SSO November 2026: Which Violin Concert Should You Book?
Three SSO programmes at Victoria Concert Hall offer different ways to hear violin music this November: Paul Huang in Schubert on 19 November, Huang in Dvořák on 20–21 November, and Simone Lamsma in John Adams on 27–28 November 2026. All begin at 7.30pm.
For a shorter evening: Schubert’s Octet
Book 19 November if you want a compact chamber concert. Huang joins seven SSO musicians for Schubert’s Octet in F major, combining strings with clarinet, bassoon and horn. The published running time is one hour without an interval. Tickets are S$20, S$30 and S$40 before booking fees.
This is our pick if you want to follow the exchange between individual players without setting aside a full two-hour evening. It also leaves more room for dinner afterwards. Compare the broader November and December concert calendar if your group is still choosing between genres.
For a concerto and a big symphony: Paul Huang
On 20 and 21 November, Huang plays Dvořák’s Violin Concerto with conductor Lio Kuokman and the SSO. The programme also includes Unsuk Chin’s subito con forza and Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony. Allow one hour and 50 minutes, including a 20-minute interval.
Choose this when you want to hear a featured soloist and a full orchestral programme in the same visit. The violin concerto does not occupy the entire evening. If you are booking mainly for Huang, read the programme order and avoid treating the second half as an optional extra your group has not agreed to.
For a different sound world: Simone Lamsma
Lamsma performs John Adams’s Violin Concerto on 27 and 28 November under Hannu Lintu. Copland’s Appalachian Spring suite and Schumann’s Fourth Symphony complete the bill. The advertised running time is two hours including a 20-minute interval.
This is our choice for someone keen to compare familiar orchestral instruments with a concerto that includes electronic synthesisers. Listen to a short sample of Adams beforehand if you are unsure. You are choosing a different musical language, not a higher difficulty level that demands expert knowledge before admission.
Check fees, venue and the right date
Both full-orchestra programmes list standard tickets at S$15, S$30, S$40, S$55, S$75 and S$100, before SISTIC fees. The stated S$1 fee makes the lowest S$15 tier S$16. For the Octet, the lowest S$20 tier becomes S$21 using its stated S$1 fee. Availability at those tiers has not been verified.
No extra GST amount has been added to the organiser’s displayed figures; confirm the final breakdown before payment. All three programmes are at Victoria Concert Hall, not Esplanade. Send the date and full venue to your group together, since Huang appears in two distinct bookings on consecutive nights. Find more Eventful arts guides for the rest of the month.
Good to know
· Choose 19 November for the shortest published running time.
· Read the whole programme, not only the soloist’s name.
· Buy each intended date separately; the programmes are not one continuous event.
FAQs
Which programme is shortest?
Schubert’s Octet on 19 November is listed at one hour without an interval. The other two programmes include an interval and run longer.
Are these concerts at Esplanade?
No. All three programmes covered here are listed at Victoria Concert Hall.
Which has the lowest standard ticket price?
The two full-orchestra programmes list a S$15 tier, versus S$20 for the Octet. Booking fees are additional and availability must be checked.
