Having one of the best orchestras in the world play for us, for free, is truly one of the blessings living in Singapore. Singapore Symphony Orchestra plays free performances as part of their community outreach programmes. They are planning again this Saturday at Gardens by the Bay. The other scheduled free performances are in April at Raffles Hotel and a mother’s day concert in Singapore Botanic Gardens.
Health is more than just physical well-being
Since 1948, World Health Organisation has defined health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”
If we want to talk about a holistic approach to pain management, then we also need to talk about other facets of health and well-being. I think music performances can help improve our well-being. If Lady Gaga’s concerts are out of your budget, SSO’s free performances is something you may want to consider.
Of course we are not limited to SSO when it comes to free options. For example, admissions to the National Museum of Singapore is free to all Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents. Esplanade also run free programmes through the year. One of the events that caught my attention was Symphony 924’s Young Talents happening on 16 May 2025.
SG Culture Pass
If none of these free activities interest you, fret not. We still have the SG60 vouchers coming our way in September 2025. Included in that is the $100-credit SG Culture Pass.
While we still don’t know what is included, we do know the credits can be used on local cultural experiences such as performances, exhibitions and workshops.
I personally think it’s wonderful the government is starting to pay more attention the benefits of the arts and culture. Hopefully we are moving past the artists as non-essential worker brouhaha that happened during COVID. Back then, 71% of Singaporeans ranked artists as least essential.
Moving the narrative beyond work-life balance
A very wise person once told me when I was very young that everyone should regularly participate in some form physical activity, music or creative activity, and cognitive activity in their life. I didn’t think much about it back then. But now that I am in my 30s, and working with people chronic pain, I do see how that can be helpful for people to achieve good health.
“Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”
There is definitely value in music when it comes to therapy. Previously, we discussed how St Luke’s Hospital established a Therapist-led Community Inclusive Choir to help patients with dementia. A local study also reported that cognition, social connectedness, and anxiety improved among dementia patients who participated in Sing to Remember.
It is true that work-life balance is important. But life is not just everything besides work. There are many facets to “life” and it is important for us to balance our activities to achieve complete physical, mental, and social well-being.
Free classical music performance in heart of Singapore
Not just free performances but I think any free activity is a great way to get people together to do something. Living in Singapore, a lot of our activities revolve around eating and drinking. The SSO lunchtime performances offer an alternative to that.
Thankfully, the lunchtime concert I attended just this Wednesday was at Victoria Concert Hall. It’s less than 10 minutes away from the CBD so it’s an convenient venue even for working adults.
I managed to gather two friends, SY and Mark to go with me. Both of them have little to no background in classical music so it’s a first time experience for them. If it was a ticketed item, it would be a lot harder to convince them to come.
Beginner-friendly repertoire selection
If you are worried about falling asleep, I don’t think that will happen with these outreach concerts. I totally appreciate that people do fall asleep during classical music concerts. I myself have fallen asleep! One of such occasion was Emma Kirkby’s early music concert.
The repertoire selection by Singapore Symphony Orchestra was entirely appropriate for beginners to classical music. They were largely ballet pieces and honestly was too riveting for you to doze off. The audience was completely engaged and you can definitely feel their energy at the end of every piece.
The orchestra played Selections from Swan Lake (Tchaikovsky), Danza del trigo (Ginastera), Scherzo from A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Mendelssohn), March and Waltz of the Flowers from The Nutcracker (Tchaikovsky), Selections from The Firebird (Stravinsky).
Neither of my friends fall asleep.
Show up early for tickets!
Our initial plan was to show up to grab tickets then go for lunch before coming back for the performance. According to SSO’s website, tickets are available from 11:45am and they recommended collecting tickets before noon.
Well, SY showed up early just past 11:30am and there was a snaking queue from the atrium all the way to the Empress Place lawn. It started raining at some point so people had to open their umbrellas too.
There were no tickets issued per se and you have to be in the queue until doors opened. When we made our way in, we were given stickers for admission.
The SSO staff and security were quite vocal and proactive about people cutting queue and turning people away. So, do make sure all of your friends arrive early, together, to secure seats.
Even though we showed up early, we were one of the last few people admitted for the performance. It does seem like many were turned away!
Have a post-concert mini picnic
The area around Victoria Concert Hall is honestly amazing for outdoor lunch. I did some meal prep the night before so I brought lunch for all of us to share.
Initially, the plan was to find a bench but there were actually outdoor tables and seats outside Asian Civilisation Museum. There were only four of them but it was not busy at all. The tables were also convenient located under the gorgeous raintrees so it was not hot at all.
If that doesn’t vibe with you, Funan is only about five minutes walk away. For more affordable food options, Market Street Market Centre at CapitaSpring is about 10 minutes away.
Finding pockets of “rest” amidst the hectic Singapore work life
Chiropractors talk a lot about scheduling breaks during a workday. For most parts, we refer to taking a short walk regularly so we can disrupt prolonged sitting. With the same idea in mind, we can also extend this to other aspects of health.
For example, Singaporeans are overworked. Burnt out out is a very real issue among Singaporeans today. Not only does it affect work productivity, it also worsens our physical health.
Taking some time during your lunch break to work on your mental and social well-being is honestly not the worst idea. For some, it may mean putting in a concerted effort to plan. For the rest of us, it could just be about being open-minded and showing up at the free activities nearest to us.
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