On the evening of April 5, the Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SCO) presented “CONFLUENCE” at the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) in Beijing, celebrating the first anniversary of the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to strengthen exchanges and cooperation between Beijing and Singapore.

The SCO performs at the NCPA, April 5

That night, under the baton of Conductor Emeritus Tsung Yeh, the SCO staged a performance infused with elements of traditional Chinese music, as well as Southeast Asian, Indian, and Western symphonies, showcasing Singapore’s multicultural style. The repertoire, which included Tapestries, Fire Ritual, and Admiral of the Seven Seas – Zheng He, aroused wild applause from the audience.

The SCO, composed of more than 80 musicians, is a state-level orchestra in Singapore. Using a wide range of Chinese instruments, such as erhu and dizi, together with Western ones including cello and harp, the SCO has developed its distinctive multicultural style.

The SCO and the NCPA signed an MOU on strategic cooperation before the performance. According to Wang Ning, President of the NCPA and Chairperson of World Association for Performing Arts, the NCPA has already conducted cultural and artistic exchanges with over 140 embassies in China, as well as more than 460 artistic institutions and international organizations in China.

In an interview with Beijing Daily, Ambassador of Singapore to China Tan Hai Chuan said that following the signing of the MOU to strengthen exchanges and cooperation between Singapore and Beijing last year, various cultural institutions from the two sides have conducted multiple friendly exchanges. The MOU on strategic cooperation between the SCO and the NCPA signed this time marks yet another milestone in bilateral exchanges.