The NTU Guitar Ensemble held its annual concert, Nocturne, on 30th March 2019 at the NAFA Lee Foundation theatre. From the get-go, the ensemble showcased their talent with vigor, encompassing a wide array of arranged pieces that mesmerised the crowd that evening.
The night started off with a performance of Allegretto, composed by the renowned Karl Jenkins, a medieval piece that brought subtle tones, both soothing and captivating to the ears of the audience.
The second piece was a tribute to a legendary composer, whose work has inspired many all around the world today; a part of the Slavonic Dances — a series of 16 orchestral compositions by Anotonin Dvořák. It was a marked change from the previous piece, as the ensemble picked up the pace and delved into a performance which exuded the atmosphere of rapid and fiery Bohemian tunes. The vigorous conducting was testament to the intense nature of the composition, resembling a confrontation, with its frequent and sudden, jarring shifts in accents and musical keys. Surely, the strong beats formed a lively and enthusiastic piece that harked back to the Czech era in which this piece was composed.
Lady di Nocturne was the next piece performed. Usually a light piano piece that has been referenced multiple times in commercial television programmes, the ensemble sought to recreate their own version of Lady di Nocturne with their own rearrangement of the classic piece. As a dedication to the late Princess Diana, the melody certainly resonated with many.
Next up, Rainy Blue was performed, in reference to mother nature and its earthly scent as it mimicked the sound effects during tropical rain showers. Bringing the audience into an entirely new “natural” atmosphere, the piece started with heavy and intensified beats that foreshadowed the imminent downpour. Likening it to the glimmer of hope that awaits ahead, the piece transitions into the onset of a “drizzle” with its light hearted beats and rhythm. The drizzle was then met with the sudden “downpour” — with the accompanying tunes of heightened passion and pace. The imagery of mother nature is certainly heavily embedded in this piece, providing the audience with a short, yet memorable encounter with the “rain”.
Disney’s Aladdin medley was subsequently performed by the ensemble, its melodic tunes sweeping the audience with waves of nostalgia of one’s childhood. Timeless songs, such as A Whole New World and Arabian Nights, were performed, exploring and charting the growth of the titular character.
In reliving the teenage years, the ensemble performed《突然好想你》by Mayday, as a song that resonated with the memories of one’s teenage years. A crowd favourite, the pop song portrayed both moments of melancholy and feelings of loss and desperation. Tugging on the heartstrings of the audience members, the arrangement was sure to have won the hearts of the audience that evening.
Moving from feelings of love and loss — the ensemble brought to the stage a fun and lively series of compositions in its Sesame Street Medley. The medley reminded the audience of carefree days of happiness, with its lighthearted melody. An upbeat melody in major key was accompanied by cheeky changes in rhythm, interspersed with random “quack” sounds from a rubber duck, providing an element of humour, entertaining the audience with a completely random and sudden musical plot twist. The medley comprised of 6 songs, and was brought to a climax with the Sesame Street theme song. Student conductor Amanda Tock sure did a great job in her creation of a medley that could resonate with the young hearts of the audience, bringing one back to their childhood days.
After the intermission, the ensemble brought out 9 members to perform Fugue in G Minor. The piece was texturally complex and had an equally rich sound relative to the previous performances, despite having less players. The melodramatic tune was also performed without a conductor, challenging the ensemble and thereby showcasing their chemistry. Following this, Primarvera Porteña was performed, ‘primavera’ meaning “spring”, and ‘porteña’ in reference to those born in Buenos Aires. The song is part of a set of four tango compositions, The Four Seasons of Bueno Aires. Despite its unassuming name, Primarvera Porteña soothed the audience with a relaxing, yet dynamic melody.
The audience was then once again thrown back into a sea of nostalgia as the ensemble performed a Pokémon Suite, arranged by NTUGE Chairperson Qiu Haoze. The familiar tunes surely brought back many fond memories, with the medley comprising of both the upbeat tunes and the mellow, relaxing ones.
The theme to the 1984 British-Japanese war film Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence was then performed. The ensemble captured the bittersweet sentiments of the film to convey a complex affinity between the captors and prisoners during the Second World War, the era in which the movie was set in. Personally, while I have not watched the film before, the performance has definitely encouraged me to catch the film in my own time!
NTUGE also performed a medley of hits by Sia, the Australian singer-songwriter, with songs such as Chandelier, Elastic Heart, Cheap Thrills, and The Greatest. NTUGE alumnus Margaret arranged this tribute to celebrate the singer’s success of having overcome her personal struggles from the earlier days of her career. While some of these songs are not unfamiliar to us, the ensemble still managed to encapsulate the sentiments while bringing a new touch to the songs.
Nocturne 2019 came to an end with Masquerade Waltz as its finale, the first of a five-movement suite written by Aram Khachaturian for the eponymous play. Beneath the merry and playful nature of the tune, lies a sorrowful undertone that foreshadows the tragedy of the play. By ending with an opening act, NTUGE definitely left the audience wanting more. Naturally, the ensemble returned to perform two encore pieces which had the audience clapping and cheering along to the beat.
We greatly enjoyed our night with NTUGE, as it was filled with memorable performances and showcased the talents and passion the members have for the guitar. We look forward to yet another exciting night with Nocturne 2020!
Written by Dion Sng and Grace Lim