NTU String Orchestra Concert: Journey '09

Hi, Ding Neng here and I'm going to share with you my participation in NTU String Orchestra Concert.

The concert is titled: Journey'09.

About NTUSO...

I'm currently playing in Nanyang Technological University(NTU) String Orchestra, and it is a great orchestra I must say. The people are friendly, the music teachers are friendly, and it's really enjoyable playing with them.

NTU string orchestra is mainly made up of current students of Nanyang Technological University, inclusive of undergraduates to post-doctorate students. We also have alumni members coming back to play with us.

NTU String Orchestra is currently directed by our accomplished music conductor, Mr Xu Zhong Hao. We also have distinguished players in well-known orchestras in Singapore, teaching various sections of the orchestra.

More info can be found here.

Preparation for the Concert

The Journey series started in 2005, and this year is the 5th edition, and it would be our last NTU String Orchestra Journey Concert. We are performing at a different level next year! :D

Here's a picture during one of the concert practices. Our Music Conductor, Mr Xu Zhong Hao(center), will be directing us for the concert.

We had almost 20 intensive practices in a span of 4 weeks. It can be tiring sometimes, but it is enjoyable playing beautiful music for the concert.

While we were practicing hard for the concert, we also advertised for Journey '09 through different mediums. Some of our members helped promoting by emailing and calling, creating Facebook groups and putting up posters on walls and websites.

But I did this...

Yup. It's a form of marketing too. It attracted quite a lot of response, even though I created and uploaded it 2 days before the concert.

I recorded a piece played during one of the practices, edited it using iMovie on my Mac with words and animations. It's quite easy and fun to do. Hope you guys like it :D

And the day arrives...

Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts

After weeks of hard word, it's time to bring the best music to our audiences. Everyone arrived early to get prepared for the concert tonight. Here are some of the behind-the-scenes pictures...

Cover page of concert booklet. sorry for the poor resolution of my camera XD

List of NTU String Orchestra Concert players

On the stage playing for fun, while others are resting :P

And here's Journey'09!

At 7.30pm, NTU String Orchestra Concert began and impressed the audience with a piece by Antonio Vivaldi, "Concerto Grosso in D minor", followed by J S Bach Double Concerto in D minor.

We played a repertoire consists of pieces of different ages... including:

Concerto Grosso in D Minor by Vivaldi

Double Violin Concerto by Bach

Divertimento I by Mozart

Holberg Suite by Grieg

Simple Symphony by Britten

Moon Represents My Heart (arr. by Kelly Tang).

*Below is a 'sneak' recording of the piece "Double Concerto in D minor" by J S Bach, performed by NTU String Orchestra and our 2 famous violinists, Mr Gerard Chia and Ms Jessie, as soloists.

We performed a well-known Chinese song "月亮代表我的心“ for the finale of the concert, as it was Mid-Autumn Festival on the night of the concert. Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋节) is a popular harvest festival that falls on 15th of the Eight month in the Chinese calender.

Journey '09 was indeed a rewarding experience for all players. It was the fruit of labor after months of hard work by our music conductor, instructors, committee members and all the players of NTU String Orchestra.

My girlfriend, Valerie :D

And that's my journey in Journey '09! Hope you like the pictures and videos I've created. Recordings of the full NTU String Orchestra Concert is still underway, and I will inform you about it, when it's ready!

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