Dear Audience, 

We celebrate the 15th edition of A Tapestry of Sacred Music this year from 12 – 14 Apr 2024. Looking back from this milestone, it is heartening how we navigated its growth. In the early days, there was naturally some apprehension of a festival that showcased religious music in a public space. After all, religion was something that was somewhat of a taboo subject in public discourse. Would it be too sensitive, would people question why there were prayers chanted on our secular stages? Would people be offended about it, one way or another?

Years on, it became evident that a festival like this was more relevant and necessary than ever. In a world in which sectarian conflicts and animosity threaten to upend societies, it is important that we understand one another better, and see the common humanity beneath our differences. The role of this festival is to do this through art and encourage appreciation of the beauty in one another’s art. Specifically, art of a most revered nature. These are songs that are sung in ones’ darkest hours, and the dances that are danced in celebration of a greater truth. Over the years, we have presented the sacred art forms of over 50 different communities, building a strong following of not just devotees, but those who have come to enjoy the rich tapestry of some of humanity’s most affecting and powerful musical expressions.

For the festival’s 15th edition, we hope to transport audiences to another realm, transforming our performance venues into the vibrant landscapes of grasslands, the serenity of temples, or the awe-inspiring ambience of churches, allowing them to experience performances as if they're truly there.  

In spite of how these art forms may seem so disparate, some solemn and entrancing, others melismatic, robust or even otherworldly, we urge you to look beyond these, to the universal motivations and emotions behind each performance. These songs carry the hopes, dreams, and anxieties that we all share, expressed in different ways, to a higher power in different names, simply because we grew up in different communities and different families.

It is in this spirit that we invite you to come experience the festival. Experience silence in our Concert Hall, melismatic recitations under our glass domes, mythical guardians with painted faces, and a temple village in our garden. Most of all, through the sights, sounds, and tastes, savour humanity expressed in a myriad of ways.

Welcome to A Tapestry of Sacred Music 2024. 

Tan XiangHui
Producer, The Esplanade Co Ltd