Young resident conductor Joshua Kong will make his concert debut with the Sembawang Wind Orchestra tonight in their 26th installment of KÖNZERT.
“When the band management approached me to be the resident conductor for SWO, I was surprised and felt honoured to be selected in taking up this role. Since I grew up playing in SWO, I thought it would be a good way for me to give back to SWO after learning and playing with different bands.
Being a conductor for any band is definitely a big difference from being a soloist or performer but with the guidance from Music Director, Mr. Desmond Ng and the Artistic Committee members, I’m able to grow from a player to be a conductor,” said Joshua, about his thoughts with the new appointment.
Known for performing solo works for wind band such as Curnow’s Rhapsody for Euphonium, Mozart’s Flute Concerto and Beethoven Piano Concerto No.5, tonight’s program will see SWO do the same featuring soloists from Flute, Saxophone and Trombone.
“During my secondary school years, I was exposed to Deux Mouvements for Alto Saxophone and Band, and I fell in love with it immediately. Theme on Schindler’s List became one of tonight’s repertoire when I came across a video of an orchestra performing it on the BBC Proms. The English Horn player was crying while playing it and I read up the work’s program notes which touched my heart deeply. As for Colours for Trombone, I chose it because the piece showcases the majestic sound of the instrument, and at the same time can bring out different emotions through the sounds it deliver.
I have known the soloists for a long time and when I propose the music for the solo works, they were committed to performing them,” said Joshua, on his music selection.
For the rest of its programe, SWO will be performing two orchestral transcriptions for wind band, namely Franco Cesarini arrangement of Verdi’s Gran Finale Atto II (dall’Opera “Aida”) and Strauss’s Polka “Thunder and Lighting”.
Completing the evening will be Jay Bocook’s brilliant Symphonic Suite from Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
KÖNZERT XXVI
Sembawang Wind Orchestra
30th September (Saturday)
Victoria Concert Hall, 7pm
This is a sold out concert.
A contributing editor at TBP.