Hocus pocus Magnus Opus: NTU’s new magic club

Posted On 04 Apr 2016

Comment: Off

With close to 80 clubs and societies in NTU, it can be overwhelming deciding which one to join. Lifestyle writer Kimberly Parkes checks out NTU’s new magic club Magnus Opus to meet the magicians behind it.

Magnus Opus member Cassidy Lee. PHOTO: JAMES NG

With just nine members, NTU’s new student-run magic club Magnus Opus might not seem like your typical campus interest group. But the club’s weekly meetings and training sessions say otherwise, and founder Vicente Tangcueco III is eager to prove Magnus Opus is here to stay.

“Build the club up and keep it going for years, that’s the plan,” said Tangcueco, 21, a first-year student from the School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, who founded the club last semester.

“We want to share our love for magic and make people happy by showing them something they don’t see every day.”

The self-taught magic enthusiast dived into the world of magic three years ago, after a close friend taught him a few tricks.

Upon entering NTU last year, Tangcueco started Magnus Opus so that other students interested in magic could join the club and learn from one another.

“I just wanted us to have fun and share and do what we love.”

Magnus Opus member Liu Zhangteng. PHOTO: JAMES NG

While the name “Magnus Opus” means grand operation, in reality, the club’s weekly sessions are intimate affairs held at the Dunkin’ Donuts on campus.

“We get together to show off our stuff, share what we know and give one another tips on how to improve,” said Tangcueco.

“We have a guy who is trying to learn magic, so we’re also teaching him the basics.”

Newcomers aside, Magnus Opus also boasts seasoned magicians such as Cassidy Lee, 24, a member of the Singapore Association of Magicians since 2013.

Like Tangcueco, Lee also formed his own campus magic club during his first year at Singapore Polytechnic (SP) and is hopeful Magnus Opus will grow in popularity.

“The SP Magicians club had 130 members and I have hope that the same thing will happen here. I want to help and support people with the same passion and hobby as myself,” said Lee, a third-year student from the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.

For Lee and fellow Magnus Opus member Liu Zhangteng, 24, the best part about being a magician is watching the audience react to their performance.

“One of my favourite parts about performing magic tricks is seeing the amazement and laughter on people’s faces. It’s very rewarding,” said Lee, who won this year’s MAE Got Talent with a magic routine.

Liu, a first-year student from the School of Art, Design and Media, said: “My favourite part about magic is seeing the audience enjoying the tricks as I’m performing.”

“I want to become a magician because magic tricks give every- one a chance to be awed by things they can’t figure out and for me, it makes me nostalgic for my childhood,” added Liu, who has been learning magic on his own since he was 8 years old.

Magnus Opus founder Vincent Tangcueco III. PHOTO: JAMES NG

Despite its members’ skills and talent, Magnus Opus has been unable to work its magic on the Student Affairs Office (SAO), which rejected the club’s application for endorsement last semester.

Without endorsement, Magnus Opus cannot call itself an official student body. It also cannot book school facilities or receive funding from SAO.

One key obstacle standing in Magnus Opus’ way is its membership size — clubs must have at least 20 members in order to be recognised by the university.

But Tangcueco, who wants to increase Magnus Opus’ visibility around campus, has a few tricks up his sleeve to help the club hit the 20-member mark.

“Moving forward, we want to start performing around NTU and get ourselves known,” he said.

“Maybe we’ll do some sort of exam welfare and entertain people with magic tricks. Even if we don’t get approval, we will continue performing because it is our passion.”