In the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music in Singapore, a building that could easily be mistaken for the state-of-the-art hospital nearby, a workshop performance of “Bangsokol: Requiem for Cambodia,” by the composer Him Sophy was taking place. The atmosphere there was festive. Friends greeted one another; soloists on traditional Cambodian instruments, a string orchestra with percussion and harp, and a youth choir warmed up vigorously; a teenage boy couldn’t take his eyes off a slightly older, beautiful female harpist. In his introductory remarks, Sophy mentioned that this was his favorite instrument.


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