Composed and orchestrated by Tze Toh performed by Wu Bingling (violin), Lazar T. Sebastine (Carnatic violin), Teo Boon Chye (tenor sax), Tze Toh (piano)

Recording / Mixing Jeff Wong, Tze Toh

Project Management Stephanie Ong

Drawing inspiration in part from Hache Costa’s adaptation of Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons”, this piece takes various motifs from Vivaldi’s original “The Four Seasons” and reimagines them in a 4 part work, using each of the four seasons to depict the state of the world, with Winter expressing the ongoing crisis with a climate that’s spiralling out of control, Autumn, an uncertain future, Summer, a coming together of people of the world to take action to make a positive change and finally Spring, hope. The seasons here are in reverse, symbolising the hope that humanity can somehow undo the damage done to the environment, and bring about a rebirth, a new Spring for our beloved planet.

Arranged in unique contemporary Asian fusion sound, the piece combines Carnatic (South Indian) violin and jazz saxophone improvisations with reharmonizations and reimagining of Vivaldi’s themes, while drawing from the original The Four Seasons’ baroque roots. Combining the harmonies and layers of European classical music with ragas such as Vakulabharanam (expressing destruction) and using various timbres of the violin, saxophone and piano, the piece moves from dissonant textures, to floating melodies and intertwined soulful solos to tell a compelling story of the uncertain world we live in - a result of the near climate-collapse, albeit one full of hope if we take action to change the course of humanity sooner than later.

Featuring Singapore’s innovative contemporary music group TO ensemble’s soloists, Wu Bingling (violin), Teo Boon Chye (sax), Lazar T. Sebastine (Carnatic violin) and Tze Toh (piano).

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It’s been more than a year since the world reopened after the pandemic, with life slowly returning to the way it was, I can’t help but feel that every single one of us having experienced how the world changed overnight, have had the time to reflect and realise just how precious the simple beautiful things are in life. 

The 2-3 years left us distanced, isolated from the world around us and from those we love, but at the same time we became more connected through technology, we kept in touch, provided solace and supported one another. We were awoken to the fact that each of us are the sum of all our experiences, inexplicably connected as a larger collective by common themes and stories we share as human beings. 

It is the moments in life, both good and bad, that defines us, giving us reason and purpose, to hold on to and to let go, so that we can continue always.   Be it the unconditional love for our family, the darkness we face, elusive love across great distances, loss, regret, the memories of yesterday that we wish, for a tomorrow that may never come, new adventures into the unknown, the courage to dream against all odds, the journeys of self-discovery, the way life endlessly surprises us, gives us joy and magic, hope when nothing makes sense anymore.  

The realisation that life begins again anew each day with new possibilities and that love is in fact timeless.  So we dream again no matter how hard we fall, and as life takes off once more, we are once again connected with the world and the Universe.

For me, as a composer, melodies, themes, motifs have always been inexplicably connected to the stories and these themes of life.  Every singular instances and moments we experience, the sights, sounds, colours and emotions, decides the intervals, choice of notes, contours of the melody, colours of the instruments, chord progressions, harmonies, the tempos and interplays (if any) between the instruments, of a theme. 

I have selected 12 of my favourite themes that I have written over the years which I feel expresses these themes of life.  A personal reflection of 2022 and the 3 years beyond, looking forward to 2023.  I hope you enjoy them and that they may bring you to moments and emotions unique to you as they are to me when I wrote these pieces.  

May 2023 bring us new perspectives, inspirations and new beginnings! A world more united as we move forward together evermore connected.

Performer Credits: All music composed, arranged, orchestrated by Tze Toh

1. The Promise - performed by Christina Zhou (violin), Benjamin Wong (viola). 2. Glimpses of Being - performed by Barnabas Chua (violin) 4. Oscurita - performed by Felicia Teo (soprano) 5. Life going Backwards in an Upside Down World - performed by Tze Toh 6. Begin Again - performed by Tze Toh, 7. The Infinite Closeness between Two Distant Stars - performed by Jonathon Charles Tay (tenor), 10. Memories of 2055 Overture - performed by Martin Peh (violin), Lazar T. Sebastine (Carnatic violin) and Marvin Leung (tenor sax), Eunice Suen (soprano), Tze Toh (piano)