The Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SCO) turns 30 this year, and its anniversary finale, the SCO30 Closing Gala on 21 November 2026, follows two weeks later. There’s a free way in that comes first, though. On Saturday, 7 November, the orchestra heads to Fernvale Park with Rasa Sayang and the Xinyao Medley on the programme, and it costs nothing at all.
That’s the easy option for anyone who missed out on gala seats. The gala is where the news is, so start there.
A Brand-New Symphony About Singapore
The finale opens by looking back with Overture – Step Up and Up, a commissioned work by Phoon Yew Tien. Phoon is a Cultural Medallion recipient, which is Singapore’s top honour for artists. His overture was first performed at SCO’s inaugural concert thirty years ago, so hearing it on the night that closes year 30 is a neat bit of bookending that longtime fans will appreciate.
The evening then builds to the world premiere of Lion City Symphony by Law Wai Lun, another Cultural Medallion recipient, commissioned specially for SCO30. According to SCO, the piece traces Singapore’s story through five moments, honouring the past while looking ahead to what the orchestra calls “a shining future”. The title points to the old meaning of Singapura, the “lion city” that gave the island its name.
The SCO30 Closing Gala starts at 7.30pm at the SCO Concert Hall, and tickets are priced at S$20, S$40, S$60 and S$90. A brand-new symphony about this island, written for this orchestra, can only be premiered once, so book early. SCO describes the whole night as “a reflection of where we have been and a celebration shared with all who have journeyed with us”.
Fernvale Park Gets the Singalongs
Now for the free one. SCO Goes to Jalan Kayu brings the orchestra to Fernvale Park on 7 November at 6pm, led by Associate Conductor Moses Gay. If you live in a Sengkang HDB nearby, this is about as convenient as live orchestral music gets.
The setlist mixes traditional Chinese classics with local favourites. There’s Rasa Sayang, the Malay folk song most Singaporeans learnt in school, and Munnaeru Vaalibaa, a Tamil-language song. Moonlight in the City is on there too, along with the Xinyao Medley. Xinyao means the Mandarin songs that Singaporean students wrote and sang in the 1980s. SCO says the selection reflects Singapore’s multicultural heritage and shared memories, and it reads like a school assembly playlist in the best possible way.
The soloists are a big part of the appeal. Qiu Yan-Tang plays the suona, a loud and bright Chinese horn, and Zhang Shuo plays the guan, a double-reed pipe. Together they perform Hundreds of Birds Adoring a Phoenix and Summer Palace.
After that, dizi (bamboo flute) players Lee Jun Cheng and Hu Wen-Hsun perform The Roof. SCO says this one brings “warmth and nostalgia”, and it’s billed as an evening for audiences of all ages, so bringing your parents is a good call.
Botanic Gardens, Picnic Mat Required
A week later, Music Oasis @ Singapore Botanic Gardens is on 14 November at 6pm, and it’s free as well. Associate Conductor Lien Boon Hua leads a more classical programme. It opens with the festive Harvest and moves on to The Great Wall Capriccio. Zhang Shuo returns with The Dance of Qiuci, the fifth movement of The Silk Road Fantasia Suite.
The piece to watch is Countryside by Taiwanese composer Hannah Hsieh, a contemporary work about rural life and the harvest. The night closes with Impressions of Chinese Music, which blends traditional Chinese music with modern orchestral writing. SCO’s advice is to bring a picnic mat!
JJ Lin on Your Lunch Break
On Wednesday, 2 December at 12.30pm, SCO plays The Canopy at Geneo for the first time. The free Lunchtime Concert @ Geneo is conducted by Lien Boon Hua. Its festive set includes Greatest Hits of JJ Lin and Medley of Singapore Chinese Pop.
Sheng (a Chinese mouth organ) player Yang Sin-Yu performs a sheng concerto version of The Christmas Song. Erhu I associate principal Ling Hock Siang and pipa player Wang Siyuan perform Embroidered Pouch. A JJ Lin medley on traditional instruments in the middle of a workday is a strong reason to take a long lunch.
Which Free Concert to Pick
If you can only make one, choose Fernvale. Rasa Sayang, Munnaeru Vaalibaa and the Xinyao Medley are songs the whole family can hum along to, and the concert sits closest to the gala’s idea of telling Singapore’s story through music. Pick the Botanic Gardens if you’d rather hear something new, because Hannah Hsieh’s Countryside is the most contemporary piece across the three nights.
Geneo is the easy choice for office workers nearby. And if you enjoyed the SG60 programmes at the SCCC, SCO’s season is a natural next stop.
New Box Office Hours
From 1 November 2026, the SCO Box Office opens only on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, 10.30am to 5pm. SCO calls this a phased adjustment to its ticketing services.
On other days, you can email marcom@sco.com.sg or call 6591 8871 or 6557 4034 for ticketing help.
🗓️ Date: Saturday, 7 November 2026
⏰ Time: 6pm
📍 Location: Fernvale Park
💰 Price: Free
🔗 Details: SCO Goes to Jalan Kayu
Lion City Symphony is the big premiere of SCO’s 30th year, but you don’t need a gala ticket to hear the orchestra. Head to Fernvale Park on 7 November for the singalongs, or bring a mat to the Botanic Gardens on 14 November. Thirty years in, SCO is bringing its music to parks and lunch breaks, and that’s a great reason to go listen!
Photos and Visuals courtesy of Singapore Chinese Orchestra.
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