A Musical Experience at the Malls

SPH Gift of Music brings top local orchestras to VivoCity and Paragon

Singapore, 28 March 2008 - Enhance your shopping experience as the popular SPH Gift of Music series, sponsored by media group Singapore Press Holdings, is brought to two of the hottest malls in Singapore – VivoCity and Paragon Shopping Centre.

For two consecutive Sundays, shoppers will be treated to SPH Gift of Music concerts by two of Singapore’s top orchestras. The Philharmonic Winds, Singapore´s award-winning wind orchestra, will perform at VivoCity, Central Court at Level 1 this Sunday, 30 March at 1pm. The acclaimed Singapore Chinese Orchestra will entertain shoppers at Paragon’s Front Foyer next Sunday, 6 April at 3pm.

Let the award-winning Philharmonic Winds take you on a musical journey as the versatile wind orchestra enthralls both the young and the young-at-heart with familiar tunes from Disney movies, Hollywood blockbusters, West End Musicals and the Beatles. Led by Music Director Leonard Tan, the orchestra will perform at Singapore´s biggest shopping mall for the first time.

An energetic and vibrant concert awaits shoppers at Paragon next Sunday when the SCO charms the audience with their unique brand of percussion music. The Chinese musicians will literally create a bang with interesting musical instruments such as gongs, cymbals, Chinese drums, suona (唢呐) and dizi (笛子). From Chinese folk tunes depicting sounds of animals and birds, Brazilian music to western-influenced tribal tunes, the infectious rhythms made by the SCO will make it a memorable musical experience for every shopper and music lover.

The SPH Gift of Music has been entertaining Singapore audiences since its launch in 2005. For the past three years, the popular concert series has toured the heartlands, parks and school campuses. This year, SPH Gift of Music expanded to include shopping malls. In addition to the SCO and The Philharmonic Winds, other local talents featured in this free concert series include Singapore Symphony Orchestra and local bands such as Jive Talkin´ and Ngak & the Ang Mo Pais.

About The Philharmonic Winds
Formed in 2000, the 50-strong Philharmonic Winds has already won international recognition, clinching a Gold with Distinction at the 15th World Music Contest in 2005. Over the past few years, The Philharmonic Winds has performed with various renowned international artists including Canadian euphonium player Kevin Thompson, yangqin player Qu Jian Qing, Dutch baritone Maarten Koningsberger, Dutch cellist Roeland Dujine, Dutch trombonist Jorgen van Rijen and Japanese saxophonist Shin-ichiro Hikosaka.

About the Singapore Chinese Orchestra
A distinctive Chinese orchestra that is fast establishing itself among similar counterparts in the world, the SCO is the only professional Chinese orchestra in Singapore. Inaugurated in 1997, the 72-strong orchestra has the patronage of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and finds its performing home at the Singapore Conference Hall. Dedicated to its vision of becoming an orchestra for everyone and building new audiences, the SCO has reached out to the masses through its outreach and outdoor concerts at national parks, schools and the heartlands.

Concert Details

SPH Gift of Music presents The Philharmonic Winds @ VivoCity
Date: Sunday, 30 March 2008, 1pm
Venue: Central Court, Level 1 Atrium
Free Admission

Programme:

1. The Symphonic Beatles
2. Andrew Lloyd Webber: A Symphonic Portrait
3. Coral Sea
4. Fantillusion
5. Music Of My Heart
6. Grease
7. Galaxy Express 99
8. Beauty And The Beast
9. Pirates Of The Caribbean

SPH Gift of Music presents SCO @ Paragon
Date: Sunday, 6 April, 3pm
Venue: Front Foyer, Paragon
Free Admission

Programme

1. <车水马龙>Incessant Stream of Horses and Carriage (李民雄 Li Min Xiong)
2. <老虎磨牙>Tiger Bracing for Attack (安志顺 An Zhi Shun)
3. <八哥洗澡>Mynahs´ Bath (黄传舜编曲 Arrangement by Huang Chuan Shun)
4. <十八六四二>Shi Ba Liu Si Er (江苏民间乐曲, 朱勤甫传谱, 李民雄整理 Jiangsu Folk Music, Score by Zhu Qin Fu, Arranged by Li Min Xiong)
5. (Ney Rosauro)
6. <第四号鼓乐>Drumming No. 4 for 6 Percussionists (钟耀光 Chung Yiu Kwong)
7. (Kevin Tuck)
8. <大得胜>Triumph (山西民间乐曲, 李民雄配器 Shanxi Folk Tune, Orchestration by Li Min Xiong)

Issued by Singapore Press Holdings Ltd
Co. Regn. No. 198402868E

For more information, please contact:

Francis Mah
Manager
Corporate Communications
Tel: 6319 1028
Mobile: 9697 8208
Email: mahys@sph.com.sg

About Singapore Press Holdings

Newspapers and Magazines
Main board-listed Singapore Press Holdings Ltd (SPH) is the leading media company in Singapore, delivering news and information through print, Internet and broadcasting platforms. In Singapore, it publishes 14 newspapers in four languages. Every day, 2.9 million individuals or 81 percent of people above 15 years old, read one of SPH’s news publications. SPH also publishes and produces more than 100 magazine titles in Singapore and the region, covering a broad range of interests from lifestyle to information technology.

Internet and Mobile
Beyond print, the Internet editions of SPH newspapers enjoy over 110 million pageviews with 7 million unique visitors every month. Apart from SPH AsiaOne portal, SPH’s online and new media initiatives include a revolutionary mobile advertising and information service, ZapCode; online marketplace for products, services and employment, ST701; and STOMP (Straits Times Online Mobile Print), a portal that connects, engages and interacts with readers on the Web and via mobile phone messaging.

Broadcasting
SPH has a 20 percent stake in MediaCorp TV Holdings Pte Ltd, which operates free-to-air channels 5, 8, U and TV Mobile, and a 40 percent stake in MediaCorp Press Pte Ltd, which publishes the free newspaper, Today. In the radio business, SPH has a 80 percent stake in SPH UnionWorks Pte Ltd, which operates entertainment stations Radio 100.3 FM in Mandarin and Radio 91.3 FM in English.

Outdoor Advertising
In addition, SPH has ventured into outdoor advertising through its wholly-owned subsidiary, SPH MediaBoxOffice Pte Ltd, Singapore´s largest outdoor motion display advertising network media company, and a 35 percent stake in TOM Outdoor Media Group, a leading outdoor advertising company in China.

Properties
SPH owns and manages Paragon, the prime retail and office complex in the heart of Orchard Road, Singapore’s main shopping belt. SPH’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Times Development Pte Ltd, is also developing a 43-storey upmarket residential condominium, Sky@eleven, at Thomson Road.