SJPS Chamber Choir after a public performance in Singapore.
KUCHING: St Joseph’s Private School’s (SJPS) Chamber Choir has done the school proud by coming home with a Silver Grade 1 award in the 11th Orientale Concentus International Choral Festival held in Singapore from July 1 to 4.
The SJPS choir was among 32 participating choirs from across East Asia.
SJPS Chamber Choir members stand proud in Orang Ulu costumes during the competition.
According to a press release, the 26-member chamber choir, formed towards the end of 2017, was given the opportunity to venture onto the international stage of chorale music festival held at the Singapore School of the Arts (Sota) where they were pitted against some very experienced chorale singers from the Philippines, Indonesia, China, Taiwan, Korea and Singapore.
SJPS Chamber Choir, under the instruction of choir master and conductor Benedict Lo, had a memorable and valuable experience performing and being judged by some of the top adjudicators.
It was a chance for the choir to perform and learn about different vocal genres, share and celebrate cultural diversity and participate in masterclasses to enhance skills and techniques.
After the competition, participating choirs performed in the Raffles City Shopping Mall. SJPS Chamber Choir, dressed in full Orang Ulu costume sang ‘Siyahamba’, ‘Wau Bulan’ and ‘Lileng’ (Orang Ulu traditional folk song arranged by Benedict Lo), as proud ambassadors of Sarawak.
The choir was a hit with the crowds, while a Singapore-based events company with projects in Kuching showed keen interest.
On July 3, SJPS Chamber Choir sang together with 10 other international choirs at Plaza Singapura to put on ‘Music Within’, a special public concert where the choirs sang alongside performers with various disabilities.
Through this effort, these choirs have shown how music can be inclusive and can be found within all of us, and that people of varying cultures and backgrounds can be united through a common passion for music.
The concert aimed to raise social awareness, develop character and civic mindedness in the youth participants. Through the concert, participants have an opportunity to work and perform together for greater exposure and contribute towards meaningful social causes.
In preparation for this venture, choir members went through months of intense practice and fundraising projects.
They raised RM8,000 through Chinese New Year cookie sales.
Public performance in Raffles City & Plaza Singapura Shopping Mall.
A week before leaving for Singapore, the SJPS Chamber Choir raised another RM6,000 when they performed in ‘Voices in Harmony’ – a charity choral concert (which was the students’ idea) jointly organised by St Joseph’s Private School, Chemsain and the Rotary Club, and collected RM40,000 for the End Polio Now Foundation.
The award-winning SJPS Chamber Choir will be performing in the upcoming St Joseph’s Family of Schools variety concert ‘Rhythm and Colour’ on July 20 and 21.
Limited tickets are still available.
For enquiries, contact St Joseph’s Private School administration on 082-414575, 082-420575 or 014-6956575, or email [email protected].