By Nandakumar Shraavan (24S03B)
Vibrant costumes, tantalising food, superhit songs like ‘Why this Kolaveri’—do these come to your mind at the mention of Indian culture? Well, there is certainly more to it than these pop culture staples.
RI’s Indian Cultural Society (ICS) will give you a fantastic opportunity to experience and learn about the rich and multi-faceted Indian culture. Read on to learn more about our CCA!
Continue reading “CCA Previews ’24-25: Indian Cultural Society”
By Guitar Ensemble EXCO ’24
Have you ever watched guitarists on YouTube in wonder and admiration, and aspired to be just like them? Well, fret not! Raffles Institution Guitar Ensemble (RJGE) is here! RJGE is a fully fledged Niibori guitar ensemble that dabbles in a myriad of musical genres, ranging from folk, to classical, to pop.
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By Chamber Ensemble EXCO ’24
Every Wednesday morning, from 7.45 to 10.45 am, 8 individuals convene at the Indoor Sports Hall for CCA. However, they’re not part of a sports CCA: the only exercise they get is carrying their instruments to school and playing them during CCA. What kind of bizarre, eccentric CCA is this?
Welcome to Chamber Ensemble!
Our CCA is housed in the humble (and perhaps small) Chamber Room — located in a corner of the ISH. Despite its modest size, the Chamber Room is filled with memories of generations of musicians. Our conductor, Mr Lin Juan, was also once a starry-eyed student at the Chamber Ensemble.
For a typical CCA session, you can expect tutti (combined) rehearsals led by Mr Lin, before breaking out into sectionals or smaller chamber groups which are conducted by other tutors, or sometimes even self-directed. During rehearsal, we also like to get snacks from the convenient store, Chill, while chilling with our friends!
From chamber works like Beethoven’s trio to larger scale orchestral pieces like Tchaikovsky’s string serenade, we play a wide range of classical pieces during our CCA sessions. To satiate the audience’s appetite for more familiar tunes, we also perform tracks from household animations like Studio Ghibli and local compositions like “The Road Ahead”.
Our conductor, Mr Lin Juan
If you join us, Mr Lin will be guiding you not only during weekly sessions, but also in various performances! You could be performing with…
your best friend,
your chamber group at concerts,
or together as an ensemble at the Singapore Youth Festival!
Did that make your heart skip a beat? Palpitate excitedly? Perhaps even light a spark in you? If the answer is yes, we are pleased to have you!
“Great! Can I join now?” you might ask. Well… not yet: we do expect two things of you.
Firstly, the ability to play a string instrument is instrumental (pun intended) to joining our CCA. However, do not worry too much because this ability isn’t one measured by certificates and awards; it will instead be put to the test through a short audition and an interview.
Secondly, a passion for music-making is essential. Things can get tough during the two hectic years here in RI, and this passion is what will carry you through despite the challenges you’ll face!
Kudos to you if you’ve made it this far: we hope that we’ve earned ourselves a new member of the ensemble. See you at the auditions!
By Zenneth Lim (Chairperson), Gu Jiaqi (Vice-Chairperson), Lim Xin Ci (Secretary), Tong You Hong (Drama Section Leader), Liu Xiuping (Songwriting Section Leader), Vera Ong Liwen
Have you ever wondered how your favourite Chinese songs are written? Do you love watching Chinese dramas? Or have you ever wished to meet people like you, who appreciate Chinese language and culture? If this sounds like you, then Chinese Literary Drama Cultural Society (CLDCS) is definitely the CCA for you!
Continue reading “CCA Previews ’24: Chinese Literary Drama Cultural Society (CLDCS)”
By Hawa Najihah (Secretary), Lam Eu Ann (Quartermaster), Zhao Yuxuan (Vice-Chairperson) and Kaden Lau (Chairperson)
There are an infinite number of ways to start a Chinese Orchestral piece – quietly, with the ethereal chime of a Yunluo or the soulful tones of the Erhu; or forcefully, the entire orchestra sweeping head-on into an energetic passage, driven by the ever-present heartbeat of its percussion section.
Crucially, any Chinese Orchestra is defined by the intricate interplay of its five sections: Winds (吹管), Percussion (打击乐), Plucked Strings (弹拨), Bowed Strings (胡琴), and Cellobass (低音弦). RI (Y5-6) Chinese Orchestra is no different.
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