Extracts from Wikipedia.org on Singapore Symphony Orchestra at http://www.sso.org.sg/

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The Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO), formed in 1979 by the late Shalom Ronly Riklis, is a professional orchestra with 96 musicians. Its stated aim is “to enrich the local cultural scene, serving as a bridge between the musical traditions of Asia and the West, and providing artistic inspiration, entertainment and education”. The SSO performs over 50 symphonic concerts a year, with a wide ranging repertoire. In support of Singaporean talent, local musicians and composers feature prominently in the concert season. The orchestra has performed in tours in China, Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom and had its first tour in the United States in 2005.

Its current Music Director is Lan Shui, who since his appointment in 1997 has raised the orchestra’s profile and standard of performance. The Resident Conductor is Lim Yau, who also directs the Singapore Symphony Chorus, the performing choir of the SSO. The orchestra’s current principal guest conductor is Okko Kamu. Choo Hoey who was Music Director from 1979 to 1996, and remains Conductor Emeritus, is credited with developing the orchestra with diverse programming.

The SSO now makes its performing home at the Esplanade Concert Hall, and also performs regularly at the more historic Victoria Concert Hall which was its home until 2002, and other venues.

Among the SSO’s recordings on the BIS label are a number of CDs which have earned international acclaim, including a recently released Seascapes CD, and the first-ever complete cycle of Tcherepnin’s six piano concertos and four symphonies. The SSO has also recorded the music of Chen Yi, Zhou Long, Bright Sheng and Richard Yardumian, collaborating with artists such as Evelyn Glennie, Cho-Liang Lin, Gil Shaham, Noriko Ogawa, Christian Lindberg and Martin Frost.

The SSO collaborated with the Houston Ballet in 1986, the London City Ballet in 1992, and the Singapore Lyric Opera in the production of Madama Butterfly in 1994.

To make classical music more accessible to the general public, the SSO has also conducted free outdoor concerts. In 2000, SSO performed at the “SSO Goes Pop!” concert with local pop artistes at the Suntec International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

In the Fall of 2010, SSO embarked on their first European tour with the first stop in London.

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