Symphony Uncensored

Have you ever left the house to run errands, only to leave your furry friend home alone? So to help lessen the “guilt”, you put on some music - whether it's rock, pop, or classical, hoping to give them some "company"? But how do we know if our pets even appreciate the music we're playing them? Or if they like music at all?

Find out more in "Musical Furry Friends", where Amanda is joined by her youngest co-host of the season, Nicola Chotrani, a violinist who's recently moved to the UK! 

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Have you ever sung in choir or try to sing along at karaoke, and realise you're super out of tune? Or... maybe you're finding it difficult to identify pitch? Has someone ever told you you're "tone deaf"? But after all this, you still have a burning passion to learn a music instrument? 

Amanda (who's got perfect pitch), together with her cello student and co-host Jessica Kang (who was ONCE tone deaf), explore what it means to be "tone deaf", if it's something that can be fixed, and how to cope with tone deafness while learning a music instrument. 

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Because we’re all about that bass, bout that bass, no treble – quite literally, in this episode of Symphony Uncensored!

Apart from a blocked nose (oops!), Amanda is joined with co-host, and her better half, Croatian music producer and artist Oliver Mando. From the classical music genres, to the pop music scene, we scramble to figure out what BASS lines are like, WHY we need them, and what they mean in our music.

PS. We’re still looking for help to fill in a TOTO bet slip… Any volunteers?

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Throw me on a deserted island and I'll be able to survive, as long as I've got good company, good music, and good food.

Music & Makan Founder Beverly Hiong joins me in this episode of Symphony Uncensored, where it's all about FOOD, how food has become a great source of inspiration for many composers, and likewise, how chefs use classical composers and music as a source of inspiration in their culinary art. 

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A relatable word to MANY, if not ALL who learn a music instrument or play music is PRACTICE. Since we start our music journeys, our teachers, parents, practice supervisors have always begged for us to practice more! 

But WHY do we need to practice? HOW can we make our practice routines more fun & enjoyable? And does practice really make perfect...? 

Cellists and music educators Amanda Zhu and Melissa Ong discuss their insights into this sometimes not-so-exciting word, PRACTICE, and the meaning behind it. 

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Amanda has NEVER dated a non-musician, but Khim has been with her better half (who hasn't got a musical cell in his body) for decades - it's a happily ever after either way!  So is it really a "thing" that musicians naturally gravitate towards another musician? Join Symphony 924's hopeless romantics, Amanda Zhu & Khim Oei as they navigate their favourite topic - LOVE STORIES.

Plus, an insight into the importance of matchmaking the right music teacher, to their music student. After all, a music teacher and student relationship is one of the longer lasting relationships in our lives. So what does it take for a perfect match, between teacher and student?

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Singaporeans are known for our KIASU personality - with a study showing Singaporean families spending $1.4 billion on enrichment classes. Well, surprise! the top 3 lessons are music classes. Music lessons are some of the most expensive classes to invest in. So how do you know if you are getting a bang for your buck? What are some "red flags" when searching for a music teacher? 

Andrew Lim joins Amanda Zhu in this episode to discuss things to look out for before signing yourself, or your child, off to music classes! 

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"How much are we getting paid?"

"Can I claim my travel expenses for this gig?"

For a long time, it's been a known factor that many musicians struggle financially. We picked up such an expensive hobby, and turned it into our career. But, is it putting food on our table? Are we happy with our career choice? 

Weekend Warrior and violinist from the Lorong Boys David Loke joins Amanda Zhu to discuss about a usually uncomfortable, but unavoidable topic.  

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 Khim and Gaiatri continue their chat with 3 "young seniors"   Dr Amy Stebbings,  Professor Donald Tan and Ms Heng Pei Yan, about their musical learning journey as adults - are exams the only path to achieving their musical goals? How do you find the right teacher ? These questions and more in this concluding episode. 

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What is  it like learning music from scratch as an adult? Khim and Gaiatri chat with  respiratory specialist Dr Amy Stebbings, ophthalmologist Professor Donald Tan and Mathematics teacher Ms Heng Pei Yan about their musical learning journey as adults - what got them started, challenges they faced, their goals and staying motivated. 

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