Programme notes:

Merlion Revelations is the second piece of a triptych of works inspired by Singapore. I've affectionately dubbed this set "The Merlion Trilogy", and they represent my perception of Singapore before, during, and after living there. Its predecessor, Merlion Premonitions, is a colourful yet naïve work, as I idealistically depicted Singapore without knowing of its nuances. Merlion Revelations, having been written at the end of my exchange, is considerably more grounded, and depicted Singapore as I saw it then and there. Its successor, Merlion Retrospections, serves as a reflection upon my time overseas.

Much of Revelations' musical character revolves around the circumstances in which it was composed. I was invited to join an arts development program known as the New Sights Fellowship, which was spearheaded by an intercultural arts organisation, Pasat Merdu. It involved hours of tuition on Chinese, Malay, and Indian music idioms (as they are the dominant cultures within Singapore), as well as visits to cultural heritage sites and private tuition. Ultimately, it culminated in the premiere of a new work for the Straits Ensemble, a septet of virtuoso performers from different cultural and musical backgrounds. This presented a fun puzzle that I had to solve when writing: "How do I meaningfully incorporate all of these distinct musical traditions into a single, cohesive piece of music?"

My solution was to use a jazz-based framework rather than classical, as that allowed the performers more freedom to experiment as they saw fit, something that the Straits Ensemble are known for. On top of this, select features in Asian music were employed to highlight each musician's strengths, as well as symbolically represent Singapore's cultural unity. For instance, the melodies were composed with Chinese modes and inflections, the overall groove is a Malay pattern known as a rentak zapin, and there are several passages of Carnatic rhythmic procedures. What makes this work uniquely "me" though, are the specific chord substitutions I used in the chart, as my music prioritises harmony and timbre above all else. I consider this to be my love letter to Singapore, and I hope you enjoy this unique musical experience.