“Many thanks to Ensemble de la Belle Musique for the invitation. It was an exhilarating experience – great audience rapport and interaction, fantastic venue with beautiful acoustics, professional ensemble players with exacting interpretation, and a successful sold-out concert – what more can a composer ask for! Best wishes for the future and may the ensemble continue to play more beautiful music.” — Daxter Yeo (“Belle Reveries” & “La Vie Est Belle”)
“It has definitely been an amazing experience to have my pieces premiered by such a professional music ensemble. There is much to learn when working with professional players, and I definitely took away a lot of lessons in working with them. I encourage composers to have their pieces performed by this amazing ensemble and I look forward to have more of my pieces premiered by such a wonderful team of musicians.” — Gan Li Kiong (Shaun Wesley) (“Lovers Beyond” & “Dangerous Love”)
“I am so grateful for the opportunity to write music for the Ensemble de la Belle Musique. As a composer, it is a rare gift to find an ensemble that will devote such excellence of performance and interpretation to bringing a contemporary composer’s vision to life. When I began writing a Christmas piece for this group last year, I was excited about the prospect of working with a chamber orchestra and maximizing the individual colors of the ensemble. I loved the fact that they included a fine pianist and percussionist as well, as it allowed for some fun etherial effects. I was soon to discover that this fabulous ensemble brings masterful musicianship to their performances. The sensitivity and craftsmanship of the maestro and the players is inspiring—all the individuals making up the sections are so good it makes writing for them a complete joy! It is a great privilege as a contemporary composer to discover a group that is dedicated not only to their craft as musicians, but also to the goal of supporting and encouraging living composers. Equally as exciting is the fact that they encourage the composition of music that expresses beauty. In a world marred by so much darkness, I am humbled and honored to offer up music that can inspire, uplift, and bring light to those who listen. I feel this extraordinary group shares this same vision of bringing joy, beauty and wonder in the performances they offer the world. ” — Kari Medina (“Christmas Reveries” & “One Snowy Day…”)
“I am very honored to be invited to the EMB concert and it was a wonderful experience to meet composers around the world and listen to the works being performed by the ensemble. I was amazed by the quality of the performance. Special thanks to the attentiveness of Maestro Tan and the hospitality of both Ms. Lows.” — Simon Yip Sai Man (“The Road to Happiness” & “Reverie d’amour”)
“Working with Ensemble de la Belle Musique (EBM) has been an absolute joy. As a young composer interested in writing tonal concert music, the opportunities that EBM provides are invaluable. It was a wonderful treat to hear professional musicians perform my work beautifully, and to be involved in their rehearsals prior to the concert. Can’t wait for more EBM concerts and ‘Call for Scores’!” — Yvonne Teo (“Christmas Waltz” & “A Christmas Reunion”)
“It was an amazing and phenomenal experience to have my compositions performed by the Ensemble de la Belle Musique (EBM). The professional musicians in the EBM team have displayed tremendous spirit and dedication during every rehearsal and concert. Their interpretation of all the selected pieces were immaculate, and every world premier was a spectacular one. There were also opportunities for me to network with other selected composers from all over the world and interact with the audience after the concert. In addition, I was given a full HD video recording of my composition which would strengthen my portfolio as a composer. I strongly believe that more composers should know about this amazing opportunity and engage in this platform to showcase their creative talent.” — Jon Tho (“Around The World In One Night” & “Reflections”)
“On June 11th 2018, at the prestigious Esplanade Recital Studio in Singapore, a wonderful and exciting concert took place, during which the Ensemble de la Belle Musique (EBM), comprising of very talented musicians, performed my piece ‘Quel che resta del giorno’ for solo piano and 10 other works by composers from all over the world. The compositions, written for different formations and dedicated to EBM, have been selected through an original and engaging ‘Call for Scores’ dedicated to the theme of ‘Love & Longing’, and aimed at giving more space and visibility to melodious and tonal music. Although I could not be present at the concert because I was busy with my job in Italy, I could still enjoy the event by watching and listening to its video recordings put up on EBM’s Youtube channel. The selected compositions were all lovely and interesting, and they were performed very well. The large audience who attended the concert were in surprisingly full concentration, and they warmly applauded each piece. The acoustics of the hall were exceptional and this helped to bring out the beauty of the music and the skills of the musicians. But there is another aspect, no less important, that I would like to point out and that struck me: the EBM Team has accompanied all the moments of my participation in the ‘Call for Scores’ always with great kindness and care. This kindness and care made me appreciate more the passion, professionalism and devotion with which EBM carries out its praiseworthy musical mission. In short, the second edition of the ‘Call for Scores’ organized by EBM gave me the opportunity to showcase my music and it was an unforgettable and very satisfying experience for me. For this reason, I highly recommend to all the composers who love melodious and tonal music to submit their works to this beautiful and exciting event, participating without hesitation in its third edition of ‘Call for Scores’!” — Massimo De Lillo (“Quel che resta del giorno”)
“I’d like to thank the players for the very good execution of my music, it made me really enthusiastic.” — Antonio Bonazzo (“Dream”)
“A big thank you to the team for presenting the recent ‘Love and Longing’ concert – it is extremely rare for living composers to have the opportunity to write accessible (though far from simple) music, knowing that a live performance will ensue and be appreciated by a captive audience. The concerts presented by EBM showcase this unique opportunity of giving living composers the challenge to write music which has musical integrity and accessibility, and for the selected works to be given a live performance to a capacity crowd. As a composer it has been wonderful to be a small part of this process!” — Kenji Fujimura (“A Sonnet to Old Dreams”)
“It has been truly an honor to have my compositions performed by this unique band of skilled artists. The musicianship of this ensemble is peerless. It is really something special to have an ensemble that is strictly dedicated to and enthusiastic about performing new tonal works composed by living composers. I am also extremely grateful for the hospitality of the people of Singapore, especially the hospitality of the EBM team, most notably that of the Low sisters. I wish them much success for the future!” — Michael J. Winstanley (“The Ice Palace Waltz”, “The Frivolous Flirt” & “A Prelude and Waltz for Piano: Broken Heart and Unrequited”)
“The concert was extremely successful and well-received by the audience. There was a wide array of composers from all over the world and every piece was a world premiere. I would like to extend my gratitude to Dr Leonard Tan for his great conducting and inspiring speech. I would also like to thank the musicians who performed my piece: Lik Wuk, Shue Churn, Gabriel, Jeremiah, Jonathan, Jeremy, Tang Jia, Eddie and Sanche for their great interpretation of my composition. It is rare to find ensembles willing to perform original contemporary pieces and the Ensemble de la Belle Musique does a great job that exceeds expectations. Great job EBM team!” — Jon Tho (“Santa’s Old Workshop”)
“Dear EBM team, thank you very much once again for giving us composers opportunity for showcasing our music to such diverse audience. I’ll always cherish the fond memories of listening to my piece performed by a brilliant orchestra alongside meeting amazing musicians and composers. My experience with the EBM team has been more than just that of a colleague or a fellow musician. During my entire time, I’ve felt like a close friend or a family member. The hospitality and organization by Shao Suan and Shao Ying was most satisfying. The conductor Mr. Tan and the players were eager to take notice of the composers’ feedback on interpretation of the music. The concert itself was very well presented. I look forward to write more music for the EBM and, if given a chance, to travel to meet them once more!” — Usman Anees (“Journey On Christmas Eve”)
“It was definitely an amazing experience writing for EBM (and it still feels surreal now!). I still wanted to contribute to the music world even during my National Service term, and I just happened to stumble upon this wonderful call for scores. Having not listened to live orchestral music for quite some time, I immediately jumped on this opportunity to write two pieces for this ensemble. I was delighted to hear that both my pieces were selected, and was really looking forward to the live performance. On the performance day, I finally managed to listen to the entirety of my pieces. The chemistry of the ensemble was excellent; articulations were well executed, the flow of the music was evident from their playing, and I could feel each performer’s conviction towards the music (especially at their high points). In terms of composing, I learnt a lot from the conductor, musicians and their constructive feedback through the reading sessions and the actual performance. I realised with hindsight that this was something I dearly missed back in my schooling days, and so I definitely treasured this rare opportunity to work with these musicians. The positive feedback and reaction from the audience, performers and other composers that I received that evening was really comforting to me, and it further reaffirmed my passion in writing beautiful and touching music that could be felt from the heart. Needless to say, I was fascinated and inspired by how this entire event turned out, and I would definitely be writing for this ensemble again in the future. Cheers!” — Lim Han Quan (“Wonderland, the Beauty of Winter” & “A Jazzy Night to Remember”)
“Musicians of the Ensemble de la Belle Musique have once again exceeded expectations by making headlines with their outstanding performances of world premiere tonal and melodious compositions at this year’s Christmas concert. Every piece of music was beautifully rendered by the ensemble which is made up of professional musicians. The experience was both engaging and hypnotic. At the end of the concert, composers, musicians and the audience have the wonderful opportunity to bond with one another. I would like to acknowledge Ensemble de la Belle Musique for the privilege to be part of this experience and for the stunning performance of my composition “Natsukashii”. Congratulations and thank you!” — Daxter Yeo (“Natsukashii”)
“I will keep forever in my heart the memory of my thrilling participation in the EBM’s Christmas Concert 2018. Meeting talented composers around the world, talking to them about music and listening to my work, conducted and performed with surprising expressiveness by very good musicians in the wonderful Esplanade Recital Studio, filled me with joy and satisfaction. I am grateful to Low Shao Ying, Low Shao Suan and Maestro Leonard Tan for having contributed, with their kindness, professionalism and enthusiasm, to make this experience even more beautiful and unforgettable. Best wishes to EBM!” — Massimo de Lillo (“Morning”)
“Thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to write music and made it performed by professionals. It was my pleasure and also an honour for me. Such an experience! The concert was full house that made it even more thrilling. I saw the audience, and they looked happy, and honestly i was so grateful to be there. Also, I am glad to know more composers from different countries, then hearing such diverse music made me open my eyes. Once again, thank you Ensemble de la Belle Musique.” — Maleva Ristananda (“Snow Begins To Fall Again”)
“Working with EBM is always a lovely experience – this was my second time having my piece performed by the very professional musicians on EBM, and everyone was incredibly friendly and welcoming. Thank you for putting up a wonderful performance of my piece, and for working with me so patiently to bring my music to life. I’m looking forward to more EBM concerts in the future and given the opportunity, would absolutely love to work together again.” — Yvonne Teo (“A Christmas Reunion”)