Alvin Arumugam, conductor
Mikyung Sung, double bass
with Symphonia Choralis, led by chorus master Chong Wai Lun

Kosaku Yamada - Madara No Hana
Missy Mazzoli - Dark with Excessive Bright, Concerto for Double Bass and String Orchestra
Giovanni Bottesini - Double Bass Concerto No. 2 in B minor
Ludwig Van Beethoven - Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125

The Musicians' Initiative presents "Beethoven's Ninth: Your Orchestral Experience" featuring the titular 9th Symphony, marking the 200th anniversary of the premiere of this monumental work. Known as the 'Choral" symphony, it is the first symphony to incorporate vocal soloists and chorus. This can be heard in the famous final movement, commonly known as the Ode to Joy. The orchestra will be joined by Symphonia Choralis, led by chorus master Chong Wai Lun, and 4 vocal soloists, for this epic work.

The concert also features Double Bass virtuoso Mikyung Sung, who will be performing Bottesini's Double Bass Concerto No. 2 as well as Missy Mazzoli's Dark with Excessive Bright. Mikyung gives some of the most fearlessly virtuosic and engaging performances heard on the double bass, most notable for her bel canto lyricism and emotional expression. She came to the attention of bassists around the world through videos of her performances while studying for her Artist Diploma at the Colburn School in Los Angeles.

Opening the concert will be the hauntingly beautiful symphonic poem, Madara No Hana (Flower of Mandala), composed by Japanese composer Kosaku Yamada. It is based on a poem of the same title by Kazo Saito, Yamada’s close friend, who showed versatility in music composition, architecture, painting, design of furniture and clothes. Saito studied in Berlin during the same period as Yamada, and was influenced by Kandinsky and Bruno Taut. The term denotes beautiful flowers growing in Buddhist Heaven.

Alvin Arumugam conductor
Theophilus Tan cello
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TCHAIKOVSKY - Variations on a Rococo Theme for Cello and Orchestra
SCHUMANN - Symphony No. 1 in Bb Major, "Spring"

The Musicians' Initiative presents "Spring: Your Curated Experience" featuring one of our local talents in Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's Variations on a Rococo Theme. Unlike his reputable works in the romantic style, Tchaikovsky's first composition for cello and orchestra was inspired by the Mozartian style, with its premiered version consisting of contributions by premiere cellist Wilhelm Fitzenhagen and respectable contemporary of the composer. Theophilus Tan, a recipient of the Goh Soon Tioe Award and featured musician in the Dutch article "Stars of Tomorrow," will be joining us.

In continuation of MI's wildly popular curated series, Robert Schumann's First Symphony in Bb Major, titled Spring, will be presented and the thematic ideas of the Spring series will be discussed.

The Musicians’ Initiative returns with an exciting new program! "Birdsong: Your Orchestral Experience" will showcase beloved compositions like the Butterly Lovers Concerto featuring Soloist Jocelyn Ng and the iconic 20th-century masterpiece, Igor Stravinsky’s Suite from the Firebird.

Continuing MI's legacy of groundbreaking programming, get ready to be spellbound by two local premieres. "Cantus Arcticus, Concerto for Birds and Orchestra" by Finnish composer, Einojuhani Rautavaara brings forth an extraordinary blend of audio recordings capturing the voices of Arctic indigenous birds. Furthermore, MI will unveil the Asian premiere of "Gliding Murmuration for Orchestra" composed by Anibal Vidal from Chile.

Alvin Arumugam conductor
Jocelyn Ng violin

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IGOR STRAVINSKY - Suite from The Firebird(1945)
CHEN GANG, HE ZHANHAO - The Butterfly Lovers' Violin Concerto
ANIBAL VIDAL - Gliding Murmuration (Singapore Premiere)
EINOJUHANI RAUTAVAARA - Cantus Arcticus, Concerto for Birds and Orchestra Op. 61 (Singapore Premiere)

The Musicians’ Initiative presents Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 “Sinfonia Eroica” and Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 5 “Turkish” featuring soloist Sayuri Kuru.

The newest addition to our immensely successful “Curated Concert Series", this event offers a captivating exploration of Beethoven and the historical events surrounding his 3rd symphony. Join us in this intimate setting, curated by Music Director Alvin Arumugam, with live musical examples for enjoyment by newcomers and classical music enthusiasts alike.

Alvin Arumugam conductor
Sayuri Kuru violin

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MOZART - Violin Concerto No. 5 in A major, K.219
BEETHOVEN - Symphony No. 3 in Eb major, Op. 55

Join us in concert with some of Singapore’s best!
Six award-winning young musicians will perform as soloists with the Musicians’ Initiative, presenting a programme from Vivaldi, Mozart, Haydn, Ravel, and Sarasate.

Edward Tan, conductor
Yoojun Curtis Lee, violin
Alyssa Low, violin
Jayden Qin, cello
Yuto Lim, violin
Timothy Chua, cello
Jacob Cheng, violin

Let the Musicians' Initiative String Quartet bring you on a musical journey around the world! They will be presenting a selection of folk songs, including tunes from the far away lands of Europe.

Let the Musicians' Initiative Wind Quintet serenade you with popular pieces from the classical repertoire and some of the most romantic love songs!

Arensky - Variations on a Theme by Tchaikovsky, Op. 35a
Enescu - Decet for Winds in D Major, Op. 14
Ginastera - Variaciones Concertantes, Op. 23

Musicians' Initiative presents an intimate evening featuring oft-overlooked gems of the chamber orchestra repertoire, in three different instrumentations. The strings begin the evening with Anton Arensky's Variations on a Theme by Tchaikovsky, which was first conceived as a string quartet movement and was repurposed for string orchestra into one of his most beloved works. The winds then take centre stage with Enescu's beguiling Decet in all its relaxing lightness and symphonic depth. The strings and winds will join forces for the centrepiece of the evening: Alberto Ginastera's Variaciones Concertantes. A series of variations featuring each instrument of the orchestra in a series of solos, it ascribes a character to every instrument ranging from the playful to the melodramatic.

The concert will be conducted and curated by MI's Associate Conductor Edward Tan.

Tchaikovsky - Piano Concerto No. 1 in Bb minor, Op. 23
Manu Martin - Lim Fantasy of Companionship for Piano and Orchestra
Brahms - Piano Concerto No. 1 in D minor, Op. 15

In celebration of world acclaimed Pianist Tedd Joselson’s Platinum Jubilee, Musicians’ Initiative is proud to present Flights of Fantasy.

The centrepiece of the concert will be the world premiere of Manu Martin’s Lim Fantasy of Companionship for Piano and Orchestra for which Tedd Joselson himself was the original recording artist.

This masterful piece is inspired by the multi-award winning animation ‘ALAN the Musical’ and is widely regarded to be Tedd Joselson’s crowning glory.

The Musicians' Initiative presents an intimate evening of Anime music with our Chamber musicians!

STRING QUARTET
Aerith's Theme
Howl's Moving Castle Medley
Waltz of Chihiro (Spirited Away)
One Summer's Day (Spirited Away)
Koi (Gen Hoshino)

WIND QUINTET
Sakuranbo No Minoru Koro (Porco Rosso)
Country Road (Whisper of the Heart)
Kimi wo Nosete (Laputa: Castle in the Sky)
Disney Showtunes

SAXOPHONE QUARTET
Give Remix (Highlights from Studio Ghibli Films)
Galaxy Express 999 Medley

Aaron Copland
Appalachian Spring Suite

Alexander Oon
Concertan-TEH! (World Premiere)

Alvin Arumugam, conductor
Alexander Oon, horn
Jasper Tan, trombone
Kang Chun Meng, euphonium

The Musicians’ Initiative presents its first performance of 2021 on the 10th of May, at 6PM & 8.30PM!

Together with the musicians of TEH Trio, we are delighted to present the world premiere of "Concertan-TEH!", a concerto grosso masterfully composed by the horn player of TEH Trio, Alexander Ian Oon.

In this concert, Musicians’ Initiative will also perform the Appalachian Spring Suite for 13 instruments. The piece is a condensed form of the full ballet composed in 1944 by American composer, Aaron Copland. Popularised by the Shaker folk song "Simple Gifts" and the soundscapes of rural Pennsylvania, this timeless classic has become a mainstay of contemporary chamber music.