About 65 musicians from the NUS Alumni Orchestra (NAO) — spanning graduating classes of 1989 to 2026 — came together on 22 February 2026 for Between Worlds, an open-air concert at the DBS Foundation Outdoor Theatre @ Esplanade. The performance connected generations of NUS musicians through a shared love of orchestral music and brought audiences on a musical journey set against the backdrop of the Singapore River and city skyline.
Conducted by Mr Andrew Ng, the programme travelled across musical worlds and stories. Rossini’s spirited La gazza ladra (The Thieving Magpie) opened the evening with playful mischief, while Tchaikovsky’s “Sleeping Beauty Waltz” transported listeners into a magical fairytale. Grieg’s dramatic “In the Hall of the Mountain King” built a thrilling sense of adventure, before Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9, Mvt. 4, (From the New World), graced the journey with sweeping grandeur.
Other highlights included Brahms’ “Hungarian Dance No. 5,” Offenbach’s lively Orpheus in the Underworld overture, Strauss Jr.’s sparkling “Thunder and Lightning Polka”, and Dick Lee’s heartfelt “Home” orchestrated by Dr Kelly Tang. Together, the programme reflected NAO’s mission of community engagement by presenting classical music through storytelling — inviting audiences to rediscover familiar masterpieces through the narratives behind them.
For the musicians, the performance represented months of preparation and shared dedication, often requiring a balance of professional and personal commitments. It was also a chance to reconnect with friends and make music together.
“For me, it is really about coming back to the same old orchestra with my seniors.” shared Mr Lau Xuan Kai (Arts & Social Sciences ’19) from the cello section. Beyond the concert stage, NAO members also supported SG Clean Day at Esplanade in collaboration with alumna Ms Li Xiaoxi (Science ’16) and her work with the Public Hygiene Council.
NAO is grateful to Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay for presenting Between Worlds as part of their Cool Classics series, enabling NAO to make classical music accessible and for alumni to give back through the arts.
Since its formation in 2016, NAO has carried the artistic and collaborative experiences from NUS Symphony Orchestra lifelong by bringing alumni together through music while contributing to Singapore’s cultural life. Between Worlds marks another chapter in this journey — where music connects generations, strengthens the alumni community, and brings people together through shared stories and sound.
