August 10, 2022
35 for EMCC35 | Rosita Ng
In this instalment of our #35forEMCC35 series, we spotlight Rosita Ng, an NUS alumna who has performed at ExxonMobil Campus Concerts (EMCC), sharing the stage with such arts luminaries as Joe Peters, Edwin Thumboo, and Alex Abishegenaden. If that’s not impressive enough, she’s even performed for national leaders and royalty, including Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at NUS Raffles Hall in 1989, and the late President Ong Teng Cheong at the Istana in 1993. She remains an active performing artist to this day, honing her craft under the tutelage of John Lee (of Vocaluptuous), occasionally returning to perform at NUS.
How did you first get started with EMCC?
I attended a lunchtime campus concert at Lecture Theatre 13, back when I was a law undergraduate. The paper programme has an open call seeking people interested in performing at EMCC, so I applied and was invited to sing. Looking back, I really appreciated the open call. The environment was very supportive of the arts.
What roles did you play in the EMCC?
Thanks to EMCC, I got to play and sing solo on a black Bosendorfer grand piano, where I first got a feel of playing on the grand old dame.
I also hosted a charity concert with my friend Lee Chuen Ling for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) under the auspices of EMCC for dog lovers. At this event, there were bands, acapella singers, soloists with different instruments like saxophones playing and raising funds for charity.
What is the most cherished memory you have of your time with EMCC?
EMCC invited me to sing and play piano for a Christmas concert in 1992. The concert featured established performers like Joe Peters, Edwin Thumboo and Alex Abishegenaden. Singing with these veteran artists was truly an eye-opening experience! The EMCC Crew decorated the show with a Christmas tree and the production crew took pains to make the stage look pretty with twinkling, colorful lights.
What has your experience with EMCC taught you about yourself, being an artist, or arts in general?
The team was very receptive to ideas from undergraduates. You could propose your own programme and repertoire and EMCC Crew would never reject them. That instilled a sense of confidence in my musical talents that has transcended into my career today. Now, whenever I reach a roadblock in any project, no matter how much criticism I may face, I fall back on this the deep-rooted sense of self-belief in my own musical works. Thank you EMCC!
How did your passion for the arts intersect with what EMCC sought to achieve?
I believe EMCC’s sense of nurturing and support for young talent to develop opened a doorway for me to communicate and excel. In 1993, I was invited to sing before the late President Ong Teng Cheong at the Istana. I was able to represent NUS through my musical abilities, because of EMCC’s platform.
How has your EMCC experience complemented your professional life?
The impact of EMCC during my NUS undergraduate days gave me the chance to sing, and sometimes perform my own compositions, regularly in front of a live audience. In between performing at EMCC, I worked with Dick Lee on his music album Orientalism, and with Ong Keng Sen on the Fried Rice Paradise musical.
In 2016, I was invited back to celebrate EMCC’s First Sparks: 30 years of Arts in Campus at the University Cultural Centre, where I performed alongside my peers in the art and music scene, like Selena Tan and Pam Oei.
Because of EMCC’s support in my songwriting efforts, I had the confidence to incorporate my talents in fundraising efforts, such as when I worked with the Kampong Kapor Family Service Centre, working with musicians like Richard Eu, and with donors like Hsieh Fu Hua. I have also worked with Professor Emeritus Tan Lee Meng as the Guest of Honour for my own concerts.
What hopes do you have for EMCC in furthering its arts outreach programme and pushing the boundaries of artistic expression by students?
I would like for EMCC to continue mentoring young artists by being open to their suggestions and ideas. Give them the opportunity to stand with the musical stalwarts who have gone before them in the arts industry. I hope that EMCC will always provide a platform for open calls from young budding artists to excel.
Was there any one project you really wanted with EMCC but couldn’t, and would like to see future generations of EMCC Crews try?
I once had the opportunity to be part of Ong Keng Sen’s collaboration with Japan Foundation Asia Centre’s LEAR, and Theatreworks Flying Circus one month camp in the late 90s. Today, I am still actively learning. Earlier this year in April I attended a 2-day Japanese Noh seminar by Noh Master Naohiko Umewaka on Zoom, that was held in Tokyo. Coincidentally, I had worked with Naohiko-san on LEAR, thirty years ago.
Thinking about my experiences with the amazing connectivity generated through artistic collaborations, I would like to suggest that EMCC consider collaborating with other artistic foundations to create new artistic works, or even to hold an EMCC Camp to invite speakers to teach participants new art forms!
About #35forEMCC35
NUS Centre For the Arts is proud to commemorate 35 years of ExxonMobil Campus Concerts (EMCC) through our #35forEMCC35 series. Spotlighting 35 individuals from past and present editions of EMCC, the series showcases how EMCC has complemented these individuals’ academic and professional lives, and their hopes for EMCC in the years to come.