STEINWAY TEACHER & EDUCATIONAL PARTNER (STEP) PROGRAM
SYMPOSIUM & CONFERMENT CEREMONY 2022
“Musical Exchanges – Building a Community through Music Festivals”
A dialogue with Steinway Gallery Singapore’s STEP Educators
Date: 30th October 2022
Time: 4pm – 5pm
Venue: Steinway Gallery Singapore (#04-15A ION Orchard)
Join Steinway Gallery Singapore’s upcoming dialogue, “Building a Community through Music Festivals” as Steinway Gallery’s esteemed STEP educators Benjamin Loh, Ouyang Leilei, Winnie Tay and Nabillah Jalal share their valuable insights on the ins and outs of piano festivals. This dialogue will be an informative and interactive session on the transformative power of piano music festivals on young learners – building a sense of community that fosters lifelong love for music. The first of many to come, this session is a kickstart event that aims to benefit teachers and encourage meaningful musical exchanges within the piano education community.
Synopsis
A concert pianist’s life can be lonely. Stephen Hough, a renown pianist once said, “I spend most of my life alone, even backstage… I’m there completely alone.” While adult pianists have accepted being alone as part of their job, young students often need support especially in music learning. Indeed, piano learning can be isolating. Lessons, practices, and competitions are mostly solo activities. It takes incredible mental strength to push through the seemingly endless practices.
The journey of learning piano is challenging and rewarding. But it does not need to be lonely. Concerts, events and festivals are wonderful places to build a sense of community that foster lifelong love for music as well as create memorable experiences and friendships.
This dialogue invites critical reflection on the transformative power of deeper connection with music through music festivals, and how students can benefit from the festival community.
Dialogue
How important are musical exchanges in one’s development of musicianship?
Moderator
Tiffany Leu, Pianist & Educator
The Panelists
Prof. Benjamin Loh
Steinway Honorary Professor, Steinway Artist, Piano Faculty at LASALLE College of the Arts
Benjamin Loh is a Steinway Artist and Steinway Honorary Professor from Singapore and is on the piano faculty of the LASALLE College of the Arts in Singapore. He obtained his B. Sc. in Economics from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania and his Master of Music at the Manhattan School of Music.
He has judged numerous competitions and has taught in festivals in the United States, Europe and Asia. His students have won prizes in local and international competitions, and have furthered their musical studies at prestigious institutions such as The Juilliard School, Royal College of Music (U.K.), Mozarteum University and Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris.
Mr. Loh is also the recipient of the Special Recognition Award given out by the Singapore National Arts Council.
Ms Nabillah Jalal
Steinway Educational Partner, Founder and Head Teacher of NJ Studio
Born and raised in Singapore, pianist Nabillah Jalal graduated in 2016 with Honours from the Royal College of Music in London, studying under Professor Nigel Clayton. The first Malay Singaporean to study at the Royal College of Music, Nabillah received the prestigious Goh Chok Tong Youth Promise Award (Distinction) in 2011 and is a recipient of the Live It Up Bursary.
In 2018, Nabillah launched NJ Studio, a boutique piano school that focuses on 1-to-1 lessons with a unique narrative-based teaching approach. Nabillah is now working on ArtSee, a music-mentoring program for underprivileged youths.
Nabillah is now a council member at the People’s Association Youth Network Council. Malay Language Council and a steering committee member for Mendaki’s Community Leaders Forum Labs and Anugerah Belia Cemerlang.
Ms Ouyang Lei Lei
Steinway Educational Partner, Music Educator, Member of the Musician Society of Singapore
Leilei Ouyang, a committee member of the Musician Society of Singapore, started to receive systematic rigorous and formal music training in China at a very young age.
Leilei obtained with distinction her Masters of Arts degree in piano performance in the UK. During her study at Leeds College of Music, she was under the tutelage of Julian Cima and Marion Rapper. She held several successful solo concerts in Leeds, Wakefield, and Horrogate, UK.
Leilei has often been invited to present solo recitals and/or be accompanist for large scale concerts in China, U.K., Malaysia and Singapore.
Leilei also enjoys teaching and several of her students participated successfully in international competitions. In 2013 and 2015 she served as a jury for the “Singapore International Youth Piano Competition”. In 2022, Leilei served as a jury for the 6th Steinway Youth Piano Competition and the 4th Singapore International Classical Piano Competition.
Ms Winnie Tay
Steinway Educational Partner, Principal of Song Without Words Music Studio, Co-Founder of The Musique Loft
Born in Singapore, Pianist Ms Winnie Tay is currently enjoying a very rewarding career as an educator. She currently maintains an active private studio, Song without Words Music Studio as well as the co-director of The Musique Loft. Her students have distinguished themselves in competitions and festivals all around the world and are prizewinners of local, national and international competitions and many have gone on to study music at prestigious schools.
Ms Winnie Tay is in frequent demand as an adjudicator and presenter of masterclasses. She conducts regular masterclasses for students flying in from Indonesia and China. In the recent years, she was also on the jury for 3rd Steinway Youth Piano Competition and Zhongsin International Music Competition.
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