Dear Friends,

As we fast approach the end of 2024, we’re pleased to share that Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay's last but one of the most vibrant festivals for the year, Voices – A Festival of Song is back from 5 – 8 Dec 2024. This year, we celebrate 12 wonderful years of promoting the joy of singing, showcasing a myriad of vocal traditions, genres and time periods, and being the only singing festival in the region which embraces the diversity of vocal art forms through an amazing line-up of talented singers.

Year on year, we continue to cultivate a revitalised sense of appreciation for the craft of singing, as well as what it means to foster a tighter-knit community bonded through the joy of song. As our local singing community continues to strengthen and evolve, we move into a future that is more diverse, inclusive, and welcoming of newer expressions of the vocal craft.

Some new and exciting things to look out for at Voices this year include The Gesualdo Six (UK), a young all-male vocal sextet who will breathe new life into renaissance masterpieces in their debut in Singapore, and Mare-Dness – Daytime Delirium, our very own festival production by The Art Song Coterie, spotlighting one of Singapore’s best sopranos, Joyce Lee Tung on a premiere of Americ Goh’s 7 Songs on a Living. We also welcome newly formed local groups The Jolly Four and The Jukebox Daises who will be bringing us much sass and pizazz through renewed renditions of barbershop singing and postmodern jukebox at our Close Harmony Showcase.

Through our anchor mentorship programme Voices Festival Choir, choristers from the ages of 17 – 26 will get the opportunity to collaborate with established professional groups such as The Gesualdo Six, The Idea of North and MI6, and premiere a new South-east Asian choral work. And if these aren’t enough for you, come discover the who’s-who of Singapore’s growing beatboxing community at our Voices Beatbox Battle, hosted by 555Beatbox Academy. Newly crowned Loopstation Champion at this year’s Singapore A Cappella Championships, Minian, will be performing and giving us a workshop. Other notable acts to catch are Bernice Ong, Bitty as well as Anthea Anne and Shaun Spencer who will be sharing their originals with us.

Yet, we must not forget that there is always still a need for us to look back and reflect on pre-existing and established vocal practices and vocal groups, as a sign of acknowledgement for what was built before, and a springboard for the new generations to think ahead.

We have The Idea of North (Australia), a well-established a cappella group delivering their signature pop and jazz a cappella arrangements and sharing with us selections from their newest album. We also have students from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts presenting arias by Italian composer Giacomo Puccini, in line with his centenary celebrations.

If you’re itching to sing and participate, we have a variety of workshops, sing-along sessions and open mics lined up for you. You can learn about the art of barbershop singing, jazz and beatboxing with three different groups of Singapore voice practitioners, inculcating a spirit of learning through a series of informal show-and-tells.

Elton Lee will lead a Mandopop and Xinyao sing-along and music collective Siao Sing Songs will take the Pop Anthem Singalong. For those who like to take the spotlight, come join us at the Musical Theatre Open Mic and the ever-popular Karaoke Box at the Esplanade Annexe Porch (next to Makansutra) that will let you sing till you drop.

Across our various stages, we also continue to engage with students from the Institute of Technical Education, LASALLE College of The Arts, National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Management University, Singapore Polytechnic and Singapore Institute of Technology to present an exciting and eclectic array of vocal genres spanning styles like show choir, musical theatre, and a cappella, providing excellent singers from our tertiary institutions a chance to showcase their craft on our stage.

Being the only festival in the region that features such a diverse and inclusive range of vocal art forms under one roof, Voices has something for everyone across the four days, and we would love to see you at Esplanade then!

Christel Hon
Assistant Head, Music
The Esplanade Co Ltd