Thursday, July 10, 2008 Y
i just visited the nafa website and something interesting caught my eye!
check this out man
30 June 2008
NAFA Symphony Orchestra is first non-European orchestra to play at the Botersheim Festival in Hamburg, Germany
When the Musical Director of the Hamburg Arts Festival, Professor Prosper C. Otto visited NAFA last year to conduct a master class for students of the NAFA Department of Music, he was so impressed by their talent that he invited them - the first non-European orchestra, to play at the recent Gut Botersheim Festival 2008 in Hamburg, Germany. Helmed by Volker Hartung, Head of Studies (Orchestral Training and Chamber Music)/Senior Lecturer, NAFA, the 40-member NAFA Symphony Orchestra gave a rousing performance to a fully-seated audience in an open-air concert on Saturday, 21st June in conjunction with Music Festival held at Botersheim, Germany. The performance was part of a Europe tour that the orchestra embarked on for the first-time in its six-year history. The tour had the esteemed support of the German Ambassador in Singapore, His Excellency Folkmar Stoecker and the Singapore Ambassador in Berlin, Germany.
Mr Richard Adams, Head of Music Department/Senior Lecturer said: “The purpose of the trip was to give our students a first-hand experience of the country, a first visit for many of them, whose music and culture they have been studying about. The trip is also one of the first steps we are taking to establish the reputation of our orchestra beyond the shores of Singapore. The students were so thrilled of the opportunity to perform in six concerts in some of Germany’s most prestigious and beautiful venues. They have returned from the trip enriched from the exposure and exchanges, and recharged with newfound inspiration and zest for the craft which they have been keenly pursuing and honing.”
The students departed for their two-week trip on Wednesday, 11 June and returned on Tuesday, 24 June. While in Germany, the orchestra travelled to at least four cities for performances where they played alongside very fine, well-known European orchestras, as well as visited several renowned music academies located in the birthplaces of some of Germany’s finest composers. Please refer to the
annex for the itinerary.
Ng Wei Ping who had just completed his BA (Hons) in Music programme was among those who went for the trip.
On his most memorable experience from the trip, Wei Ping, concertmaster of the NAFA Symphony Orchestra, related: “I’d say the most painful experience of the concert tour is undoubtedly that one week arduous preparation on the concert program prior to our departure. On the other hand, to have Jin Li, a protégé of legendary Yehudi Menuhin as our soloist is a blessing for all of us. He gave us enormous inspiration during the rehearsals in Singapore and his consistent delivery of six outstanding performances of the Paganini’s violin concerto brings incredible astonishment not only to the audience in Germany, perhaps even more to the members of the orchestra.”
Wei Ping added: “If I can have one wish for this tour, it would be to have more time to enjoy the beauty and tranquillity of the countryside in Germany. But, knowing I am touring with a German conductor who knows every shortcut and detour to get around in his own country, going from North to South which normally takes two months would be too easily accomplished in less than two weeks!”
To raise funds for the trip, the NAFA Orchestra staged its first performance at the Victoria Concert Hall on 9 April - “Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9”, with guest soloists and the NAFA Chorus and the NAFA Chinese Ensemble in accompaniment. Besides ticket sales, corporations and individuals lent their support by taking up advertisements in the concert’s souvenir programme booklet. Dr Zechariah Goh Toh Chai, Head of Studies (Composition)/Senior Lecturer, NAFA also made a personal donation of S$1,000 to help students fund their trip.
4:48 PM -
XOXO esther hwang jimin