“Following the cross-border digital productions with MSO in 2020 and 2021, we are thrilled to finally showcase the best of both orchestras live on stage together in this musical collaboration.”
-Mr Kenneth Kwok, Chief Executive Officer of the Singapore Symphony Group

Supporting Australia and Singapore’s commitment to develop mutually beneficial arts and cultural partnerships between our two countries, in 2018 the MSO signed a four-year cultural partnership with Singapore Symphony Group (2019-2022).

Having its genesis at the Australia-Singapore Cultural Leaders’ Forum, convened by the Australia-Singapore Arts Group, this partnership allows for music and the arts to be the platform for mutual understanding that leads to innovation and continuous growth for both organisations and for our people. The agreement with the Singapore Symphony Group promotes the exchange of musicians, administrative staff, conductors, and the development of co-commissions, digital collaboration, and touring.

The agreement was extended through to 2025 and announced by the Prime Ministers of Australia and Singapore in a joint statement.

When in-person activity was impossible due to the Covid-19 pandemic, digital opportunities were created to continue cultural exchange. For example, in 2021 MSO convened the 'Symphonic Diplomacy Cultural Roundtable'; an in-depth inter-cultural panel discussion which covered a range of complex topics. Chief Executive Officer, Singapore Symphony Group, Chng Hak-Peng joined this panel of distinguished experts, to explore the importance of ‘soft’ diplomacy, and the role the artists can play in building international relationships.

The MSO and Singapore Symphony Orchestra came together to celebrate 55 years of diplomatic relations between Australia and Singapore in an uplifting virtual side-by-side performance on Friday 7 August 2020. In Songs From Home the two orchestras performed an original medley of Australian and Singaporean songs. The special performance included I Am Australian, We Are Singapore, Home, Waltzing Matilda, Click Go The Shears and Chan Mali Chan, led by MSO Principal Conductor in Residence Benjamin Northey and arranged by the MSO’s Luke Speedy-Hutton.

The MSO’s international engagement is supported by the Gandel Foundation through the MSO’s Now and Forever Future Fund.

The MSO’s tour to Singapore is supported by the Australian Government, Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts - International Cultural Diplomacy Arts Fund.

In 2021, the side-by-side collaboration continued online to mark Singapore’s National Day.