ChildAid 2016 among the best ever

Singapore

LONGTIME fans of the annual ChildAid concerts agree: Its 12th edition was one of its best ever. Opening on a sweet celestial note with 20 harpists from Rave Harpers and Sylvia Tan on the guzheng, the charity concert gained strength and intensity with each successive item - culminating in a string of big group numbers that pulled out all the stops to impress the audience.

Staged at the Resorts World Theatre, Resorts World Sentosa, the concert swung from pop to classical to jazz to musicals, and back again. The genre switches were smoothly navigated by show director Jeremiah Choy. And all the child performers, some as young as seven, delivered impeccably.

The knockout numbers included Jitterbugs Swingapore's high-octane dances choreographed by Tiffany Wrightson, a technically brilliant execution of Chopin's Etude Op 25 by 16-year-old pianist Wang Huang Hao Jia, as well as a sultry rendition of Feeling Good by Nur Liwani Izzati and Tiara Maimum, with dancer Megan Sophie Lau.

The ChildAid concert raises funds for two children's charities - namely, The Business Times Budding Artists Fund which provides arts training for financially disadvantaged children, and The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund which helps such children pay for transport to school and meals during recess.

By the end of the night, the concert had raised S$2.049 million, with top donors Citi, HSBC and UOB each donating S$500,000 and above. This latest figure brings the total sum raised by ChildAid since its 2005 inception to more than S$14 million.

Guest-of-honour President Tony Tan Keng Yam, his wife Mrs Mary Tan, and Senior Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth and for Trade and Industry Sim Ann witnessed the cheque presentation by Chairman of Singapore Press Holdings, Lee Boon Yang, to the respective charities.

Other sponsors included Cogent Holdings Ltd and Suntory Beverage and Food Asia. Resorts World Theatre, Resorts World Sentosa, is the main venue sponsor. ChildAid 2016 is organised by The Business Times and The Straits Times, and produced by arts and culture organisation, The RICE Company Limited.