Singapore, Oct 22 – 100 aspiring K-Pop superstars showcased their vocal prowess and slickest dance moves in front of the tvN K-POP Star Hunt’s panel of judges, Mr. Eddy Tan, Vice President, Programming of tvN, [V] and Star World, Fox International Channels (FIC); Mr. Park Jae-Hyun, General Department Head of Rookie Development Division, CUBE Entertainment; and Singapore guest judge, television personality and actress, Ms. Irene Ang.
Based on their personal style, soulful croons, polished choreography and the
‘superstar’ factor, the top 20 contestants will move on to the final round
of competition tomorrow, where the top two will be selected for
professional training with CUBE Entertainment and compete in the finals for K-Pop  superstardom!

The atmosphere at StarHub Green was tense as each contestant took their
spots in the holding area, warming their vocal chords, or further perfecting
their dance moves. There were others who huddled together with their
family members and friends for additional emotional support, as they nervously  awaited their turn to perform.

Ranging from ages as young as 12 to 28-year olds, the superstar hopefuls
shared their dreams and aspirations with organisers, gushing over the
opportunity to train with CUBE Entertainment, the entertainment
management company which has churned out Korean powerhouses such as BEAST, 4 Minute and G-NA. Many passionate fans even chose to pick up the Korean language to better articulate their singing and to understand the conversations and  chatter on Korean variety shows as well as in their favourite Korean drama series.

Said one such fan, Ms. Fu Qiaohan, 16, a student at Zhonghua Secondary
School, “I picked up the Korean language two years ago so that I could
reduce my dependency on subtitles whenever I watch Korean programmes. It
has also helped me to relate to some of the puns and play on words that are
spoken in these programmes. This way, nothing gets lost in translation.”

Eddy Tan, who sat amongst the esteemed panel of judges, was awestruck by
the quality of performances. He remarked, “I’m really amazed by the quality
of the contestants! Some of the performances really blew me away. Not only
did the contestants’ ability to sing and dance impress me but many of them
were also effectively multi-lingual with a handful able to speak Korean
proficiently.”

Singapore guest judge Irene Ang, who is also the CEO and founder of
Singapore’s pioneer artiste management company FLY Entertainment Pte
Ltd, was especially specific in her selection with only the most outstanding
and well-rounded contestants receiving the top marks. She explained, “We are
looking for contestants that we feel best represent Singapore and are
able to perform well even on an international platform. We look beyond the
performance and also take into consideration the potential of each
contestant. Talent is also key.”

“We are looking forward to the finals tomorrow where competition will be
even tighter,” Ang added.

The top 20 contestants will gear themselves up for the final round of
auditions which will be held tomorrow, Sunday, 23 October at Square 2,
from 2pm onwards, where the judges will be called on once again to select
their final two. The two contestants will represent Singapore in Seoul, joined
by eight other representatives from Thailand, Hong Kong, Taiwan and the
Philippines. In Seoul, the ten finalists will undergo a boot camp mentored
by CUBE Entertainment and star in a reality series which will air on 31st
December, Saturday, 8pm on tvN (StarHub channel 824) where the next K
Pop Star will be crowned.

Source: www.sprg.com.sg

Programme:

DEBUSSY Prélude l’apres midi d’un faune
ANANDA SUKARLAN The Humiliation of Drupadi
BERNSTEIN (Arr. JOHN MUSTO) Symphonic Dances from West Side Story
GERSHWIN-LEE-HENDRIJANTO Original Variations & Paraphrase on ‘I Got Rhythm’ (featuring guests pianists Frances Lee & Song Ziliang)

Come join the Lee-Hendrijanto for an intriguing evening of dance- and drama-inspired music, all expressed through the unique ensemble of two pianos.

You can check out an interview here, where Denise discusses some of the music in detail:

http://pianofortephilia.blogspot.com/2011/07/introducing-lee-hendrijanto-piano-duo.html

Featured Lecture-Demonstration:

Transforming Tradition – The Role of Research in Creating “Wayang Sampur-na”

By Garrett Kam

This lecture-demonstration offers a discourse on Garrett Kam’s creative process as a choreographer, researcher and performer of “Wayang Sampur-na”, an autobiographical work of cultures studied and places visited by the artist since 1975. As a result, it is evolving and changing with his experiences. In this session, he will be talking about his ongoing research in traditional Asian dances and how the different dance styles provide inspiration for new choreographies, incorporating his recent experience from a workshop conducted a week earlier with NAFA students.

REGISTER NOW to secure a seat at the lecture-demonstration.

“Wayang Sampur-na”

- Story

In “Wayang Sampur-na: Epic Turning Points” created in 2010 and performed by Garrett Kam, sampur (Javanese dance sashes) are given new meanings for telling important scenes from the Ramayana epic of devotion, separation and reunion in a sampurna (ideal, pure) way.

- Props

Performing like a Javanese dhalang or solo puppeteer, Garrett creates masks and puppets of characters from sampur as they appear in episodes, animating and pulling them apart as the story unfolds with short narration in English between scenes. This introduces new audiences to the epic and brings another aspect to those who are familiar with it.

- Dance

Mostly danced in the Javanese court style from Yogyakarta, the work also includes choreographic ideas and elements from other parts of Indonesia (Bali and West Java), India, Sri Lanka, Burma (Myanmar), Thailand, Cambodia, Okinawa, China and Korea in addition to some improvisation.

- Music

The opening and closing scenes in this wayang (performance) use Javanese gamelan music, with nine narrative sections done to Javanese and Balinese melodies arranged for Western instruments by Canadian ethnomusicologist Colin McPhee, and Asian inspired film music by Australian composer Elizabeth Drake.

Excerpts of the performance can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JE0a74CFbTg

About the artist
Garrett Kam has a bachelor’s degree in Art (1976) and a master’s degree in Southeast Asian Studies (1987) from the University of Hawai’i at Manoa (UHM). Garrett studied Javanese dance from 1975 to 1979 at UHM, and from 1979 to 1982 under master teachers KRT Sasminta Mardawa, R Sunartomo, RM Sutamba, RL Prabapawaka and Bambang Pudjasworo in Yogyakarta.

Garrett was the first non-Javanese to perform in the professional group of the Mardawa Budaya and Pamulangan Beksa Ngayogyakarta schools of court dance. Garrett has taught and performed in the USA, Thailand, Cambodia, Okinawa, Korea, Indonesia, Singapore, Taiwan and Sri Lanka. He has also studied Okinawan and Korean dance.

Source: www.nafa.edu.sg

Under the royal patronage of H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco

Friday, 8 July 2011, 8pm

SCO Concert Hall

Under the royal patronage of H.S.H Prince Albert II of Monaco, the Little Singers of Monaco (LSM) will make a triumphant return to Singapore on Friday 8 July at the SCO Concert Hall. Since their successful debut in Singapore two years ago, the 31-strong European royal choir, under the musical direction of Pierre Debat, the Chapel Master of the Palace of the Prince of Monaco, returns to treat choral music lovers with a programme that reflects their strong musical tradition. Choral music fans will love the showcase of works by Bach, Mendelssohn, and Charpentier, and be intrigued by their rendition of Gregorian chants, folk songs and more.

Singapore is the first stop for the choir’s Asian tour and it is in the name of charity that the popular choir will be performing this summer. The local concert is organised by the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) where nett proceeds from the performance will go towards the NAFA Student Relief Fund. The fund aids NAFA students who encounter sudden financial difficulty in their school term, to pay for tuition fees, text books and art materials. After Singapore, the little singing ambassadors of Monaco will perform in East Timor and China to benefit various local charity programmes. 

The group of 9 to 37-year-olds tour extensively outside Monaco with their message of peace, winning critical acclaim and fans wherever they perform. Residing in the Cathedral of Monaco, the 37-year-old LSM is internationally renowned for their musical sensitivity and rich traditions of European royal choirs. 11 choir members will be performing in Singapore for the first time, among them the two youngest members. In addition to the diverse age range, diverse nationalities form the choir, including a Monaco Permanent Resident who came from Russia, reflecting the small country’s residency made up of over 100 nationalities. 

Tickets are available from SISTIC at S$45, $35, $25 and student concession is at S$15. Group bookings of 20 tickets or more enjoy 15% discount off ticket prices. OCBC Credit & Debit Cardmembers, CSC Members, Friends of SSO, PAssion Card Holders and MadAboutArts Card Holders enjoy 10% discount off ticket prices. All discount offers exclude SISTIC booking fee and SISTIC terms and conditions apply.

Source: Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts

In Acting, students will explore how actors communicate with an audience. Using mind, body and voice in new and interesting ways, they will engage with physical movement, masks and props. Children will experiment with improvisation and characteristation, learning how to create real and believable characters for an audience. Working from the basic outline of a script, students will learn how to expand and shape a body of work into an original final performance.

Young performers will find expression through rhythm and movement by exploring fun dance routines that help improve coordination, balance and spatial awareness in the Dance and Movement discipline. Students will be exposed to a mix of traditional and modern dance styles in learning how a routine can be integrated into a final performance.

The Musical Performance component will demonstrate the importance of rhythm, timing and diction in song-delivery, a key aspect to any successful musical theatre performance. Students will also be coached on the rudiments of voice training, helping them discover their range and how it can be used to effectively strengthen a performance in the Voice module of Stage Lights.

Each programme level will conclude in a scripted and choreographed workshop performance for parents and friends, putting into practise the skills acquired throughout the course of the week.

Stage Lights is led by senior teachers from Julia Gabriel Centre for Learning’s EduDrama team. Experienced in performing arts, these teachers bring with them a wealth of experience and stagecraft knowledge to inspire and motivate each student and to help them realise their creative potential.

Themed ‘Starry Starry Night’, this programme will take place during the second week of the school holidays from 6 Jun to 10 Jun (Monday to Friday at 0900 – 1130 and 1430 – 1700). Each session is two and a half hours at $485+GST per week.

These school holiday programmes are held at Julia Gabriel Centre for Learning, #04-00 Forum, 583 Orchard Road, Singapore 238884. For registration and more information, call 6733 4322 or download a registration form from www.juliagabriel.com.