A Beautiful Muse 2017 – Arts Showcase
At the library@esplanade Open Stage, our talented Eunoians enchanted friends, parents and library guests with their unique palette of music and drama in this arts showcase on 19 Aug 2017.
The EJC Chinese Orchestra were first to take the stage and inspire they did. Beginning with a medley of Disney favourites, they would offer a rendition of pop and folk songs such as «不为谁而作的歌» and «彩云追月» in a classical Chinese signature.
If the Chinese Orchestra lifted expectations, students from the EJC Music Elective Programme (MEP) certainly did not disappoint with their versatility and craft. A four-hand piano duet enthralled with ‘Souvenirs de Bayreuth’ (Gabriel Fauré). ’Song for Japan’ (Steven Verhelst) led by a brass trio struck an emotional tone, deepened by a violin and piano duet, ’Salut d’Amour’ (Edward Elgar). Our musicians in the making would also showcase original compositions of their own: Joan Tan presented ‘Odyssey’ for two violins and piano, while Yap Yi Yang, Ng Weihan and Ashley Chua brought their National Xinyao Songwriting Competition entry «时光» to life with a special performance by music teacher Mr Xie Zhizhong.
Closing the MEP segment, an alto saxophone and piano duet brought a Latin air with Scaramouche, op. 165b, III: Brasileira (Movement de Samba) by Darius Milhaud. Smooth was the transition to self-taught guitarist Zhang Si Mian, who took turns to serenade and shake up the stage with his renditions of ‘Despacito’, ‘Take Me to Church’ and ‘Believer’. If there were nerves, it could not be felt from this first solo public performance.
Confident too were the thespians from EJC Drama Club, who performed excerpts from local playwright Joel Tan’s People, directed by Ms Rebecca Lee, Artistic Director of Buds Theatre Company. Their portrayal of a nurse, mobile phone salesman, a priest and JC students moved and uplifted, Singaporean in character, and human in spirit.
Organiser and aesthetics coordinator at the college, Mr Peter Gn, sees the potential in the melange of performances to ”develop critical thought and creative expression, nurture self-development, teamwork and leadership qualities as well as enrich the study of other subjects”. Platforms like A Beautiful Muse ”provide meaningful opportunities for Eunoian arts talents to grow and flourish,” he added.
The stage has been opened, and we can anticipate many more moments of beauty and inspiration from Eunoians to come.
