Sneak Preview "Yellow River Concerto"

It quite a privileged to be a chingay blogger, because you are able to get the exclusive for the people reading your post. Like this one i'm sharing with you guys.

I went to a media conference on 15 Jan 2010 at F1 Pit. It was a Sneak preview on the Yellow river, one of the performance on this year chingay 2010. Where is the F1 pit you must be asking?



The F1 pit is one of the building located just right next to Singapore Flyer.

The Media Conference starts at 6.30pm, I registered myself and contacted the Media-In-Charge to assist me into the conference. Gotten my seats, my media-Kit, i prepared myself for the Media conference. At 6.45pm, the Emcee started to get us back to our seats. Some directors who are mingling around started to walk back to their seats.



The conference started off with Mr Tan Boon Huat's speech whereby he firstly introduce the two pioneer leaders, Mr Lee Khoon Choy and Dr Ho Kah Leong.



Some background information shared by Mr Tan Boon Huat. He mentioned that Me Lee Khoon Choy is very close to People's Association (PA) and Chingay. Not only was he a senior Minister of state in the Prime Minister's Office and in the Foreign Office, Mr Lee was PA Deputy Chairman from 1977-1984. He is only an authority in Chinese Culture, but also a highly accomplished Chinese Painter at the young age of 86, he is still holding art exhibitions in different countries to raise funds for Charity.

Dr Ho is the former Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Communications and Information, and the Environment. He is also anacclaimed artist, well versed in "Nanyang art". Beside oil painting, Dr Ho's chinese calligraphy is widely appreciated.



During the conference, Dr. Ho Kah Leong actually shared with us, how he was approach to write a calligraphy for this 'yellow river' item performing in chingay 2010. He say: "Why him? Why not others" and he was told that because they understand his artworks, they trusted in him to do well for this calligrapy.

Dr Ho took up the challenge and wrote the calligraphy for this 'yellow river' item, he has written the calligraphy with words, "君不见黄河之水天上来，弃流到海不复回" based on Tang Dynasty's Li Bai (李白）'s poem. It is translated as: "Behold! Heaven bestows water on Yellow River, Charging with great energy to the sea!" His art piece will be enlarged to 50 by 3 metres for presentation as part of Chingay's 'yellow river' item.



Mr Lee Khoon Choy, shared with his how he felt Chingay has grown over so many years. He mentioned previously Chingay wasn't so grand, it was just lion dance, dragon dance and stuff. Chingay came about after the firecrackers were banned in Singapore after causing a fire burning down 500 over houses, causing people to be homeless. To us Singaporean, people celebrate Chinese new year with firecracker but we celebrate Chinese new year with Chingay.

He mentioned that he was once in Penang and saw people performing with large bamboo stick, he find that interesting and ask people to learn and bring over to Singapore as a form of Arts. That's how Chingay become so vibrancy and grand every year.

Mr Lee, was approach to do a paining of a yellow river for Chingay 2010. He too said: "Why me? Why not others painter?" and he was told that they understand and trust in his painting and that was hold he too took up the challenge. When he was drawing this 'yellow river' painting, he was thinking how to draw the yellow river? yellow river cut across 547 provinces which part of yellow river he should draw? He continued to share how he felt towards yellow river. He said: "Yellow river, use to cause alot of floods around the provinces and people are getting together overcome the yellow river" he too, uses the heart of all people, the power of togetherness to draw this yellow river painting.

Isn't it wonderful, how little things in life are getting together to form something impossible?

The painting will be enlarged to 50 by 3 metres for presentation as part of The Chingay's "yellow river" item.



Mr Ong Lip Tat, the main performer for this 'yellow river' item shared with us, how to felt that it's a honor to be able to performance for chingay 2010. This chingay 2010 is worthwhile for Mr Ong because it also marked his 50s anniversary in his piano and music career. Mr Ong began receiving widespread and serious attention amongst musicians from a tender age. He began performing at age 6, gave his first solo recital at age 13, and played his first concerto at age 14 in Taipei.

He said that: " I was scared, i didn't know should i take on this challenge" He was curious how was he going to play the piano in an outdoor base instead of the concert hall he used to play.

However, he took on the challenge. Mr Ong Lip Tat, will be performing the "Yellow River Concerto" on a grand piano atop the "Yellow River Float" at Chingay 2010.



Next up, was sharing from Mr Vincent Lim, Eu Yan Sang (Singapore) pte ltd Managing director.

Eu Yan Sang and South west Community Development Council (CDC) have partnered to jointly invite 1,500 needy residents for the Chingay Parade 2010 as part of the Chingay Festive Cheers @ South West.

1,500 Chingay tickets will be distributed to needy residents in the South West district through their ComCare database, Grassroots Organisation (GROs) and Volunteer Work Organisations (VWOs) so that the less fortunate will be able to enjoy this major annual event during the Chinese New Year festivities. To make this outing for the less fortunate possible, Eu Yan Sang has donated $18,000 which have been matched dollar and dollar by South West CDC.

Isn't this wonderful, i mean to be able to catch Chingay 2010 Live especially for the needy residents. Seriously speaking, catching it 'live' is really different from catching it on the television.

I have the honor to actually interview, Eu Yang San,Vice President of Brand Management & Corporate Communication Joanna Wong on this particular project.

Gary: So how's this particular collabration came about?

Ms Wong: I was still having some contacts with the PA side, and so when the approach me to help out in this project i felt that it was a good thing to do you see, as to let needy people have the chance to catch the glimpse of Chingay 2010.

Gary: Yeah, i felt that it's really a very good opportunity to actually give them the tickets to catch the Chingay. It's really different catching it Live and television version.

Ms Wong: Yes, this was why we took on the project and donated the money to collabrate with CDC to help the needy residents.

Gary: So this is your first time participating in Chingay 2010?

Ms Wong: Yes, this is our first time and we hope in the future there will be more to come.

I just felt that it's really a wonderful idea to actually let the needy resident that couldn't afford the ticket of chingay to be able to catch the glimpse of Chingay 2010 live.

Agree?

Not only with the collaboration with Eu Yang Sang, this "Yellow river" item also collaborate with 'yellow ribbon' organization to make it possible. Yellow ribbon organization in charge said that they were exuberant when they was approach to be part of this 'yellow river' item. They like the idea, because yellow river represented Vibrant. And so they took on the challenge. Ex- offender are coming together to pay back the community and not on that a total of 500 dancers and performers from different organizations of different background have been mobilized to stage the performance. We have Jurongville Secondary school, Leng Kee Community Club, Malay Arts combined Group, Raffles Girls' School, Raffles Junior College, Sembawang Community Club, Yellow ribbon Project etc.



Dr Ho Kah Leong Signing on the calligraphy.

Dr Ho Signing on the calligraphy



Dr. Ho presenting the Calligraphy.



Two of the participants holding on to the Calligraphy to show our Guests.



Mr Lee Khoon Choy signing on the painting.

Mr Lee Signing on the painting



Mr Lee presenting the painting to Mr Tan Boon Huat.



And a group photo with the painting and Calligraphy for the 'yellow river' item.

After the signing and presenting of important calligraphy and painting, we proceed with our buffet-served dinner.



This is one of the food item presented to us, and they say that there is a theme behind it. Anyway the food was nice the environment was good so is the sneak preview performance right after the food and mingling session.



We proceed down to the F1 pit VIP seats for the sneak preview of 'Yellow River', this are the performances preparing to show us what their hard works has put into.



The wave~



Most importantly, the float. Notice the piano on the float, that is where Mr Ong Lip Tat will be playing his piano. He is now on top of the float performing for us. What a splendid site. (:



This is how the 50 by 3 metres painting looks like after enlarged.

Lastly what would the performers would like to say to you guys:

Kent Ridge Sec performer have something to say!

Gary Mo XOXO

Posted in: Chingay 2010