Programme notes:

I wrote Merlion Premonitions in the wake of my 2024-2025 exchange in Singapore, and is the first instalment of my so-called “Merlion Trilogy”. The music reflected my own thoughts and feelings regarding the journey ahead, and is presented as a programmatic work following a boy’s adventures in a fantastical new land (only very loosely based on the real Singapore). The work is split into 5 distinct “premonitions”; each one providing a different snapshot of the protagonist’s story.

I. Across the Strait – The boy sails across a turbulent strait, thinking about the journey ahead. The music harkens to that of Maurice Ravel and Lili Boulanger.

II. Into a Temple – Our protagonist ventures into a labyrinthine temple. The music starts calmly, with echoes of temple bells and deep prayers, but the further into the temple, the darker the mood becomes.

III. The Merlion Emerges – In the depths, a beast with a lion’s head and a fish’s tail appears. It’s intimidating, but ultimately harmless. You can hear the Merlion’s roar in the contrabassoon.

IV. Grand Festivities – The boy finds himself in a festival, bombarded with sounds, sights and smells. The chaos is reflected in the choppy nature of the music.

V. One Last Procession – Triumph is in the air, as the boy has at last found his place. The music is a brass-heavy chorale using the harmonic language of Olivier Messiaen. This theme ended up being the basis of the final instalment of the trilogy, Merlion Retrospections.