Concert Viva: S’pore students take the stage to help the visually impaired

SINGAPORE – On a recent Sunday, groups of teens streamed in and out of a small music studio at Golden Mile Tower.

They were there to rehearse their sets for Concert Viva, a fundraising event for the Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped (SAVH) that will be held on June 2 at youth hangout *Scape in Orchard.

The student-initiated concert is led by St Joseph’s Institution Year 6 student Ryan Asher Koo, 18, whose father suffers from glaucoma, a condition that leads to the loss of peripheral vision.

Ryan, who plays the guitar and will perform at the concert, said the concept for the event came from a conversation with friends in 2025 about bringing together their love for music for a good cause.

They decided on the SAVH as a beneficiary, partly because Ryan was familiar with the charity through his father.

The teenager roped in 10 students to join him in organising the concert, during which they learnt more about SAVH and its work.

“Early on, our core team visited SAVH and got to meet the community in person and that visit genuinely changed everything for us. Hearing their stories firsthand was really moving.

“One woman shared how her visual impairment made her feel like her own home was a prison, and she didn’t know how to leave the house on her own. And she talked about how SAVH helped her rediscover her confidence and her independence.”

Through canvassing friends and friends of friends, more than 80 students – mostly aged 16 to 19 – will be involved in the concert in different capacities, including about 50 performers who will sing, dance, or play musical instruments. The students come from about 10 schools, including National Junior College (NJC), School of the Arts, and Anglo-Chinese School (both Independent and International).

One of the unique aspects of the event is that it is staged by young people featuring performances by young people and targeted at a young audience, said the organisers.

Said Gisele Chiam, 17, a Senior High 2 student from NJC and the second-in-charge of Concert Viva: “We really wanted to create a concert that is targeted at youth… (and) make sure that it is something that would be engaging for them.”

Among the acts is student band Ducking Ducks, which has close to 37,000 followers on Instagram. The band comprises five Secondary 4 students from St Joseph’s Institution International. For their Concert Viva performance, they will be joined by an older brother of one band member and will perform covers of popular songs, such as Maroon 5’s This Love.

Lending star power to the event is singer-songwriter Benjamin Kheng, who is the guest performer.

Through a mix of corporate sponsorships, donations and ticket sales, the concert aims to raise $50,000 for SAVH.

Said a SAVH spokesperson: “It is not uncommon for schools and student groups to approach SAVH for collaborations, fundraising projects, or volunteering opportunities. What stands out about Concert Viva is the scale of the initiative and the level of ownership shown by the students in driving the project from concept to execution.”

A total of 750 tickets are on sale, priced between $12 and $15 each, depending on whether they are bought individually or as part of a bundle. For more information and tickets, check out https://www.tixtree.com/o/concert-viva