What a year it has been! If you’ve following us since January, you would know that this year has indeed been one long ride for Vox Camerata. Besides organising our annual concerts, we found ourselves sharing the stage with other voices in Singapore for festivals and performances! Now that we’ve completed our final gig of the year, let’s take a look at what we were up to in 2018!

Here goes:

FEB 24 / SINGAPORE RHAPSODIES
@ NATIONAL MUSEUM OF SINGAPORE

We began our year with a public performance beside the one and only red Steinway concert grand piano in Singapore! There, we presented a myriad of works including local compositions by Lennie Chua and arrangements by our Artistic Director Shahril Salleh.

MAR 11 / MUSICA INTIMAE: THE PLAIN OF DREAMS 夢の広野
@ VICTORIA CONCERT HALL

We took the opportunity to extend our stage to old and new friends in 2018’s presentation of our annual concert series, Musica Intimae. The epic journey of dreamlike soundscapes brought Vox Camerata and The Crescendos together to present Nader My God by U arranged by André van der Merwe, Ēriks Ešenvalds’ O Salutaris Hostia and music from South Africa, Christopher Tin’s Baba Yetu and Indodana arranged by Ralf Schmidt and Michael Barrett. The Crescendos later presented a mix of five songs including Javier Busto’s Haurtxo Txikia Negarrez Dago, Mù Gē arranged by Benedict Goh and Victor C. Johnson’s Bonse Aba. The concert provided a platform for other choral groups to perform at the prestigious Victoria Concert Hall. In this, the Woodlands Ring Concordia Choir performed Ed Lojeski’s arrangement of Claude-Michel Schönberg’s Les Miserables medley and NUS High School Choir performed Thomas Luis De Victoria’s O Magnum Mysterium and Guido Lopez-Gavilan’s El Guayaboso. Finally, Vox Camerata presented a collection of Japanese art songs by Toru Takemitsu – Koi No Kakurembo 恋のかくれんぼ, Chiisana Sora 小さな空 (‘Small Sky’) and Ashita Wa Hare Kana 明日は晴れかな、曇りかな (‘Will tomorrow, I wonder, be cloudy or clear?’) – and Kentaro Sato’s Mae-E 前へ (‘Forward’) which was composed in memory of the victims of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan. The Vox Camerata Chamber Singers also took centre-stage with two commissioned works by Singaporean composer, Lennie Chua entitled Dare To Dream and Find This Rainbow. The sold-out concert with John Rutter’s The Clare Benediction performed by all four choirs.

The concert was proudly supported by Arts Fund, Silver Sponsor, Terrabit Networks and De Mirror Make-Up House as our Make-Up Partner. We would also like to thank cajon player Yuan Yun Xi for making her appearance. In line with our mission to make choral music accessible for all, this concert also extended to the beneficiaries of Singapore Cancer Society and Beyond Social Services.

MAR 12 / VOICES OF SINGAPORE FESTIVAL
@ CHIJMES

Under the kind invitation of Voices of Singapore Festival, Vox Camerata had the privilege to represent “non-auditioned choirs” and perform in the beautiful Chijmes Chapel.

JUN 9 / COLLEGIA MUSICA: SERÉNE
@ ARMENIAN CHURCH OF ST. GREGORY THE ILLUMINATOR

Vox Camerata Chamber Singers is the auditioned arm of the community choir and allows the space for most interested members to specialises in performing more challenging vocal chamber repertoire beyond that performed by the community choir. In June, the Chamber Singers performed Requiem a 4 voces by Spanish composer Tomás Luis de Victoria.

AUG 5 / SINGAPORE CHORAL FESTIVAL
@ VICTORIA CONCERT HALL

Under the generous invitation of Konzert, Vox Camerata was invited to perform in Do You Hear The Community Sing?, a collaborative concert by community choirs in Singapore. We performed alongside The ACJC Alumni Choir led by Ms Valerie Wilson, The Graduate Singers led by Mr Adyll Hardy, Schola Cantorum Singers led by Mr Albert Tay, Singapore Lyric Opera Children’s Choir led by Ms Rose Loh, Victoria Chorale led by Mr Nelson Kwei and Vocal Consort led by Mr Foong Hak Luen. Among the repertoire performed, highlights included works by Singaporean composers and arrangers such as Kelly Tang’s The Daffodils performed by The ACJC Alumni Choir and Zechariah Goh’s Singapura Dilanggar Todak performed by Victoria Chorale. It was a memorable night for us as we debuted our Artistic Director, Shahril Salleh’s arrangement of Eres Tu (‘For You’) which was arranged for the Golden Girls of Vox Camerata, Lyn and Lizzie. This performance is dedicated to Lizzie, for wherever she may be a part of her will always be with us.

AUG 31 TO SEPT 2 / ANNUAL CHOIR RETREAT
@ BUKIT BATOK HOME TEAM NS

Once a year, the choir takes a vocal break away from our scores to get to know one another better, not just as choristers but as friends and family. The day began bright and early with a game of BINGO in which we found out that amongst us, some had the ability to bend body parts in unusual contortions, one lived with a retired member of the Singapore police force (her dog!), one was from the secret service and one had even been to prison several times. In the afternoon, the choir huddled together to talk about dreams and aspirations before putting our creative juices into crafting our individual feather brooches – a tangible symbol for the new choir identity we’re working towards! Just before dinner, we poured our hearts and souls into sharing a moment in our lives that was significant. The night finally ended with a humble dinner buffet.

OCT 14 / NUSS CHOIR CONCERT: ‘WHY WE SING’
@ SCHOOL OF THE ARTS CONCERT HALL

We were really privileged to have been able to perform John Rutter’s Magnificat again within the span of 2 years. This would not have been possible if not for the kind invitation of NUSSChoir and conductor, Mr Adyll Hardy as part of their 20th anniversary celebrations. For most of our members, it was their first time experiencing singing together with an orchestra! The matinee performance of Movements 1, 2, 4 and 7 was accompanied by da ka:po Late Starters Orchestra under the baton of Mr Eric Lee. We also had the chance to perform Simple Gifts and Roads together with our lovely hosts!

DEC / CHRISTMAS CAROLING
@ VARIOUS LOCATIONS

Once again, we ended the year with caroling! This Christmas, we spread yuletide joy at Cluny Court, the Centrepoint, Crowne Plaza at Changi Airport and Snow City.

Thank you for an amazing 2018! Without your support – our families, friends and fans – we wouldn’t have made it this far. 2019 will see us embarking on more adventures, so don’t be a stranger and join the ride!

Join us today!