From Staud’s Par ici! (“This way!”) to Vivier’s imagined Zipangu, this programme follows music as an act of orientation—towards distant places, ritual and the unknown. Staud draws on Baudelaire’s Le Voyage, using microtonal colour to blur the boundaries of the ensemble and unsettle our musical compass. Schnittke’s Hymn III turns the journey inward, creating a spare, meditative sound world from cello, bassoon, harpsichord and bells. Kallionpää’s The Reef ventures beneath the ocean’s surface, transforming underwater recordings from Thailand’s Mu Koh Lanta into music for two pianos. Finally, Vivier transforms a single melody through extremes of string colour, arriving at a place that feels both distant and imagined.
ABOUT OPUSNOVUS
Committed to presenting groundbreaking repertoire from the 20th and 21st centuries, YST contemporary music ensemble OpusNovus empowers young musicians to explore and engage with the evolving language of contemporary music through performance, collaboration, and experimentation.
The ensemble performs works by leading international composers and actively champions Southeast Asian voices. They have shared the stage with acclaimed groups such as the London Sinfonietta and Ensemble Phoenix Basel, and collaborated with guest conductors like Steven Schick and Jürg Henneberger.
The ensemble toured Australia for the first time in 2023 and recently made its China debut in October 2025 at the Shenzhen Belt & Road International Music Festival. Through bold programming and fearless performances, OpusNovus continues to shape a distinctive voice for new music in Singapore and beyond.
PROGRAMME
JOHANNES MARIA STAUD
Par ici!
QI YUFEI, flute
TAO NUOXI, clarinet
CHOI HONG WA, bassoon
LUO TIANHAO, horn
WEN CHIA-CHUN, trumpet
CHRISTIAN DANIEL RAGAY BORRES, percussion
CHEN XING-CHI, piano
YIN CHEN ZIYUE, violin
CLAUDIA KHANG LOO AN, viola
SHERZOD BAKHTIYOROV, cello
HUANG YUNG-TING, double bass
ALFRED SCHNITTKE
Hymn III
CHEN SIHONG, bassoon
CHRISTIAN DANIEL RAGAY BORRES, percussion (bells)
CHIU PIN-HSIN, harpsichord
ZHU RUONING, cello
MARIA KALLIONPÄÄ
The Reef
CHEN XING-CHI, piano
CHIU PIN-HSIN, piano
CLAUDE VIVIER
Zipangu
ZHANG HANZHI, violin
AUREITSEVICH NATALLIA, violin
CHEN YI-TIEN, violin
GAO WEI TINA, violin
LIN YI-HSUAN, violin
NG EE-JUN, violin
YIN CHEN ZIYUE, violin
KUNG YU-NING, viola
LIU XUANYU, viola
CLAUDIA KHANG LOO AN, viola
ASSENBAY ALAN, cello
LIU YIDUO, cello
LOEWE LIM LI TONG, double bass
TICKETING INFORMATION
Admission is free and on a first-come, first-served basis. For everyone’s safety, admission will close once the venue reaches full capacity.
Out of respect for all patrons, late admission will only be allowed at suitable intervals. No children under 6 years of age will be allowed admission. Food and drinks are not allowed inside the venue.
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ACCESSIBILITY
YST offers step-free access from the street to all venues within the building. Accessible seating arrangements can be made for patrons with access needs. If you require more information about our facilities or wish to book accessible seats, please contact muscomms@nus.edu.sg