For the Singapore Wind Symphony (SWS), the stage is not just a platform for sound; it is a living canvas for movement, culture, and artistic evolution.
In their latest showcase, Resident Conductor Daniel Yiau and Band Chairman Gabriel Song explore the vibrant traditions of dance, sharing an inside look at how they are bringing local voices to the forefront and pushing the boundaries of wind band music.
At first glance, a wind band might seem an unconventional match for the dance floor. But for Gabriel, movement is the ultimate universal language.
“Dance felt like an accessible and exciting theme because movement is something everyone connects with instinctively,” Gabriel explains. “Even in symphonic wind music, there is an incredible variety of dance influences; from Latin rhythms to folk traditions to theatrical dance.”
For SWS, the theme serves as a bridge, designed to “explore how dance can tell stories, evoke emotions, and bring different cultures together through sound.”
Curating the perfect playlist for this sonic ballroom proved to be a surprisingly smooth process. “In all honesty, it was not as difficult as we thought!” Daniel admits. “We had quite an extensive list of dance themed pieces to choose from, narrowing down to our current programme took some time, but we had help with votes from our members.”
Amidst global classics, the repertoire proudly features works by local composers Joseph Lim and Peter Gale. This inclusion is a deliberate nod to a deeply rooted mission inherited from the band’s history.
“It was our late music director’s mission to champion local composers and works,” Daniel shares. “It took some time to get back on this journey, we will definitely be presenting more made-in-Singapore music in the future.”
Gabriel echoes this sentiment, emphasizing that supporting Singaporean talent is vital for the survival and growth of the local musical ecosystem.
“Absolutely. Supporting and championing Singaporean composers has always been important to SWS. We believe it is vital for our musical ecosystem to create opportunities for local voices to be heard alongside established international repertoire.”
What makes Lim and Gale’s music stand out? According to Gabriel, it is their ability to blend the contemporary with the relatable. “What is exciting about both Joseph and Peter is that they bring distinctly personal perspectives to wind band writing. Their music feels fresh and contemporary, while still being highly accessible and expressive. There is often a strong sense of storytelling and colour in their writing, and programming local composers alongside classics also shows audiences that wind band music continues to evolve and grow.”
While the concert features beloved masterpieces like Alfred Reed’s Armenian Dances Part II and Arturo Márquez’s Danzón No. 2, Daniel holds a fiercely passionate, nuanced view on what bands should be playing. To him, preserving band heritage is “1000%” essential, but he believes it must be balanced with a drive to push boundaries.
“It has always been my mission to champion wind band music, from the evergreen masters, to newer contemporary voices, performing music which needs to be played more, or relatively unknown here in Singapore, as a means of giving exposure to both musicians and our audience,” Daniel says.
However, he isn’t afraid to challenge standard concert programming, particularly when it comes to orchestral transcriptions.
“People who know me would probably raise eyebrows on the 2 chosen orchestral transcriptions, which I am not a fan of for concert programming,” Daniel states candidly. “We have many great pieces in the wind band catalog that should be played more, which are equally or if-not-more challenging and demanding. These orchestral pieces are already widely programmed in orchestral seasons, why are we not championing our own music more?”
Daniel warns against the trap of playing it safe just to please the crowd, arguing that the wind band medium is often unfairly treated as “plebeian” because ensembles repeatedly cycle through popular tunes to cater to audience palates. Instead, he advocates for challenging the audience’s curiosity.
“When audience members are not used to different genres and styles, they always return to familiarity. We should try to pique audience curiosity and expose them to different soundscapes through our concerts,” Daniel notes. “You would be surprised by the feedback from the members of public, the often strange and weird pieces always gets audiences engaging with us, rather than the more popular ones.”
When it comes to executing the fierce, syncopated energy of Leonard Bernstein’s Symphonic Dances from West Side Story, Daniel dispels the myth of any musical shortcut or “secret sauce”.
The answer is simple: Practice.
“Playing orchestral transcriptions require musicians to play on a much higher level, with wind instruments attempting to recreate string textures, and performance gestures, on top of the standard orchestral wind writing,” Daniel explains. “When the performance of the band version is pales in comparison to the orchestral experience, it might be more fulfilling to play high level wind band music instead.”
Ultimately, tackling a mammoth work like West Side Story comes down to old-fashioned discipline and emotional honesty. “I think the question relates to every piece of music we are working on, being vessels of expressions for the composers/arrangers, and drawing out as much as we can from every instrumentalist in front of us to the best of our abilities. Despite it being a mammoth task to execute this work, it is another piece of music after all, there is no secret recipe nor method, we do what we do day in and day out, and bring as much life out of the page as we can.”
As the final notes fade and the applause begins, Gabriel hopes the audience walks away with a shifted perspective on what a wind band can achieve.
“We hope audiences leave feeling energised, inspired, and perhaps even surprised by how vividly wind band music can move, connect, and tell stories. Through the theme of dance, we want listeners to experience a range of emotions, through joy, nostalgia, excitement, and a sense of connection across different musical styles and cultures.”
As for the future of the Singapore Wind Symphony, this concert is just one step in a much larger artistic journey.
“Looking ahead, SWS will continue striving to present meaningful and relevant programmes, collaborate with artists and composers, and contribute to the growth of the wind band scene in Singapore,” says Gabriel.
“We also hope to make wind band music more accessible and engaging for wider audiences, not just those who play a wind instrument, but anyone who enjoys meaningful musical experiences. Audiences can certainly look forward to more exciting repertoire, fresh ideas, and memorable musical experiences from SWS in the future.”
舞 wǔ
Sunday, 17 May 2026
NAFA Lee Foundation Theatre, 3pm