SCHOOL OF MUSIC

Aya Sakou is a graduate of the Toho Gakuen School of Music and the Musikhochschule Winterhur-Zurich where she obtained diplomas in teaching and performance on the piano and harpsichord under the guidance of Konstantin Scherbakov.

She has won first prizes in the competitions such as the Pitina Young Pianist Competition, the South Japan Piano Competition, and the National Music Competition of Japan.

As a chamber musician, she has been a member of the Tastro Quartet touring in Europe and Japan. She also participated in festivals such as the Yoshiwa Music Festival in Japan and the Vendyssel International Music Festival in Denmark. She is also frequently performing as a chamber musician with musicians from major orchestras. Among others the NHK symphony orchestra in Japan, the Tonhalle symphony orchestra in Switzerland and the Singapore Symphony Orchestra.

As a soloist, she has given many recitals in Europe and Japan. She has been invited to perform concertos with the Fontinu chamber orchestra and the Swiss chamber orchestra. In 2004-2005, the BBC radio broadcasted two of her recitals.

She has frequently been invited to perform as an orchestra musician with ensembles such as the Kagoshima chamber orchestra, the Aalborg symphony orchestra, and the Singapore Symphony Orchestra.

Since moving to Singapore in 2007, she regularly performs with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra both in chamber series and in the orchestra. She also works as an accompanist for SSO musicians, Singapore Armed Forces Band, festivals, master classes as well as pursing an active career as an accompanist in Japan.

Born in Xi’an China, studied the Sanxian under the tutelage from her father Lu Quan Bao when she was 11 years old and was admitted to the High School Affiliated to Shanghai Conservatory of Music when she was 13 years old. Graduated from China Conservatory of Music with a Bachelor Degree in Performing Arts in 1999 and a Master’s Degree in 2021 under the tutelage of professor Zhao Cheng Wei.

Jessica was then migrated to Singapore in 1999 right after she was graduated and was invited as an Artiste under New Asia Records Singapore. Here are some of her works:

《JESSICA》 New Asia Records Singapore
《POISON》 New Asia Records Singapore
《Alter Asians》 New Asia Records Singapore
《Matter of Time》 New Asia Records Singapore
《This Way to Nike Beautiful》 Nike Asia
《NOKKO&GO》 New York USA & Japan
《Man Ray》 Milan Music, France
《Liquid Sounds Vol.1》Free Form Records, Germany

In the album “Matter of Time”, both New Asia & Flowing in the Seasons was awarded Top 10 in USA International Songwriting Competition and Best World Music Award in Composers’ Association of Singapore (COMPASS).

In 2007, Warners Music Singapore released her very first album “Beauty of Sanxian” with an overwhelming responds. she was also invited by HOB Asia as a musician and artiste for then trailer video production of “Games Of Thrones” season 6. Jessica was also invited by Esplanade-Theatres on the Bay Singapore to present 2 recital concerts “Strings of Time” at the Huayi Festival 2020 to commemorate her 20 years in Sanxian performing arts. During Covid-19 pandemic in 2021, her band SZINC has produced a music video production “AMALGAMATION” which comprises “Green Savannah”, “Blue Rain” & “Red 2020”.

Jessica is not only active in the local performing scene, she often represents Singapore in many international festivals such as France, Japan, Scotland and USA. Festivals including WOMAD, VOLVO World Music Festival, MIDEM, Chicago Jazz Music Festival, Japan Asia Music Market, Edinburgh International Music Festival.

Her subtle yet flamboyant musical style makes her a beautiful marriage between traditional Chinese classical music and modern western pop music.

Renata Hann, an international opera singer, is a highly sought after voice teacher and opera performer with international operatic experience. Based in Singapore and Korea.

Renata has a Master’s degree from Korea, With an additional Master’s degree in Opera from Italy’s renowned ‘National Conservatory of Parma (Conservatorio di Arrigo Boito di Parma).
Renata relocated from Italy to Singapore where she continues to teach a select number of serious voice students. With performances spanning opera, musical theater, and world music, singing soprano, critics have hailed Renata Hann as a “first rate artist
with a fabulous voice,” “passionate and believable” and a “consummate musician”.

As an Opera Soloist she performed internationally with such opera companies as the ARTE OPERA and Gwacheon civic center theater, Kyungwon University Theater, Regio di Parma Theater, Rosetum Theater, Auditorium Theater of Locate, Santa Barbara di Mantova etc.
Renata made her Singapore debut with T.O.P in 2021, as Morgana in ‘Alcina’.Following this successful performance, she performed as Lucia in ‘The rape of Lucretia’ with T.O.P and performed as Rosalinde in ‘Die Fledermaus’ with SLO in 2022.

She is active on variety of performances in Singapore.

He Miya graduated from China Conservatory of Music,studied under the renowned Chinese vocal educator and musician, Professor Jin Tielin, and the celebrated singer, Ms. Liu Chang.

As a singer, she performed on many TV shows, galas, and concerts organized by CCTV. She has also represented the country on many official visits to the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Poland, and Belgium, etc. And her performance was widely acclaimed by Ambassadors, Diplomats, Consuls General, leaders and members of overseas Chinese associations. Miya was a vocal lecturer on Traditional Folk Singing at Tianjin Conservatory of Music before moving to Singapore. She is now with the School of the Arts in Singapore (SOTA), lecturing on Chinese folk vocal skills. Many of her students have won national awards in China, and are now celebrated musicians and singers in the country.

Miya is passionate about introducing Chinese Culture and Chinese Music to the world. And she is hoping to contribute more to the community in Singapore, who are interested in Chinese Folk Music and Folk Singing.

Miya is very active in promoting the Chinese folk music in Singapore and involved in many collaborative projects with talented local musicians. She is also making all out to integrate into the local culture and local way of life. It is her hope that she could contribute more in the promotion and development of Chinese culture in and beyond Singapore.

“If there is one person in Singapore who has championed the cause of the viola more than any other, it would be Jeremy Chiew. His sheer single-mindedness has resulted in an unprecedented series of concerts edging the (viola) … firmly into the limelight.”

25 Mar 2019, The Straits Times, “Viola takes centre stage with agility”

A Classical violist by training, Jeremy Chiew studied at the Longy School of Music under the tutelage of Dimitri Murrath and obtained a Masters in Music Performance (Viola) and was a recipient of the Patricia Sherman ‘in honour of a high level of accomplishment, an exemplary attitude and a record of contribution to the life of the Longy Community.’ He actively performs as a freelance violist locally and with the Macao Symphony Orchestra, and maintains a small teaching studio.

Jeremy’s own annual viola recitals ‘Potpourri’ aim to increase awareness of this lesser-known member of the string family to the local audiences. These recitals have seen collaborations with Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) and T’ang Quartet musicians, as well as the Singapore National Youth Orchestra (SNYO).

Recent years saw Jeremy take on leadership, creative programming and administrative positions with different performing arts groups and non-profit organisations, most notably New Opera Singapore (2019-2023) as Asst. Artistic Director and Kris Foundation (2014-2017) as General Manager.

Mr. Darin Varbanov graduated as a violinist from The State Musical Academy-Sofia, Bulgaria in 1991 (MA-Violin), under Prof. Anton Hadjiatanasov. For the next 12 years, he worked as a violinteacher at The National School of Music-Sofia, Bulgaria. Studying and working at both of these institutions has provided him with opportunities to gain and enhance his professional experience, which enabled him to perform as a violinist, since 1978 till now, in many concerts – solo recitals, chamber music concerts and orchestras in different cities in Bulgaria, Greece, Germany, England, Singapore and Thailand. In 1980 he was awarded First Prize at the Cleveland Inter-Tie Competition in Middlesbrough, England, as a member of the violin quartet “Violino”.

Darin Varbanov has acquired extensive experience and possesses a wide repertoire as a violin player. Additionally, he has enriched his qualifications in the area of chamber music. In 1997, he completed a two year Chamber Music Master Class under Prof. Maia Patroneva – at The State Academy of Music “Pancho Vladigerov” – Sofia, Bulgaria. Currently, he plays on a violin, which has been crafted by the accomplished violin maker Andrian Andreev, whose design inspiration came from an A. Stradivari violin, dated 1715.

As a violin teacher at The National School of Music “Lubomir Pipkov”, Sofia, Bulgaria, Darin Varbanov was responsible for the organization and production of more than one hundred students’ concerts, which included recitals, orchestra soloists, chamber music and appearances. Moreover, he assisted Lubomir Baharov in teaching the violin at his Private Violin Studio. During this time, he prepared violin students to compete in different violin competitions in Europe, as “Klassisk Musikkonkurrence” – Copenhagen, Denmark, “Kocian International Violin Competition”, Czech Republic, Young Music Talents- Sofia, Bulgaria. He was a co-organizer of The National Contest for children violinists – Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria from 1993 till 1996.

In 2003 Darin Varbanov was appointed violin teacher at a private music school in Singapore, where he set up and taught violin classes till 2006. In October 2006, he established his own Violin Art Studio, which in November 2008 developed into music school, named MUSICAL ART STUDIO. Concurrently, he held the position of Violin Teacher (Adjunct) at the School of the Arts, Singapore from January 2008 to May 2013.

From 2013 to 2015, Darin Varbanov resided in the USA, Virginia, where he taught the Violin at Harmonia School of Music and Art (Vienna, VA) and Harmonic Music Studios (Washington DC), as well as private students, including students, who take live online violin lessons.

In 2015 Darin moved back to Singapore and resumed his teaching at Musical Art Studio.

Jayne Lee is an accomplished leader and arts educator renowned for her innovation in creating impactful music resources, organising concerts, and developing comprehensive learning frameworks for musicians. As a highly prolific violin soloist, she has graced numerous prestigious events, including performances for the heads of state of Singapore.

In addition to her proficiency as a violinist, Jayne is a versatile professional, serving as an author, conductor, songwriter, arranger, and co-founder of the Music Interest Group at Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) and founder of the SUSS Philharmonic Orchestra.

With over 20 years of teaching experience, Jayne has successfully groomed young students to achieve exceptional results, enabling them to complete their Grade 8 exams at a remarkably young age. The Jayne Lee Violin programme, renowned for its accelerated learning approach, has produced award-winning students in both local and international competitions. Their achievements have been featured in prominent publications such as International Strings magazine The Strad and The Straits Times Newspaper.

Beyond her musical pursuits, Jayne demonstrates a passion for community engagement, leading non-profit organisations, and serving as a policy advisor, consultant specialising in the Arts sector. Recent consultation works include Dadu, Children’s Museum of Qatar and Paganini virtual museum (Italy). Her diverse interests also extend to photography, wine tasting, and experimenting with various musical instruments.