Sinfonica: Voce brings together VENTUS and Schola Cantorum Singapore in a concert that places wind ensemble and voice on equal footing. Rather than following conventional roles of accompaniment and foreground, the programme explores how both mediums can function as parallel expressive forces within a single musical framework.
At the heart of the concept is breath as a shared foundation. Whether produced through wind instruments or the human voice, breath shapes phrasing, colour and musical intention. Sinfonica: Voce is built around this commonality, allowing winds and voices to interact as equal contributors to the musical narrative.
“Both rely on breath, both phrase with the human body, and both can shift seamlessly from the intimate to the majestic. I wanted to curate a programme in which neither ensemble is an accompanist. Instead, they stand as equal storytellers, sharing a musical narrative as two expressions of the same breath,” says Adrian Chiang, Music Director of VENTUS.
The collaboration between VENTUS and Schola Cantorum Singapore grew out of a long professional relationship between Adrian Chiang and Albert Tay, Artistic Director of Schola Cantorum Singapore.
“I have known Albert for a very long time. A fun fact is that he actually knew my wife before he knew me because they studied piano under the same teacher in their formative years. Over the years, we often said we should create something together someday. Sinfonica became the perfect canvas for that long held intention, allowing us to explore the beautiful middle ground where the timbres of winds and the textures of voices merge into a single artistic colour,” Adrian shares.
Although the repertoire spans contrasting styles and sound worlds, the concert is designed to unfold as a continuous musical journey.
“Flow comes from understanding the emotional architecture of the programme. Even though the pieces are contrasting, each explores an aspect of the human voice, whether expressed through a singer or through a clarinet, horn or flute,” Adrian explains.
He describes the programme as a deliberately shaped arc.
“I imagine the concert as a story arc. We shape transitions deliberately, thinking about resonance, pacing and character so the audience moves effortlessly from one sound world to the next. Together with the choir directors, we aligned our phrasing and colour palettes early in the process. This allows both ensembles to breathe as one, to phrase as one and to arrive at musical cadences together. When the wind ensemble and choir share the same sense of musical gravity, the entire journey feels organic and natural.”
From a choral perspective, performing alongside a wind ensemble presents specific technical and musical considerations, particularly in balance and clarity.
“In the conversations that Adrian and I had, balance was at the top of mind. Wind instruments have a brilliance and immediacy that is beautiful, but it also means the choir must sing with excellent diction, be highly skilled and have solid vocal production and projection,” says Albert Tay.
He also reflects on the nature of the voice itself.
“We need to remember that the voice as an instrument, while accessible and easy to start with, is perhaps the hardest to master. This temperamental instrument is a lifelong study as it changes as we age. We also need to remember that even adult vocal folds are just delicate tissue that is about the length of an average thumbnail and how one plays and manages this instrument can be highly varied from day to day.”
Albert emphasises that collaboration is a shared responsibility.
“Wind band musicians must also learn to play with colours that help the sung poetry speak across the rich sound textures of the band. Our work is also that much easier if the composer or arranger has a more nuanced understanding of vocal writing and band orchestration to bring out the necessary.”
One of the more theatrical works in the programme, Godzilla Eats Las Vegas, requires a different kind of preparation. With Albert currently pursuing doctoral studies in conducting at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, the choir was prepared by Reuben Lai, Director of Schola Cantorum Singapore, and Wynne Lee, Associate Artistic Director.
“This piece is wonderfully outrageous, and we approached it with that in mind. We started by identifying why the vocal lines sounded the way they did and tried to form a picture of what was happening at different points,” they share.
The choir also examined the musical references embedded in the score.
“It was also interesting for the choir to listen to various YouTube links to hear the source of various snippets Whitacre infused into the piece, such as Frank Sinatra with his signature song New York New York, Wayne Newton who famously sang Danke Schoen, and Liberace with his piano virtuosity.”
Preparation focused on character and context rather than just vocal accuracy.
“The key was reminding the choir that they are not just singing a score. The whole score feels like a soundtrack to a cartoon or comedy. Once they embraced the humour and theatricality, the sound followed naturally. The choir had a lot of fun discovering their inner child and in the case of our soloist Morgane, a frantic Chihuahua who stands up to Godzilla.”
For listeners, Sinfonica: Voce invites attention to how musical ideas are passed between ensemble and choir.
“Listeners can pay attention to how both groups share breath and phrasing. Sometimes the choir initiates an idea and the winds echo it. At other moments, the winds create a sonic landscape that the choir steps into,” Adrian notes.
“There are moments when the choir becomes almost instrumental and moments when the winds sing like human voices. This fluidity is the heart of Sinfonica: Voce, where the boundaries between the two ensembles dissolve into a single expressive voice.”
As the inaugural Sinfonica concert, the project also signals future artistic directions.
“Sinfonica lays the groundwork for a new multidisciplinary platform in Singapore. It opens opportunities for collaborations not only with choirs but also with spoken word artists, youth ensembles, composers of hybrid works and performers from diverse vocal traditions across our region,” Adrian says.
“In terms of repertoire, the possibilities are vast. We can explore Renaissance brass and choral antiphonies, contemporary cinematic sound worlds, Southeast Asian vocal styles or even commission new works from Singaporean creators who are eager to write for a combined artistic canvas.”
Sinfonica: Voce ultimately represents a shared artistic approach between VENTUS and Schola Cantorum Singapore, one that prioritises dialogue, balance and intent.
“These are experiences where different artistic languages converse, challenge one another and ultimately create performances that audiences will remember long after the final note.”
Sinfonica: Voce
Sunday, 21 December 2025
Victoria Concert Hall, 4pm
$38, $28, $25 [Available for SG Culture Pass]
https://bookmyshow.sg/en/events/ventus-presents-sinfonica-voce/SINFVOCE