Jonathan Ong Returns for SCMF Chamber Continuum August Sessions

10 August 2025 – The Singapore Chamber Music Festival (SCMF) welcomed homegrown talent Jonathan Ong, 1st Violinist of the Verona Quartet (USA), for a special workshop as part of the Chamber Continuum August Sessions.

Six young chamber groups and members of the public gathered to learn from Ong, who shared candid insights into the artistry and challenges of forming and sustaining a professional string quartet. From refining ensemble intonation, demonstrated with the Concordia Quartet, to discussing the importance of communication, Ong stressed that a quartet’s success depends as much on relationships as on musical excellence.

Mervin Beng, founder of Resound Collective and the SCMF, also spoke at the session. He noted that “string quartets show many characteristics similar to high-performing teams,” drawing from organisational theory to highlight how teamwork and culture are as essential in music-making as they are in any top-tier organisation.

The workshop left attendees inspired, with valuable takeaways for Singapore’s next generation of string musicians, reminding us that chamber music thrives not only on skill, but also on trust, dialogue, and shared vision.

Next in the Chamber Continuum August Sessions, on 17 August, we welcome Kirsten Docter, winner of the Primrose International Viola Competition and Associate Professor at Oberlin Conservatory, who will explore the important roles of the lower strings — viola and cello — in the string quartet.

Photos: @joelcaptures