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Zhang Ronghui is the Ruan Sectional Principal of the Singapore Chinese Orchestra, Presidentof the Ruanxian Association of Singapore, Director of the Singapore Ruanxian ChamberEnsemble, Council Member of the Singapore Chinese Music Federation and Consultant forthe Ruan Committee of the Shaanxi Chinese Orchestra Society. She was an adjudicator for the inaugural Singapore International Ruan Arts Festival and Competition, the 2022 CentralConservatory Showcase in Singapore and the Singapore Chinese Music Competition 2022.

 

Zhang has studied the Guzheng, Ruan and Liuqin under masters Gao Zicheng, Ning Yong,Miao Xiaoyun and Zhang Xinhua. She enrolled in the The Affiliated High School of Xi'anConservatory of Music in 1985 with a minor in piano, and received an ensemble performance award. In 1991, she enrolled in the China Conservatory of Music and recorded several CDsandmusic for film and television with the China Central Television (CCTV) and other organisations. She was invited to record the first Ruan solo MV with the CCTV (for “Ode to the Flowing Water”). Following Maestro Liu Dehai to perform in Hong Kong, she received an individual award.

 

Graduating in 1995, she was employed by the China National Song & Dance Ensemble and was ranked first in the Ministry of Culture’s assessment of professionals (Ruan performance).She was also a teacher in the Affiliated High School of the China Conservatory.

 

In 1997, Zhang joined the Singapore Chinese Orchestra and has toured Europe, Japan,Indonesia, Taiwan etc. with the orchestra.

 

Zhang’s performance exhibits a beautiful timbre, rich emotions and expressive nuances,showcasing her unique artistic insights to Ruan repertoire of various styles.

 

She has been invited by the National Arts Council and Esplanade to present professional-level seminars on the Ruan, and also been interviewed individually by TV media, Lianhe Zaobao,The Straits Times and Oral History Interviews by the National Archives of Singapore.

 

Over the years, Zhang has given her all into the cultivation of professional performers. Many of her students have won awards at international competitions and secured auditions into professional orchestras in Singapore and abroad.

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Professor Wei Yan Ming, a graduate of the Tianjin Conservatory of Music, Professor Wei Yan Ming was formerly the Associate Professor of the Plucked String teaching division of the Tianjin Conservatory of Music, Art Director of the City Chinese Orchestra, and Conductor of the National University of Singapore Chinese Orchestra. He is currently a lecturer in Singapore Raffles Music College, Director and Conductor of Han Chinese Orchestra, Yangqin instructor of Raffles Music College and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, and Conductor of Chinese Orchestras in various institutions. He is also the Chairman of Singapore Yangqin Society, Council Member of the Singapore Chinese Music Federation, Vice-Chairman of the Asia Music Association, Editor of the Yangqin Examination Scores for the Chinese Instrumental Music Grading Examinations organised by TENG and Confucius Institute, Nanyang Technological University, Deputy Editor of the Yangqin Examination syllabus for Xinghai Conservatory of Music, Guest Conductor of China Chenxing Chinese Orchestra, and contracted musician with Aiyi.

 

His compositions and papers have won accolades, and he has developed new performing techniques on the Yangqin. He has also been invited as Guest Lecturer to various music institutions, recorded a series of Yangqin educational videos for Aiya College.He has also performed as a soloist in a concert by Tianjin Chinese Orchestra featuring renowned musicians. He was invited as a speaker and an adjudicator in numerous international competitions, and conducted music camps in Singapore and Malaysia. His contributions were included in the ‘Dictionary of Chinese Professionals and Celebrities’.

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Chow Jun Yan started to play the Erhu when he was 13 years old by joining the ChineseOrchestra in his secondary school. He started to learn under the personal tutelage of renowned Erhu maestro, Mr Zhang Yu Ming since 2004 until present. In 2005 and 2006, Jun Yan completed his diploma Erhu exam which was organized by The Central Conservatory of Music and NUS Centre For the Arts respectively. As an Erhu teacher with 15 years’experience, he has a remarkable achievement in Erhu teaching. As a scholar who has a strong interest in the theory of Erhu performance, his goal is to instil a sense of music appreciation, while at the same time ground the students with a strong foundation.

 

Moreover, Jun Yan also actively participated in various Erhu performances, especially as an Erhu improviser. These include Embrace The Tiger and Return to Mountain, Huayi – Chinese Festival of Arts 2020 (Singapore), Hearing Visual Looking Sound (Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok), UITM Spectra 2016 (Kuala Lumpur), The 3rd RSU Electronic Music Concert: Melt (Rangsit University, Bangkok) and RAW Art Space (Kuala Lumpur), where he receivedpositive feedback for his performances.

 

Besides that, he started his composition studies with Mr Yii Kah Hoe. He graduated with First Class Honours from Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, Singapore and studied under Professor Ho Chee Kong, and Computer Music under Professor Steven Miller.Furthermore, he had his student exchange program in Peabody Conservatory of Music, where he studied under Dr Oscar Bettison and has attended master classes with Chaya Czernowin, Liza Lim, Hans Thomalla, Mark Andre, Manos Tsangaris and Yuval Shaked.

 

Jun Yan completed his PhD studies in year 2018 in National University of Singapore underProfessor Lonce Wyse, with the title of Communication Between Sound and Visual Artists in

Improvisatory Performance.

 

He is currently working as an academic faculty (adjunct) at Yong Siew Toh Conservatory ofMusic, National University of Singapore.

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Mr Tan Chin Huat started under the tutelage of local Pipa performer Mr Chek Siew Meng. Introduced by Dr Tay Teow Kiat, he went to Shanghai in 1986 to specialise in Guzheng, where he was mentored by Shanghai Sanxian educator, Professor Li Yi. He was approved by the Beijing Education Commission and enrolled into the Shanghai Conservatory of Music to further his Guzheng skills. He was also coached by various esteemed Guzheng performers such as Mr Guo Ying, Professor Guo Xue Jun, Ms Xiang Si Hua, Ms Fan Shang'e, and Ms Xu Ling Zi.

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In 2004, he founded Zheng Professionals to holistically cultivate more local Guzheng enthusiasts. He has since trained and developed many local Guzheng instructors.

From 2005 to 2016, he held the role of editorial member and honorary consultant of the Guzheng grading examinations for the National University of Singapore Centre For the Arts Chinese Instrumental Examination.

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In 2017, he was invited to be on the board of editorial members and honorary consultant for the Chinese Instrumental Music Grading Examinations organized by The TENG Company in partnership with the Confucius Institute, Nanyang Technological University.

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