TAN SU-HUI, SOPHY 陈素慧

Performer/ Instructor (Guzheng)

Tan Su-Hui, Sophy 陈素慧
Performer, Instructor
Scholar of the National Arts Council
Master's Degree in Music Performance (Shanghai Conservatory of Music, majoring in Guzheng performance)
BA (Hons) in Music - 1st Class Honours (University of Wales - NAFA)
Versatile in Guzheng, Zhongruan, Liuqin

In 2011, Tan was awarded the National Arts Council Arts Scholarship (Overseas) to pursue a Master’s Degree in Music Performance (majoring in Guzheng) at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, under the supervision of Professor Wang Wei, and graduated in 2014. She is also competent in the Liuqin and Zhongruan, and was awarded a Diploma with Distinction from the Central Conservatory of Music, Beijing.

Tan graduated from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in Singapore (in partnership with the University of Wales) in 2011 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree with First Class Honours under the scholarship of the National Arts Council (Local).

Tan was awarded First prize for Solo Guzheng – Senior Category in the National Chinese Music Competition in 2004 and Second Prize for the NAFA-Music Essentials Concerto Competition in 2008. She also won a Best Performer Award – Youth Specialism Section at the first “Dunhuang” Cup National Youth Guzheng Competition 2012.

Tan has been invited to give performances in China, the UK, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia. She premiered two double concerto specially written for her twin sister Tan Su-Min and her, The Legend of Sister’s Islandsand Ancient Dreams with the Singapore Chinese Orchestra, and partnered with the famous composer from China, Prof. Zhou Yu Guo, in a Zhongruan and Guzheng duet performance of Ode to the Yueqin, arranged by Zhou himself. She was also invited as a Guzheng soloist to perform in 空谷清音——半度十周年艺术之旅活动 at Ninghai, China. Tan presented a paper entitled "The Development of Guzheng Performing Art in Singapore" （古筝在新加坡发展现状研究）at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music in 2014.

In Mid 2015, Tan Su-Hui formed a music group MUSA to explore various genres of music with the primary instruments, Guzheng and Ruan.

She is the Guzheng instructor of 25 Strings (Ruan and Guzheng Ensemble) where she curates performances for the students and they have since been invited by the Esplanade Theatres by the Bay to perform in the Octoburst! Festival. She is also the Guzheng instructor in various local schools and was also an adjunct instructor at the Wesleyan College. In 2017, Tan has been appointed as a music assessor of the National Arts Council.

Awards/ Highlights:

2016: Featured on The Straits Times Life Arts Offstage 'Trying not to sneeze on stage' 2016: Featured on 联合早报 －双生姐妹演绎“巾帼琴缘“ 2015: Featured on 联合早报 －“MUSA” 组合奏一曲“华风”流行乐 2015: Featured Music Alumni of Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts 2015: Featured on Mediacorp Channel 8 HELLO SG 狮城有约 Live Programme (MUSA) 2014: Featured Overseas Artiste on 中国古筝网 2012: Best Performer Award - Youth Specialism Section at the 1st "Dunhuang" Cup National Youth Guzheng Competition held in Beijing
2011: Awarded National Arts Council Scholarship (Overseas)
2010: Awarded National Arts Council Scholarship (Local)
2008: 2nd Prize for the NAFA-Music Essential Concerto Competition
2004: 1st Prize for the NAC NCMC Solo Guzheng Senior Category

Ng Chee yao Dayn 黄志耀

Composer/ Re-arranger/ Musician

In 2022, Dayn Ng Chee Yao graduated from the renowned Berklee College of Music (Spain) under the prestigious National Arts Council Scholarship 2021, majoring in Music Production, Technology, and Innovation. He graduated from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA)/ Royal College of Music (London), Majoring in Music Composition, Bmus (hons) under the tutelage of Dr. Zechariah Goh Toh Chai (Head of Composition/ Senior Lecturer, NAFA), Dr. Jeremiah Li Kai Han (Lecturer, NAFA) and Professor Kenneth Hesketh (Royal College of Music) . Dayn has also been to master classes by Professor Barry Conynham (Dean of Victorian College of the Arts and Melbourne Conservatorium of Music) and Professor William Mivel (Head of Composition, Royal College of Music (London).

He has been active in composing for ensemble, orchestra, theatre production, and audio recording. Apart from doing composition, Dayn was previously a student majoring in Suona Performance (2011 - 2012 ) under the tutelage of Mr. Jin Shi Yi (Suona Principal, Singapore Chinese Orchestra). He was awarded second prize at the National Arts Council’s Singapore National Chinese Music Competition, Suona Youth Solo Category.

Dayn had composed and arrange numerous music for ensembles and orchestra such as the Singapore Chinese Orchestra. His works include music arranging for 3 terms of Arts Imprint, a highlight show as a part of National Arts Council's initiative: Arts in your neighbourhood and also local drama series “起飞 Cresendo”, and a theatre production in collaboration with Central Academy of Drama (China) “唐寅与 秋香’.

Dayn is currently the composer in residence for MUSA and is recently signed as an exclusive song writer with Touch Publishing. He is an adjunct lecturer of the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts.

MUSA the collective

Musa

Formed in mid 2015, MUSA comprises of Zhongruan soloist Su-Min and Guzheng soloist Su-Hui, who are both scholars of the Singapore National Arts Council and each holds a Masters Degree from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, along with composer/ arranger Dayn Ng, who graduated with an Honours Degree in Music Composition from the Royal College of Music. 

MUSA believes in the creation of a new contemporary identity that is representative of Singapore’s interculturalism by preserving the traditional elements of Chinese Music as the key foundation of their music, and giving it a modernistic twist.

MUSA’s original and rearrangements works can be found on their YouTube channel MUSA_sg, which has amassed more than 8.7 million views till date. The group has also been featured on various media outlets such as The Straits Times, Channel News Asia, Hello Singapore 狮城有约, 883 JIA FM 与美香通行, and were also invited to perform for the Consulate General of the Republic of Singapore in Chennai, leading China television programme ‘Day Day Up 天天向上’ and represented Singapore in the programme 《国乐大点》 Season 2 by Guangzhou Broadcasting Station. They were invited to music festivals such as the Padang Indian Ocean Music Festival 2017 and Saarang Festival India 2019. They are also featured overseas artistes on China's Guzheng Net and were invited to premiere their original works at the Huayi - Chinese Festival of Arts at the Esplanade as well as the Moonfest, which features different adaptations of Chinese classics fused with modern electronic arrangements and mixes.

MUSA launched a 360 video with ambisonic audio series ‘The Five Elements’ under the support of the National Art’s Council Digital Presentation Grant in 2020. They were commissioned by the Esplanade Theatres by the Bay to present ‘Reflections’, a multi-disciplinary concert under the Huayi Festival 2021.

MUSA成立于2015年，由中阮独奏家陈素敏（新加坡阮咸学会副会长）、古筝独奏家陈素慧以及作曲家/编曲家黄志耀（南洋艺术学院讲师）组成。素敏和素慧为新加坡国家艺术理事会的奖学金得主，拥有上海音乐学院的硕士学位，志耀则毕业于英国皇家音乐学院，拥有音乐创作荣誉学位。

MUSA在保留华族传统音乐元素的基础上，加入现代因子，赋予音乐崭新的当代身份，大大彰显了新加坡的多元文化。

他们在 YouTube频道MUSA_sg上的原创和改编作品，至今已积累了超过800万的点击率。他们的作品更获多家媒体报道，如《海峡时报》、亚洲新闻台、《狮城有约》、883 JIA FM《与美香通行》。他们亦受邀为新加坡驻金奈总领事馆、中国知名电视节目《天天向上》表演，更代表新加坡参加广州广播电视台节目《国乐大点》第二季。他们也不时受邀参加音乐节，如2017年巴东印度洋音乐节和2019年印度萨朗音乐节等。除此，MUSA也是中国古筝网上的精选海外艺人，并应邀在滨海艺术中心呈献的《华艺节》和《艺满中秋》上首演了他们的原创作品。MUSA 在2020年获得国家艺术理事会的数码作品展示资助，发行了360度以及模拟立体声系列的音乐视频，《五行》。2021年受滨海艺术中心的委托，呈现了《空》， 一场结合不同领域的跨界音乐表演。

MUSA’s Official Page: www.facebook.com/musa.sgofficial

MUSA’s YouTube: www.youtube.com/musasg

MUSA’s instagram: www.instagram.com/musa_sg