PHP VIRTUAL CONCERT
On the 10th of July, while the rest of Singapore was out selecting their representatives in the next parliament, around a hundred Rafflesians were at home, enjoying the phenomenal music by various performers during the Peer Helpers Programme Virtual Concert on Youtube. Over the span of 45 minutes, we were entertained by 9 different performances, each of them special in their own way. Some were excellent covers of popular songs. Others were completely original compositions from the performers themselves. But at the end of the day, they all managed to captivate the audience with their own unique charms.
The concert kicked off on an energetic note with a performance by the Year 5 Raffles Rock band, April Holiday. Their rendition of ‘Sugar, We’re Goin Down’ by Fall Out Boy started the concert with a bang, with their passionate instrumentalists and vocalists attracting many of their fans while gaining many more. It was truly a rousing performance, and the perfect way to get the audience pumped up for what was to come next.
Raffles Rock
On the other end of the energy level spectrum, we had Elizabeth with her calming piano arrangement of ‘Levanter’ by k-pop band Stray Kids as well as an original composition entitled ‘Sea Breeze’. The soothing sounds of her piano provided an opportunity for the audience to relax and take a breather. After all, one of the best methods to deal with stress is to listen to some relaxing music, which Elizabeth certainly provided. The Ghibli-esque atmosphere of ‘Sea Breeze’ even led to some audience members claiming in the live chat that it healed their soul.
Elizabeth
Aside from pop rock and soothing piano, the concert also included two acapella covers by Raffles Chorale and Home Based Singers (who won 2nd runners up in Raffles Got Talent 2020), singing ‘I Want It That Way’ by the Backstreet Boys and ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love’ by Elvis Presley respectively. Their enchanting vocals and beautiful harmonisation could not help but entrance the listening audience, giving the classic songs an almost magical tone. It truly feels great to know that our school has so many talented singers, reaching notes higher than any of us can dream of.
Raffles Chorale
Home Based Singers
Acapella covers were not the only covers our concert had to offer. We also had equally excellent performances of popular songs by Priscilla, the band Midnight Moonrise as well as the trio comprising Ian, Jonathan and Conrad. Priscilla’s soulful covers of ‘Be Alright’ by Justin Bieber and ‘Monsters’ by Katie Sky were nice and simple, yet still added a unique charm to the songs that we doubt you could find anywhere else. Midnight Moonrise’s performance of ‘Here, There and Everywhere’ by the Beatles did the opposite, giving the audience a scarily accurate rendition (even down to the accent) of the classic song by the very, very popular British band. And Ian, Jonathan and Conrad’s performance of ‘Flower’ by Johnny Stimson gave the audience a slow, groovy song with expressive vocals for the audience to enjoy.
Priscilla
Midnight Moonrise
Ian, Jonathan and Conrad
Speaking of slow and groovy, the original composition ‘My Little Rose’ by the duo Triceratop, comprising Cera and Top (I see the wordplay now), certainly fits the bill. Not only was the song jazzy and atmospheric, the performance was also downright adorable and bound to make any viewer and listener warm and fuzzy. The teddy bear plush was a nice addition that only added to the warmth and fuzziness. It is the perfect song to listen to when you’re feeling down and alone (always remember that you can talk to us).
Triceratop
Last but cerainly not least, who could forget Srini’s performance of ‘I’ll Be There For You’ by the Rembrandts, famous for being the opening song for the sitcom Friends. Except, this was no ordinary cover. It was a parody, with the lyrics being about the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2 month long circuit breaker period instead. The lyrics that depicted the problems and emotions of staying at home with such a cheerful, carefree melody provided the audience with some to laugh at, and painfully relate to.
Srini
Throughout the entire performance, the audience was able to express their emotions and excitement through the live chat, allowing them to interact with not only other viewers of the concert, but also with the performers themselves. Compliments, jokes and emotes were amongst the many messages sent across the span of the concert. It was heartwarming to see the audience so actively involved in the event, with their enjoyment and excitement, along with the love and appreciation for the performers expressed through the chat.
These 9 wonderful performances provided all viewers a quick respite from the stresses of school COVID-19 life, and hopefully set the tone for the long weekend. The amount of talent on display during the concert was absolutely amazing, and the passion that each performer had in their craft was simply admirable. Everyone involved in the concert, from the performers to the organisers, put virtually all of their effort into this project for all Rafflesians to enjoy, and we certainly hope it was as enjoyable to you as it was to us. We’d also like to thank all the members of the audience for simply being fantastic – we couldn’t have done it without you! ❤
If you would like to live through the highs of the concert again, or weren’t able to catch it, you can do so at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1A03pPLt_YqUeZ3UzK-QILSfLeKBFpNYu/view?usp=sharing
