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Chua Bi Ru, 15, performing a ballet item, 'Grand Pas Classique' at the ChildAid Concert 2008. -- BT PHOTO: YEN MENG JIIN
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Children of all ages came together last night to do their part for charity with a musical extravaganza.
For the first time, ChildAid featured two international talents - 12-year-old Hong Kong pianist Aristo Sham and 10-year-old Tiger Onitsuka from Japan, who is the world's youngest professional drummer.
Eleven-year-old Vicknes Vijayarengan and Thia Shan Zhi, 16, were the emcees for ChildAid 2008, which saw 80 performers aged from six to nineteen taking the stage at the NUS University Cultural Centre.
For six-year-old Noah Ong, the youngest performer there, ChildAid 2008 was both his debut and a chance to perform along with his nine-year-old brother Ethan, who was back for the third time.
"I was so happy to be invited back this year. It means that I'm helping other children again," said Ethan.
Another sibling pair were 12-year-old Choon Hong Yi, the youngest student in the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory's Young Artist Programme, and his older brother, Hong Xiang.
Education Minister Ng Eng Hen and SPH chairman Tony Tan both attended the concert's Gala Night yesterday.
The ChildAid concert, which is in its fourth year, raised a record $506,000 this year as tickets for both Wednesday and Thursday were completely snapped up and corporations also donated generously. This is in comparison to the $450,000 raised last year, and $390,000 in 2006.
All proceeds are going to The Business Times Budding Artists Fund and The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund.
Over $1.5 million has been raised since the first concert in 2005.
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