The Millennial Orchestra’s music director Chan Wei Shing delivers a solo cello concerto by Antonin Dvorak.
Contributed By Gideon Foo Cechao
Chan advocates discipline as the key to good musicianship. PHOTO COURTESY OF CHAN WEI SHING
On Mar. 13 at the Singapore Conference Hall, the acclaimed classical piece Cello Concerto in B minor, Op 104 by the celebrated Czech composer, Antonin Dvorak, was brought to life by the Braddell Heights Symphony Orchestra, in accompaniment to solo cellist Chan Wei Shing, who took centerstage in performing the notoriously difficult masterpiece.
“It is technically very demanding, musically different and very long,” says Chan. The heartfelt melancholy of the music brought out by Chan’s skillful playing kept the audience spell-bound before they erupted into a rousing applause.
Born into a musical family, Chan started playing the piano at age 8, and the cello at 10. Why the cello? Chan grins and replies, “All of my family members play an instrument, except the cello.” He won first prize in two categories at the National Music Competition, the Cello Open and Chamber Music. He was awarded the Masters Degree of Arts, majoring in Cello Performing at the renowned University of Music and Performing Arts Graz in 1996. “At university, we used to practice six to seven hours a day or more. Discipline is a challenge if you want to become a good musician.”
As the music director of TMO, Chan is very positive about the classical music scene in Singapore. “It is getting better. There are more concerts and more amateur groups rising up.”
