Ding Yi Music Company

Ding Yi Music Company
Chamber music ensemble
Short name	DYMC
Former name	Arts Sphere Chamber Ensemble
Founded	2011 (2011)
Location	Singapore
Principal conductor	Tay Teow Kiat
Website	www.dingyimusic.com

Ding Yi Music Company (previously known as Arts Sphere Chamber Ensemble), established in 2007, is a Chinese chamber music ensemble based in Singapore. The ensemble consists of 20 musicians currently, most having attended professional training at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts. Their repertoire range from traditional Chinese music to contemporary avant-garde interpretations and cross-genre works, also premiering many compositions by award-winning composers like Eric James Watson and Cao Wen Gong. They have also collaborated with prominent musicians such as Min Huifen and Lu Chun Ling in various concerts. Ding Yi Music Company is under the direction of the Music Director Dr Tay Teow Kiat, and the Conductor Mr Quek Ling Kiong.

Accolades

The ensemble won First Prize in the Singapore National Arts Council Chinese Music Competition in 2008. In 2009, they came first in the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod held in Wales, United Kingdom; and in 2012, they won the Silver Award in the 28th Shanghai Spring International Music Festival.

Musicians

Music Director

Dr. Tay Teow Kiat is the Music Director of Ding Yi Music Company, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts City Chinese Orchestra, the Dunman High School Performing Arts Centre, as well as the President of the Singapore Chinese Music Federation. He has received numerous awards, including the Cultural Medallion in 1993 and the Long Service Medal (Education Service) in 1997.

Dr. Tay has presented concerts that delight local audiences and enhanced the ties between Singapore and China through music. He has been invited to conduct professional Chinese orchestras in Shanghai, Tianjin, Shanxi and Shandong. Dr. Tay was also invited to grace many international Chinese music conferences and competitions, where he was a judge for some competitions.

With 40 years of experience in presenting concerts, Dr. Tay has brought many wonderful music experiences to audiences. His passion and interest in grooming young talents has motivated him to nurture many Chinese instrumentalists, contributing to the development of Chinese music in Singapore.

Conductor

Quek Ling Kiong received the Singapore Young Artist Award in 2002 and learned conducting from Cultural Medallion recipient Dr Tay Teow Kiat and famed Chinese conductor Xia Fei Yun. Ling Kiong's career in professional conducting took off when he became the Singapore Chinese Orchestra's first Conductor Assistant in 2003 where he came under the mentorship of Maestro Tsung Yeh. In 2004, he became SCO's Assistant Conductor as well as the Conductor of the Singapore Youth Chinese Orchestra (SYCO).

During his appointment, he introduced and choreographed well-received SCO concerts such as the Young Children's Concert and Young People's Concert. In 2006, he led SYCO to perform at the International Arts Festival in Tainan, Taiwan. Ling Kiong has made appearances in Eastern Europe, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, both Chinese orchestra and symphony orchestra.

He graduated as a professional percussionist from Shanghai Conservatory of Music in 1997 on scholarship from the National Arts Council (NAC), the Lee Foundation and Singapore Hokkien Huay Kwan. In September 2006, Ling Kiong was again awarded the NAC overseas bursary and Hokkien Huay Kwan scholarship to pursue Conducting Studies, obtaining his Diploma in Advanced Studies from Zürcher Hochschule der Künste in 2008, Switzerland. Upon his return in 2008, Ling Kiong was promoted to Associate Conductor. In 2011, Ling Kiong is invited to be the Conductor of Ding Yi Music Company.

In 2013 he is further promoted to Resident Conductor of Singapore Chinese Orchestra. Ling Kiong is also currently an adjunct teacher at the School of the Arts, Singapore and the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts.

Instrumental Musicians

Instrument	Name	Position
Gaohu	Chin Yen Choong	Acting Concert Master
Erhu	Lim Kwuan Boon	Strings Principal
	Adrian Wee	Soloist
	Heng Lena	–
Zhonghu	Phang Kok Jun	–
Cello	Andrew Chan	–
Double Bass	Li Yongrui	–
Daruan/Sanxian	Kenny Chan	Plucked-Strings Principal
Pipa	Chua Yew Kok	Soloist
Yangqin	Yick Jueru	Soloist
Guzheng	Tay Yvonne	–
Zhongruan/Liuqin	Jonathan Ngeow	–
Dizi	Heng Xiangle	Woodwind Principal
	Tan Qing Lun	Soloist
Soprano Sheng	Teo Kah Chin	–
Alto Sheng/Suona	Wong De Li	–
Percussion	Derek Koh	Acting Percussion Principal
	Goh Ek Jun	–
	Low Yik Hang	–

Composer-in-Residence

Name	School Attended
Phang Kok Jun	Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music
Chow Jun Yi	Jacobs School of Music
Liu Chang	Central Conservatory of Music

DYMC Composium

To promote new music compositions for Chinese chamber ensembles, Ding Yi Music Company has established the Composium, a triennial composition festival which includes composition competitions, symposiums and performances that encourages new compositions from local and international composers.

Education and Outreach Programmes

The ensemble has initiated several engagements to educate and reach out to the public about their music and the genre of Chinese chamber music. Their projects include:

Title	Summary
Feed Your Imagination (F.Y.I.)	Collaboration with Esplanade that allows students to have a musical experience, featuring narration, visual animation and music of traditional Chinese instruments.
Modular Co-Curricular Activities	Ding Yi Music Company musicians will provide music programmes for primary to secondary schools, introducing students to Chinese musical instruments and Chinese music.
Joy Project	Campaign and free performances targeted towards the elderly in Singapore.
Outdoor Fantasia	Outdoor concerts to bring Chinese chamber music to the masses.
Arts Education Programmes	Programmes to cater to student needs through the National Arts Council, showcasing the versatility of Chinese chamber music to students.
Masterclasses	Sessions hosted by invited maestros to allow audiences to gain in-depth knowledge of Chinese musical instruments and music.

Works

These are the various performances held by Ding Yi Music Company.

Date	Title	Venue
7 January 2012	Bitesize – Introduction to Traditional Chinese Plucked String Instruments	Esplanade Recital Studio
6 February 2012	Plum Dragon Hymn	Lee Foundation Theatre
25 March 2012	Great Masters of Chinese Music	Esplanade Concert Hall
3 June 2012	Composium 2012	School of The Arts
11 August 2012	As in Dream – Pipa Recital	Esplanade Recital Studio
9 September 2012	Music for the Soul 2 – Happy Baton	Singapore National Library Blackbox
14 September 2012	Poetic Charms	Esplanade Recital Studio
18 December 2012	Encounters – East Meets West	Esplanade Recital Studio
28 January 2013	Evolution of Traditions	Lee Foundation Theatre
3 February 2013	Bitesize	Esplanade Bayroom