CLDCS, the Chinese Language Drama and Cultural Society, is a performing arts CCA which includes both drama and songwriting sections.

Many people know us from our annual concert in early May. This year, the concert was a huge success too, attracting more than 400 people. However, due to our Chinese-oriented environment, our CCA may not be as popular as many others.

One major factor which may have influenced our popularity is that many are worried that their lack of fluency in Chinese may pose as a problem for them  during the regular training sessions. However, this is just a misconception as our external instructors often use English or mix English with Chinese to promote better understanding and participation from the club members. Furthermore, some of our club members who are not fluent in Chinese also enjoy their time here to a great extent!

This year, we hope to bring the club to a whole new level. YOUR participation  is the key to our success. We will take in those who are passionate about music and acting, who are excited to transform the club and take the lead, and those who want to shine under the spotlight and share their passion with many others. It doesn’t matter whether you have past experiences. As long as you fit our requirements, we will take YOU in.

There are two sections in our CCA: Drama and Songwriting. In the drama section, we act, play games, write scripts and comment on each other’s performances. Our external instructor, Mr.Chou , is a very famous figure in the local drama scene. He has been with us for more than 5 years and helped us tremendously. In the songwriting section, we have two external instructors who are friendly and experienced, and are more than happy to share their experiences and teach you how to write touching and melodious songs!

Weekly training sessions will be on Tuesdays(songwriting) and Wednesdays(Drama) after school. You can choose to sign up for both sections or just one section. There will be more trainings near our annual concert, which will be held in early May.

This year will definitely be an exciting journey for CLDCS. As a member of the club, YOU definitely have many opportunities to showcase your talents both in and out of the school. IHC remix, drama house, CIP opportunity in the ART HOUSE…..And most importantly, the annual concert! We will also record and sell a CD with all our music pieces to raise funds for charities.

Also, our club values individual talents. In the club, we help each other to learn and grow together. Apart from many leadership opportunities, you can also look forward to a fulfilling year of new friendship, pursuing your passion and showcasing your talents.

We hope you will join us in realizing our dreams together!

by Raffles Chorale

 Fun fact: when a choir sings, their hearts beat as one. Literally!

On a similar note, being a member of Raffles Chorale certainly entails a lot more than simply singing in tune with sixty other choristers. Contrary to popular belief, a high level of technical expertise is not a pre-requisite, but rather an open mind, a passionate heart and a humble willingness to learn. As the chairperson of the batch of 2013, Samuel Tham, aptly puts it:

“Chorale has really been a place where music is made, regardless of whether one comes in with little or much musical background. My hope for Chorale is that it continues to excel, and in creating music, everyone will grow as singers, team players and friends.”

Founded in 1982, Raffles Chorale has since established itself as one of the most distinguished youth choirs in Singapore, having recently won a Certificate of Distinction in the Singapore Youth Festival Central Judging of 2013, and having been a member of the prestigious Ministry of Education’s Choral Excellence Programme since 1988. The choir prides itself in representing Singapore on the international stage as well, having performed and won competitions in countries such as the Czech Republic, Belgium, and Poland.

Besides competing locally and internationally, Chorale takes joy in performing for community projects and organising our annual student-run concert series Vocal Delights in December, coupled with other events held earlier in the year. Naturally, achieving the consistent and excellent standards we pride ourselves in demands for relatively rigorous practices – they are held with our conductor, Mr Toh Ban Sheng, on Wednesdays and Fridays, from 1430 – 1830 and 1700 – 2000 respectively, with sectionals on Fridays to be scheduled within the individual sections.

Of course, blending is important in more ways than one. While practices can intensify especially in the lead-up to competitions and concerts, we equally emphasise the unquestionable importance of bonding, highlighted in our annual activity day, along with numerous planned outings! Such events bring the choir together, not only as fellow choristers, but also as a supportive, quirky and loveable family.

Within the main choir, Raffles Chorale is also home to two internal a cappella groups, P.U.N.C.H. and Fringe, which dabble in songs of various genres, ranging from choral pieces all the way to pop tunes. These a cappella groups allow one to witness the power of the human voice.

2014 will yet be an even more fulfilling year as highlights include a performance at the Limelight concert at Esplanade, before embarking on the exciting biennial overseas tour in June. This time, we will travel to Prague for the International Festival Musica Sacra at Kozel Castle, and Vienna, for a journey that promises to be a memorable landmark in Chorale’s history, and in every member’s heart. The year will then wrap up as per tradition with Vocal Delights, to be organised by the incoming batch of 2015 – you guys!

Besides the pursuit of outstanding choral standards, what remains with members who come and go are the bonds forged, the personal growth observed, and those irreplaceable glimpses of raw choral perfection that can only be appreciated with fellow choristers – moments that bring us together, that we will never forget; moments that offer awesome yet humbling insight into the art of choral performance; moments when we taste the sweet, satisfying fruit of our labour, in the form of music that can only be described as magical.

If you live for moments like these, Raffles Chorale is the place for you.

We leave you with a video of one of our pieces. Enjoy!

Please direct any remaining queries to Vivek (vivekkw@yahoo.com.sg), Oliver (hamsternator.oliver@gmail.com) or Wan Yii (wanyii.lee@gmail.com) and we’ll be happy to answer them!

As a CCA, we strive to be a professional crew of united members.

Aims & Objectives:

• To be passionate in serving the school by providing audio-visual support for various CCAs.
• To instill a sense of pride and belonging in every member.
• To equip every member with essential skills in operating light and sound systems.

Trainings (on weekly/fortnightly basis):

• Sounds: conducted by sound engineers + Year Sixes
• Lights: conducted by Estate Technicians + Year Sixes
• Films: conducted by School IT Department

Concerts/Events:

• Members will be informed of upcoming concerts and events via SMS, and AV slots will be allocated on a first-come-first-serve basis.
• Free entry to concerts/performances!

Hours:

• A basic 60 AVU hours has to be fulfilled.
• Hours beyond 60 will be clocked as CIP hours (reflected in CCA records).

Others:

• AV Camp will be conducted at the start of the year to welcome the new batch.
• All AV enthusiasts are welcomed.
• Selection interviews will be conducted