'Musical Inspirations' Concert 2013
The concert was led by guest conductor David Commanday and joined by guest violist Max Mandel, performing masterpieces from Carl Maria von Weber, Carl Stamitz and Johannes Brahms. The evening ended with an encore piece, Orange Blossom Special, an energetic and folksy piece about a passenger train in the United States, which Mr Commanday specially prepared for Singapore. The concert, held at the Esplanade Concert Hall, played to resounding applause on November 26, 2013.
Study Tour to UK, London with Natalie Clein (May 2013)
Three cellists from the Singapore National Youth Orchestra embarked on a sponsored study tour in UK, where they had the opportunity to hone their craft under the tutelage of renowned cellist Natalie Clein for a week in London.
Megan Lim , Pamela Koh, and Lau Yun Xi are only in their teens, yet they are already the top cellists in the Singapore National Youth Orchestra (SNYO). Their study tour program had allowed them to attend concerts by the London Symphony Orchestra and Ms Clein, as well as group workshops and individual master classes with her. The students also got to visit Hyde Park, museums, and other sights of London.
David Commanday Master Class (April 2013)
Distinguished American conductor and cellist David Commanday, who has worked with orchestras around the world including the National Symphony, Israel Philharmonic, American Symphony and Vienna Pro Arte Orchestra, held a master class for student musicians from the Singapore National Youth Orchestra (SNYO) on April 20, 2013 in Singapore, at the Ministry of Education premises.
The master class was attended by about 80 music students from local secondary schools. Commanday worked with two chamber groups and two violists on a range of well-known pieces, including Dvorak American Quartet 4th movement, Borodin 2nd Quartet - 1st and 3rd movement, and orchestral excerpts from Don Juan and Shostakovich 5th.