Enjoy a variety of live, digital, and audio programmes at Voices 2021 – and get lost in a vocal extravaganza.
Hasn’t it been strange to dine at restaurants without music in the background? Haven’t we all missed attending concerts and witnessing the magic of live music? This December, while we aren’t quite back to normal yet, we can certainly celebrate all things music with 2021 Voices – A Festival of Song.
From 1 to 5 December 2021, the festival will showcase various forms and styles of singing. Think: jazz, close harmony, classical singing, musical theatre, choral, a cappella, and more. Look forward to an entire weekend that celebrates vocal music in a new and adapted way!
How does it work?
Voices 2021 is rolling out a line-up of live and online shows. Live programmes feature amazing audio experiences, such as a self-guided audio tour (“Eye-to-I”), as well as “Hear There, Everywhere”, a multi-audio spatial experience.
The theme for Voices 2021 is “Journeying with Song”. Participants are invited to connect with each other through the shared experience and love of song – showing how music can, and does, bring people together in a way unlike anything else.
Take your pick from 101 bite-sized videos online to ticketed workshops conducted by industry experts. Here are some programmes that caught our eye:
1. Hear There, Everywhere (1-4 December, various timings, free)
Looking for something different? You’re in the right place. Sign up for a multi-speaker spatial audio experience that reimagines the experiences of listening to a live choir performance with Hear There, Everywhere. This involves the special placement of speakers around the venue and specified playback of layers of recorded choral pieces, by renowned conductor, Ily Matthew Maniano (Philippines). It’s surround sound at its best!
2. Vocal Focal: An Evolution of Musical Theatre Styles (Premieres 2 December, 7pm, free)
Go down memory lane with Sing’Theatre, which showcases the evolution of musical theatre – alongside songs from the Wizard of Oz, The Wiz, and Wicked. Psst: did you know that Sing’Theatre Academy is Singapore’s one and only dedicated musical theatre academy? Stay tuned for this series of 101 introductory videos on the basics of different singing techniques and styles, presented by vocal experts. This will also be available on Esplanade Offstage after the premiere, so don’t worry if you aren’t able to watch it on the premiere day.
3. Journeying with Song (Audio experience; 1-5 December, 11am-10pm, free)
Walk down Esplanade Mall’s Theatre Street and experience different soundscapes that are strategically placed along the route with Journeying with Song. Revel in musical choruses that reflect how the singing voice changes with age. Showcasing the evolution of song, it’s a sensory experience like no other.
Check out the official Voices 2021 website for a sneak peek into what other exciting programmes lie in store – we can’t wait for the weekend to arrive!
This post is in partnership with The Esplanade Co.