PROGRAMME NOTE
Moon Rabbits《月兔》
29 & 30 Sep 2023 | 7:00pm & 8:15pm | Yishun Pond Park Promenade
All About the Rabbit
When rabbit myths in the moon can be found across vast geo-cultural space spanning from India, Thailand, China, Korea, Japan to as far away as the Aztec empire of Ancient Mexico, the rabbit is no longer just the cute little bunny as depicted in mass-produce merchandise.
ARTS FISSION's 2023 Moonstruck Series reflects on a fun hare-inspired creation and returns with an intergenerational performance at the Yishun Pond Park Promenade this Mid-Autumn Festival on 29 and 30 Sep 2023.
Intergenerational Performers
Children from the Young Fission Benefit project and senior members from NTUC Senior Health Activity Centre (Boon Lay) will appear as whimsical characters in the show. Together with ARTS FISSION Dancers and Musicians from wind and percussion group Reverberance, the performance will capture spirits young and old with riveting plays of music and dance under the bright Autumn moon.
Creative Value in Staging Community Performances
Conceptualised by Artistic Director Angela Liong with original music by Composer Dr Zechariah Goh Toh Chai, Moon Rabbits brings audience an enchanting production inspired by the many personas of the rabbit - also the iconic star of the current Year of the Rabbit.
Staged with multicultural nuances, the production of Moon Rabbits references cultural elements through contemporary sensibility and aesthetics. Attention on designing site-sensitive installation as well as dramatic silhouette costumes and unique performance staging are always the hallmark of ARTS FISSION's annual Moonstruck Series.
It is the continuous endeavours of ARTS FISSION in raising the artistic value of community outreach performance for audience from all walks of life. The 2022 site-specific performance of Mid-Autumn Festival, Flower Moon over Singapore River《花月夜》, took place at the history Cavenagh Bridge to over 800 audiences.
Arts for Health and Wellbeing
The chosen performance location of Khoo Teck Puat Hospital Promenade with the backdrop of the Yishun Pond reflects the idea of Health and Wellbeing for the community and common everyday people. Moon Rabbits is presented with support from Khoo Teck Puat Hospital and its community neighbour, the Tzu Chi Humanistic Youth Centre.
The production hopes to bring forth a whimsical and heartwarming audience experience in a festival that is all about kinship reunion. The show will commence with a public Lantern Walk meandering through the intimate water gardens of the Khoo Teck Puat Hospital. Two 30 minutes shows are planned for each evening in the Mid-Autumn Festival weekend. The performance is presented free to the public.
PROGRAMME 节目表
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1. Row Row Row Your Boat...
摆渡人
2. Elixir Pounders with Alchemy Uncle for the Drink of Eternal Life
月殿长生酒
3. Ninja Rabbit Match
忍者斗技
4. Ladies Fanning the Autumnal Air
轻罗小扇扑流萤
5. Rabbits in the Game of the Fireflies
玉兔跳云海
6. Time-lapse Aztec Dream
时光倒流英雄梦
7. Shadow Play of the Sun and Moon
昏辰日月舞
8. Reverie: Chang-er at the Clouds' Tip
吹笛人遐想： 嫦娥驾云端
9.The Super Moon Procession --- gently, gently down the stream...
超级月亮列队
PERFORMANCE COLLABORATORS
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THE ARTS FISSION COMPANY
As the longest incorporated contemporary dance company in Singapore since 1994, ARTS FISSION is a registered charitable organisation with IPC status. Throughout the past 25 years, ARTS FISSION has gathered a diverse and ground-breaking dance-making track record. Under the artistic direction of Cultural Medallion Recipient Angela Liong, ARTS FISSION has evolved into a dynamic dance hybrid that empowers its dance craft with works that are relevant to people and the everyday life.
The hallmark of ARTS FISSION’s performance is complex in concept with multi-disciplinary arts approach that often references the Asian cultures in contemporary context. The company has toured and presented dance work regionally and internationally. The dance hybrid approach not only delves into inquisitive dance work with creative fervour, but it also applies equal innovation to turn community outreach projects into richly human experience. ARTS FISSION designs a diverse range of movement-based proejcts to engage people of all ages.
The Arts Fission Company Ltd is supported by the National Arts Council under the Major Company Scheme for the period from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2026.
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化生艺术团简介
化生艺术团是新加坡最早成立的当代舞蹈团。自 1994创团以来，化生艺术团创作了不少具有突破性的舞蹈作品。在文化奖得主艺术总监梁佩贤的领导下，化生艺术团跨越舞蹈传统表演范围， 与不同领域创意人合作，推扩舞蹈表演艺术， 为观众带来惊艳的剧场体验。至今，艺术总监梁佩贤仍然不断以创新的理念来带领艺术团隊迈进，孜孜不倦地创造以亚洲人文为基，与日常生活紧密衔接的艺术命题作品。化生艺术团也常被应邀到国际艺术节平台呈献作品演出。
这次的疫情带来生活操作巨变，也促使了化生艺术团转向全新创作管道，通过一系列科技及数码化的实验（如电影艺术及AR/VR 科技），以肢体语言为主，创造出新颖的舞蹈作品, 发展虚拟网上舞台。
化生艺术团的作品风格清新而不落俗套，更把不同文化与现代艺术思维融纳，以跨领域的理念态度， 来丰富舞蹈创作的过程。艺术团也是本地首个开拓特定场地 (site-specific) 概念创作的舞团。至今仍然活跃以特定场地形式呈献舞蹈演出，为非剧场观众的普通人仕，以艺术带来日常生活里的惊喜。
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REVERBERANCE
REVERBERANCE is a new Chinese wind and percussion ensemble comprising top award winning local musicians. Many of the members in the ensemble are graduates of Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts who have received advanced music training or are holders of master degrees under the auspices of National Arts Scholarship schemes.
In 2020, Reverberance clinched first place in the ensemble category of the Singapore Chinese Music Competition (SCMC). In May 2019 the wind and percussion ensemble was also invited by the Guangxi Arts University in China to present a full-length concert as a part of the University’s 8th China-ASEAN Music Festival – a well-known festival in Guangxi province to celebrate ASEAN music.
Reverbrance aspires to excite and empower audiences with diverse sounds of wind and percussion music through the play of traditional Chinese instruments. The wind and percussion ensemble also hopes to extend their music making and connect to the community, in particular to enable senior citizens to enjoy the music of Reverberance and enrich their lives.
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回响 • 吹打团简介
回响 • 吹打团是由一群本地年轻音乐家组成的乐团 。乐团曾在新加坡华乐比赛 2020 中脱颖而出, 荣获合奏组的总冠军。在 2019 年 5 月期间, 回响应广西艺术学院邀请参与第八届中国 - 东盟音乐节, 并在广西举办一场专场音乐会。
乐团大部份团员都是新加坡国家艺术奖学金赞助下的音乐硕士毕业生。每位年轻优秀的团员也在各自的音乐道路上获得过各类奖项。身为新加坡南洋艺术学院的校友, 他们拥有共同的目标: 致力于创新和推广不同类别的音乐, 带领乐团探索无限的演奏可能。他们一直对传统艺术怀揣着一颗炽热的心,而正是这份热忱,深深地感染了听众和观众们。
作为一个崭新崛起的乐团, 回响在创作音乐之余亦不忘积极回馈社会。他们希望音乐能在社区中萌发和普及, 特别是让年长人士也能享受音乐为人生所带来的快乐。回响展望美好的未来 , 意愿成为一支世界顶级、优秀的吹打乐团, 呈献更卓越的音乐表演, 并将吹打乐形式呈献给普罗大众。
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Dr Zechariah Goh Toh Chai 吴多才
Zechariah Goh Toh Chai writes music ranging from choir, symphonic band, wind ensemble, chamber music to large scale orchestral works. He often fuses Southeast Asian-Chinese tradition and that of Western European musical practices with cultural sensitivity in his music creations.
He received the David and Gunda Hiebert Scholarship in 1999 to study for a Master in Piano and later Doctorate in Composition, both degrees at the University of Kansas. While studying in Kansas, United States, he was also awarded the prestigious Anthony Cius Prize for outstanding student composer for the academic year of 2001 and 2002. In his early music study days, Toh Chai received close tutelage from many well-known Singapore pioneer composers and musicians like Pianist Ong Lip Tat, Composers Leong Yoon Pin and Phoon Yew Tien.
Toh Chai receives frequent commissions to write music for symphonic bands and choirs. He is also an active speaker at international music conferences such as WASBE, ISME, APSME. He is now senior lecturer at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, specializing in Composition, Orchestration, Aural and Sight Singing, and Choir.
For his artistic excellence in the field of music, Zechariah was conferred the Young Artist Award (Music) in September 2003 by the National Arts Council, Singapore. The award was presented by the President of the Republic of Singapore at Istana.
The Arts Fission Company Ltd is supported by the National Arts Council under the Major Company Scheme for the period from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2026.
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Concept and Artistic Direction
Angela Liong
Composition and Music Direction
Zechariah Goh Toh Chai
Choreography & Performance
ARTS FISSION DANCERS:
Aisha Polestico
Andine Elaina
Marveen Lozano
Adly Azizi
Delia Tan
Khachonkitsol Sakda (guest performer)
Musicians from REVERBERANCE
Intergenerational Performers
Young Fission Benefit and Children from Kidz Hideout Tzu Chi Humanistic Youth Centre
Seniors members from NTUC Health Senior Activity Centre (Boon Lay)
Installation Design
Michael Loke
Costume Design
Atelier Fission
Lighting Coordinator
Ali Bin Mazrin
Audio Coordinator
Joel Fernandez
EDM Visual Design
Joyce Ng
Production Manager
Lee Xinzhi
Production Assistant
Chia Yin, Sammi
Videography
Interfilm Productions
Photography
Koh Beng Chye
Front of House
Aqidah Othman (Office Manager)
Lee Jia Jing (Project Manager)
Aaron Goh (Intern)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
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ARTS FISSION would like to express our thanks to the following individuals and organisations for assistance and support to the production :
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Venue Partners Khoo Teck Puat Hospital and Tzu Chi Humanistic Youth Centre
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National Parks Board
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NTUC Health Senior Activity Centre (Boon Lay)
Special thanks to Minister of National Development, Mr Desmond Lee
Supported By
