This month’s addition to the Score Follower Series is likely to be relatable to many. Jon Lin Chua’s pan(dem)ic was composed during the COVID-19 pandemic that hit the entire world hard in 2020, causing massive deaths and collapses of healthcare systems and economies from all over. The piece embodies the immense uncertainty and sense of dread associated with these dark times, expressing various emotional states ranging from anxiety to catatonia, from despair to anger. Towards the end of the piece, there is a subtle reference to Beethoven’s “Muss es sein?” motif from his string quartet no. 16, op. 135. A wide range of viola timbres are explored within this piece, showcasing a melange of strings techniques.

pan(dem)ic was first performed in 2020 as part of CSS Showcases Singapore New Music Talent, a digital concert organized by the Composers Society of Singapore that aired during the COVID-19 lockdowns. This digital showcase sought to promote the talents of Singapore’s new music practitioners and composers via an unusual perspective: a 360-degree action camera (GoPro MAX) was attached to the instrument or worn by the performer, thus capturing the technical challenges and intricacies of the performer close-up. The concert featured Singaporean virtuosos and new music proponents, Churen Li (on the piano), and Christoven Tan (on the viola), with behind-the-scenes interviews with both performers, as well as the composers of the pieces featured.

The Score Follower video series features new works by Singaporean composers every other month, so be sure to check out the playlist for more compositions, and subscribe to our channel if you’d like to be notified of new videos!