Festival Director’s Message

Thank you for visiting the website of the Singapore Chamber Music Festival (SCMF). Chamber music is an intimate, noble art form, where a small number of musicians play music, which in days past would have been enjoyed with friends in a home setting (the “chamber”). In Singapore such music would normally be heard in a concert hall or a recital studio, and it is fairly uncommon that friends get together to read music at home.

Just as the inaugural festivals in 2003 and 2005 featured a mix of international artists and Singapore-based musicians, we welcome Jonathan Ong (leader, Verona Quartet), Aoi Trio (Japan) and Toh Chee Hung (piano, UK) to perform in conjunction with Concordia Quartet, faculty of the YST Conservatory of Music, NAFA and SOTA, alumnus of earlier SCMF and other chamber musicians over a 10-day period.

An important part of the festival will be a Chamber Music Academy (CMA), where amateur musicians of all ages and abilities will perform and receive coaching from the festival faculty.

I am grateful to the many music lovers for the urging and encouragement to revive this festival, which we all believe will add to the vibrancy of the musical scene in Singapore. We are grateful to the Lee Foundation, National Arts Council, and donors to Resound Collective for their financial support. I especially thank Prof. Peter Tornquist, Dean of the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, NUS, for the Conservatory’s partnership and his ideas and dedication to making the festival possible.

Mervin Beng

Founder / Director,
Singapore Chamber Music Festival & Chairman, Resound Collective Limited