Founded in 1987 by a handful of undergraduates with a passion for piano and performance, the objectives of NUS Piano Ensemble (NUSPE) have remained largely intact since its inception. Under the management of NUS Centre For the Arts, NUSPE seeks to promote the appreciation of piano ensemble music, provide opportunities for aspiring pianists to perform and give its members the novel experience of playing in collaboration with different people. In its beginnings, the group concentrated on works for solo piano, but gradually explored piano works for duet and duo, which forms the core of its repertoire today. Today, NUS Piano Ensemble has grown into a dynamic and semi-professional classical music group, staging creative and well-received recitals and concerts throughout the year.
While NUSPE’S niche is classical music, it has not shied away from experimenting with a range of performance and musical styles. This includes performing classical works which see the piano in concert with instruments such as the recorder, violin and voice, just to name a few. Eclectic genres such as jazz, Asian and contemporary popular music also shape and influence the group’s repertoire. Furthermore, collaborative opportunities with other art forms such as dance, theatre and literature have constantly been sought, and many of these have materialized as innovative and refreshing performances.
NUSPE’s concert season begins with the annual ticketed Touch concert in March/April (specially named Genius or Nuts? this year), a performance for the yearly ExxonMobil Campus Concerts in October and an invitation to perform at the library@esplanade every December. In 2012, Tri-Angel, a piano plus drama production, retold the love story between Robert Schumann, Clara Schumann and Johannes Brahms. Earlier in 2012, our ensemble celebrated our 25th Anniversary with a grand full-house concert at Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, and collaborated with Australian piano virtuoso Geoffrey Saba as well as Vancouver Piano Ensemble.
In preparing for its concerts, the ensemble’s performers are coached weekly by its Music Director, Mr. Timothy Ku. Ultimately a closely-bonded, multi-talented group consisting of members from diverse backgrounds with specialized skills such as composers, performers, arrangers, accompanists, in corporate-related areas and etc., NUSPE aims to be the benchmark for piano interest groups in Singapore.
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