BAND INFO >KEY ELEMENTS
KEY ELEMENTS
Formed in early 2001, the a cappella group Key Elements is made up of key elements of three older a cappella groups: Chua Kim Beng, Jason Ong and Vaughan Tan were formerly from the pioneering outfit IN-A-CHORD, Chua Hui Lian and Susanna Pua were from Christian group bcoz, while Benedict Goh was one of the founders of Impromptu. Although Key Elements is known for its repertoire of jazz standards, the group is equally comfortable doing other genres, from pop to do-wop to even songs in Mandarin and other languages.
Since coming in second at the fourth Sing Sing Choral Ensemble Competition in Taipei, Taiwan, in August 2004, Key Elements has performed at a number of major events. They have sung in Singapore’s most prestigious arts venue, Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, three times (at the foyer in June 2005 for the centre’s ‘Flipside’ event; in the theatre in July 2005 for its ‘Lunchbox’ series; and at its outdoor amphitheatre in September 2006).
Key Elements has also had the honour of entertaining Singapore’s President S R Nathan (at a dinner in the National University of Singapore in May 2006) and Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew (at a dinner in the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in April 2006). Other events include a showcase at the University Cultural Centre in September 2005, and performances at the Singapore Silver Screen Awards (April 2006) and the Singapore Arts Festival Fringe (June 2006). However, the group’s proudest moment came when it held its own ticketed event, ‘Jazz at the Movies’, at the Victoria Concert Hall on 5 Nov 2005.
More recently, Key Elements opened for The Real Group when the Swedish a cappella group held a concert at Esplanade in January 2007. Key Elements just held a sold-out two-night concert at Young Musicians’ Society Auditorium on 6 & 7 Oct 2007.
In between, the members found time to record two CDs: a single called Better than Anything, and a full-length album entitled Jazz for the Record, which was released on 6 Oct 2007 in conjunction with the concert at YMS Auditorium.
Key Elements are
[back row, l to r]:
Vaughan Tan (bass): Vaughan’s deep, rich voice is backed by training in A Level music at Raffles Junior College. He co-owns a music school in which he teaches vocals and keyboard. In addition, he directs a number of school choirs.
Chua Kim Beng (tenor): Kim Beng’s velvet voice lends itself well to jazz and pop. He is heavily influenced by the crooners from generations past like Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan.
Benedict Goh (tenor): The youngest Element is an English honours graduate of the National University of Singapore. As testament to his interest in music, his thesis was on scat singing in jazz!
Jason Ong (baritone): Despite having little formal training, Jason is the main music arranger of Key Elements. He directs several school choirs as well as the Singapore Men’s Chorus.
[front row, l to r]:
Chua Hui Lian (alto): Hui Lian can reach depths no woman has gone before! She has been singing since her university days and involved in myriad a cappella groups. No, she’s not related to Kim Beng.
Susanna Pua (mezzo soprano): The newest member of Key Elements was a former music teacher in a secondary school. Her talent for choreography is often frustrated because the other members have got two left feet!
Find out more about Key Elements at www.i-lurve-ke.com.
You can contact us at keyelements06@yahoo.com. We’d lurve to hear from you!
