In Sanskrit, lion translates to “Singa” and city translates to “Pura”. Putting them together forms “Singapura”, which is the origin of Singapore’s name as we know it today. This piece attempts to provide an impression of this culturally rich and diverse city by depicting three contrasting scenes. The first movement is a dance-like movement that gives a glimpse of Singapore’s unique history and progress in a nutshell. The mood changes to one that is more nostalgic in the second movement, which is a montage of local and regional melodies appearing in fragments. Eventually, the music builds up to a climactic third movement, which portrays a trip along the Pan Island Expressway – a road that spans across Singapore – and the array of kaleidoscopic images that unfold within the “Lion City”.

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Premiered by Huizi Zhang and Minyoung Rho