In Conversation: Samuel Phua

2014 SINGAPORE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PRESIDENT'S YOUNG PERFORMER

The annual Singapore Symphony Orchestra President's Young Performers Concert returns to the Victoria Concert Hall for its 2014/2015 season after 10 years at the Esplanade Concert Hall. Continuing with recent trends that saw youngsters such as Gabriel Ng, Jonathan Chua and Gavin Jared Bala, and Li Churen taking the limelight, the traditional opener this year sees 16-year-old saxophonist Samuel Phua join the list of musical luminaries to have featured in this event.

Since its inception, only pianists and violinists, a single violist and two conductors have been selected to perform. Will the inclusion of a wind player this year open the doors for other instrumentalists to be more frequently represented in future? Having decided to audition for the event only after reading PianoManiac Dr Chang Tou Liang's blog (http://pianofortephilia.blogspot.com), Samuel certainly hopes so, commenting that "I do hope that this would open new doors for other instrumentalists, seeing how only pianists and string players had performed for the past concerts. I wish that there would be a greater variety of instruments to be showcased"

Currently a year 5 student at the School of The Arts, Singapore (SOTA), Samuel began his musical journey the way most wind players traditionally do, in the concert band of his alma mater the Maha Bodhi Primary School.

"I was really thrilled to hear that I would be performing for this year's President’s Young Performers’ Concert," he recalls. "It has always been my dream to promote the saxophone scene in Singapore for more people to appreciate saxophone music in an orchestral or “classical” setting."

In recent years, the unassuming teenager has been quietly making a name for himself, having performed in ChildAid 2012 and with the Orchestra of The Music Makers in 2013 after successfully landing the concerto auditions at SOTA. He is also a regular participant at the annual Saxophone Symposium held at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, having appeared every year since its inauguration.

While it's never easy to juggle musical studies with a hectic academic life in Singapore, Samuel recognizes the role SOTA has played in his development as a musician. On top of weekly lessons with on jazz and classical saxophone with Fabian Lim and Leslie Wong, he has classes in music theory, history, musicianship, and improvisation. He is also grateful for the opportunities he has received at SOTA, and he has been sent to countries such as the USA for the Dr. Eugene Rousseau Saxophone Workshop at Shell Lake Arts Center and Thailand for the Asia Pacific Saxophone Academy held by Amigo Saxophone Quartet in Thailand.

Indeed, routine is such an important part of Samuel's life that even leisure has to be scheduled. "I cycle fortnightly with my friend (and fellow SOTA student) Trevor Poh, and catch a movie once a month."

For the concert, he'll be performing French composer Jacques Ibert's Concertino da Camera, one of the most popular works for saxophone and orchestra, and also John Williams' Escapades from the movie "Catch Me If You Can." He does feel the added pressure of making his debut with such a well-known work, the same way a pianist would feel performing the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3. But he stresses that this is a piece he finds joy in playing and will endeavour to do justice to the work.

He also hopes that he can change the inaccurate perception people have of his instrument. Despite the saxophone's prominence in orchestral music of the twentieth century, he laments that it is still typecast as an instrument for wind bands and jazz bands. "I do hope that being featured will help dispel this misconception, and at the same time, I am trying out for chances to play in an orchestra"

For the moment though, he is focused solely on the upcoming performance with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra. He hopes his hard work will pay off for the future, as he hopes to further his studies at a music institution abroad. His teacher Leslie Wong (http://www.lesliewongsax.com), a prolific saxophonist and renowned pedagogue, certainly has faith in his protégé. Praising Samuel as one of the most gifted saxophonists of his generation, he says he is "very grateful to have the opportunity to work with him and look forward to the many great things he will accomplish in the near future."

Who would bet against that hapenning?

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