LANXESS garners Patron of the Arts award

July 20, 2012 - PRLog -- German specialty chemicals company LANXESS was conferred as a Patron of the Arts by the National Arts Council yesterday evening. The award was in recognition of the company’s contributions to local classical music through its LANXESS SNYO CLASSIC program. The Patron of the Arts Awards, held at the Goodman Arts Centre, is an annual celebration of the support of private corporations and individuals to Singapore's vibrant arts and culture scene.

The LANXESS SNYO CLASSIC was launched in May 2010 as a mentorship and cultural exchange program jointly developed by LANXESS with the Singapore National Youth Orchestra (SNYO). The program, which is the largest of its kind in Singapore, provides a platform for SNYO’s young musicians to hone their skills through master classes and concert performances with the world’s leading classical musicians, including stalwarts like French horn player Stewart Rose and violinist Lara St John.

The program also features overseas study tours for SNYO’s budding musicians to interact with and learn from world-renowned artistes and orchestras. Earlier this March, three of SNYO’s most promising musicians joined America’s leading chamber orchestra the Knights on tour in Germany.

Mr. Low Eng Teong, deputy director of the Arts Education Branch at the Ministry of Education (MOE) and advisor to the SNYO, said: “As a valued partner of the SNYO, we are delighted for LANXESS and would like to congratulate them on this achievement. The LANXESS SNYO CLASSIC program has provided much support and opportunities for Singapore’s aspiring musicians to learn from and perform with established classical artistes from around the world, and this award recognizes the contribution the initiative has made in supporting Singapore’s burgeoning arts scene.”

Mr. Ian Wood, managing director of LANXESS Pte Ltd, said, “It is definitely a great honour to be amongst the list of distinguished companies who have contributed to the expansion and growth of Singapore's vibrant arts and culture scene. Both arts and education are synonymous to the LANXESS brand, and our partnership with the SNYO provided the company with the platform to combine both and to make a difference in the local community. To be recognised as a Patron of the Arts by the National Arts Council is a motivation for our ongoing community outreach efforts. We look forward to augmenting our role as a good corporate citizen in the years to come.”

To round off the LANXESS SNYO CLASSIC program for the year, the SNYO will be performing at the Esplanade Concert Hall on 5 December. Making a special appearance at the “Of Czars and Cossacks” concert is celebrated flutist Andrea Griminelli, who will fly into Singapore to conduct master classes for the SNYO as well. The orchestra will be conducted under the baton of SNYO’s music director Darrell Ang and will play pieces including Rimsky-Korsakov's Russian Easter Festival Overture and Aram Khachaturian’s Flute Concerto.

For more on the concert and the LANXESS SNYO CLASSIC program, visit www.lanxess.sg


About the LANXESS SNYO CLASSIC
The LANXESS SNYO Classic is a three-year mentorship and cultural exchange program developed with the Singapore National Youth Orchestra (SNYO). It is specially designed to enable young classical musicians to learn from a variety of world-class artists skilled in different instruments. Each year, a celebrated musician will work one-on-one with students in master classes and seminars as well as rehearsals and performances with the full orchestra at a celebratory public concert. In addition, outstanding orchestra members will be selected by the tutors of the SNYO annually to participate in study trips to North America or Europe, where they will receive lessons from leading instructors and top classical musicians.


About LANXESS
LANXESS is a leading specialty chemicals company with sales of EUR 8.8 billion in 2011 and currently around 16,800 employees in 30 countries. The company is at present represented at 49 production sites worldwide. The core business of LANXESS is the development, manufacturing and marketing of plastics, rubber, intermediates and specialty chemicals. LANXESS is a member of the leading sustainable indices Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) World and FTSE4Good.

About the Singapore National Youth Orchestra
The Singapore National Youth Orchestra (SNYO) is a National Project of Excellence under the auspices of the Ministry of Education.  The orchestra comes under the purview of the Arts Education Branch, Student Development Curriculum Division, Ministry of Education.  The orchestra is a non-profit organization and is funded entirely by the Ministry of Education.

Members of the SNYO come from primary and secondary schools, junior colleges, international schools and tertiary institutions.  The aim of the SNYO is to provide each student with an exemplary orchestral experience and the highest quality professional music education and training.  As part of the holistic approach to the education system, SNYO aims to inspire and nurture career-minded musicians, enthusiastic amateurs and dedicated music lovers.


Singapore, July 20, 2012