SINGAPORE - Home-grown TV star Rebecca Lim is known for her acting chops, but she will be showcasing another talent at the President's Star Charity show in December- playing the piano.
In a one-off collaboration with acclaimed local musical group The Teng Ensemble, she will be playing the piano to a medley of songs that are sure to jig listeners' memories.
Titled Childhood, the segment will showcase recognisable melodies from the 1970s and 1980s - tunes which were often used as musical accompaniment for amusement park children's rides. These include Mandarin songs San Lun Che (Trishaw) and Ni Wawa (Mud Baby), and Malay songs Ikan Kekek and Burung Kakak Tua.
Lim, 31, told The Straits Times that the performance bears special meaning for her.
"A lot of childhood memories flow back when I'm practising this, because these are songs sung by my late grandmother when I was little," said the actress, who started learning to play the piano when she was six.
She was also particularly excited about getting to work with The Teng Ensemble, a group known for their unique brand of what they call East-West music.
Members of the group blend Eastern and Western musical sounds through instruments such as pipa (Chinese string instrument), sheng (Chinese mouth organ), guitar and cello.
She said: "We had a couple of practice sessions together and they are so good at what they do. The Teng Ensemble don't play with much technology, they just let their music and talent speak for themselves."
This performance is one of many in the programme line-up at the President's Star Charity (PSC), an annual show broadcast live on TV which aims to raise funds for various beneficiaries through artistic performances.
Other acts that audiences can look out for include home-grown TV host Kym Ng playing the harp alongside harp recitalist and 2005 Young Artist Award recipient Katryna Tan, as well as a volunteer from welfare organisation Concern & Care Society, among others.
Canadian singer-songwriter Daniel Powter will also perform his chart-topping pop song Bad Day, for which he was nominated for a Grammy for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance in 2007.
The show's opening and closing will be helmed by veteran singer Rahimah Rahim. She will collaborate with Orkestra Melayu Singapore on the song Joget Pahang for the opener, and will end the show with a rendition of the song What The World Needs Now Is Love.
This year, proceeds from the show will go to 52 beneficiaries, including Autism Association (Singapore) and the Singapore Disability Sports Council.
Next month's show will be the first PSC that President Halimah Yacob will grace as guest-of-honour.
In a press release sent on Monday (Nov 20), she was quoted as saying: "The PSC is a valuable fundraising platform to help the less fortunate in society. Over the years, it has inspired and rallied Singaporeans from all walks of life to come together to help others in need. I am heartened by the strong support and generosity of Singaporeans, and hope the spirit of giving continues in the years to come.
"Every member has a part to play in helping the community, and together we can build a more caring and inclusive society."
The President's Star Charity 2017 "Live" airs on Channel 5 and Toggle on Dec 10 at 7.30pm.
