The Singapore Symphony Chorus

The Beginning

In 1980, selected singers from church and university choirs and various choral societies came together with the help of prominent members of the local choral scene like Leong Yoon Pin, Lilian Choo and Susan Ashton, to form the Singapore Symphony Chorus (SSC). The formation was initiated by Maestro Choo Hoey to give the then year-old Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) an added dimension of performing symphonic choral works. On June 13 the SSC gave its inaugural concert, performing Brahms’ A German Requiem in English.

In 1981, a young Singaporean bass-baritone and conductor returning from his studies in the United Kingdom was appointed Chorus Master. Under Lim Yau’s guidance, the SSC established itself as one of the finest choirs in the region and one of the few symphony choruses in Southeast Asia.

The earliest SSC concerts were conducted by SSO Music Director Choo Hoey who was said to have a checklist of “must-perform works”. The Chorus quickly built up an impressive profile, which included Singapore premieres of Dvorak’s Stabat Mater, Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms, Tippett’s A Child of Our Time and Janacek’s Glagolitic Mass.

Bart Folse took over as Chorus Master from 1998 to 2000 but in 2001, Lim Yau returned as the Music Director of the Chorus.

Reportoire and Collaborations

The Chorus has performed under the baton of Choo Hoey, Lan Shui, Lim Yau, Okko Kamu, Gilbert Kaplan, Andrea Quinn, Justin Brown, George Cleve and Wang Jin. The Chorus has also worked with renowned specialists such as Peter Erdei (Dvorak’s Mass in D), Eric Ericsson (Handel’s Messiah), Laszlo Heltay (Mozart’s Great Mass in C minor) and John Poole (Handel’s Messiah). Vocal soloists that have appeared with the Chorus over the years include Sir Willard White, David Wilson Johnson, Michael George, Neil Mackie and Susan Chilcott.

The wide repertoire of the SSC now includes Hindemith’s Requiem, Holst’s Planets, Lambert’s Rio Grande, Leong Yoon Pin’s Choral Symphony, Orff’s Carmina Burana, Rachmaninov’s The Bells, Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms, Tippett’s A Child of Our Time, as well as the famous masses and oratorios of J.S. Bach, Beethoven, Haydn, Mozart, Berlioz, Gounod, Dvorak, Elgar and Faure.

In addition, the Chorus has taken part in opera productions such as Carmen (1990), Cosi fan tutte (1999) and The Other Wise Man (2000), besides being a regular feature in the Singapore Arts Festival. In the 2001 Singapore Arts Festival, the SSC performed Verdi’s Requiem with the SSO. For 2002, highlights included Rossini’s Stabat Mater and Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.

SSC in the 21st Century

While the SSC was comfortable performing in the 883-seater Victoria Concert Hall, its current numbers – just under 100-strong – has been augmented to perform in the 1,800-seater Esplanade Concert Hall, which opened in late 2002. To this end, the SSC has joined forces with local choruses like the Singapore Bible College Chorale, Hallelujah Chorus and The Philharmonic Chamber Choir, giving spectacular performances of Berlioz’s Messe Solennelle, Mahler’s Second Symphony and Symphony of a Thousand, which would not have been possible on its own.

To expand its performance opportunities and continue its musical growth, the SSC is launching a new recruitment drive for the injection of new blood and talent into its ranks. For more info on the SSC choral experience and auditions, see Membership and Audition Info.

SSC’s Chorus Masters

Complete List of Performances

SSC Complete List of Performances – This list is still in the process of being compiled (a few data points missing for the early years)!