SCCC collaborated with local arts and cultural groups to present 10 programmes that showcase our vibrant and distinctive SINGAPO人 arts and culture during the annual Cultural Extravaganza. SCCC’s flagship festival attracted a total of 14,982 festival goers.
At the festival’s opening ceremony, Ms Low Yen Ling, Senior Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth & Trade and Industry, presented the 7th Singapore Chinese Cultural Contribution Award to Mdm Yan Choong Lian, Founder and Artistic Director of Dance Ensemble Singapore (DES) (Individual Category); and Nine Years Theatre (Organisation Category).
The Pawned Wife
Presented by Nam Hwa Opera, The Pawned Wife brought to life the poignant and tragic tale of a woman who married into poverty and featured an award-winning international production team and local Teochew opera talents. The performances attracted a total of 1,403 audiences.
Jazz It Up! A Jazzy Celebration of Chinese Songs 2024
Featuring renowned English and Cantonese pop singer Teresa Carpio, local Cantonese singer Wysom Wong and singer-songwriter Serene Koong, Jazz It Up! A Jazzy Celebration of Chinese Songs 2024 showcased jazzy renditions of well-loved Chinese evergreens and modern-classic songs performed by the Jazz Association Singapore Orchestra (JASSO), led by JASS Senior Associate Music Director Weixiang Tan. The concerts attracted a total of 753 audiences.
The Singaporean Composers Series
In celebration of its 20th anniversary, TENG Ensemble presented The Singaporean Composers Series which featured 10 commissioned works across genres by 20 composers, producers, filmmakers and designers. The concerts showcased the unique diversity of Singaporean artistry and attracted a total of 1,247 audiences.
Disappearing Series…: Childhood Melodies of Yesteryears
Ding Yi Music Company presented the third edition of its Disappearing… Series which spotlighted vanishing dialect nursery rhymes and Singapore folk songs from the different ethnic communities. Helmed by Guest Conductor Quek Ling Kiong, the concerts presented timeless melodies with a contemporary twist and attracted a total of 852 audiences.
Reunion 2.0
Following the first edition in 2023, Singapore National Youth Chinese Orchestra (SNYCO) Alumni Collective reunited once again to present Reunion 2.0. Led by SNYCO Guest Conductor Lien Boon Hua, the concert attracted a total of 735 audiences.
A Choral Extravaganza
As the first choral performance in Cultural Extravaganza’s history, A Choral Extravaganza featured powerful voices from five choral groups that showcased the classical art of choral singing. The concerts re-interpreted classics and attracted a total of 323 audiences.
Encounter: Liang Wern Fook’s Composition Showcase
Together with musicians from SCO, vocalists Joanna Dong, George Chan, Ric Liu and Chriz Tong brought concert goers on a musical journey where Liang Wern Fook’s xinyao compositions were performed, accompanied by Chinese orchestral music. The concerts attracted a total of 2,791 audiences.
Essentially Macbeth
First staged at the NUS Arts Festival in 2023, Essentially Macbeth was restaged at Cultural Extravaganza in 2024 by NUS Chinese Drama and NUS Chinese Orchestra. The play explored the purpose of art and the meaning of success, ambition and fulfilment to today’s generation. The performances attracted a total of 514 audiences.
Devoted to Serve
Launched in conjunction with Cultural Extravaganza 2024, this special exhibition featured the stories and works of eight local prominent cartoonists – Tchang Ju Chi, Liu Kang, Shamsuddin H Akib, Koeh Sia Yong, Lim Mu Hue, Morgan Chua, Dai Yin Lang and Kwan Shan Mei. It attracted a total of 2,069 visitors.
Treasures of Our Schools: From Cheong Soo Pieng to Lim Tze Peng
As part of Cultural Extravaganza 2024, this exhibition showcased works by renowned artists from the collections of local schools. The exhibition also included works gifted by important overseas artists and attracted a total of 4,176 visitors.
Hua Mu Lan
Following the success of The Warlords, Ding Yi Music Company presented the second edition of its instrumental theatre series titled Hua Mu Lan which brought the classic tale of Hua Mu Lan to life through Chinese chamber music and immersive storytelling. The performances attracted a total of 736 audiences.
“Very immersive performance. I especially like how Hua Mu Lan and the ensemble interact. Great music, great acting, great show. Looking forward to the next one!” – audience of Hua Mu Lan
Journey West: Mount Fiery
In the third and final instalment of its Journey West series, Paper Monkey Theatre presented Journey West: Mount Fiery. Utilising a “manual cinema” format to tell the story, the performances allowed the audience the opportunity to see actors manipulate paper puppets in real-time with the use of video cameras and projectors. The performances attracted a total of 1,289 audiences.
(Image Source: Paper Monkey Theatre)
Life Lessons with Ah Gong and Ah Ma
SCCC organised its inaugural Grandparents’ Day programme to celebrate the wisdom that comes with age. Inspired by the concept of “human libraries”, six senior practitioners from the local Chinese arts, culture and heritage sector were invited to share their life stories and life lessons. These sessions were oversubscribed by 200%, and attracted a total of 232 participants.
Wellness in the City
To promote physical and mental well-being amongst working adults in the CBD, SCCC launched a new suite of wellness programmes with arts groups RuanAtWorkz, SAtheCollective and Drum Feng. These programmes included relaxing sound baths, transformative vibrational healing and fitness drumming workouts. A total of 15 sessions were organised and they attracted 316 participants.
Singapore Writers Festival
SCCC collaborated with Arts House Limited for the first time to co-present five Chinese literary programmes as part of Singapore Writers Festival’s “In Conjunction With” series to raise awareness about local Chinese writers and their works. These programmes included talks, guided walks and experiential poetry sessions which attracted 181 participants.
“I really enjoyed the programme by 木子 today. Thank you for the interesting insights on classical literature, and the generous servings of wine!” – participant of A Poetry Soiree: To the Power of N
SG:SW 2024 I Write the Songs
Jointly organised by SCCC, Composers & Authors Society of Singapore (COMPASS) and Ocean Butterflies Music, the eighth instalment of this annual song-writing festival attracted 277 song entries from 244 songwriters. The finale concert was graced by Guest of Honour Mr Eric Chua, former Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Culture, Community and Youth & Ministry of Social and Family Development, and attracted 369 audiences.
“To everyone who submitted their work, you’re the heartbeat of our music scene and part of our vibrant arts ecosystem! Your stories are unique and come together to form what Singapore is all about. Let’s keep supporting our local talents – the future of Singapore music is bright!” Mr Eric Chua, former Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Culture, Community and Youth & Ministry of Social and Family Development
TGIF Music Station
SCCC’s monthly music concert TGIF Music Station serves as a platform for local and regional singers and groups to showcase their music and talents. For the first time, a buskers edition was held in Oct 2024 where 10 local buskers, young and old, had the opportunity to reach out to new audiences. A total of 12 concerts were held onsite and live-streamed online, attracting 4,970 onsite audiences and more than 1.2 million online views.
SING浪 The SINGAPO人 Concert
Held at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, SCCC’s biennial large-scale Mandopop concert fused traditional Chinese music and wushu with electronic dance music. The event was graced by Guest-of-Honour former Minister for Culture, Community and Youth and Second Minister for Law, Mr Edwin Tong. It was sold-out for the first time and attracted more than 7,200 audiences.
Happy Sing-Along
SCCC’s popular Happy Sing-Along is a monthly concert specially organised for seniors where local artistes performed Mandarin and dialect songs. In 2024, SCCC partnered Singapore Police Force’s Anti-Scam Command and Health Promotion Board for the second season of this programme to spread anti-scam and health-related messages through the skit segments. In Jan 2025, a Chinese New Year special session was held where seniors enjoyed lohei and a feast accompanied by performances. A total of nine concerts were held, attracting 4,108 onsite audiences and 745,121 online views.
