MUSIC DIRECTOR & CONDUCTOR

Yan Yin Wing

Yan Yin Wing pursued his music studies between 1976 to 1978 in London and obtained the Associate of the Royal College of Music (ARCM) in violin teaching. During this period, he had studied conducting and was awarded a scholarship to attend a Summer Conductors’ Course in 1978 organised by the Ernest Read Music Association.

Yan was awarded a grant from the Singapore Cultural Foundation in 1984 to pursue an Advanced Orchestra Conducting Course at the renowned Sweelinck Conservatorium Amsterdam. During that year, he had also attended an Orchestra Conducting Master Class at the International Sommerakademie of the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria.

Yan has always been heavily involved in the promotion of classical music and encouraging local talents in Singapore by bringing people from all walks of life and of all ages to make music. Since 1989, Yan has been the driving force behind Singapore’s sole community-based Symphony Orchestra. Besides conducting, he also plans, organises and directs its concert seasons in gathering sponsorship support and musicians' participation. Yan has been dedicated to the cultivation of young local talents and invites overseas musicians and conductors to perform with the orchestra which has garnered the BHSO to great acclaim.

Between 1986 and 1994, Maestro Yan has represented Singapore and led its delegations at the ASEAN Youth Music Workshops and Composers’ Workshops. A keen composer, one of Yan’s compositions “SALUTE” was premiered at the National Tribute Dinner for Singapore's former Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew. Another of his composition was performed in China by the National Opera and Ballet Symphony Orchestra of Beijing besides having it performed in Singapore and Malaysia. His other compositions include chamber works, overtures, an operetta, songs, choruses and his first symphony "Harmony", which was premiered in one of BHSO's concert seasons in November 2008.

One of Yan's significant community project included one with the Belgium Boys’ Choir in celebration of our 25th National Day performed with the Braddell Heights Symphony Chorus. Other noteworthy events included the People's Association's 40th Anniversary Celebration, Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong's Inauguration Dinner, Esplanade's Trial & Orientation Concert and the Debutante Ball. Under its Music Director, the BHSO's stringed musicians recorded its first CD album entitled "My Favourite Classics" in 2006.

Since the initiation of an exchange programme with the Korea Symphony Orchestra (KSO) in 1999, Yan has been a regular guest conductor of the KSO in Seoul. More recently, Yan has further initiated exchange programmes with the Suginami Philharmonic Orchestra in Japan and the Penang Symphony Orchestra in Malaysia.