8 Immortals Hop

Synopsis:

Reverberance's annual Legend series returns this year with 8 Immortals Hops, a collaboration under the artistic direction of Cultural Medallion recipient, Angela Liong and supported by contemporary dancers from The Arts Fission Company.

This production offers a deconstruction of Chinese-Wind Percussion music, reimagining the traditional wind and percussion art form as a living, breathing urban soundtrack. Moving beyond its ceremonial and ritualistic grassroots origin, the performance reimagines Chinese-Wind Percussion music as today's quintessential urban life expression. The staging of the performance reshapes the traditional visceral emotions and cultural references into contemporary symbols of urban experience.

The work is structured as a sonic banquet in eight servings, featuring original compositions by Sulwyn Lok that highlight a distinct character, pitch, and instrument in each scene. These new scores move away from strict traditionalism to reflect how Chinese-Wind Percussion music has the potential to evolve as the unique "Singaporean" voice — a modern take on the grassroots music form within our very own community. This musical evolution provides the backdrop for a series of story fragments, where instead of a linear narrative, each scene captures the serendipitous encounters and raw textures of city life.

In a nod to the art form's grassroots origin comprising itinerant street performers, the musicians remain mobile in their performance. They will interweave with dancers while performing through an octagon floor pattern to create a riveting dynamic musical cosmos on stage.