Of concerts and recitals

I plan to attend many more concerts and recitals this year!. Already 3 months into 2009, I had the chance to experience thankfully the joys of classical concerts. Earlier I had attended the Braddell Heights Symphony Orchestra when they were playing one of my favourites. Beethoven Violin Concerto in D. The violinist Mr Darin Varbanov who graduated with a Master's Degree from the State Musical Academy- Sofia Bulgaria now teaches violin in the School of the Arts. It was yet another memorable night especially when I went to the concert with my sister for the first time ever.

Last week I went to the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory at NUS for the first time to hear Zuo Jun's violin recital. My sister was not well so I ended up attending the event with Eve, my step sister in law and fellow music lover. Overall, we were very impressed with the chinese violinist who is currently the head of violin studies in this conservatory.

Actually, we wondered in good humour why on earth was the conservatory named after the donor especially when it was not a glamourous name to remember at all. Why not named it the Singapore conservatory or National music conservatory. Why the awlful name as it is!!! I would not want any place in Singapore to be named after me!!! Alas there exists a Rebecca Road where sprawling bungalows of 22000 sq feet and above are found. Thank God. At least some class in the good class bungalow area. hahaha

The concert started abruptly with a bow and the paganini caprice no 23. I felt the violin was not in perfect tune and I heard a middle age woman muttered "aiyo out of tune" in the circle seats. Ha speaking of concert etiqutte. Thank God the next caprice my favourite No. 24 was brilliant. However, watching Alexander Markov played all 24 caprices in one recital !!!!I was totally blown away. O man, I loved the Russian born violinist's interpretation. He skillfully made every caprice sound so different and left me with a deep impression of Paganini. This genius learnt to play all 24 caprices in one summer shortly after his family migrated to America. He explained in the DVD, that he was no slave to his violin. I found a copy of this particular video and wanted much to own it, afterall, how many violinists in the world had performed and recorded the full 24 Paganini caprices in one recital?? Even the legendary Yehudi or Itzhak Perlman included at most 2-3 in one concert. However the price tag of $79 made me think twice about owning this masterpiece. Please Lord give me a good discount so I may add it to my library.

Back to Zuo Jun. Well he shoned! He wowed me and the audience with fantastic playing of the Strauss Violin Sonata in E flat major, Op 18 and the beautiful Elgar violin sonata in E minor , Op 82. However my favourite pieces that evening was the virtuositic Wieniawsky's Polonaise No 1 in D major and the 2 encore pieces. The chinese one was so refreshing, interesting and melodious and the last was an old favourite D'vorak's Songs that my mother taught me. Sigh....he played it so beautifully poignant leaving the audience lusting for more.

Unfortunately, its really late and the crowd need to exit and find their way out of the campus grounds. Eve enjoyed the concert but reiterated that she would not want to travel so far to the western part of singapore for musical evenings ever. Include her only when the concert venue is Esplanade or Victoria Concert Hall she retorted. I can empathise with her. Going home by public transport and cab was quite an ordeal time and money wise. I am trusting God that next time we visit that conservatory together, we will drive there and back without the hassle of calling and waiting for cabs or buses and mrt. For me, I go by the programme and I can bet to return often to the concervatory for more good music. In fact, I wished I had studied here instead of wasting my prime years doing accountancy in NTU, hahaha, of course during that time immemorial, the foundation stone of Yong Siew Toh Conservatory was yet to be laid.