ACF Clubs
SMU Symphonia
ABOUT US
Established in 2003, SMU Symphonia has grown into a full-fledged wind and strings symphonic group where we engage in various music genres and art forms. We pride ourselves as music enthusiasts who strive to emulate the values of Music, Friends, and Fun through our annual productions. We operate under the guidance of our resident conductor, Mr Adrian Chiang.
To date, SMU Symphonia has performed in a wide range of performances ranging from university-wide events such as SMU Annual Arts Festival, SMU Patron’s Day, and SMU Open House, to external gigs with various external parties such as NParks. The band performed Photosymphony at the Botanic Gardens in 2019 to monumental success. Our first online production Homebound was a part of SMU Arts Festival 2020, winning People's Choice Award. Meanwhile, Festiva XIV's rehearsals, recordings, and post-productions were carried out completely online, and to date has garnered 2.6k views. SMU Symphonia's SMOOJazz production in Arts Fest 2021 also won Best Marketing and Director's Pick. In 2022, the band made a comeback with a live performance of Festiva XV: Cultural Extravaganza!
SMU Symphonia has travelled to countries like Australia in 2007 & 2009, and Vienna in 2013 to compete in various international band competitions. In 2018, the club journeyed to Japan to attend the 20th Conference of the Asia Pacific Band Directors’ Associations where we performed alongside bands from Korea, Australia, and many more. Aside from that, SMU Symphonia also hosts our own concerts, including our annual concert Festiva, and internal events within SMU, such as Grandioso.
SMU Symphonia’s continual pursuit of excellence in music is not confined to concerts and competitions; the club believes in sharing the joy of making music, emulating our values of Music, Friends, and Fun with community performances such as the Commonwealth Science Conference 2017 at Istana, and collaborations with sister universities in Singapore like the SMU x SUTD Alma Mater Strings Concert in 2021. To learn more about us, do visit our instagram page @smusymphonia.
KEY EVENTS
- Festiva
Our annual flagship production that takes place near the end of each school year; each production explores different themes (e.g. Film Music Through the Years in 2021 and Cultural Extravaganza in 2022) with a variety of band, string, and orchestra performances. - Grandioso
A series of productions making a comeback in 2022, with the last instalment in 2018. It is a full, winds-only production that showcases the entire strength of the SMU Symphonia Wind Band. - University-wide events
SMU Patron’s Day, SMU Open House, SMU Arts Festival, commencement and convocation ceremonies, etc. - Community performances
Commonwealth Science Conference 2017 at the Istana; Collaboration with sister universities in Singapore e.g. 2021 SMU x SUTD Alma Mater Concert.
Reach us at symphonia@sa.smu.edu.sg!
GALLERY
OUR TRAINING
| Day | Wednesdays | Fridays |
| Time | 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm | |
| Venue | SMU Arts & Culture Centre (ACC) | |
OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS
2021
- SMU Arts Festival
SMU Symphonia’s production SMOOJazz, an online production with alumni and staff guest players, won Best Marketing and Director’s Pick. - ASEAN University Network, ASEAN University Network on Culture and the Arts, and the Commission on Higher Education
Awarded the certificate of participation as the Alma Mater concert was used to showcase Singapore’s individual culture through an innovative digital performance in the AUN-CA Crosslight Performance Showcase.
2020
- SMU Arts Festival
SMU Symphonia’s production Homebound won the People’s Choice Award
2019
- Singapore Botanic Gardens - Photosymphony
Invited to perform as part of the 160th anniversary celebrations. - Esplanade performances
Invited by the Esplanade for their Annual Band Weekend series titled “Cool Classics”.
2018
- Asia and Pacific Band Directors’ Association
Represented Singapore in the 20th conference in Hamamatsu, Japan - Esplanade performances
Invited by the Esplanade for their Annual Band Weekend series titled “Cool Classics”.
OUR PEOPLE IN ACTION
DO I NEED TO AUDITION TO GET INTO THE CLUB?
No, we are open to all players regardless of prior musical background! :-)
"Symphonia is so much more than just a music-making club — it provides a well-rounded experience that will develop you both as a musician and as an individual. Being in Symphonia, I have learnt to step out of my comfort zone and attained essential skills that would come in handy when I enter the workforce. Meeting fellow musicians with a passion for music has also added so much colour to my university life!"
- Bae Moon Kyung, School of Accounting, Year 2
“Being in SMU Symphonia has allowed me to grow as an individual, by using music as a medium for self-expression. On top of that, being in the club also helped me hone my time-management and prioritisation skills, which enables me to juggle school work and other commitments more effectively.”
- Teo Jun Peng, School of Computing and Information Systems, Year 3
FAQ
Our resident conductor is Mr Adrian Chiang. He takes charge of our weekly combined practices and ensures the highest quality of music. You may view Mr Chiang’s profile here: https://www.adrian-chiang.com/ . Additionally, we often engage tutors for the different sections in preparation for productions!
Yes, students with no background but with great interest are welcome to join too! While there is a steep learning curve for this process, our section leaders and members will be by your side to assist you. Do keep in mind, however, that learning a new instrument does require your commitment and passion!
SMU Symphonia is a wind and strings club. Though we do have orchestral concerts, we also place great emphasis on developing both sides separately so that all sections and members have an opportunity to perform.
We have 1 major club production every year, the Festiva series, that usually takes place in March. The Grandioso series, a fully wind band production, is also returning in 2022! SMU Symphonia ensures that all sections, whether winds or strings, have the opportunity to perform throughout the year. We also take part in various uni-wide events spread across the year, such as Patron’s Day, Vivace, and SMU Arts Festival. We definitely encourage all our members to get involved in our performances if possible, to ensure the fullest experience!
Other than our regular training sessions on Wednesday and Friday nights, additional sectionals and Saturday sessions may be held closer to concert days. However, rest assured that major performances should end before busy academic periods!
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