User:Eightfolds/Catholic High School Symphony Band

Formed in 1966, the Catholic High School Symphony Band has a long and illustrious history. Having evolved from a Brass Band into a Military Band, the band was inaugurated as a Symphony Band in 2000. Subsequently, under the baton of the band’s Resident Conductor Mr David Glosz, it brought home the Gold with Honours award at the Singapore Youth Festival 2009 and 2011. Even though it is a symphony band, the band not only plays concert music, but also does drills as well. The band has performed numerous concerts over the years, some in the Singapore Botanic Gardens,some at the Victoria Concert Hall and the Esplanade.

The Catholic High School Symphony Band is resolute in its continued pursuit of musical development and excellence. It has traveled extensively in the past ten years. It performed at the Pacific Basin Music Festival, Honolulu, Hawaii in 2000, had an overseas musical exchange with Tenri High School Band, Tenri, Japan in 2002, and was invited to perform at the Pan Pacific Band Festival, Hammamatsu, Japan in 2004. The musical highlight of 2005 was its participation at the 15th World Music Contest, Kerkrade, the Netherlands, attaining a Silver and being the Closing Ceremony Band for the festival. In 2010, the band had again performed at the Pacific Basin Music Festival, Honolulu, Hawaii, and attained a Gold award. Closer to home, the band travels frequently to Malaysia, such as Kuala Lumpur and Malacca for concerts and exchange programmes with other school bands. Within Singapore, the band performed in the Istana for the President of the Republic of Singapore S. R. Nathan in 2009. The band has also been a firm feature of community and school events, performing at the Botanical Gardens, community clubs and shopping malls, as well as presenting its own annual concert Aesthetique and the band’s annual Christmas concert at the Singapore Botanic Gardens. Hence, band members are exposed to a wide variety of musical and learning experiences, which develops them into students who are not only rooted in the art of music making, but are also gentlemen with a strong character as well.

History
Before 1966, the band was a patrol band and a brass band, till its inception in 1966 as a military band, in time for the 1st National Day Parade. Catholic High School Band was a regular band at the National Day Parades in the early years of Singapore's independence.

Singapore's current Prime Minister, Mr Lee Hsien Loong, was the Drum Major of the band then, and led the band in the Padang. Catholic High School Band was also a regular recipient of the Gold award in the early SYF indoors. Its most famous piece was "Aida", and it was considered to be its signature tune.

In the 1960s and early 1970s, the band also undertook extensive South-east Asian musical tours. It also had regular public concerts in Victoria Memorial Hall (later known as Victoria Concert Hall). The late 1970s and early 1980s saw a decline in the band's performance, before Mr Chan Seck Chee was appointed as the Resident Conductor to rebuild the band.

Mr Chan Seck Chee brought Catholic High School Military Band to its greatest heights of the 1980s. Catholic High School Military Band was selected to form the combined Central Band, together with ACS Military Band, under the baton of Mr Chan, for the National Day Parade in 1987. Afterwhich, Mr Chan was promoted to be the Band Inspector at the ECA Center.Then, the experienced conductor Mr Teo Khye Beng took over the Catholic High School Military Band from 1987 to 1995. Mr Chan brought musical excellence, while Mr Teo brought drill excellence into the band.

In 1995, Mrs Anne Wong took over the band when Mr Teo Khye Beng retired in the same year. Mrs Anne Wong brought new ideas of musical presentations, and began the first "Aesthetique" Concert in 1995. She was a conductor highly respected by the band members for her keen sense of interest in each and every member, being more than a conductor, but also a mother to each. She also brought the band members on their first trip overseas in 2 decades, in a combined school bands trip to Sweden. The band has also initiated many combined performances and exchanges with other bands, especially with Catholic High School's sister school, St. Nicholas Girls' School.

In 1999, Ms Tan Yiang Hoon was invited to be the resident conductor of the band and she began a new chapter of the band's musical development. She changed the Military Band to a Symphony Band. Most importantly, she brought in new ranges of instruments, such as the double bass and the bassoon, enriching the lower instrumental depth and bringing in keener orchestral colours and shaping to the band's musicality. The Catholic High School Symphony Band brought home the band and school's first Gold award in the Singapore Youth Festival (SYF) for 30 years, in 2001 and subsequently again in 2003, and the Gold With Honours award in 2005.

Ms Tan brought "Aesthetique" into the public concert hall, Victoria Concert Hall, for the first time in 2002. Catholic High School Symphony Band also had its first performance at the Esplanade Concert Hall in 2003. Meanwhile, "Aesthetique" also become an annual affair since 2002, instead of the biennial one it had been. Ms Tan led the band to learning and exchange trips in Hawaii and Japan, and the World Music Contest (WMC) in Netherlands. It was indeed a most forward looking period of the band's musical history since its inception in 1966.

In 2007, Mr Leonard Tan took the band for a fleeting moment before passing the baton over to Mr David Glosz in 2008. Under his musical directorship, the band has grown, having improved the dexterity of musical interpretation. The band members have experienced playing a wide repertoire of music ranging from classical excerpts to contemporary hits as well as music from soundtracks.

Mr David Anthony Glosz has been the resident conductor of Catholic High School Symphony Band towards the end of 2008, and he brought with him a host of exciting training programmes. Other than the usual fundamental training, he also spearheaded band exchanges with other local top bands and opportune the band to perform at prestigious venues such as the Istana and Singapore Botanical Gardens. Under his wing, Mr Glosz has brought the band to greater heights and subsequently managed to clinch a Gold award at the Pacific Basin Music Festival in Honolulu, Hawaii. The band went on to attain the Gold With Honours award in both SYF 2009 and 2011, and was given the opportunity to perform for the SYF 2011 Presentation Night.

Currently, the band is around 90 members strong, and still maintains its excellence in its musical performance. The band owes its passion and commitment to conductors Mr David Glosz, teachers-in-charge and section tutors for their expert guidance, friendship and common love for music. Through commitment and hard work, the band strives to deliver their best musical performances, but most importantly to continue to nurture a culture of musicality as well as a love for music.

Previous Conductors
Mr Chan Sek Chee

Resident Conductor: 1984 - 1987

Mr Teo Khye Beng

Resident Conductor: 1987 - 1995

Mrs Anne Wong

Resident Conductor: 1995 - 1999

Ms Tan Yiang Hoon

Resident Conductor: 2000 - 2007

Mr Leonard Tan

Resident Conductor: 2007 - 2008

Mr David Anthony Glosz

Resident Conductor: 2008 - present