YSTC's 10th Anniversary Celebration Concert

7.20pm. Warming up before the concert began proper.

Yong Siew Toh Conservatory's '10th Anniversary Celebration Concert' was held at the Esplanade Concert Hall, featuring the current Music Director of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Robert Spano and Head of Piano Studies at the Conservatory, Thomas Hecht.

The Conservatory Orchestra played Sibelius' Symphony No.7 in C major, Op.105 and then Thomas Hecht led Brahms' Piano Concerto No.2 B-flat major Op.83. Heard the Conservatory Orchestra a couple of times now, and this current batch plays so well together. At this point in time, hearing them play the movements last night, they filled up the hall and sounded amazing.

Had drinks after the concert where great conversation flowed, discussing the concert, the pieces and all things lovely. If the man had joined us, he'd have loved them; the chords could have inspired new guitar riffs. These two composers are still so relevant today. Many of the contemporary composers took a cue from them, and of course pieces done by Hans Zimmer and Ramin Djawadi are in no way like that, but the soundscapes created are equally gorgeous. Not much different from Sigur Rós and Russian Circles, really.