Aldersgate Hymn Festival
to premiere 10 new Asian musical settings for Wesley's hymns
New arrangements composed by seven Asian musicians
HOW better to celebrate the 300th
birthday of Charles Wesley than to hear and sing his hymns in
fresh new Asian settings?
Singaporeans will have the chance to do just that at the Aldersgate
Hymn Festival on May 20, 2007 at Victoria Concert Hall. The festival
begins at 7.30 pm. Guests are encouraged to be seated by 7.15
pm.
Organised by the Methodist School of Music
(MSM), in conjunction with the Aldersgate Convention 2007, the
event will premiere 10 new Asian musical settings for Wesley's
hymns, composed by seven Asian musicians.
Charles Wesley, born on Dec 18, 1707, was the younger brother
and active collaborator of Methodist founder, John Wesley. A trained
musician, preacher and poet, he wrote more than 9,000 poems of
which about 6,000 are hymns.
In his lifetime, more than 60 hymn collections were published
for the use of the early Methodists. Many of his hymns remain
popular today in churches of all denominations and have been translated
into many languages.
The Combined Methodist Orchestra and
Festival Choir rendering "O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing"
at the Aldersgate Hymn Festival 2002 at Paya Lebar Methodist Church.
The Hymn Festival will combine congregational singing and choir
anthems.
A total of 17 choirs will be taking part in the festival, including
many adult and children's choirs from local Methodist churches
from the three Annual Conferences, as well as the Methodist Girls'
School Choir, the MSM Choir and the Celebration Chorus.
There will also be a Combined Children's Choir
with members drawn from the MSM, Toa Payoh Methodist Church, Toa
Payoh Chinese, Telok Ayer Chinese, Paya Lebar Chinese and Ang
Mo Kio Chinese Methodist Church.
Among the composers are local musicians, Lim Swee Hong, lecturer
at Trinity Theological College, Jusuf Kam, music director at Wesley
Methodist Church, So Heng, a member of Queenstown Chinese Methodist
Church, and Mary Tan, a member of Wesley Methodist Church.
Ms
Wong Lai Foon conducting the 130-strong Festival Choir at the
Aldersgate Hymn Festival 2005 at Telok Ayer Chinese Methodist
Church.
The other Asian musicians are Joy T. Nilo from the Philippines,
Chan Hung Da of Taiwan and Pastor Lu Chen Tiong, lecturer at the
Methodist Theological Seminary in Sibu.
A collection of all the new music will be on sale at the Hymn
Festival at a cost of $20 a set.
Admission to the Aldersgate Hymn Festival is by ticket only, for
a donation of $15. Available proceeds will augment the MSM Ministry
and Scholarship Fund. For more information, contact the Methodist
School of Music at 6767-5258 or go to www.msmusic.edu.sg