The Singapore National Youth Chinese Orchestra (SNYCO) has returned from a highly successful concert tour in Taiwan, marking an inspiring week of musical exchange from 9 to 17 December 2025. Performing to nearly 2,000 audience members across Taoyuan, Taipei and Hsinchu, the youth orchestra presented three collaborative concerts that celebrated cultural dialogue through Chinese orchestral music.
Under the direction of Music Director Quek Ling Kiong, the tour was carefully curated to spotlight youth artistry, regional creativity and cross-cultural collaboration. Each city featured a distinct programme and partnership, with SNYCO sharing the stage with the Taoyuan Chinese Orchestra, the Taipei Chinese Orchestra (TCO) Academy Orchestra, and the Hsinchu City Youth Chinese Orchestra. Quek also co-conducted with Taiwanese conductors Chan Ping-Hsiang, Chiu Shih-Hsien and Liu Chiang-Pin, highlighting a spirit of musical camaraderie across borders and generations.
The repertoire reflected a vibrant exchange of contemporary voices from Singapore and the region. A highlight was the erhu concerto Trials and Tribulations by Singaporean composer Phang Kok Jun, performed on alternate nights by SNYCO alumnus and Singapore Chinese Music Competition 2024 Erhu Senior Category first prize winner Zeng Canran, and Taoyuan Chinese Orchestra soloist Fu Chia-Wei. Works by Singapore Chinese Orchestra composer-in-residence Wang Chenwei; The Sisters’ Islands and Winds of Affinity, were also warmly received. In Winds of Affinity, dizi soloists Liang Wen-Ting and Huang Yu-Chun from the Taoyuan Chinese Orchestra brought their own interpretive voice to the Singaporean work, embodying musical exchange in action.
