Student performing on the Angklung in the Arts Festival’s orchestral production COMMISSIONS

Ms Valerie Chan Si Xuan, a Year 4 undergraduate from the Lee Kong Chian School of Business, performed on the Angklung in COMMISSIONS, one-night-only concert presented by the SMU Chinese Orchestra (SMUCO) held at the SOTA Concert Hall. In celebration of SMU25 and SG60, the concert commissioned works from past years alongside multicultural pieces celebrating Singapore’s rich diversity. The programme includes three world premieres of original commissions written specially for SMU25 and SG60, a multicultural music segment and performances by guest musicians --including artists from Singapore’s Purple Symphony. It reaffirmed SMU’s long-standing tradition of commissioning local works, a rare initiative for a non-conservatory university.

The concert also features unique instruments from Asian countries where SMU has her overseas centers -- Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam, highlighting SMU’s commitment to inclusion and cultural exchange. The Angklung, recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage, is a traditional Indonesian West Java musical instrument crated from tuned bamboo tubes mounted on a frame. As each instrument produces only one note or chord when shaken, ensemble collaboration is essential to create full melodies.