DOM Cultural Center

06 June 2008

Hot and cold. Big and small. A nation with hundred of years of history and a young nation that is just over 40 years old. The Indian flute and the Western flute. The electric guitar and a balalaika. What happens when extremes meet?

Welcome to Extremes Meeting, a unique ethnic fusion jazz session that sees the coming together of the music and culture of Russia and Singapore, two nations which appears to be the polar opposite of each other in terms of size, geographical location, history and of course climate!

This special collaboration between some of Singapore's leading instrumentalists and well-known Russian composer and performer Anton Korolev with musicians from his Chunga Chunga Etin Orchestra takes off from the belief that music can serve as a common space for peoples from different cultures and nations to meet.

In the spirit of inter-cultural dialogue, musicians from both Singapore and Russia will engage with one another through each other's music in an evening where instrumentalists from different traditions and cultural backgrounds will improvise on well-known melodies from each other’s culture.

Expect then to hear the wistful Malay folk song Geylang Sipaku Geylang or the gentle Chinese Little White Boat (Xiao Bai Chuan) or Russian songs by eminent poet-lyricist Yuriy Entin and composer Yevgeniy Krylatov including Svetit Mesyats (The Crescent Is Shining) and Pesenka Pro Leto (The Song About The Summer) performed with unexpected rhythmic twist blended with rich and textured harmonic colour that will surprise on a variety of instruments ranging from Indian tabla and flute to Russian balalaika and bayan to a rhythm section comprising drums and keyboard.

SINGAPORE SONGS

Geylang Sipaku Geylang
Munnaeru Vaalibaa
Xiao Bai Chuan (Little White Boat)

These are three well-known folk songs in Singapore from the three different communal groups, Geylang Sipaku Geylang from the Malay community, Munnaeru Vaalibaa from the Indian and Xiao Bai Chuan from Chinese. These songs have been quoted and used by various composers in their compositions for instance Singapore composer Tsao Chieh (1953 – 1996) quoted Xiao Bai Chuan in the last movement of his symphonic work Singapore, Symphonic Suite for Orchestra.

RUSSIAN SONGS

All three Russian songs to be performed are by the eminent children’s songwriters Yuriy Entin (poet lyricist) and Yevgeniy Krylatov (composer).

Svetit Mesyats (The Crescent Is Shining)

The Russian folk song is often performed with virtuosic variations by the Russian stringed instrument, the balalaika.

Ya Lyublyu Tebya, Zhizn (I Love You, My Life)

This Soviet march song was part of the repertoire of the nationally loved actor and singer Mark Bernes.

Pesenka Pro Leto (The Song About The Summer)

This song is from an all-time favourite children's cartoon, "Ded Moroz I Leto" (Father Christmas and the Summer).

BIOGRAPHIES (Russian / English)

MUSICIANS (SINGAPORE)

M. S. Maniam
Tabla, Generation/s

Known as “Singapore’s Ravi Shankar of the tabla” Maniam’s skills cover a wide range of percussion instruments, from the Chinese drum to the bongos. At present the resident tabla player at world-renowned Zouk Club in Singapore, Maniam has performed alongside internationally renowned electronica stars as well as having been invited to guest on superstar DJ Paul Van Dyk’s 2001 release Reflections. Email: Tablamania@hotmail.com

Ghanavenothan Retnam
Indian Flute, Generation/s

The first Indian artiste in Singapore to be awarded the prestigious "Young Artist Award" for music, Ghanavenothan has made outstanding contributions to promoting Indian Classical Music on an international level as well as in Singapore through his flute. He was also conferred the titles "Sangeetha Kala Nipuna" and "Singai Venugana Visharada" for his technical and creative virtuosity on the flute. Email: Ghana@starhub.net.sg

Mohammad Yaziz bin Mohamed Hassan
Malay Percussions, Generation/s

Performing since the age of 12, Yaziz is a well-sought after percussionist in Dikir Barat, a traditional music and percussion art form. Currently a member of the Singapore Dikir Barat Federation, Yaziz also possess wide teaching experience in many schools in Singapore and has performed in numerous arts & cultural festivals in Singapore, Ireland, Korea, Japan, India, Hong Kong, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Email: Muskyn_75@hotmail.com

Muhammad Riduan bin Zalani
Malay Percussions, Generation/s

Performing since the age of seven, Riduan is no stranger to the stage. He discovered his love and passion for drums and percussions and has been playing it ever since. Riduan has travelled around the globe and performed at numerous international music festivals, playing alongside renowned musicians. Riduan was recently featured and voted as one of the Top 50 Upcoming Youths under 25 by The Straits Times. Email: uan3rd@hotmail.com

Daniel Chai
Electric Guitar, Generation/s

A graduate of Musicians Institute, Los Angeles where he was awarded the ‘Outstanding Student of the Year’ award in 1997 and again in 2007, Daniel Chai also holds a Bachelor of Arts (hons) from the National University of Singapore. Daniel has since worked with well-known international artists in various touring concerts and musicals, and has performed at several international jazz festivals as well. Daniel also sessions and arranges for various ongoing music projects. Email: Danchai@pacific.net.sg

Brandon Wong
Double Bass, Generation/s

An accomplished and much sought-after musician and recording engineer / recordist, Brandon Wong was among the first few to bring the double bass into the sound palette of symphonic brass bands in Singapore. With his background in classical percussion and electric bass, Brandon switched to playing the classical double bass and has since then been performing at numerous jazz clubs & lounges, as well as jazz festivals in Singapore and the region. Email: Brandonwong@mac.com

Indra Ismail
Piano, Generation/s

An accomplished composer, producer and pianist, Indra Ismail started playing the piano and electone organ since he was eight years old and graduated from Berkley College of Music Boston, Massachusetts, in 1994. Indra has composed many music pieces and songs since then and has been involved in the productions of several television programmes as well as performed at notable clubs in Singapore. Email: Indraismail@gmail.com

Tama Goh
Drums, Generation/s

With more than 30 years in the drumming and music scene, Tama Goh has been working with Grammy-winning musicians Eldee Young, Nestor Torres, and Carmen Bradford. An active collaborator in Singapore music, he is also in several jazz and fusion ensembles, performing with Terumasa Hino and James Moody amongst others. As a soloist, he’s toured and worked with Sandy Lam, Eric Moo, Andy Lau and Coco Lee. Email: tama@tamagoh.com

MUSICIANS (RUSSIA)

Anton Korolev
Flute

Born in 1965 in Moscow, Anton Korolev is a graduate of the Moscow Conservatory. Anton plays numerous instruments besides the flute and has composed music for films, as a sound engineer and as music editor for both television series and documentaries. In 2008, he was the music editor for Ya Pridu Po Vashi Dushi (‘I Will Come For Your Souls’), a documentary commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Russian bard Vladimir Vysotsky. He has also worked in radio stations and is the sound engineer and owner of the Seryi Skandinav Records (‘Grey Norseman Records’) studio.

The winner of numerous music awards, Anton is presently a teacher in the Moscow Conservatory’s Central School of Music and the art director and keyboard player of the Chunga-Changa Entin Orchestra.

Yuliya Kovaleva
Vocals

Born in the Tver Region in 1985m Yuliya Kovaleva from the Choir Department of the Irina Arkhipova School of Music. At present, she is a student at the University of Culture and Arts and the soloist of the Chunga-Changa Entin Orchestra.

Herman Osipov
Balalaika / Guitar

Herman Osipov was born in 1986 in Moscow. He studied the balaika at the Gnesin Academy of Music. Herman is the guitarist of the Chunga-Changa Entin Orchestra.

Semen Shmel'kov
Accordion

Semen Shmel'kov graduated from the Glinka School of Music and is presently, he is a student at the Gnesin Academy of Music. He is a first prizewinner of the International Città di Castelfidardo prize for accordion soloists and Grand Prize winner of the ‘Cup of the North’, the International Contest of Performers on Folk Instruments.