There is something quietly beautiful about being part of something you know won’t last forever.
Ang Jin Wei, trombonist and student conductor of NTU Symphonic Band (NTUSB), has sat with that feeling long enough to understand why this year’s concert is called what it is – Sojourn.
“A sojourn is often understood as a temporary stay or passage,” he says, “and that meaning resonates deeply with a university ensemble. Every member who joins NTUSB is part of a chapter. We come together from different backgrounds, grow through rehearsals and performances, and eventually move on, taking with us the memories and friendships formed that continue long after our time in the band.” He says it with a kind of peace.
The leaving is not the point. The point is everything that happens in between.
“Sojourn ’26 celebrates both where we are now and the paths that brought us here, while also looking ahead to where each of us will go next. It is a snapshot of a moment in time, but also a tribute to the ongoing legacy of the band.”
This year, that legacy will walk back through the door.
Alongside the current ensemble, alumni band Nanyang Symphonic Winds will share the stage, and Jin Wei speaks about this with a warmth that feels earned rather than rehearsed.
“More than a collaboration, it is a meeting of past and present, where different generations of musicians come together through a shared love for music and a shared connection to the band. There is something very special about having alumni return to the stage.”
For the current members, he says, “it is an opportunity to witness the legacy of NTUSB in a very tangible way, to perform alongside people who once sat in the same rehearsals, played under the same banner, and helped shape the culture of the band.”
For the alumni, it is something equally meaningful, “a chance to reconnect with the community that was once such an important part of their university life.”
What he keeps coming back to is continuity.
“Even though the people change over time, the spirit of the band remains. Sharing the stage reminds us that NTUSB is not just defined by one batch or one concert, but by a long line of musicians whose journeys remain connected.” He knows what that feels like from the inside.
Last year’s 40th anniversary Sojourn is the concert he reaches for when words start to fall short.
“Sojourn 25 was definitely the most memorable concert, with members of NTUSB and Nanyang Symphonic Winds working together to deliver an anniversary-deserving evening of tunes. Not only was the stage filled to the brim with wind band instrumentalists of all walks of life, the pieces we played were broad and orchestral, requiring all musicians to develop a sense of togetherness and combined musicality.” Something happened in those rehearsals that he still finds difficult to fully account for.
“Through the short few months of rehearsals, the combined band was playing in perfect harmony, and the feeling of euphoria playing in such a setting cannot be described in words.” He tries anyway, and lands on four. “Once in a lifetime.”
The programme this year moves through different emotional territories, and each piece was chosen with intention.
Under the baton of Mr Takehiro Oura, “this year’s repertoire was chosen to reflect the spirit of Sojourn ’26, a musical journey that is diverse in style, emotion, and character.”
Omens of Love opens with immediacy, “a bright, uplifting energy” and “a catchy, expressive quality” that Jin Wei says “showcases the band’s lighter, more vibrant side. It is a piece full of charm and warmth, and one that communicates directly with the audience.”
Polovtsian Dances asks for something deeper, pulling the ensemble into “a broader and more dramatic soundscape” with “rich colours, sweeping melodies, and moments of grandeur” that let “the band explore a more expansive and emotional style, showing off the depth and power of the ensemble.”
Punchinello keeps everyone honest, arriving with sharp wit and energy, “lively, characterful, and full of wit, with a playful theatrical quality that makes it especially engaging. It challenges the band in a different way, requiring precision, energy, and a strong sense of style.”
Together, he says, “there is something for everyone, whether listeners enjoy lyrical melodies, exciting rhythms, or colourful storytelling through music.”
Then there is the Marimba Concerto by Satoshi Yagisawa, which is something else entirely. Jin Wei is direct about its rarity.
“In the niche of wind band playing and percussion instruments, it is not everyday that a solo concerto for the Marimba is featured.” The work gives the instrument space to reveal something unexpected, “a rare chance to showcase its surprising lyrical and melodic abilities. From start to finish, the piece lets the Marimba shine in energetic phrases, lyrical rhythms, at the same time keeping its percussive characteristics.”
Performing it is Martina Umairah Binte Razali, who has been part of school bands since she was a child, working through “multiple virtuoso cadenzas” that demand “technical perfection, as well as advanced musicality.” For her, Jin Wei says, “this concerto is a treasured opportunity for her to showcase her passion for percussion and music.”
For anyone who has never been to a concert like this before, he is quietly insistent. “The tunes we will be playing are easy to appreciate, with strong storylines and beautiful melodic lines that are pleasing to the ear.” But he does not want anyone to mistake accessible for gentle. “There will be exciting and impactful moments of music to keep you on the edge of your seats.”
What he really wants is for people to simply be in the room. “Sojourn ’26 will be a perfect first concert for those looking to enjoy music performed by a young, lively and energetic band.” And beyond the music itself, he hopes people will feel something when they watch these musicians play. “It is also a great chance to support young, passionate musicians looking to hone their craft.”
That is, in the end, what a sojourn is. Not a goodbye, but a celebration of everything that brought these musicians to this moment, and everything they will carry forward from it. The music, the friendships, the shared purpose.
On the night of Sojourn ’26, all of it comes together on one stage. And that is something worth showing up for.
Sunday, 22 March 2026
SOTA Concert Hall, 5pm