Classical Music Asia

The psychological trauma from sexual abuse is usually so profound that it takes victims years before they are able to talk about it and start healing. It took the writer of this story more than 30 years before she was able to confront what her music teacher—who she had thought was wonderful—did to her....
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Founded in May 2013, Classical Music Asia’s Open Recital provides a regular open performance platform for all classical music students. CMA Open Recital is open to all students and professional musicians regardless of age, grade, teacher and instrument. Open Recital aims to provide classical music students with the opportunity to perform in front of...
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Thirty-four young pianists are preparing to go to the Yehudi Menuhin School in Surrey, UK for the second Overseas Malaysian Winter Piano Academy (OMWPA) scheduled to take place from 15-23 December. At an orientation session late last month, the participants, together with their teachers and parents, got the opportunity to meet each other as...
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As a composer Ng Chong Lim draws his inspiration from everything around him, but nothing inspires him more than nature. Recently while looking through photographs that a former schoolmate of his had taken, Ng was reminded of his childhood when he would spend a lot of time on his uncle’s farm in Seremban. Those...
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The violinist, conductor and music teacher Brian Tan passed away one year ago today after an intense two-year struggle with pancreatic cancer. He was 41. When news of his death broke, there was a huge outpouring of grief and love from his students and the people who knew him. Hundreds of them attended his...
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When piano teacher Lee Jia Jie started a small ensemble group in his house, he did not imagine that it would one day grow into a mini orchestra that would perform to raise funds for charity. Originally set up so that Lee’s students and two sons could gain chamber music experience, the group has...
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As the newly-appointed head of Bentley Music Academy (BMA), Kevin Field hopes to eventually establish BMA as the leading pre-tertiary music school in Malaysia. Field, well-known for his work with the Malaysian Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, wants the school to be able to provide the type of education he himself had been lucky enough to...
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Malaysian soprano Cecilia Yap makes two concessions to keep her voice in top shape—the first is to “keep quiet” and the second to forgo eating chillies before a concert. Both are presumably difficult for her to do, being firstly, a naturally chatty person and, secondly, a chilli lover. “To me, chilli is a natural...
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Years ago, Gabriel Evens suffered from chronic tendonitis as a result of his work as a professional pianist. He tried several solutions, all to no avail. Finally, at the suggestion of a friend, Evens took a year of Alexander Technique (AT) lessons. They helped him heal and he enrolled in a New England AT...
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Raymond Tan was elated when four of his piano students made it through to the first Overseas Malaysian Winter Piano Academy (OMWPA), held in December 2010 at the Yehudi Menuhin School in Surrey, UK. “I encouraged them to go for it. I hoped that they would do well but I did not expect all...
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String instruments eventually adjust their sound to the player’s individual style, evolving according to the way they are played. Violins, violas and cellos are made up of a million parts and, as a result, produce a million sounds. “They are living souls. What goes on behind an instrument is organic,” said Singapore-based luthier Tong...
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This is the time of the year when applications for summer music camps open up in Europe, the USA and elsewhere. Classical music camps are good places for serious music students to improve their musical abilities as well as meet music professors who may very well end up being their teachers later on. Here...
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Written by Andrea Sim, participant at OMWPA 2010 It’s amazing how quickly strangers can become family. The first Overseas Piano Winter Academy (OMWPA) was held just a little over a year ago for only 10 days, but the rapport that we participants developed with each other remains strong. A key factor to this closeness...
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