National Arts Council thanks its Arts Advisors

On Wednesday evening (21 March 2012), the National Arts Council of Singapore held a dinner at the Tyler Print Institute, Robertson Quay to thank its arts advisors over the years. PianoManiac was honoured to be invited, having served on several committees in the local arts arena. The congenial evening opened with a speech by NAC Chairman Mr Edmund Cheng, who painted a rosy picture of the state of the arts in Singapore, with an increasing monetary contributions from private organisations and the - ahem - altruism of its many valued volunteers.

The evening's entertainment was provided by Jordan Wei and his band. It is interesting to note that Jordan, who has a degree in jazz piano, is the grandson of Goh Soon Tioe, Singapore pioneer violinist, music pedagogue and conductor.

Some musical luminaries at the dinner (from L to R): Goh Ching Lee (former Director of the Singapore Arts Festival), avant-garde composer Joyce Koh and pipa virtuoso Samuel Wong Sheng Miao (Teng Ensemble).

PianoManiac in good pianistic company, with Julie Tan (President, Singapore Music Teachers Association) and Rena Phua-Cheung (Head of Piano, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts).

The Chinese orchestra fraternity: Conductor Major Tay Soon Huat and Terence Ho (General Manager, Singapore Chinese Orchestra).

Everyone enjoys a good wine, especially Ng Siew Eng (General Manager, Singapore Lyric Opera) and Quek Yeng Yeng of the National Arts Council.

Lots of good food and drink to last the evening.

Everybody in Singapore craves to sit on some committee or advisory body of some sort (especially when that makes one feel much needed and somewhat important). Which explains why the biographies of many local artists includes a special place for the mention of NAC committees. For the record, PianoManiac has served on the following NAC committees:

National Piano & Violin Competition Committee

Instrumental Loan Committee

Arts Awards (Music) Committee

Cultural Medallion Grant Committee
Annual Grants (Music) Committee

Advisor to Singapore Arts Festival (Goh Ching Lee era)

... not to mention various committees of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, Singapore Chinese Orchestra and Singapore Lyric Opera. So does anybody else have a committee which wants me to join?