Hello to all incoming and existing students of NTU. A new academic year is almost upon us, and we are recruiting! We welcome all string lovers of any level to join us, as parts of the groups below that make up our club.

Main Orchestra

If you have a grade 8 and above in any string instrument and/or at least 2 years of experience in a string orchestra/ensemble, we welcome you to join our Main Orchestra. We will be putting up our annual concert, Journey ‘09, on 3^rd October. Practices are held mainly on Saturday mornings, with additional sessions as the concert draws near. Sectionals are mainly conducted on weeknights.

Training Orchestra

If you have been learning a string instrument for some time but do not fall under the category described above, do join us in the Training Orchestra. This group is made up of our intermediate players and we will be presenting Stringendo, our Training Orchestra’s concert, for the second time this academic year (March 2010). This is a rare chance for intermediate strings players to gain experience playing in an orchestra and some improve so much that they move up to the Main Orchestra after some time. Practices are held on a weeknight and sectionals on either another weeknight or Saturday afternoon.

If you are interested in joining the 2 groups mentioned above, please do not hesitate to contact us at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

 We will then inform you regarding auditions and the next practice date. You can also register your interest with us at our booth during Welcome Week (17^th-19^th August).

Beginners’ Group

If you have always wanted to learn a string instrument but never had the chance, you can join our Beginners’ classes. We provide group classes at preferred rates with our excellent instructors. The group showcases their newly-learnt skills during our annual A String Gaderian recital in June and move up to our Training Orchestra after that if they are ready.  We offer classes in violin, viola and cello.

Violin classes are held on Saturday mornings, while Viola and Cello classes are held on weeknights. Lessons will begin sometime between late August and early September. So do drop by our booth during Welcome Week to sign up and/or get more information about us.

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The NTU CAC String Orchestra will soon be having our annual concert. This time, we are showcasing our Training Orchestra in their first ever concert, Stringendo 2009!!!

 Here are the details:

It will be held on 14th March 2009 at 7.30pm at Republic Polytechnic, The Republic Cultural Centre Studio. Tickets are priced at $10 each. This concert will feature our budding musicians.

 Repertoire:

Hungarian Dance No. 5 by Johannes Brahms

English Folk Song Suite – Ralph Vaughan Williams

Peer Gynt: Incidental Music Set 1 – Edvard Grieg

Eine Kleine Nachtmusik by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

The tickets can be picked up at our booth at Canteen B from 10am-5pm on Wednesday and Thursday 4-5th March. Alternatively, email Eunice at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it to order tickets.

Getting to the concert venue:

Nearest MRT Station: Woodlands

For more alternatives, please visit http://www.rp.sg/location.asp

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Journey '08 was held at the Lee Foundation Theatre, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, on 26th September 2008, Friday at 7pm. It was graced by Guest-of-Honour NTU Senior Associate Provost Er Meng Hwa, and featured music from the Baroque and Early Classical periods, spanning the 1700s.

The orchestra and concert committee arrived at NAFA before 2pm to set up and rehearse for the concert. After a few hours of intensive rehearsal and pre-concert jitters, it was time to go backstage and get ready...

The lights in the hall dimmed, and club emcees Eileen Ong and Eveline Prabowo introduced the orchestra. Conductor Xu Zhong Hao was welcomed on stage, to direct a rousing rendition of the Overture and Hornpipe from Handel's Water Music (with guest wind players). This was then followed by the lively Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 by Bach.

Highlights included Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante for Solo Violin and Viola performed by club instructors Mr Gerard Chia and Dr Yeo Jan Wea. Both are distinguished musicians, with a Masters and PhD respectively in their instruments, and gave a splendid performance that brought the house down. Some audience members even began shouting for an encore after the end of their item.

Our student soloists also showcased their talent on the violin, performing 2 movements from Vivaldi's Four Seasons. Chen Kaina's 'Spring' and Sun Ke's 'Summer' were both beautifully performed to an appreciative audience.

For many, the finale of the concert was especially memorable. The last movement of Haydn's Farewell Symphony had the orchestra members walking off-stage as the music played. Even conductor Xu Zhong Hao walked off in the middle of the song, sparking laughter from the audience. The piece ended with the lights dimmed, and only two muted violins left on stage.

 Journey '08 was certainly a rewarding experience for all. It was the fruit of months of labour by the instructors, orchestra members and concert committee, and will leave us all with fond memories.

 NTUSO plays "Overture and Hornpipe" from Handel's Water Music, with guest winds

Sun Ke, student soloist, performs "Summer" from Vivaldi's Four Seasons 

 Instructor soloists Mr Gerard Chia and Dr Yeo Jan Wea performing Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante for Solo Violin and Viola

 Concert Mistress Chen Kaina and Conductor Xu Zhong Hao receive flowers

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 Yay! Many thanks to Liyana and the Chron for covering our concert.

 Official Journey '08 post coming up sometime soon~ Watch this space!

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It's that time of year again! The NTU String Orchestra will soon be having our annual concert.

 Here are the details:

It will be held on 26th Sept 2008 at 7.30pm at the Lee Foundation Theatre, NAFA. Tickets are priced at $12 each. This concert will feature our student and instructor soloists.

 Repertoire:

Handel - Water Music

Bach - Brandenburg Concerto No. 3

Vivaldi - Spring and Summer (from the Four Seasons)

Mozart - Sinfonia Concertante for Solo Violin and Viola

Haydn - Farewell Symphony

The tickets can be picked up at our booths at Canteen A and B from 10am-5pm Wednesday and Thursday 17-18th September. Alternatively, leave us a comment or email at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it to order tickets.

Getting to the concert venue:

Buses that reach within 100m of Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Campus 3: 56, 64, 65, 131,139, 147, 166, 857, 980.

Suggested Route:
Take the MRT to Dhoby Ghaut Station. Take buses 64, 65, or 139 from outside Long John Silver's opposite the train station for 3 stops to reach NAFA Campus 3 at Bencoolen Street.

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