk Songs. NLB Music SG. Accessed May

22, 2016. http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/music/Media/PDFs/
Lyric/72c16fbc-0bc8-4c71-ad28-ad329ccf2a89.pdf

4.

Cartagena, Kyle. Chan Mali Chan. Prezi. June 20, 2015.

Accessed March 06, 2016. https://prezi.com/blymunhsz74r/
chan-mali-chan/.

5.

Singapore Swing: A Jazz Album of Singapore Songs. NLB

Music SG. Accessed March 06, 2016. http://eresources.nlb.
gov.sg/music/music/album/ab36958d-3687-4318-86680949d46d7469.

6.

Sarkissian, Margaret. DAlbuquerques Children: Performing

Tradition in Malaysias Portuguese Settlement. Chicago:
Univ. of Chicago Press, 2000. \.

7.

. Baidu.com. Accessed 22 May 2016. http://

baike.baidu.com/subview/169901/8325251.htm

8.

Rasa Sayange. Rasa Sayange. October 24, 2007. Accessed

March 06, 2016. http://www.indonesiamatters.com/1432/
rasa-sayang/.

9.

So Who Owns the Song Rasa Sayang?. AsiaOne. October 3,

2007. Accessed March 7, 2016. http://news.asiaone.com/News/
TheStraitsTimes/Story/A1Story20071003-28205.html.

10.

Chow, Jermyn. Creator of Tamil National Day Song

Munnaeru Vaalibaa Honoured. The Straits Times. 2014.
Accessed March 05, 2016. http://www.straitstimes.com/
singapore/creator-of-tamil-national-day-song-munnaeruvaalibaa-honoured.

11.

Suriram. Wikipedia. Accessed 22 May 2016. https://

ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suriram.

12.

Oh du lieber Augustin Wikipedia. Accessed 22 May 2016.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oh_du_lieber_Augustin

13.

(). Baidu.com. Accessed 22 May 2016.

http://baike.baidu.com/subview/2481305/11310295.htm

The second album produced by The TENG Ensemble,

STORIES FROM AN ISLAND CITY, will feature the 10 works
featured in this concert and a bonus track.
Available after the show at an exclusive concert
launch price of S$10 (U.P. S$18.95 S$22.95).
While stocks last!

about
the
teng
ensemble

The critically acclaimed TENG Ensemble

bridges the traditional and contemporary, the
East and West, and the old and new.
The ensembles works raise awareness of
the importance of cultures as sources of
knowledge, meanings, values and identity
through its use of heritage material. These
works take inspiration from Singapores history
and are presented in a way that is accessible
and representative of Singaporean culture and
a Southeast Asian musical language. Using
tangible elements of Singapores heritage
such as songs and places, the works highlight
the significance of these elements in shaping
the Singaporean sensibility of today.

As part of a larger cause, the ensemble aims

to promote Singapores heritage music that,
despite its value for the local and Southeast Asian
communities, are relatively underrepresented
on the world arts scene. While most Southeast
Asian folk songs might be familiar to many,
representation of the region as being musically
progressive is limited. By revisiting heritage
songs and presenting them in a contemporary
way, the ensemble aims to spark interest in the
history of Southeast Asian music and its place in
the modern world.

Going a step further, the ensemble also hopes

to contribute to positioning Singapore as
a regional centre for the development and
presentation of the performing arts that is
multi-racial, multi-ethnic and multi-cultural.
The TENG Ensemble is the anchor ensemble
of The TENG Company, a non-profit arts
organisation that aims to be a leading and
inspirational contributor to a Singaporean
sound that is current, innovative, visionary and
urbanguided by Asian aesthetics.

composers
profile

artists
profiles

CHOW JUN YI

HUANG PEH LINDE

Born and raised in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Chow Jun Yi began

studying piano and music theory at the age of five. He gained
admittance into the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing in
2005 and where he studied with Qin Wen Chen, Chen Gang and
Tang Jian Ping. After graduation in 2011, Chow began to study in
the U.S. at Indiana University, Jacobs School of Music as a student
of P.Q. Phan, and completed his masters degree in May 2013.

Huang Peh Linde graduated in Recording Arts (Hons) at the

prestigious Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, National
University of Singapore on a full scholarship in 2015. Awarded
the COMPASS Silver Award (2010) for outstanding performance,
Huangs works draw from a vibrant palette of colours, and she
experiments with a wide range of genres from pop, urban and
electronic to orchestral and musicals, mixing a unique combination
of orchestral and ethnic sounds into modern pop arrangements.

Composer

New York-based
composer, winner
of international
awards for
composition

Chow has won many awards in various forms of music

composition. He won the Second Prize of Taipei Chinese
Orchestra International Composition Competition in 2010 with
his Chinese orchestral work, Kampung. In December 2010, his first
symphonic work Getaran was commissioned and premiered by
the Malaysian Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, and was performed
in Past & Presenta concert that toured Kuantan, Penang and
Kuala Lumpur. In 2012, his Dialogue for pipa, alto sheng and
Western ensemble was selected for the Young Composers
Project of Beijing Modern Music Festival. In the same year, Chow
won the first prize of the Singapore International Competition for
Chinese Chamber Music Composition. Chow was also the finalist
of 2013 United States ASCAP Morton Gould Prize. In March 2016,
Chows Guanzi & Orchestra was selected to perform at the 2016
Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra International Composers Summit
during the Hong Kong Arts Festival. In May 2016, Chow was
invited by Janis Claxton, a choreographer based in Edinburgh,
to join her in scoring music for her dance research project during
her residency at Damansara Performing Arts Centre, Malaysia.
Chow is now the Composer-In-Residence of Vivo Experimental
Orchestra from Malaysia and The TENG Company from
Singapore. Chows music has been performed in many places,
including Malaysia, Singapore, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong,
Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, United
States, and Canada. As a pianist and cellist, Chow plays classical
repertoire as well as free improvisations with musicians in Kuala
Lumpur, Beijing, and New York City.

Photograph by Ejun Low

Music Arranger, Keyboardist & Sound Artist

Scholar with
the prestigious
Yong Siew Toh
Conservatory of
Music at NUS

As a music arranger and producer, Huang has worked on various

theme songs and productions for Chingay Parade, W!ld Rice,
MediaCorp Channel 5 and Channel 8, xinmsn.com, Capital
95.8FM, UFM 100.3FM, HSR International Realtors Pte Ltd and
City Developments Limited. She has also worked alongside
renowned Singapore producers such as Iskandar Ismail, Elaine
Chan, Bang Wenfu and Eric Ng, and created sound designs for
product and campaign advertisements for Wing Tai Asia and
Ministry of Defence, Singapore.
To date, Huangs discography includes soundtracks for theatre
production Monkey Goes West and Dick Lees musical Hot Pants,
Mando-pop artiste Kenny Khoos debut album and Maestro
Guitar ambassador Neil Chans debut guitar EP. Her portfolio
spans one award-winning instrumental album (10th Hi-Fi Album
Awards, China), three musical soundtracks, two Mandopop
albums, one solo guitar album and one single release.

artists
profiles
SAMUEL WONG

YANG JI WEI

Samuel Wong obtained his PhD in Ethnomusicology from the

University of Sheffield in 2009 and is the Artistic Director and
pipa player of The TENG Company.

Yang Ji Weis achievements and leadership roles include:

His achievements and leadership roles include:

Co-founder and Executive Director of The TENG Company.

Multiple-award-winning sheng performer.
Executive Committee member of the Singapore Chinese

Pipa

Recipient of the
Outstanding
Young Persons
of Singapore
Award and the
JCCI Singapore
Foundation
Culture Award

Author of the books Impressions of a Pipa Player (2003) and

QI: An Instrumental Guide to the Chinese Orchestra (2005).

Recipient of the Outstanding Young Persons of Singapore

Award 2009, the JCCI Singapore Foundation Culture Award
2009, the Henry Worthington Scholarship, the Singapore
Institute of Management Teaching Excellence Award 2012
and the Ngee Ann Polytechnic 50th Anniversary Distinguished
Alumni Award for Arts & Culture.

Member of the Music Education Programme Advisory

Committee of SIM University

Council Member at the Singapore Chinese Music Federation.

Mentor for the Artist Mentor Scheme (2013 & 2014), an initiative
helmed by the Singapore Teachers Academy for the aRts
(STAR) and supported by the National Arts Council.

Adjunct faculty at University at Buffalo-Singapore Institute of

Management and LASALLE College of the Arts.

In his youth, Wong was described by the Singapore Business

Times as one of the best pipa players in Singapore and was a
two-time pipa champion at Singapores National Chinese Music
Competition (2000, 2002). He has performed in the capacity of
soloist and chamber musician in Melbourne, Shanghai, Beijing,
Bangkok, Copenhagen, London, Dublin, Mayo, Wales and
Vientiane, amongst other cities. An advocate of contemporary
work, he premiered the works of renowned Singapore and
international composers, as well as collaborated with several
Singapore arts groups and international artists. In December
2013, Wong was officially invited by the Chulaborn Research
Institute on a concert tour to China with Her Royal Highness
Princess Chulabhorn Mahidol of Thailand. In 2013, he set up
The Pipa Quartet with three of his award-winning students and
revolutionised the instrument, creating the worlds first electroacoustic pipa, which was also supported by the National Arts
Councils Creation Grant.

Sheng

Recipient of the prestigious Shell-National Arts Council

Scholarship in 2005.

Recipient of the
Singapore Youth
Award 2015, the
nations highest
accolade for
outstanding youths

Music Federation.

Director of the Musicians Guild of Singapore.

President of the Singapore Sheng Association.
Music Director and Founder of the first and only sheng
ensemble in Southeast Asia, Resonance.

Music Director and Conductor of the Chinese orchestras of

Raffles Institution, Raffles Junior College, Catholic High School

(Primary), Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road), Elias Park
Primary School and Temasek Polytechnic.

Three-time sheng champion at the National Chinese Music

Competition

Yang read music at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing,

China under renowned sheng masters Professor Yang Shoucheng
and Feng Haiyun. He started learning the sheng since he was 10,
under Guo Changsuo and has received guidance from Professor
Xu Chao Ming (Shanghai Conservatory) and Weng Zhen Fa. In
2004, he won the first prize at the First Solo Combined Category
for guanzi, suona and sheng in Singapores National Chinese
Music Competition. In the same competition, he was also twice
a first-prize winner in the Ensemble Category (2000, 2004).

creative
team
GLEN GOEI

KOO CHIA MENG

Glen Goei has been a key player in Singapores rise to prominence in the local
and international arts scenes over the last 20 years. His body of work runs the
gamut of fields and disciplines, encompassing film, theatre, musicals, parades,
large-scale shows and World Expos over a 24-year period. This started with his
Olivier Award-nominated performance in the title role of M. Butterfly opposite
Anthony Hopkins in Londons West End. It grew through his multi-award winning
tenure as Artistic Director of Mu-Lan Arts with productions like Porcelain (Best
Play and Best Production, 1993) and The Magic Fundoshi (Best Comedy, 1993),
which garnered acclaim in London, Singapore and worldwide.

Koo Chia Meng received his Master of Fine Arts in Film Directing from the
Taipei National University of the Arts, and his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Digital
Filmmaking from Nanyang Technological University (Singapore). Trained as a
filmmaker, Koos short films have been seen by audiences locally and abroad
at festivals such as the 6th Singapore Short Film Festival, Singapore Short Film
Awards 2011, Vancouver Singapore Film Festival 2009 and 2011 AAS-ICAS Joint
Conference in Hawaii.

Director

His film career then took off with his picture Forever Fever (Thats The Way I Like It),
which he wrote, directed and produced himself; the first Singapore film to achieve
a worldwide commercial film release. His second feature, The Blue Mansion, was
a critical hit and completed a worldwide tour of film festivals, including Busan,
Tokyo, Hawaii and Berlin (Asian Hot Shots Opening Film).

Head Filmmaker

In 2013, Koo ventured into directing music videos for Singapore musicians as well
as casting for feature films such as Anthony Chens ILO ILO (2013) and films by Boo
Junfeng and Liao Jiekai. He has also collaborated with theatre companies such as A
Group Of People, The Finger Players, Drama Box, Toy Factory, Frontier Danceland
and W!ld Rice. With experiences in various disciplines, he has produced content
for Singapores National Day Parade 2010, Man Singapore Theatre Festival 2011
and Casual Days magazine.

Goeis work in and for Singapore has been in the forefront of the countrys
development. At a national level, he received the National Youth Award for his
contribution to the arts from Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong in 1994, was Creative
Director of the National Day Parade for three years, and produced and directed
numerous events including music videos and commercials. Internationally, he
was Creative Director for the Singapore Pavilion at the World Expo Nagoya,
Japan in 2005, the Opening Show for the Arts House, Singapore in 2004, and
Director of the Opening Ceremony of the International Olympic Committee
conference in 2006.

Koo is an associate Multimedia Designer with TheatreStrays. His collaboration

with Elizabeth de Roza on Re-Inventing Sita had the opportunity to be presented
during the Festival Internacional Cervantino 2011 in Mexico City.

Underpinning this has been his constant and substantial contribution to the
theatre, principally as Associate Artistic Director of W!LD RICE, one of Singapores
leading professional theatre companies. Here his productions have included
hits such as La Cage aux Folles, Aladdin, Boeing Boeing, The Magic Fundoshi,
Blithe Spirit and his internationally lauded 2009 interpretation of The Importance
of Being Earnest; and for Dream Academy, The Revenge Of The Dim Sum Dollies,
The History Of Singapore, The Little Shop Of Horrors and Into The Woods.

AARON KHEK

To produce video art content for both the film and theatre industry alongside
other collaborators, Koo founded the arts collective Fiction Shore in 2013. The
collective comprises talents in the field of filmmaking, multimedia, photography,
graphic design and sound art.

Choreographer & Dancer

Aaron Khek graduated with a Bachelor in Fine Arts from the Hong Kong Academy
for Performing Arts. Back in Singapore, he presented three seasons with The Arts
Fission Company. After a successful spell with Singapore Dance Theatre in 2002, he
co-founded Ah Hock and Peng Yu (AHPY), which has created major commissions by
the Esplanade, Singapore Arts Festival and other international arts festivals.
Since 2008, Khek has served as Creative Director of a series of national
festival events. He was Vice President of the World Dance Alliance 2002-2007
(Singapore) and more recently, he was Artistic Director with the Tang Quartet for
Celestial Remnants, a work commissioned by the Singapore International
Festival of Arts (2015). In the same year, NAFA invited him to remount In Place for
Da:ns Festival at the Esplanade. In 2016, his The Smiling Tiger won the
One-Minute Dance Film Competition with the Hong Kong Jumping Frames
International Dance Video Festival.
His work also includes teaching dance to full time students, choreography, and
creating two original musicals.

guest
artists
IX WONG

RIDUAN ZALANI

Ix Wong is formerly a dancer with the City Contemporary Dance Company

(Hong Kong) and founder of Singapore and Malaysia based contemporary dance
collective Ah Hock and Peng Yu. He also worked at the Arts Fission Company as a
choreographer, rehearsal director and dancer. Alongside co-founder of Ah Hock
and Peng Yu, Aaron Khek, Wong has worked with different artists and created
work for companies such as Singapore Dance Theatre, Action Theatre (Singapore),
Young Peoples Performing Arts Ensemble, Singapore Repertory Theatre, The
Necessary Stage, W!LD RICE and the Urban Folk Dance group of Breast Cancer
Foundation. Wong was a full scholar from the prestigious Hong Kong Academy
for Performing Arts.

Recipient of the National Arts Councils Young Artist Award (Singapore) for
excellence in Music, Riduan Zalani is a percussionist and a music leader amongst
his generation. He began his music pursuits in dikir barat at the age of seven,
and undertook formal music studies at LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore.
He performs globally from Japan to USA in renowned music, folklore and dance
festivals including the World of Music, Arts and Dance (WOMAD). In Singapore,
he performs regularly with various ensembles including Wicked Aura Batucada,
Orkestar Trio, SONOFA, Keris Movements and Singapore Malay Orchestra.

Dancer

NIRMALA SESHADRI
Dancer

Founder and artistic director of N Dance & Yoga, Nirmala Seshadri is a

multidisciplinary artist, choreographer, movement educator, researcher and
writer. A recipient of various awards including the National Arts Councils Young
Artist Award (Singapore) for excellence in Dance, Singar Mani (Mumbai) and
Balasaraswati Endowment Award (Chennai), Seshadri has served on the Board
of the National Arts Council Arts Resource Panel, and the Arts and Culture
Strategic Review Committee in Singapore. She has also served as Chairperson for
Singapore Dance Week 2010 and 2011, organised by the World Dance Alliance
Singapore. In 2014, Seshadri conceived and curated the International Conference
on Bharatanatyam in Singapore. She graduated with a masters degree in Dance
Anthropology (with distinction) from the University of Roehampton, London.
Her research work employed an ethnographic approach to explore the practice
of butoh in the UK. Her present practice and research focus is to discover the
intersecting space of bharatanatyam and butoh.

M. S. MANIAM

Tabla

Tabla player extraordinaire Maniam has travelled the world with his instrument,
was once sponsored by Pepsi to perform in China, and counts Indonesian royalty
amongst his fans. His love for improvisation also landed him his famous jamming
sessions at the internationally renowned Zouk Club in Singapore in the 90s, when
he played the tabla almost every weekend alongside the beats of the worlds most
famed DJs Paul Oakenfold, Danny Tenaglia, John Digweed, Paul van Dyk and Sasha.
Now, with more than 48 years of experience in the Singapore music scene, Maniam
has become a guru of percussion, skilled at almost every percussive instrument,
from the Chinese drum and the bongos, to Indian, Latin and Middle Eastern
percussion instruments. Maniam is a recipient of the prestigious COMPASS Artistic
Excellence Award (Singapore) and was named Indian Cultural Ambassador by
Singapores National Heritage Board three years in a row.

Malay Percussion

Riduans versatile skills are evident in his solo and sessionist ventures with the
Singapore Wind Symphony (2013), various MediaCorp television programmes
and in his collaborations with groups like Sa Trio (2014) and Bornfire (20062015).
In 2011, Riduan co-founded NADI Singapura to champion Malay traditional
drums and percussion. Through NADI, he spearheaded collaborative projects
like Temasya Kampung Gelam (2011) and Himpunan Serumpun (2014, 2015) that
are multi-disciplinary in nature, and directed Journey of the Pulse (2013, 2014).
In 2014, Riduan led NADI to launch its debut album, KataKitaKota. Riduans
dedication to his craft and community has earned him accolades such as the
Singapore Youth Award (2013) and ASEAN Youth Award (2013), Yahoo! Singapore
9 Award (Entertainment) (2012) and Goh Chok Tong Youth Promise Award (2006).

SYAFIQAH ADHA
Accordion

To date, Syafiqah Adha is recognised as the only Singapore female accordionist

who performs proficiently in this musical style. She graduated from the Yong Siew
Toh Conservatory of Music, National University of Singapore with a Bachelor of
Music Honours Degree, as well as a masters degree in Music Composition.
In 2013, she was awarded the second prize in the Young Composers Award
category at the 31st Asian Composers League Conference and Festival. She
has also participated and presented her works in other music festivals, such as
the SoundBridge Contemporary Music Festival organised by the Society of the
Malaysian Contemporary Composers in 2015. Her music arrangements have been
performed by various ensembles and performing groups in Singapore, such as
the Tang Quartet, the Singapore Wind Symphony and the Orchestra of the Music
Makers, to name a few.
Since 2009, Syafiqah has performed actively with Gendang Akustika, a traditional
Malay music ensemble in Singapore. She also oversees the ensembles music
direction in various productions and has staged performances, such as bangsawan
Puteri Kasih Berkait in 2010 and at Esplanades Pesta Raya 2011 at the Esplanade
Outdoor Theatre. In light of her musical potential and achievements, Syafiqah was
awarded the Goh Chok Tong Youth Promise Award by Mendaki in 2010.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Support
Us

PRODUCTION TEAM

As a non-profit arts company, our focus is on creating art and presenting it to the world. Oftentimes,
we are limited by our resources and operation costs. By supporting us with cash donations, in-kind
sponsorships and platforms, you will help further our cause to create cutting-edge Singaporean
work and to nurture a new generation of Singaporean musicians. We strive to make every donation
and sponsorship count, and to build a long-term partnership with you.

Director

.............................................................................................................................................. Glen Goei

Head Filmmaker
Filmmakers

........................................................................................................................ Koo Chia Meng

.................................. Looi Wan Ping, Nelson Yeo, Kevin Yeoh, Asa Lee & Koo Chia Meng

Choreographer

................................................................................................................................ Aaron Khek

Lighting Designer

.......................................................................................................................... Gabriel Chan

Costume Designer

.................................................................................................................................. Ix Wong

Art Director (Marketing)

Sound Engineer

........................................................................................................................ Zhang Bocheng

Production Manager
Producer

........................................................................................................................... CK Chia

............................................................................................................................. Xu Xinen

......................................................................................................................... The TENG Company

Here are the people and organisations who have taken a leap of faith with us and supported our
cause through the years:

GOLD SPONSOR
Temasek
WOOD SPONSOR
The Fullerton Heritage | Ng Teng Fong Charitable Foundation

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

ARTISTIC TEAM

Peter Godfrey, Chairman

Artistic Director -

Simone Lourey, Treasurer

Composer-In-Residence -

Ethan Tan, Board Member

Resident Arranger/Producer -

Gerald Teo, Board Member

Head of Research -

Samuel Wong
Chow Jun Yi
Huang Peh Linde

WATER SPONSORS
BinjaiTree | Honour Singapore

Wang Chenwei

Ivan Heng, Board Member

FIRE SPONSORS

Lim Yang Zheng, Board Member

MANAGEMENT TEAM

Lim Yi Benjamin, Board Member

Executive Director -

Dr Samuel Wong, Board Member

Director of Administration -

Yang Ji Wei, Board Member

Senior Manager Manager -

Yang Ji Wei
Gerald Teo

Ejun Low | FJ Benjamin | Goh Yew Lin | Low Yeap Toh & Goon | Miguel Ko
Pettycache | Rasel Catering Singapore | Ronald Ooi | Simone Lourey
Tan Chin Tuan Foundation | Tay Liam Wee | United Overseas Bank

Teresa Fu

Lim Kwuan Boon

EARTH SPONSORS
Aaron Howell | bYSI | CornerStone Wines | Crossinvest (Asia) Pte Ltd | David Heng

Presented by
www.thetengcompany.com
facebook.com/theTENGcompany
youtube.com/theTENGcompany
instagram.com/theTENGensemble
twitter.com/theTENGensemble
In Collaboration with

The TENG Ensemble is proudly supported by

The pieces featured in this concert are part of the Temasek Heritage Series.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Singapore | Jacqueline Brabazon | Jeanette Yule

Makeup Entourage | Matthew Bubb | Next Hair Salon | Nick Davies & Angie Chan
Salon B | TANGS | Wee Ee Chao | 99 Percent Hair Studio

The TENG Ensemble Ltd is a recipient of the National Arts Councils

Seed Grant for the period from 1 April 2015 to 31 March 2018.

The Teng Ensemble Ltd. is a not-for-profit charity registered under the Singapore Charities Act. Registration number: 201502077Z

accolades
...injects new elements into traditional culture and
created something uniquely Singapore.
PRIME MINISTER LEE HSIEN LOONG

The ensembles sense of adventure has led them to

incorporate sounds from daily life into their music
often in enigmatic ways.
THE STRAITS TIMES LIFE!, SINGAPORE

...gave the enthusiastic audience much to cheer about.

THE STRAITS TIMES LIFE!, SINGAPORE

There were two very well-received encores [...]

which sparked a wild rush to buy The TENG
Ensembles debut CD recordinga fitting souvenir
of an entertaining evening of music making.
THE STRAITS TIMES LIFE!, SINGAPORE

...

Translation: While one cannot pinpoint the exact genre of the ensembles
music, it stirs the heart of the listener, making them yearn for more.
LIANHE ZAOBAO, SINGAPORE

Photo courtesy of The Fullerton Heritage

THE STRAITS TIMES LIFE!, SINGAPORE