Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-Flat Major, Op.19

Annex 1

PROGRAMME

30 May 2003

115 mins (with intermission)

BeethovenPiano Concerto No.1 in C major, Op.15

Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat major, Op.19

Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat major, Op. 73 “The Emperor”

31 May 2003

90 mins (with intermission)

BeethovenPiano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37

Piano Concerto No.4 in G major, Op. 58

Annex 2

MIKHAIL PLETNEV

Mikhail Pletnev is an artist who defies simple classification, whose technique and genius as pianist, conductor and composer continue to enchant and amaze. The child of musicians, Pletnev was born in Archangel, Russia and displayed exceptional musical talent from an early age. Growing up in Kazan, he transferred to the Central School of Music at the age of 13 and, in 1974, entered the Moscow Conservatory, studying under Jakob Flier and Lev Vlasenko. Pletnev was the Gold Medal and First Prize winner of the 1978 Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition in Moscow when he was only 21. His prize earned him early international recognition and, in 1988, an invitation from President Mikhail Gorbachev to perform at the superpower summit in Washington.

The resulting friendship with Gorbachev gave Pletnev the historic opportunity to form an orchestra independent of the government. Attracted by Pletnev's reputation and his vision of a new model for the performing arts in Russia, many of the finest musicians in the country joined him in launching the Russian National Orchestra in 1990. Under his artistic leadership as Music Director and Principal Conductor, the RNO in less than a decade has become known as one of the world's leading orchestras. While his conducting career is primarily focused on the RNO, he also makes appearances as guest conductor with prestigious orchestras such as the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. In September 1999, Pletnev became the RNO's Conductor Laureate and continues his collaboration with the orchestra in many of its recordings and concerts at home and on tour.

Renowned as one of the great pianists of our time, Pletnev continues to perform regularly as soloist and recitalist in the musical capitals and major festivals of Europe, Asia and in his native Russia. Having toured the USA extensively as conductor with the Russian National Orchestra, the new millennium marked his return to the country as pianist performing recitals in Chicago and at Carnegie Hall in November 2000. Mikhail Pletnev has also performed with numerous world-renowned conductors and major orchestras internationally including Claudio Abbado with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, the China Philharmonic Orchestra under Long Yu in Beijing, as well as on tour in Moscow with Zubin Mehta and the Israel Philharmonic.

Pletnev's recordings and live performances as pianist have proved him to be an outstanding interpreter of an extensive repertoire. His unrivalled transcriptions for piano of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite and Sleeping Beauty were selected, along with his performance of Tchaikovsky's Second Piano Concerto and The Seasons, for the 1998 anthology "Great Pianists of the 20th Century" (Philips Classics). His album of Scarlatti's Keyboard Sonatas (EMI-Virgin Classics) received a Gramophone Award in 1996. BBC Music Magazine called this recording "piano playing at its greatest...this performance alone would be enough to secure Pletnev a place among the greatest pianists ever known."

As a composer, Pletnev's works include Classical Symphony, Quintet for Piano and Strings, Triptych for Symphony Orchestra, Fantasy on Kazakh Themes for Violin and Orchestra and Capriccio for Piano and Orchestra. The world premiere recording of Beethoven's Violin Concerto arranged by Pletnev for clarinet (Michael Collins, soloist) was released by Deutsche Grammophon in 2000 to rave reviews.

Mikhail Pletnev’s stature in Russia was formally recognized in 1995 when he was awarded the First State Prize of the Russian Federation by President Yeltsin an honour, that was again bestowed on him in 2002 by President Putin.

Annex 3

SSO MUSIC DIRECTOR - LAN SHUI

Lan Shui joined the Singapore Symphony Orchestra as Music Director in 1997. Born in China, Shui made his professional conducting debut with the Central Philharmonic Orchestra in Beijing and was later appointed Conductor of the Beijing Symphony Orchestra. His tenure then included highly acclaimed performances of contemporary music and many recordings of the music of Bernstein, Elgar, Tan Dun and Chen Yi. In 1990 he conducted the Los Angeles Philharmonic's Summer Festival, where he came to the attention of David Zinman who invited him to the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra as Conducting Affiliate in 1992. From 1994 to 1997, he was Associate Conductor of the Detroit Symphony and Music Director of the Detroit Civic Orchestra. In the same period he covered for Kurt Masur at the New York Philharmonic and conducted the Cleveland Orchestra in Paris as part of Boulez’s young conductors’ project.

As guest conductor, Lan Shui has conducted orchestras in the United States (Baltimore, Houston, Detroit, Minnesota and Colorado Symphonies; Los Angeles, Florida, Rochester and Buffalo Philharmonic), Europe (Gothenburg, Aalborg, Berlin, Malmö, Iceland Symphonies; Duisburg Philharmonic and Munich Chamber Orchestra) and Canada (Calgary Philharmonic and Symphony Nova Scotia). He has also conducted the Hong Kong Philharmonic, Taipei (Taiwan) Symphony and Melbourne Symphony, and has performed at festivals in the United States (Tanglewood Music Festival, Aspen Music Festival, Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival, Round Top Music Festival, Eastern Music Festival, National Orchestra Institute, Casals Festival).

Lan Shui currently records on the Scandinavian BIS label. Recordings with the Malmö Symphony include the music of Arnold, Hindemith and Fernström. Releases with the Singapore Symphony include the first-ever complete symphonies of Tcherepnin (which won critical acclaim), Jan Järvlepp’s Garbage Concerto, Imants Kalnins’ Rock Symphony, orchestral music by Bright Sheng, imaginative transcriptions for clarinet, Rimsky- Korsakov’s Scheherazade, an album of Scandinavian trombone concertos with Christian Lindberg and works by American composer Richard Yardumian. Upcoming releases include a recording with percussionist Evelyn Glennie and a recording of dance works by living composers.

Shui is the recipient of several international awards, amongst them kudos from the Beijing Arts Festival, New York Tcherepnin Society, 37th Besançon Conductors Competition in France and Boston University Distinguished Alumni Award.

Lan Shui currently divides his time between his post as Music Director of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, his new post as Principal Guest Conductor of the Aalborg Symphony in Denmark, and engagements with orchestras all over the world. Recent engagements include performances with Gil Shaham in Taiwan, with Peter Serkin to open the Casals Festival, a two-week tour with Yo-Yo Ma and the Silkroad Ensemble, and judging the Antonio Pedrotti Conducting Competition in Italy.

Annex 4

SINGAPORE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

The Singapore Symphony Orchestra is Singapore’s national orchestra. It has grown into a premier orchestra serving as a bridge between the musical traditions of Asia and the West.
Since its inception in 1979, the Orchestra has amassed many achievements that have brought credit to Singapore. It was honoured with the Excellence for Singapore Award in 2001. Its first Music Director Choo Hoey is credited with building the orchestra from scratch and programming a widely varied repertoire. The Orchestra consists of 90 professional musicians, most of whom are Singaporean. Repertoire ranges from Baroque and classical masterpieces to contemporary and exploratory works, including cutting-edge Asian compositions. The Orchestra has shared the pleasure of fine music with people in Singapore through concerts at the Victoria Concert Hall, public parks, shopping centres, schools and the heartlands. From 2003 it will perform its concert season at the new and larger 1600-seat Concert Hall at Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay.
Its present Music Director Lan Shui has raised the Orchestra’s level of excellence, and is distinguished by his dedication to the performance of new Asian compositions. Under his direction, the Orchestra has commissioned many new works and signed an exclusive recording contract with the Scandinavian BIS label.

Notable recordings include the first-ever complete symphony cycle of Alexander Tcherepnin (which won critical acclaim in many musical journals), Jan Järvlepp’s Garbage Concerto, Imants Kalnins’ Rock Symphony, operatic fantasies and transcriptions for clarinet with Martin Frost, Scandinavian trombone concertos featuring Christian Lindberg, “Oriental Landscapes” featuring percussionist Evelyn Glennie, as well as the works of composers Richard Yardumian and Bright Sheng.
Singaporean musicians feature prominently as soloists in the concert season. The Orchestra is also proud to be associated with Singaporean composers in its Composer-In-Residence programme, inaugurated in 2000.

Highlights of 2002 include a spectacular charity performance with Jose Carreras at the Cambodian Temples of Angkor Wat in December. Hailed as a “young and brilliant” orchestra, the Singapore Symphony Orchestra has played to enthusiastic audiences in Italy, Paris, Hungary, Spain, Czech Republic, the United Kingdom, Greece, Turkey, Hong Kong and Germany. It has also earned unanimous praise for its first China tour in 2001.

“The orchestra’s sections were so precise that they speak fluidly with a single tongue…That alone would have left many Western orchestras sitting on the edge of their seats.”Kieler Nachrichten, Kiel (Germany), 23 October 2000

Annex 5

SSO MUSICIANS LIST

Music Director: Lan Shui

Resident Conductor / Music Director of Singapore Symphony Chorus: Lim Yau

Conductor Emeritus: Choo Hoey

Principal Guest Conductor: Okko Kamu

Composer-In-Residence (2003)*: Phoon Yew Tien

FIRST VIOLINS
Leader
Souptel, Alexander
Associate Leader
Seah, Lynnette

Assistant Leader

Kong Zhao Hui

Fixed Chair

Chan Yoong Han
Chen Da Wei
Duan Yu Ling
Foo Say Ming
Gu Wen Li
Jin Li
Lim Shue Churn
Seow Jin Chong
Sui Jing Jing
Tan, Karen
Tan, William
Wei Zhe
Yew Shan***
SECOND VIOLINS
Principal
Zhang Zhen Shan
Associate Principal
Loh, Michael

Fixed Chair

Kwok, Hai-Won
Deng Xin Lei
Koval, Nikolai
Leung Chung Shu
Luk Hei
Neo, Priscilla
Shao Tao Tao
Tan Kang Ming
Wu Man Yun
Yeo Teow Meng
Yin Shu Zhan
BASSOONS
Principal
Zhang Jin Min
Associate Principal
Liu Chang
Koo Min-Jae**
Reznik, Roman
Sun Gong Jun***
CONTRA BASSOON
Reznik, Roman
HORNS
Principal
Han Chang Chou
Associate Principals
Gao Jian
Hersch, Jamie
Hoang Van Hoc
Wang Min / VIOLAS
Principal
Heger, Jiri
Associate Principal
Guan Qi
Fixed Chair
Luo Biao
Chen Ge
Ku, Marietta
Liu Hao Yu
Natzkaya, Ivetta
Shui Bing
Tan Wee Hsin, Ernie
Tarasova, Irina
Tong Yi Ping
Yang Shi Li
CELLOS
Principal
Hunkins, Nella
Associate Principal
Liu Peng ***

Fixed Chair

Yu Jing
Chan Wei Shing
Ding Xiao Feng
Khazan, Georgi **
Li Cheng
Song Woon Teng
Wang Yan
Zhao Yu Er
TRUMPETS
Associate Principal
Natzke, Scott
Ikebe, Jun
Yap Thien Soo
TROMBONES
Principal
Allen Meek

Associate Principal

Sonderegger, Fredi
Chong Shoo Mei
BASS TROMBONE
Sonderegger, Fredi
Wong, David
TUBA
Principal
Buzbee, Timothy / DOUBLE BASSES
Principal
Mouzyka, Guennadi

Fixed Chair

Yeo, Karen
Alexandrova, Olga
Long, Martin
Ma Li Ming
Mirucki, Jacek
Molodozhan, Victor **
Xu Li
FLUTES
Principal
Jin Ta
Associate Principal
Brokmiller, Evgueni
Goh Tiong Eng
Lee Kee Hoi
PICCOLO
Lee Kee Hoi
OBOES
Principal
Walker, Rachel
Associate Principal
Pan Yun
Sonderegger, Carolyn
Yeo, Elaine
COR ANGLAIS
Associate Principal
Yeo, Elaine
Pan Yun
CLARINETS
Principal
Ma Yue
Associate Principal
Johnson, Jean
Goh, Vincent
Tang Xiao Ping
BASS CLARINET
Tang Xiao Ping
TIMPANI
Principal
Fox, Jonathan
PERCUSSION
Principal
Fox, Jonathan
De Souza, Mark
Lim Meng Keh
Markiewicz, Grzegorz

Musicians listed alphabetically rotates their seats on a per programme basis.

** Contract / Freelance

*** On Sabbatical Leave