Member’s Name: Chin Yi Xian
Instrument: Sheng

“Exhilarating”, “Nuanced” and “Imaginative”; these three words encapsulated my thoughts when I watched the “A Bug’s Life” concert led by the Principal Guest Conductor of the Singapore Chinese Orchestra, Darrell Ang. The unique repertoire truly brought a contemporary and refreshing sound to the orchestra. For instance, “The Insect World” composed by Doming Lam, vividly brought audiences into the world of insects through the distinct soundscape of the Chinese orchestra, by using modern harmonies, timbres and textures. Additionally, “Passacaglia: Secret of Wind and Birds” composed by Tan Dun, was also etched in my mind, as the composer invites the audiences to play a recording of Chinese orchestra instruments like the Sheng and Erhu mimicking the calls and sounds of birds, allowing audiences to participate in the music as well.

Darrell Ang, a fiery and sensitive conductor left a deep impression on me with his energy and baton technique, communicating an unforgettable vigour into the music tonight.

I have learnt more about the use of textures and harmonies in composition that I previously did not expect in the Chinese orchestra, which forms a special imagery in the listeners’ minds. I hope to listen to more of these music in the Singapore Chinese Orchestra in the future!

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Member’s Name: Elaine Yong Xinyi
Instrument: Sheng

“Mesmerising music with remarkable insights into a bug’s life. I enjoyed the amazing choice of repertoire played beautifully by passionate musicians.

My favourite piece for this concert was “Butterfly Lovers” played by cellist Cho Hang Oh. He has an interesting interpretation of the piece which allows me to hear what he thinks of “Butterfly Lovers”, and it was spectacularly executed.

Another piece I felt amazed by was “A Bug’s Life – Paraphrase on a Theme by Alexander Scriabin” compose by Darrell Ang. I loved the visuals on the background showing the routine of the bees, which really helped me make connections with the music and a real “Bug’s Life”.”

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Member’s Name: Chang Le Le
Instrument: Yangqin

“我觉得这次的音乐从主题到选曲上都很新奇，让人印象深刻。

先说主题：昆虫世界

我觉得与SCO 以往的几次音乐会相比，如风雅颂、梦释等，这次的主题（选曲也是）能吸引到更多不同群体的观众。以往的音乐会多数是以抽象概念/意象（不知道怎么形容）为名，更有诗意和艺术性。 “昆虫世界”倒是一个比较新奇的主题，以一个比较具体的事物作为主题，乐曲全都以此展开，简单明了，虽然字面上并没有其他主题具有诗意，但我觉得这种新颖的风格反而能吸引到对华乐了解不多的人。（其实我看到这个音乐会的主题和选曲后就是觉得这个音乐会会很有意思才来的）

而且每一首曲子加到一起，真的像在叙述昆虫世界，我听完这场音乐会后确实会想更多地去了解，感受，欣赏自然。

《昆虫世界—斯克里亚宾模拟曲》世界首演，由作曲家亲自指挥，充分表达出了音乐富有的情感。而且乐曲加入了电子钢琴，也算是挺新颖的（？）

而且演奏这首曲子时，还在墙上播放了视频，展示昆虫在自然中的活动。通过视觉来辅助听觉，让观众即便是第一次听到这首乐曲也能更容易去理解乐曲的意境与表达。

《帕萨卡利亚：风与鸟的密语》这首曲子更是新奇，通过录音的形式来让观众参与到音乐，提高了互动性。除了演奏乐器，还有“数码鸟语”，再加上吟唱，三者结合，给人留下深刻的印象。

我觉得最后的《野蜂飞舞》更是点睛之笔（！）也算是家喻户晓的一首乐曲，极快的节奏将音乐会推向充满激情的结束，而且也扣了主题，我觉得这个结束音乐会真挺有意思的。

整体来说我觉得这次的音乐会与之前相比更加有趣，能吸引到更多的观众，而且具有丰富的文化与深度。”

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Member’s Name: Chong Zer Kai, Arther
Instrument: Erhu

“The overall concept experience was very good as the small details in every instrument that may make the sound of different insects that go throughout many pieces really added to the theme of the whole concert which is a bugs life. There were many beautiful pieces played by the most memorable that I like was the butterfly lovers this piece is one of my favorite and this special interpretation that uses the cello instead of the violin to play the music as well as using Chinese Orchestra instead of the western Orchestra to play The Butterfly lovers was very interesting to see as it is not commonly played so some learning pointers from this concert is to know that instruments can actually sound like insects if played well enough.”

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Member’s Name: Chee Tao Wei Ernest
Instrument: Sheng

“Overall, I think that the repertoire for the concert was well planned, with a good variety between newer and older pieces. The piece that left the greatest impression on me was the Cello version of the Butterfly Lovers violin concerto, as it was a new take on the classic concerto that I had never heard before. The difference in sound between the cello and violin made the piece especially memorable as it gave me a new interpretation on the piece.

Another interesting part of the concert was watching the conductor conduct, as he tends to conduct quite differently from the conductors that SNYCO usually has. This conductor has a more Western conducting style, which differs from other styles that I usually see, so the exposure to a different way of cueing instruments and giving beats was an interesting experience.”

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Member’s Name: Chan Chin Shuan
Instrument: Sheng

“I liked the theme of the concert, and the part with the audience participation was very interesting as I had never experienced something like that before, I also liked the conductor. the piece I was most interested in was the Butterfly Lovers cello version, and I felt that it was a very interesting take on this piece as I had never heard it played on the cello before. the soloist was virtuosic in some areas but I feel like sometimes his tone was not very full but maybe it was just the acoustics… I overall really enjoyed the concert!”

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Member’s Name: Tan Jing Hng
Instrument: Suona

“Overall, the concert was enjoyable. The concert programme was very well planned out, and I felted that the compositions reflected the performance’s theme well and produced an ambiance appropriate for the theme. Among the various compositions, the Butterfly Lovers concerto was the most unforgettable because it was played on the cello this time rather than on the violin or erhu (as it is played in other versions), bringing out a different character in the piece and presenting the audience with a unique perspective on this Chinese classic. The usage of audience phone sounds for the Passacagalia was also innovative and engaging.”

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Member’s Name: Leong Jia Wen
Instrument: Sheng

“The concert programme was thoughtfully curated, centred around an engaging theme of bugs and nature, while skillfully blending Eastern and Western ideas—reflected in both the repertoire and programme notes. I found the selection particularly relevant to contemporary issues, making it highly relatable for today’s audience. This sense of relevance is a crucial direction for Chinese Orchestra performances as they strive to stay meaningful and resonant.

In contrast to earlier “soundscape” works in the CO scene — which often felt abstract and less accessible — A Bug’s Life presented a more compelling arc. It transitioned smoothly from newer pieces to older classics like The Insect World and Butterfly Lovers, creating a striking and effective contrast. Ending the concert with Tan Dun’s piece was a fitting choice. His work beautifully reintroduced the sounds of nature through traditional Chinese instruments, seamlessly woven into a contemporary framework.

Contrary to popular opinion, I actually preferred A Bug’s Life over Butterfly Lovers. I look forward to experiencing more concerts like this and learning from them.”