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8Don Giovanni

Impresario2012

Joint DanceConcert

Jayesslee Nanyang Arts Festival 2012

Liu Li Yang

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Editor’s NoteDear Readers,

For some, yet another academic year has gone by and for some like myself, the closing of the semester heralds the end of our time in NTU as tender freshmen. And what a time it has been! I’m sure each of you have gone all out to experience life on campus, starting with all those orientation camps and topped off with the paramount final examinations. I sincerely hope all of you did well and if not, strive harder! In this holiday issue of Art Jam, we bring to you coverage of the recent flurry of events that had us so enthralled in our seats. The Joint Dance Concert and Impresario have both concluded with much success- kudos to all the performers and organizers for giving us such an awesome showing!

Looking forward, the holidays are indeed an excellent time to partake in the many meats of our cultural delight, with a large host of major acts heading here to perform during the months of June and August. We also have the annual Drumzout finals coming up, along with the much anticipated Freshmen Orientation Camp, one year and no less in the planning books. This is after all, the holidays, where long laid plans at long last come to fruition!

Warmest Regards,

JoshuaEditor-In-Chief

Editor-In-ChiefJoshua Wang

EditorArjun Kudva

DesignerXpress Print Pte Ltd

PrinterXpress Print Pte LtdTel: 6880 2881

WritersKoh Hui FangShreya GopiLi ZhuodaJin Chuqing

PhotographersMervyn ChuaDerrick Say

Issue 29MICA (P) 157/10/2011This is a Publication of Nanyang Technological University Cultural Activities Club.To advertise with us or list your events in ART JAM, email us at cac_publication@ntu.edu.sgDownload the softcopy of ARTJAM at www.ntucac.com/ARTJAM

Art Jam can be found in:All Junior Colleges | All Polytechnics | NTU | NUS | SMU | SIM | Esplanade | Esplanade Library | MICA – ARTrium National Youth Council (*scape) | National Museum | DBS Arts Centre (SRT) |Sirus Art | Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts

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Contents 06

1408

211917

4 CAC Press

6 Don Giovanni

8 Campus Concert - Liu Li Yang

10 Joint Dance Concert 2012

14 Impresario 2012

17 Jayesslee

19 Nanyang Arts Festival 2012

21 Arts From The Heart 2012

23 Event Listings

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An exam semester is indeed quite the chore as we see ourselves and our fellow students cramming as we’ve never crammed before for the all-important finals. Some of us perch on the benches and tables scattered around the corridors, making for ourselves a neat little nest out of papers and books that appear surprisingly mint for the duration we’ve had them. For just a moment, we forget the great fun and experiences we have had in the semester that finally (and perhaps mercifully) concluded in May of the year 2012. For while grades are definitely important and perhaps the definitive indication of one’s ability as a student, we mustn’t forget the other aspects of our lives in varsity. For the dancers who dazzled an overwhelmingly full house in Nanyang Auditorium for the annual Joint Dance Concert (JDC), it will be the cheers, the applause and the satisfaction of the culmination of their practice sessions and effort that they will take away. For the performers that took

part in the 2012 Impresario island wide talent contest, regardless of victory or defeat, it is the experience and lessons they will take away and perhaps in these events, the performers, our dearest friends and fellow students, would have created moments they will remember till the end of their days. Likewise for those who helped to organize and were a part of the successful Nanyang Arts Festival and Arts from the Heart, this was indeed a semester to remember.

As we look forward into our proverbial crystal ball, we see a host of exciting events coming up and more memories to be made and created and to hold dear! With Drumzout and our highly anticipated Freshman Orientation Camp just around the corner, it is a bustle of activity around here with preparations and the final touches set on the canvas. As they like to say these days- it’s going to be legend… wait for it… dary!

CAC Press

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When I set my eyes upon all the gentlemen dressed in their well pressed tuxedos and the ladies in their fine evening dresses, milling about in the Esplanade Theater, I felt somewhat under dressed for the event. I overhead a senior European couple seated beside me whisper with excitement: ‘This will be the first performance of Don Giovanni in Singapore and perhaps the first in Asia.’ With that the lights were dimmed and so begun the first performance of Don Giovanni by the Singapore Lyric Opera!

This opera written by Mozart originated from Spanish folklore. Don Giovanni was a womanizer who felt neither shame not guilt. His nobility,

A Dive into the ClassicA review of the opera, Don Giovanni, by Singapore Lyric Opera

By Judith Jin | Photos: Courtesy

wealth, intelligence and charm were his stock in trade. As his servant Leporello described, ‘His list of lovers includes 640 Italians and 231 Germans, 100 from France and 91 from Turkey, and 1003 in Spain alone!’ After his failure in attempting to seduce the commodore’s daughter Anna, he murdered the commodore. Anna and her fiancé Ottavio then sought vengeance together with Elvira whom Giovanni had once betrayed. However, their vengeance could hardly hurt Giovanni even when they revealed his sins to the public. In the end, when Giovanni refused to repent, God finally avenged the commodore by dragging Giovanni down to Hell.

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While the story talked about the worst of human nature, the music certainly represented the best of human creativity. I personally favoured Anna’s most arias for its great compass and purity. When Giovanni tried to seduce Elvira’s maid, it wasn’t difficult to see how his serenade could break many a lass’s heart (despite the fact that I was supposed to hate him). Last but not least, the perfect duets and chorus were of a complexity perhaps beyond modern musicians’ imagination. After all, it is Mozart whom we are talking about.

The characters are always one of the most important elements of a show. Despite the fact that Don Giovanni was, without doubt, the lead role of this opera, my favourite character was actually his servant Leporello. Played by Huang Rong Hai, this character brought most of the laughter to the audience. Leporello is a typical nobody that exists in nearly every story, like Sancho Panza in Don Quixote for example. He is there just to make the lead role more impressive. He shows greed when he agrees to help Giovanni with his seduction just for one gold coin; cowardice when the dead commodore invites Giovanni to his dinner and stupid loyalty when Giovanni blames his entire fault on him in public, pointing his head with a gun. Yet, he is smart, in a humble way. This sounds contradicting but he manages to live with the vilest person alive, whilst keeping himself safe, which is already a great accomplishment. He is not ruthless - he has tried to warn Giovanni’s ‘target women’ not to be seduced and Giovanni not to be too arrogant with God but has failed both. In short, he is more complicated, more like a man grounded in reality, never as evil as Giovanni, nor as gentle as Ottavio, doing his job as a clone, watching the show as a bystander.

Besides the enchanting music and the distinctive characters, the stage design was also remarkable. The props and the background sets were exquisite, especially in Giovanni’s villa, the last scene. It decked splendidly with a vintage Spanish style, and then it suddenly turned into a full blown set of Hell when Giovanni received his punishment with blood-coloured light glowing at the back. Moreover, as the director Tom Hawkes hoped to achieve there was no lengthy scene change in the entire opera. The curtain was up when the show started, then never came down sans the one time during the interval. Every scene changed right in front of the audience, which effectively preserved the forward momentum of the story.

Having provided us with such a show full of highlights, Singapore Lyric Opera (SLO) has been keen to promote and present western opera. Its notable productions in the last three years include Les contes d’Hoffmann (2009), La Bohème (2010), Carmen (2011) and Salome (2011). However, ‘the greatest challenge facing SLO is finding enough funds to fulfill its programs’, according to Toh Meng Cheong, the chairman of SLO. This reminds me of one detail I observed during the interval. One well-dressed lady complained to her friend that she wished that coffee was served at the bar to keep her awake. She was certainly not the only feeling bored: there were young miscreants playing with their iPhones the whole time. Our lives are moving fast, with new art forms developing and vanishing almost on a daily basis. Although fewer and fewer people are able to appreciate this classical art form or willing to pay for a seat in the theater, we must remember, for Opera to have lasted this long since antiquity is an achievement all by itself- nothing gold ever lasts, but some good things do- for a very, very long time.

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Liu Li YangC O N C E R T R E v I E W

By: Li Zhuoda | Photos: Courtesy

Different from her previous releases, this new album see her advance in her musical journey as she personally wrote the lyrics to 2 of the songs in the album, “Journey”(旅途) and “Talk about love” (谈感情)。She also included covers of different genres, bringing lots of exciting musical surprises to her fans.

Although the concert was not a long one in terms of duration, Jeno delighted her audience with her ingenious song choices which included both classics and new songs from a range of different genres. However, no matter what kind of song it was, Jeno’s versatile soulful voice was able to bring out the emotions in each.

Jeno started out with “Queen”(天后), her title song from the 2nd album and perfectly demonstrated her stage presence and ability

to treat the stage as her playground with free, effortless movements, totally immersed in her own musical world. This is perhaps captured most aptly in her album photo shoot in which she is seen listening to music on her headphones whilst immersed underwater.

Some say that singers interpret songs best when the lyrics and composition resonate with themselves. This is perhaps how Jeno feels towards the her second song “I am just what I am”(我就是这样)taken from her first album of the same name. In her own words, this song reflected the singer’s philosophy in life, described her and mirrored her personality. Her personal touch to the song definitely showed in her interpretation as she belted out falsetto and high notes with ease, evoking screams from the audience.

If the androgynous look in girls is the new definition of

personality in mandopop, then the multi-talented Jeno Liu Li Yang is definitely the epitome

of this new normal. Known for her unique charm, Jeno strode

into NTU’s Nanyang Audito-rium on the 15th of March in funky boots and gave her all

for a thrilling campus concert organized by the public affairs

committee of the Cultural Activities Club. This time, she

even took on a new identity of a lyricist on top of her well

known titles of singer and ac-tress as she brought 5 songs,

mainly from her 2nd studio album “Young”.

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Of course, her self-written track “Talk about love”(谈感情) was widely popular in the campus concert. She wrote the lyrics to the smooth love song so well the host DJ Jiahui from YES 933 FM wondered if the lyrics were describing a personal experience. Unfortunately, Jeno revealed that her inspiration for lyrics usually comes from her friends’ love experiences instead of her own. Despite that, her superb comprehension of lyrics is recognized by her record company and fans and music enthusiasts can look forward towards more original music composed by the talented singer.

With the audience warmed up, Jeno took the chance to take the concert to the climax as she sang two English covers “Let me take you there” by Plain White T’s and electric rock song “My Delirium” by Ladyhawke rewritten into a dance track in Lady Gaga style. The fast beats brought emotions to a vantage point as Jeno even ran down the stage to shake hands with the audience in the midst of the song right to the last row. It was the best reward that Jeno’s fans could wish for!

Jeno’s recount of her school experience after the song drew the audience in even more as she revealed her past rebellious self, showing just how down to earth this lovely girl is. Contrary to her current popularity, she revealed herself to be quite the low-key figure in school and was even quite the loner as she could not find like-minded classmates who enjoyed her musical interests. With classmates deemed too practical for her, her school experience seemed even more miserable as she was often picked on by her teachers. Worse still, she was often sent for disciplinary action when she was caught writing pieces that criticized the school’s strict rules. However, it was not difficult to see that since

she was young, she has always been a person of attitude and thinking, a quality adored by her fans.

As a last reward, Jeno ended the concert on a heart-warming ballad well known among her fans –“Present” (礼物) from the Taiwanese idol drama down with love (就想赖着你). Many fans sang along and immersed themselves in the familiar melody. The only downside of the evening was that Jeno did not respond to the audience’s request for an encore. While this left many fans disappointed many others were simply thrilled at having seen their idol sing live in concert.

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As the lights were turned down, the volume and anticipation were turned up. The excitement peaked as the first dancers came into view, and the audience immediately struck up an infectious cheering that had everyone joining in. At NTU CAC’s Joint Dance Concert 2012, even audience members with low expectations were satisfied and impressed - the audience demanded, and the dancers delivered.

It all started in 2004 when the Cultural Activities Club (CAC) presented a combined dance performance, “Seasons4Dance”, which involved its five dance member clubs. The overwhelming reception inspired the club to develop the idea of having an annual joint dance concert. This idea came to fruition in 2007 when the initial five dance clubs, along with two newly formed groups, came together to put up a themed performance, “Going around the World.”

Since then, the Joint Dance Concert (JDC) has been rapidly gaining traction as a major local dance event. This year marks a new milestone

for JDC as yet another dance club, Soul Funky Pop & Lock, joins the league comprising Breakdance, Chinese Dance, Contemporary Dance, DanceSport Academy (DSA), MJ Hip Hop Dance, Kinetics and Salsa En Sync.

“The Box - Perspectives from Within” was the theme for the sold-out JDC 2012, dealing with boundaries and the different ways people handle constraints.

It was a sight to behold as the various dancers, dazzling in their elaborate costumes, ran out from the stage doors and rushed down the aisles

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to get close to the audience in the opening item entitled ‘We Found Love’. Dancing to Rihanna’s song of the same name, almost all the dancers involved in JDC made an appearance in this item. They made a visual statement of their unity when, despite their apparent differences, they performed the same energetic moves to a medley of spirited tunes including David Guetta’s “Without You”.

The first theme of the night was ‘Life is a Choice’. Together with their sister groups NUS Funkstyles and SMU Funk Movement, Soul Funky Pop & Lock performed their item Life and Die, with “die” also referring to dice as boxes with unique sides. The dancers, clad in checked shirts, pulsated with the beats in such a coordinated manner that their bodies seemed connected as a bigger entity.

The celebratory mood was palpable in the air for Salsa En Sync’s item ‘Celebration 2014’, which depicted a group of people in a back alley area of Brazil being elevated from their trying circumstances by the news that Brazil will be hosting World Cup 2014. Props like a boombox added to the intrigue of the storyline built around Shakira’s song “Waka Waka” while the dancers’ costumes in bright greens and yellows enlivened the mood.

Next was MJ Hip Hop’s performance, which told the story of a girl who eventually found strength and recovered from her break-up with her boyfriend who betrayed her, in their piece named Love Battalion. Moving from an upbeat tune to something more pensive and melancholy, this performance conveyed several emotions.

DSA also dealt with love in their item ‘Jaws of Death’, which was about a bullfighter who gave up dancing after death for his lover. It was a visual feast for the audience: the female dancers’ skirts flared out like rose petals as they made precise turns. These sharp moves in turn blended well with the emphasis on the arch of the dancers’ bodies.

This led into the second theme for the night - ‘Stretching Limits’.

Dancers of Kinetics tap-danced to Coldplay’s ‘Paradise’ in their item ‘Break Free to Paradise’, adding a new layer of meaning to a song familiar to many in the audience. The interesting thing about tap-dance is that the sounds of their dance steps became part of the music as well.

This was followed, in contrast, by an exuberant display of popping and locking by the Soul Funky dancers who danced to retro songs in their fittingly preppy and comical costumes of nerdy glasses, suspenders, checked pants and flashy sneakers.

The opening strains of the Chinese dancers’ ethereal music immediately set a grand tone to their performance, which showcased both grace and power. Using chains to depict boundaries and struggle, the act ended on an optimistic note, with the chains being broken and the lead dancer looking up to a new start.

One of the crowd favorites, the act by Contemporary Dance began on a rather eerie note. Using oversized sweaters as their props, the dancers demonstrated their dynamism to a piece of instrumental music, which became frantic towards the end.

The third theme of the night, after an intermission, was called ‘Breakout’, and began with break dancers literally breaking out of a cage. Their powerful moves were complemented by strategic use of lighting, and brought the audience’s attention back to the stage completely, after the break.

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Similarly, DSA’s act, with its characteristic hip movements and lifts, arrested the audience’s gaze with its smoothness. Their feather boas and fascinating formations brought cheers from the crowd.

Salsa En Sync’s item next was futuristic: the dancers wore robot costumes, and had metallic eye shadow and glitter in their hair. To laymen’s eyes, this may be reminiscent of voguing, a highly stylized form of dance in which dancers froze in certain poses. But the dancers proved that robots can be smooth as well with their fluid performance.

Next up was Groovyz, a group which has been so well-received by the audience that this was their third time in a row as JDC’s guest performers. True to their school’s name Chaoyang, which means “facing the sun” in Mandarin, the dancers of Groovyz, clad in cheery yellow jackets, exuded vitality as they danced to the adorable song “Bo Peep Bo Peep” by Korean girl group T-ara for their item ‘Dreams’.

With the start of the fourth theme, ‘Different Outcomes’, the mood was altered by Contemporary Dance. The earthy tones of their

attire and the melancholic and wistful words of the song were tempered by forceful movements that followed one after the other.

A tribal start to the next act saw primitive cave dwellers facing off against sophisticated ballroom dancers. Despite the difference in their props and costumes, the act was enthralling because both groups used similar moves, though executed in different ways. The stark contrast between them suddenly became questionable, as they united around their passion for dance.

The sense of competition was carried over into the next item by Chinese Dance which depicted female rivalry. The dancers made good use of colours to isolate the main characters. Amongst the sea of red cheongsams, was one dancer in yellow, and another in blue. The dancer in yellow was initially rejected by the others in red, but there was an eventual reversal of fortunes when the dancer in the yellow cheongsam replaced the position of the dancer in the blue cheongsam as the new queen.

Dissatisfaction with people’s dependency on technology was injected into the item from MJ Hip Hop, who conveyed their new stand by crushing their mobile phones and ending their control. But the dancers also depicted the idea that such an ideal of liberation may not be possible, as at the end of the dance, they returned, albeit unwillingly, to technology.

Any depressing sentiments were dispelled immediately by the pulsating finale, however, which saw different dance styles coming together with the song “Starz in their Eyes” by Just Jack. As dancers gathered on stage group by group to receive thunderous applause from the audience, one more surprise was in store. As the b-boy dancers invited their choreographer up on stage, they called for an impromptu dance battle, an act of spontaneity which was a pleasant surprise and a parting treat for the audience.

1. NTU BreakdanceNTU Breakdance, also known as Nocturnal Rhythmz Crew (NRC), was formed in 2006 and specialises in b-boying / b-girling.

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The club is gaining in strength with the help of instructors Alex and KS. It has taken up many performances and has even recently held a jam to allow other dance crews nationwide to share their knowledge and skills with them.

2. Chinese DanceNTU’s Chinese Dance Club has grown into a well-received establishment since it was founded in 1994. Led by dance choreographer Ms Yap Guat Khim, the club hopes to spread the Chinese dance culture to the public.

The club focuses on the fusion of traditional Chinese art and contemporary ballet techniques: this bridging between the Chinese and Western culture is easily comprehended by all. Some of their performances were for the NTU Heritage Walk, Navy Open House 2010, and the first ever Youth Olympics Games 2010. Besides the numerous public performances, the club also has biennial dance productions which present an array of dance pieces.

3. Contemporary DanceNTU CAC Contemporary Dance started off in 2001 as a modern ballet genre. Currently led by

Jessica from O School, Contemporary Dance differentiates itself from other contemporary dance clubs by exploring a range of different genres including Broadway, lyrical, modern ballet.

Seeking to spread the passion for dance through creative and emotive dance forms, it is actively involved in various internal and external performances. They have shown their creativity and passion for dance from their annual concert, Modern Antiquities, in 2009 and Make Love Not War, in 2010, both big hits with the audience.

4. DanceSport AcademyNTU DanceSport Academy (DSA) serves as a platform for people to take up DanceSport, the sport of leisure and competitive ballroom dancing.

DanceSport consists of ten dances in both the Standard and Latin categories, concentrating mostly on five International Latin dances - the Cha-Cha-Cha, Rumba, Jive, Samba and Paso Doble. During weekly lessons, members learn from qualified Italian coaches from the renowned Shawn and Gladys Danceworld studio, and are given the opportunity to advance to a competitive level.

5. KineticsNTU CAC Kinetics started in 2001 with the support of a group of swing dance enthusiasts in NTU and the strong support of Jitterbugs Studio – pioneers of the Lindy Hop dance in Singapore. Its members enjoy dancing Tap and Lindy to both fast and slow jazz music (e.g. swing, big band), as well as participating in social dance events at different places in Singapore throughout the week.

Today, Kinetics continues to promote swing and tap dancing to the NTU community with activities like workshops and performances for numerous school and public events.

6. MJ Hip Hop DanceMJ is NTU’s premier Hip Hop dance club which operates under the guidance of Mr Patrick Loo, a legendary name in local dance circles and also respected as Singapore’s grandfather of hip hop.

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Managed entirely by its members, the club constantly aims to enrich themselves with their passion to dance while balancing their studies as undergraduates.

The club’s members strive to apply lessons picked up from dance to their daily lives: dance has taught them to be humble, disciplined, and loving enthusiasts of life.

7. Salsa En SyncSalsa En Sync came into beingin 2006 with Gary Foo from renowned En Motion Dance School as our instructor to introduce the fun, sensual and sexy dance to the students of NTU.

Since then, the group has received much applause in many performances including NTU’s Joint Dance Concert, Bailamos - a Latin dance extravaganza, and the Singapore International Salsa Festival 2008. Salsa En Sync has also participated in various commercial performances including the opening of Yew Tee Square in Aug 2009.

In 2010, Salsa En Sync kicked out its first ever Inter-tertiary Salsa Competition. An initiative led by the NTU Salsa En Sync, The Inter-Tertiary Salsa Competition is the first of its kind to be held in Singapore. Salsa En Sync hopes this endeavor will serve as a platform for local Salsa dancers to showcase their talents.

8. Soul Funky Pop&LockSoul Funky was set up in September 2008 and gained independence in March 2011 to officially become NTU’s funkstyle club. The club focuses mainly on the dance styles of Popping and Locking, and also explores other genres such as House and Waacking.

Soul Funky has since been actively performing for school events, joining competitions and has also been involved in jams by the local dance scene. This year, the club has invited its sister clubs to join in the two JDC items as one big family, the Singapore varsity Funk Unit.The Joint Dance Concert will be SvFU’s debut collaboration.

9. Guest Performers - GroovyzGroovyz, Chaoyang School’s hip hop dance group, was set up by Ms. Huzaima Bte Hamid, their school teacher. Since then, Groovyz has performed in various school and public events, such as “Welcome to My World” in 2008 and 2009, a concert showcasing the best in performing arts by people with disabilities in conjunction with NUS Arts Festival.

Groovyz performed in Joint Dance Concert 2010 and was invited back again for JDC 2011. Currently under the tutelage of CJootz of Danzpeople, Groovyz has continued to wow audience with their slick performances.

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t w o t h o u s a n d t w e l v e

Organized by Nanyang Technological University (NTU) Cultural Activities Club (CAC), Impresario is an annual nationwide talent search competition. This year’s competitors have proven to be a very talented lot, and it was only after many a judges’ panel and auditions before it all cumulated in the dazzle of the 2012 Grand Finals, held in the Nanyang Auditorium on 18th March 2012.

The event kicked off with no less than guest artistes AK, a dynamic duo with an energetic performance of song and dance, an obvious crowd pleaser. Decked out all in reflective whites, they entranced the audience with slick moves and smooth vocals, pausing to throw out signed posters to an appreciative audience. In the highly competitive vocal solo category, we saw May Rae Parley take third place, Fritchel Z. Dapat snag second with an excellent rendition of “I will always love you” by Celine Dion, and finally, first place went to the very young and incredibly talented Abigail Yeo. For her tender age of

16, the young singer displayed remarkable confidence on stage in front of such a large audience, making her win ever more deserving. In the vocal group category, DFS took the third place with their cover of “Rolling in the Deep” by Adele. The girl-group self dubbed “Dou-ya”, whose members included our winner Abigail Yeo, clinched second with a cutsy performance of a medley consisting of Bruno Mar’s “Lazy song” and Katy Perry’s “Firework”, dressed in the proverbial PJs and later changing to glittery black outfits. It was the songbird duo 21 that took the win, with incredibly harmonized vocals, also performing a medley with unique song picks such as SNSD’s “Gee” and the ever popular “Officially missing you”.

For the original composition category, romance and young love were the themes of nearly all the entries. Ashton Tan took third place with a bittersweet Chinese piece well interpreted by his singer of choice. Travis Minjan took second with

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a charming melody and simple lyrics and finally, Ding Jin Han topped the category, performing on stage together with another singer an emotional Chinese single that in my opinion, would be really radio friendly if it ever manages to hit the airwaves.

The dance category exceeded all expectations, with elaborate costumes, hyper-energetic dance moves and raw energy that bled from each performance. NTU’s very own Stereo vision got third place, wowing the crowd with well choreographed moves while flaunting their leopard-print clothing. Cred Crew took second, with a really sweet performance revolving around their selected theme of a girl having to

choose from different types of guys. It was the hip hop group Replay that walked away the winner to roars of approval from the crowd and supporters.

The night ended on a high note with a guest performance by the famous Taiwanese singer “Xiao Gui”, who took to the stage to the screams of delight of his fans in the audience, who had taken the time to make LED signages and took it upon themselves to make enough noise that the auditorium shook to its foundations. All good things must end and when Xiao Gui finally concluded his performance but it is with trepidation that we look forward to the magic of Impresario 2013!

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Concert Review

On 4th of May, I had the opportunity to be entranced by the songbird twins, self-dubbed “Jayesslee”, live at the Kallang

Theatre. It was a completely sold out show and pretty impressive at that, given that the theatre will soon play host

to the likes of international artistes such as one Christina Perri of “Jar of Hearts” and “Thousand Years” fame.

by Joshua Wang

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To sum it all up, they’re a pair of real-life twins who found fame and fortune on the popular video sharing site, YouTube. South-Korean by ethnicity and Australian by nationality, Janice and Sonia are in essence bedroom musicians who’ve managed to garner quite a sizeable following, especially in sunny Singapore. Armed with chirpy personalities, a discernible talent at covering songs with an injection of their own interpretations, and girlish looks that make the duo a sight for sore, sore eyes, Jayesslee has come pretty far from singing to showerheads.

While both Janice and Sonia can’t and probably won’t profess to be the most talented musicians or vocalists around, it’s hard to dismiss the sweetness of their music. To argue technicalities against what simply sounds pretty awesome is hardly indicative of anything at all. While your esteemed writer finds that their voices lack the tonal range of more accomplished vocalists and their experience with instruments is limited to just the guitar, the duo possess a rather unique

??So who is Jayesslee ? ability to... simply sound good. And that was to the tune of May 4th, when they took to the stage live, with simple sets and talented backup musicians on the electric guitar and bass, and also, Andy, Sonia’s fiancé on the cajon. The speakers blasted sweetness. Janice and Sonia were thoroughly entertaining, with cheerful banter between the two and it was nice to see the two of them to be so real and grounded and not carried away by what they’ve achieved so far. They played the usual crowd pleasers- “Dare you to move” originally by Switchfoot, along with songs such as “I won’t give up” by Jason Mraz and also their biggest hit on YouTube with over 9 million views at last count, “Officially missing you”.

It’s always nice to see an independent band or musicians take to the stage because when they play, they play for their love for music and they play for the fans. There are precious few bands and acts around that are decent and haven’t been commercialized inside out and so I do urge you, esteemed readers, to perhaps go out every now and then to take a listen to these little bands- it’s pure magic.

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The Nanyang Arts Festival (NAF) was initiated back in 2003 as the Cultural Festival to promote culture and the performing arts in NTU. Through this festival, we hope to increase the level of appreciation and awareness of the arts scene amongst students, be it visual or performing. The diverse range of events and activities, such as performances, competitions, workshops and installations, ensures a high level of arts participation and engagement throughout the Festival. Besides supporting the 22 Member Clubs of CAC through endorsements and several performing opportunities, NAF has grown to include the many cultural and arts groups in both NTU as well as the National Institute of Education (NIE). Additionally, an increasing number of external artists and performances have also been invited to showcase their talents to the NTU population. This year, with the theme of “Arterly Intense”, the week of NAF saw a host of exciting workshops such as guitar and balloon sculpting, along with various exciting performances related to the local arts scene.

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Writeup by Daniel TanPhotos by Cepheus Chan, Shane Chong

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Before stepping into Toa Payoh’s HDB Hub, a wide spacious floor that is usually the setting for events, one is immediately struck by the boisterous music booming from that area. On the 6th of May 2012, CAC’s very own Arts From The Heart (AFTH) was held at the Hub. As one entered the area, the enormous Lighthouse structure is quick to catch the eye, and draw one in to take a closer look. Made of more than 900 magnetic pieces, the light house is truly (and literally) the highlight of the event. These magnet pieces are sponsored by the public as part of AFTH’s canvassing for donations that will benefit the Singapore Children’s Society. Each

piece helps build up the lighthouse to symbolize this year’s theme “Like Light”. Moving on from the lighthouse, the myriad of performances on the stage are sure to enrapture for most of the day. With percussion, dance, singing and even piano performances, the music never stops and keeps everyone entertained from the start of the day till the finale at night. There were also dozens of booths lining the event ground with many carnival games providing fun for both the young and old alike. Refreshments were also sold as part of the fundraising effort at affordable prices. All proceeds from the successful event went to charity.

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14 June 2012NTU Symphonic Band Concert:

SOJOURNX June 2012

DRUMZOUTFINAL EVENT

August 2012

CAC FreshmenORIENTATION CAMPAugust 2012

NTU ContemporaryDance Concert

October 2012

Inter-TertiarySalsa Competition

ISSUE29 ARTJAM 25

CHRISTINAPERRI

LIVE in SINGAPORE

Get ready to open your heart as Lushington Entertainments proudly announces CHRISTINA

PERRI Live at the Kallang Theatre on 8 June 2012. Ticket sales launch on 19 April at 9am.

Every day something happens that blows my mind,” she says. “Being able to wake up and play music is more than I’ve ever dreamed my life could be. I’m looking forward to sharing my

experiences, my hope, my strength, my guts, and my heart with the world.”

This talented musician will treat fans to her gritty bluesy folk pop as Christina Perri will be making

her first live appearance in Singapore at the Kallang Theatre on Friday, 8 Jun 2012.

EVENT DATE 8 Jun 2012 Fri, 8.00pm

DURATIONApprox 1 hr 30 mins

TICKET PRICE (Exclude Booking Fee)Standard - S$118

VENUEKallang Theatre

ARTJAM ISSUE2926

aux Follesla Cage

Winner of 11 Tony Awards and one of Broadway’s biggest hits, LA CAGE AUX FOLLES is a musical comedy classic. It is based on the French play by Jean Poiret, that also inspired The Birdcage, a hilarious Hollywood movie starring Robin Williams and Nathan Lane. This July, LA CAGE will be gloriously revived by W!LD RICE, the company that brought you such hits as Boeing Boeing, Beauty World and The Importance of Being Earnest.

With a star-studded cast, a chorus line of “notorious and dangerous” Cagelles, as well as a magnificent score of memorable heart-warming songs including I Am What I Am and The Best of Times, LA CAGE is a touching tale of one family’s struggle to stay together… stay fabulous, and above all else, stay true to themselves!

Presented by: W!LD RICE Directed by Glen Goei

Date: 20 Jul – 4 Aug 2012 | Time: Tue – Sun: 8:00pm, Sat & Sun: 3:00pm | Duration: 2.5 hrs

Venue: Theatre, Esplanade | Tickets available from: SISTIC | www.wildrice.com.sg

Join us for an inspiring evening of music-making, as we open our hearts and ears to the pristine voices of the SLO Children’s Choir. Let them remind us of the songs and stories from our youth, and share with us the melodies of their own youthful hopes and dreams. Wherever you are, and whoever you are, come rediscover the child in you, and Don’t Stop Believing...

Featuring three segments of folksongs from Asia, Europe and North America, the concert will include songs like Ikan Kekek and Humpty Dumpty; newly commissioned songs from local composers Dr Kelly Tang and Dr Goh Toh Chai and an arrangement of Xinyao songs handpicked by Dr Liang Wen Fu personally arranged by Ms Liong Kit Yeng.

Our guest choir from Anglo-Chinese Secondary School (Barker Road) will join the ensemble to perform contemporary songs from the musical Les Miserables and the best of Glee from the popular TV series.

Tickets: SISTIC (65) 6348 5555available from 12 April 2012 onwards

Enquiry: (65) 6336 1929

ISSUE29 ARTJAM 27

Launched since June 2008 at Singapore Botanic Gardens, Opera in the Park is an outreach programme, which aims to expand the opera experience to a wider audience. This outdoor event offers popular favorites from musicals and operas

Free AdmissionFor enquiries, call (65) 6336 1929

Grammy winning California rockers TRAIN will perform Live in Singapore on June 17, 2012 at the Marina Bay Sands Grand Theater! Known for their many chart topping hits such as “Drops of Jupiter”, “Calling All Angels”, “Hey Soul Sister” and many more, the band is touring in support of their latest smash album “California 37” which has just been released to great acclaim.

Live in Concert

17 Jun 2012, Sun | 8pmGrand Theater at Marina Bay Sands

ARTJAM ISSUE2928