HOME / PROGRAMME

Profile

​

The Bukit Batok Chinese Orchestra (BBCO) is an orchestra of the Bukit Batok Community Club, formed in 1994 in the Bukit Batok community. Since then, BBCO has hosted musicians and music-lovers from all walks of life. Till date, the orchestra is still home to many individuals with a deep passion for Chinese music and instruments. Over the years BBCO has serenaded audiences from all backgrounds under the baton of Mr. Lee Heng Quee, Mr. Tan Loke Chuah, Mr. Chew Keng How and Mr. Tong Wei Jie both locally and overseas.

 

In the past decade, the orchestra performed extensively within the community and has also staged numerous productions at Singapore Conference Hall and SOTA Concert Hall:

● 2011: BBCO with Phang Thean Siong

● 2012: The Budding of Spring

● 2014: A Chance on Love

● 2015: Mi

● 2017: Heartstrings

● 2019: Starry Night

 

BBCO is now a self-sustaining, ground-led orchestra. Music enthuse,  Dr. Tan Da Yang, Mr. Tan Toh Nguan and Mr. Leonard Siar Hao Ken will be leading the orchestra in this concert to showcase our humble interpretation of Chinese music.

​

Conductor

​

Tan Toh Nguan’s interest in Chinese Orchestra began in 2005. Back in his secondary school days, he received guidance from Mr. Liu Chongzeng, Mr. Chua Keng Yong, Ms. Kong Yanyan, Mr. Cheng Chung Hsien and Mr. Tian Xiao while he was picking up the Gaohu, Erhu and Zhonghu in Swiss Cottage Secondary School Chinese Orchestra and National Junior College Chinese Orchestra. In 2007, he also participated in the CO Music Camp organized by the Singapore Chinese Orchestra, and was appointed as the Erhu II Principal Player of the orchestra.
 

From 2007, he started to learn conducting from Mr. Lee Heng Quee who was then the conductor for Swiss Cottage Chinese Orchestra. He was also appointed the Chairperson and Student Conductor of the school’s orchestra. During his two years as a student in National Junior College (NJC), he was the Vice-President and Student Conductor of the college’s Chinese Orchestra (NJCO). In NJCO, he received guidance from Mr. Dedric Wong, the orchestra’s conductor, and successfully conducted and performed with the orchestra at many of the college’s events.
 

In August 2010, he joined Bukit Batok Chinese Orchestra (BBCO) and was appointed as the orchestra’s Executive Director. Within a year, he led the BBCO’s Executive Committee in successfully organizing two major productions. From January 2015, he has been appointed as BBCO’s Associate Conductor, and continued receiving guidance and tutelage on orchestral conducting from Mr Chew Keng How, Music Director of BBCO at that point in time. Since 2010, he has conducted the orchestra in many performances held at various locations in Singapore.
 

Currently, Toh Nguan works full time in the public healthcare sector. During his time off from work, he is an active musician in Keat Hong Chinese Orchestra and also guest performs with several other Chinese Orchestras. Recently, he has also joined the Woodlands Young Conductors Workshop 2023 as an observer.

​

Tan Da Yang is currently a faculty member at NUS College, National University of Singapore. Da Yang is currently the conductor at Bukit Batok Chinese Orchestra and has been active with the orchestra since 2013. Da Yang has led Bukit Batok Chinese Orchestra in numerous performances within the community and external concerts, including conducting a combined western and chinese orchestra in an event celebrating the 50th anniversary of bilateral ties between Singapore and South Korea.

 

In 2014, Da Yang was selected as one of the three participants in the Conducting Masterclass on Chinese Music Conducting organised by Singapore’s National Arts Council, Esplanade - Theatres by the Bay, Singapore Chinese Music Federation and Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra and was taught by the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra’s Artistic Director and Principal Conductor, Maestro Yan Huichang. During the masterclass, Da Yang was further exposed to the art of conducting from Maestro Yan. In 2015, Da Yang was again selected to join the conducting workshop organised by Singapore Chinese Orchestra. Under the tutelage of Maestro Tsung Yeh, Da Yang was given the opportunity to conduct the Singapore Chinese Orchestra. Notably, Da Yang was the only non-music major participant who was selected for both the masterclass and the conducting workshop. Da Yang subsequently participated in multiple conducting masterclasses, such as conducting masterclasses organised by Braddell Heights Symphony Orchestra and Woodlands Young Conductors Workshop. Most recently, Da Yang participated in the conducting seminar with Prof. Peter Stark organised by Singapore National Youth Orchestra (SNYO) and the 2023 edition of Woodlands Young Conductors Workshop, under the tutelage of Dr. Robert J. Ambrose, Mr. Muhamad Yusri and Mr. Kai Hong Yeung.

 

Da Yang also regularly conducts in Hwa Chong Institution (College Section) Chinese Orchestra in their concerts as part of the continued engagement with his alma mater. Da Yang has also sought tutelage from Dr Wei Yan Ming and Mr. Chew Keng How on the art of orchestral conducting and music directing. A physicist by training, Da Yang is currently interested in the exploratory studies of acoustics for Asian instruments such as erhu and dizi, as well as socialphenomenon and systems from the complexity science perspective.

​

Leonard Siar is a music lover who plays the yang qin and occasionally, the drums. He enjoys how music can paint time beautifully with emotions. He treasures every live performance because they are fleeting yet memorable. This is his debut as a conductor and he is thrilled and grateful for the opportunity.

​

Soloist

​

Lim Daoteng, Dizi

Lim Daoteng started practising the Dizi at the tender age of 9 under the tutelage of Mr Zhan Yong Ming. He holds a Dizi Grade 9 certificate from the China Central Conservatory of Music. Daoteng has played an active role in the school orchestras during his school days, and has achieved Gold or Gold with Honours award in the Singapore Youth Festival for the orchestras he has participated in. 

As an avid learner of the art, Daoteng remains active in the local Chinese Orchestra scene and is currently the Dizi principal player of Bukit Batok Chinese Orchestra.

​

Sebastian Ang, Dizi

Sebastian began his Dizi journey at the age of 10, under the tutelage of Prof Zhan Yong Ming. He started taking the NUS grading examinations from 2005, and completed his NUS Diploma certification in 2007.

 

Having started out in primary school, Sebastian's experience in school orchestras has been rewarding: achieving the Top 5 award in 2004 with Evergreen Primary School Chinese Orchestra, Gold with Honours in 2007 with Catholic High School Chinese Orchestra (CHSCO), and the Gold award in 2009 with Victoria Junior College Chinese Orchestra (VJCO).

 

Sebastian also joined the National University of Singapore Chinese Orchestra (NUSCO) in his university years, and had the opportunity to learn further from Mr Lim Sin Yeo and Mr Phang Thean Siong. He also served as Vice-President of NUSCO in 2014-2015.

 

Sebastian has been the Principal Player for the Dizi sections in the several orchestras he holds close to his heart, including CHSCO, VJCO, NUSCO and BBCO. He was also the Section Leader of the Woodwinds Section during his JC years in the Toa Payoh West Community Club Chinese Orchestra (GECO). With GECO, Sebastian has participated in the biennial NAC Chinese Music Competition (ensemble category) several times, having consistently achieved all top 3 positions between 2008 to 2016 with his friends.

 

Sebastian currently serves as BBCO's Deputy-Director, having recently entrusted the position of Principal Player of the BBCO Dizi Section to his duet partner, Dao Teng.

​

Lim Jia Kang, Sheng

In 2007, Lim Jia Kang started his musical journey as a Sheng player in Queenstown Primary School Chinese Orchestra (QPSCO). He continued to play in Outram Secondary School Chinese Orchestra (OSSCO) in 2010, where he participated in a music exchange programme with the Music for Our Young (MOY) foundation in Hong Kong in November 2010. He subsequently briefly joined Nanyang Polytechnic Chinese Orchestra (NYPCO) in 2014.

 

Through the years, Jia Kang has performed with various Chinese Orchestras, such as Yuhua and KeatHong Chinese Orchestra.

 

Jia Kang is currently under the tutelage of Mr Er Chiang Siong.