The right notes: Growing an appreciation among the young for classical music
SINGAPORE — Interactive video screens, colourful characters from the past and present, and audience participation that takes a unique twist. It’s all part of Jason’s Short Guide To Music History, a classical concert show at the Victoria Concert Hall (VCH), which takes place this afternoon (March 19). If you’re thinking: This doesn’t sound quite like a classical concert — you are right. This particular series is targeted at children from four to 14, and is meant as an introduction to classical music for the young audience.




SINGAPORE — Interactive video screens, colourful characters from the past and present, and audience participation that takes a unique twist. It’s all part of Jason’s Short Guide To Music History, a classical concert show at the Victoria Concert Hall (VCH), which takes place this afternoon (March 19). If you’re thinking: This doesn’t sound quite like a classical concert — you are right. This particular series is targeted at children from four to 14, and is meant as an introduction to classical music for the young audience.
“I’m trying to give the audience an idea of the range of classical music out there ... that classical music is not just Bach or Beethoven,” said Jason Lai, the associate conductor of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) who helms the series.
“But to do that within an hour means there’s only so much one can do. So I’ve picked a group of composers that I hope they can relate to — one composer from each period: Baroque, Romantic, Modernist, and so on,” he added.
The show itself is based on the premise that the VCH is a time machine and the audience is taken on a journey through time as Lai encounters various composers. Video screens will be used as narrative links for Lai to communicate with the audience, who are encouraged to participate throughout the show.
There will be music. “Because this is a concert to introduce the music, we might not play the whole piece but bits and pieces,” he said, adding that doing it in such a way could make it easier for an audience who aren’t familiar with classical music to digest.
“It’s like how you can’t swallow a whole cake at once but if you eat it bit by bit you can finish it,” he said, pointing out that the video elements are also designed specifically with children in mind.
MUSIC WHEN YOU’RE YOUNG
Jason’s Short Guide To Music History is the latest concert that aims to make classical or orchestral music more accessible. More and more concerts are targeting the younger audiences, including the very popular Baby Proms and the Concerts For Children series by the SSO and the Children’s Concert series by the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory, which often see packed houses each time.
Then there are the SSO’s Casual Concerts, featuring more popular classical fare; the Metropolitan Festival Orchestra’s performances that include popular film music scores such as the recent Star Wars And Beyond concert; and concerts by community orchestras, such as the Braddell Heights Symphony Orchestra that sometimes focus on young players — this year’s concert in September, for example, will feature pianist Abigail Sin.
“(We should) break down the barriers of classical music. People think it’s stiff or boring and they’ll fall asleep at such concerts, but it’s much more exciting than that. That’s why the great works have remained,” said clarinetist Mariam Adam, who was in town with conductor Johans Alber as part of the LANXESS-SNYO Singapore National Youth Orchestra Musical Masterpieces concert last year.
Why is there this focus on getting children to appreciate classical music? Well, one of the reasons, said Lai, was to help nurture future audiences.
“Classical music is … a museum piece. We play music mostly by dead people. So rather than become a dusty relic, we need to change the way people respond to the music. If you can present it in a different light, people can find a way in. That’s why we have these video elements, because kids today are so involved in technology,” said the conductor, who started getting interested in classical music when he was 10 after being mesmerised by actress Virginia Madsen’s role as a cellist in the movie, Electric Dreams.
“I wanted to be a cellist. I quickly became a music nerd — doing 10,000 hours of practise or whatever. I wish I could tell you that I saw the Berlin Philharmonic live and it changed me — but no. She played Bach’s Minuet in G and I was hooked on Bach.”
Another way to engage the young is to let them have a feel of the instruments, like what the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory does with its Children’s Concert. After the performance, children are encouraged to get hands-on experience with some of the instruments.
“I think that’s good because it can help a child know what they want to play,” said Lai, who is also the principal conductor of the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory orchestra. “You can see a bassoon and go ‘wow, what a cool instrument’; so, to have hands-on is important.”
“For me, education has always been a big part of my career,” said Adam. “At first, when I started out, I was a little reluctant to give concerts for children because I thought I was going to be a big time soloist … but about 16 years ago, I felt there was a big need to give back and educate, nurture and provide the audience of tomorrow.”
She admitted that classical music tends to attract an older audience. “I wanted to instil that passion for music — and live music, especially to young people,” she said, adding that the ability to positively influence a younger generation of musicians who might be questioning whether they want to make music a career was key to continuing an appreciation for, and supporting, classical music.
GROWING AUDIENCES
Students who are studying music now, for example, might not go on to be professional musicians, “but we need (them) to still be part of the arts community … whether they end up being a concert goer or get into arts administration”, said Adam.
The audiences here appear to be changing their perception about classical music, said 23-year-old Singapore pianist Wang Congyu, who added that the appreciation for classical music is growing.
“Classical music is for all to enjoy. Classical music is not old, and classical music is not boring. The problem with classical music is that its audience is ageing. The challenge is to make this music available to young people. They must be the new target.”
“In the six years I’ve been here, the music scene has grown a lot,” said Lai. “One of the reasons, why I came here was to help the scene and now, you have Singapore conductors, composers, musicians … hopefully, this can be an industry.
“There are a lot of music schools here and anything is possible – as long as you are passionate and can do what you do well,” he added.
For Lai, the increasing variety when it comes to classical music concerts is a good thing. “This variety makes a healthy music scene. It will grow an appreciation,” he said.
“Sometimes audiences don’t know what they want. People might be snobby about music, like, ‘I don’t like jazz or classical’, but really, have you tried listening to it? The only way you innovate is to try it out. You could fail sometimes, but then you get better. So it’s important for institutions like the SSO to take the lead and say, ‘you might like this — why not try it?’ Both institutions and audiences need to be brave.
“With the burgeoning arts scene here, I think people will continue to be brave. Boundaries are coming down slowly — even though there are limits here, you just need to be clever about doing things.”
He continued: “If the Baby Proms are selling out that tells you something. I try to work outside the box and do something differently with the kids’ concerts and hopefully people will come back for more.”
Jason’s Short Guide To Music History is happening on March 19, 2pm at the Victoria Concert Hall. Tickets from SISTIC.