By Kunchur Bharat (26A01B) and Prajna Girish (27S06O)

All photographs provided by Skyler Chen Yuanzhe (27S03A) and Huang Zhi En (27S03B) from Raffles Arts and Photographic Society 

As the evening light reflected off the ivy that crept down the walls of the School Of The Arts (SOTA), friends, family, and even some members of the School Management rapidly filled both upper and lower floors of the concert hall. Some held bouquets of wildflowers, others carried handmade boards–but everyone had the same eager smile and peeled ears for this year’s joint performance by RI’s Voices (Secondary) and Chorale (JC), Sing!

The Unveiling 

With the dimming of the lights, an anticipatory hush blanketed the audience. Emcees Hannah Chua (26A01A) from Chorale and He Qixu (RI Y1-4 Class 4F) from Voices took to the stage, while members of both CCAs spread evenly about the stage steps and concert hall. At the emcees’ cues, the audience was presented with a prelude to the enchanting performance with the opening act, Sing, My Child–a sentimental tune about hoping for better times.

Sing, My Child’s anthemic sound reinforced by the inclusion of the cajon.

Raffles Voices serenaded the crowd with international songs ranging from an Italian Renaissance piece (Il Bianco E Dolce Cigno) to energetic Balinese beats mimicking traditional Gamelan Ensembles (Janger). Though many of their selections were not in English, the language barrier did not hinder all those present from grasping the passion behind the cultural melodies and the talent of the young Rafflesians. 

To the background of roaring cheers, Raffles Chorale seized the cosy atmosphere that had been fostered and magnified it through hymns of worship (Sing Joyfully and Abendlied) and love (Tea For Two). Taking full advantage of the myriad of vocal ranges present, Chorale plucked not just layered melodies to weave into their section, but our heartstrings as well. Rachel Yong (27S03N), ex-member of Raffles Girls’ School Choir, shared that she “liked hearing [the] harmonies—the Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass [arrangement] was different from what we used to have—Soprano 1,2 and Alto 1,2”.  

Accompanied by Guest Pianist Mr Shane Thio, the final combined piece before intermission was I Believe In Springtime by Sir John Rutter, a radiant piece reflecting on renewal and the beauty of life. Rutter described it as an “anthem celebrating life itself, appreciating ‘all the gifts of earth’”. The higher voices brought clarity and optimism, while lower baritones provided warmth and serenity as the concert faded into a temporary break.

Mr Shane Thio, providing the piano accompaniment.

Returning from the intermission, we were treated to the third combined piece of the night, a rendition of Immortal Bach by Knut Nystedt. Derived from the first line of Bach’s funeral song, Komm, Süßer Tod (“Come, Sweet Death”), the overlaid lyrical passages created an ethereal effect, as if one were drifting into the afterlife, serenaded by low, droning voices. 

Raffles Voices then took the stage, with a trio of Japanese songs composed by Yuka Yamashita. Centred around spring, Haruga Kitanara (“If Spring Comes”), explored the balance between a season of renewal and the turmoil that comes with the changing of the seasons. Amidst a tumultuous global climate, it was an apt reminder of the restorative power of music and nature. The melodic exchanges between the different voice parts in the next piece, Nagai Go Go Ni (“In The Long Afternoon”), lent it a lush vocal texture, ending on a sudden, yet delicate note, inspired by the reflective atmosphere of the late afternoon. Their final piece from Yamashita, Shiawasena Ichinichi Wa, captured the fleeting emotions in daily, quiet interactions. Seamlessly blended voices created an atmosphere of calm reflection that, combined with the music’s smooth rise and fall, alluded to the quiet passage of time. To conclude Voices’ brilliant individual segment, San Nei, San Wei (“Inside the Umbrella, Outside the Umbrella”) saw the return of Mr Thio, as the piano’s continuous semiquavers evoked the murmur of falling rain, to accompany the piece’s homely and comforting sound.

Departing from the international theme briefly, Lok Sui Ten demonstrated the character and resonance of the Hakka dialect and embodied the notion of resilience in the face of adversity. Following that, Menceceh Bujang Lapuk brought a carefree, relaxed atmosphere, contrasting sharply against the heart-rending, poignant sound of Dahil Sa Iyo, a song rooted in the Kundiman tradition. 

Voices and Chorale reunited for the final piece of the night—the titular Sing, written by Joe Raposo for Sesame Street and arranged by Takatomi Nobunaga. Lower voices provided the rhythmic foundation, while upper voices carried the melody, eventually flourishing into a 4-part harmony, transforming the familiar tune into a choral celebration of music and community. 

The night ended with the always familiar Institution Anthem, bringing “Sing!” to a close. 

Behind The Curtain

“The training process was very intense. Incorporating the Y14 boys into our ensemble introduced a new dynamic, as with more voices came a richer but harder-to-balance sound, and it took time to adjust to the shift in texture,” commented Srenidhi Perinbanathan (26S03F), who was one of the soloists for the night. On top of adapting to this, memorising 12 pieces was especially demanding for the Year 5’s, who, unlike the seniors, had limited time to find their footing and internalise the repertoire. 

Raffles Chorale and Raffles Voices rehearsing before the performance.

In light of this, the Year 6’s played a crucial role in helping the juniors navigate the finer details of the performance, particularly those who came in with limited or no choral experience. More than this, making them feel safe and welcome in an unfamiliar environment and providing the space to grow their confidence, was important to the juniors even amidst their own busy schedule leading up to the concert. 

This is not to say that the nerves were not there. As pieces were learnt in individual sections, the rate at which the sections would learn pieces was uneven. According to Pia Kaur (27A01C), until two weeks before the concert, a sizeable number of people had yet to be familiar with all the pieces, leading to apprehension about going on stage unprepared. However, the singers were able to pull through in the final week, and observing the performance, it was hard to imagine them having such difficulties in the first place. 

Curtain Call

With the thunderous applause and with most guests staying back for more than half an hour post-concert to congratulate the choristers, it was clear that the performers’ efforts had paid off. 

Raffles Chorale wrapped up their performance to a standing ovation.

What had started as a simple concert leveraging both Choir CCAs grew into a heartwarming and restorative reminder to enjoy even the simplest things in life—from the nature surrounding us, to the people whom we interact with. We wish both Voices and Chorale our heartiest congratulations, and if you didn’t get the chance to attend their show this time round, we highly recommend that you mark out your calendar for the next one!