When the Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall closed its doors during the circuit breaker, the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) turned to the virtual stage to bring classical music to living rooms across the city. Under the banner SSOPlayOn!, the SSO’s digital season showcases video and audio concerts as well as musical treasures from its rich archive.
From September 26 to October, it's spotlighting a special showcase where the ensemble performs Debussy's Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune, as well as iconic works by Wagner and Shostakovich. At the forefront is none other than Kahchun Wong, a protégé of the late Kurt Masur, one of the most celebrated conductors in classical music.
Hot on the heels of his mentor, Kahchun was recently conferred the Order of Merit by the Federal President of Germany in December 2019 for his dedicated service and outstanding achievements in Singaporean-German cultural relations which includes being the chief conductor of the Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra. He was the youngest – and also the first Singaporean – to be granted the prestigious title.
Today, he doubles as a guest conductor for some of the most distinguished international orchestras including the New York Philharmonic, Japan Philharmonic, and Royal Liverpool Philharmonic. But how does the international man of music deal with the restrictions of the pandemic, especially when physical events remain suspended, and safety measures are to be followed? We chat with the maestro and find out what it means to be a globe-trotting conductor during the ‘new norm’.
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Photograph: Singapore Symphony Orchestra
Hi Kahchun! How’s life in the ‘new norm’?
Life in some ways has returned to normal. I was in Singapore for the last six months without doing any conducting except for the SSO performance that was recorded in August. Last week, I just returned to Nuremberg for the Nuremberg Symphony’s second season – we’re rehearsing for an upcoming performance with 500 people in the audience. There is this strange dichotomy where somehow life has gotten back to normal for me in Germany, but when I look at other regions, I know things are still different.
Wait. Are you saying that there’s a possibility of live concerts returning to the physical stage soon?
In some regions of Europe, cultural life has resumed including classical, jazz, and even dance performances. Singapore seems to be doing fine, with a solid strategy to resume more activities, such as holding performances with an audience.
Even with the return of live staged performances, we reckon it’d be different, especially with an ensemble like the SSO. Tell us, how is it like to conduct with limitations?
It’s like an entirely different time we're living in right now where everyone is trying to cope with all these new restrictions which are constantly changing. We try to do as much as we can with the limitations. Conducting the SSO in August was a very surreal experience. It was the first time I have conducted in six months. I believe it was the first time for many of the musicians to be back too. But there were limitations – only a maximum of 18 people could be in one [space]. We also had to factor in the orchestra managers and personnel who are very integral to the production. I’ve never seen the SSO reduced in size – besides the string quartets and quintets.
Your upcoming digital concert with the SSO is audience-less. Do you prefer performing with an audience or without?
Absolutely with an audience. It’s all part of the performance – when a composer has written something remarkable, the performers sort of become the guardian of the composition, studying the music and performing it for an audience. And that audience would ideally be live. Imagine the music ending on a high, and no one’s there to clap [laughs]. Clapping has become part of the music. With an audience, you could feel this ‘electricity’ in the hall. But we can’t feel that in the SSO [online] performance this Saturday.
What’s a typical day like as a conductor pre-circuit breaker?
A conductor is very similar to every other artist and musician where we spend a bulk of our time by ourselves to practise. As a conductor, I have a musical score to study, and readings to do – there’s a lot of learning about the music I have to perform such as the history, geography, and everything else I need to understand the composer to the fullest.
During the production week, orchestras have rehearsals for about three to four consecutive days before the weekend shows. There are only three to four hours of practice each day, which is not a lot of time to meet each other, but it’s really intensive work – we’re all 100 percent focused. The number of concerts depends on the region and the orchestra, so we may have one or up to three a week. This week, I’ve got concerts on Saturday and Sunday, and I’ll be preparing to go to Paris for the national orchestra on Monday for a performance next weekend.
Photograph: Singapore Symphony Orchestra
Are things more challenging during the pandemic?
There’s a lot more to keep up. A lot of time is spent reading or watching press conferences. For example, I had to follow the French minister’s weekly press conference to understand the situation and the restrictions in the country before flying there. Plus, coping with flights and schedules, it has all become part and parcel of a travelling conductor [during Covid-19 season].
It seems like you’ve got a really tight schedule. Do you ever get to spend quality time with the orchestra?
Yes! For example, [the Nuremberg Orchestra and I] started rehearsals on Wednesday, performed on Saturday, and went hiking on Sunday. But we also had some production meetings with the office about future seasons, the pieces we want to perform, and the soloists we want to invite. These are all part of the administrative responsibilities of a chief conductor, which I am in Nuremberg.
What do you love about being a guest conductor for different orchestras?
Besides the exhausting flights, I love learning about the city, its culture and food – I love eating [laughs]. They could be big cities or small ones like Liverpool or Toulouse, and have so much charm. Each city’s orchestra also has its own distinct character. For example, the New York Philharmonic plays and responds differently to the SSO. I do very much enjoy working with different orchestras, and learning about them and the music we are collaborating on.
When did you start conducting?
I have always been involved in music. I started in my primary school’s brass band as a cornetist, an instrument that looks like a trumpet. After, I moved on to a military band, and so forth. Therefore, the idea of working together has always been rooted in me, so being a conductor was never foreign to me. As young as fourteen years old, I have conducted my school band for special occasions like National Day.
It became more serious when I was in the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music. When I joined, the university was still relatively young, so there was no conducting. I was mostly in the composition studio, so I started organising reading sessions every week with my classmates, as well as first and second-year students. We’d study other orchestras. In a way, I had some conducting practice.
Seems like your life revolves around music. Do you listen to other genres besides classical music?
When I’m not conducting, I try to avoid listening to the music that I have to perform. I’ll go for something completely different from classical music. I’m a big fan of progressive rock band Dream Theater, and I always have one of their pieces on repeat. I’ll listen to them when I’m going to the airport or when I’m cooking. I’ve currently got Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence on repeat.
What are you looking forward to the most when things are a lot more calmer, say, in Phase 3?
Once [Covid-19] blows over in, say, 10 years, 2 years, or half a year, I look forward to flying back to Singapore and spending more time with my loved ones whenever I want to do so. If there’s one thing this situation has taught me, it’s to cherish the moments with my friends and family.
Kahchun Wong Conducts Debussy, Wagner & Shostakovich premieres on Sistic Live on September 26. Tickets are available on a pay-as-you-wish basis, starting from $10. A pre-concert talk will be available on the SSO's Facebook page.
