6 LUMEN | PROGRAMMES
SJI Vocal Ensemble
Those who wish to sing always find a song
by SJI Vocal Ensemble EXCO
Strongly advocated by Mrs Janet Kwok and Adeline Tan Hui Jen after 157 years of the school ’ s history , the SJI Vocal Ensemble , fondly known as SJIVE , was formed in 2009 . Since then , it has provided aspiring Josh Grobans and Bruno Mars the perfect platform to find their song , and sing with a group of like-minded Josephians .
The Vocal Ensemble does music of many different genres , from Baroque to Classical , from Contemporary to music currently on the Top 100 Billboard Charts , under the watchful baton of Mr Toh Ban Sheng , one of Singapore ’ s best choral directors . In its short history , the Vocal Ensemble has competed in local and international competitions , performed in many venues both locally and overseas , and is very active in supporting faith , service and community efforts as guided by its Lasallian values . A mere year after the Vocal Ensemble was formed , it decided to take a bold step and venture overseas to participate in an international competition , the 11th International Festival “ Prague Christmas ” choir competition in the Czech Republic in December 2010 . Eager to do the school proud in their overseas debut , the members put in countless hours of rehearsal and practised various vocal regimes such as avoiding oily and spicy foods , and drinking all sorts of liquid remedies to soothe tired vocal chords . When the Ensemble arrived in Prague , the members continued to practise in the heated confines of their hotel , keeping warm as much as possible in the harsh Eastern European winter . When it was time to compete , the seemingly endless hours of practice and hard work all culminated in a brilliant performance that wowed the judges . The Vocal Ensemble garnered the prestigious Gold Award and