Singapore symphony

I attended a SSO concert tonight, featuring SINGAPORE. A Geopolitical Utopia by Vladimir Martynov, a symphony written by a Russian composer on Singapore (it was first performed in Moscow in 2005 at the opening of some Russian-Singapore relations event). It was rather high security with metal detectors/scanners as many high officials, ministers, ambassadors, including our MM Lee Kuan Yew and His Excellency President S R Nathan attending.

Ok, going into the performance...

It started quite different from the usual, with clapping! Everyone in the orchestra clapped & the choir launched into "Sin-ga-por", repeating the word. This lasted for some time.
As the symphony went on, it gave me the feeling of different cultures enveloping me and the effect was very "surround", very "Singapore"...with all the races coming together in harmony. Somehow, it felt like those National Day songs...nostalgia. It was full of Singapore flavours with some Malay-like music.

After the very Singapore 1st part, you can hear it changing into a hymn-like music...more European/Russian style. Following which there was music that sounded refreshing and like day break. Somehow, I imagined that it was describing Singapore moving from the "turbulent past" to a new beginning as a nation.

It moved into more classical style music then a bit of jazz and then you could distinctly hear Chinese-style tunes. Very well put together.

You could somehow sense the multi-faceted & versatile Singapore, vitality, as we move into the future. Multi-cultured.

It was very interesting and I liked the piece very much. Of course, a standing ovation was given. Yes, I believe the composer did a good job in depicting Singapore.