Singapore, 2 January 2013 (Wednesday) – Quek Ling Kiong has been appointed as Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SCO)’s Resident Conductor with effect from 1 January 2013. Quek Ling Kiong joined the SCO as Percussion Principal in 1997. His career in professional conducting took off when he became SCO’s first Conducting Assistant in 2003. In 2004, he became SCO’s Assistant Conductor as well as the Conductor for the Singapore Youth Chinese Orchestra (SYCO).
Quek Ling Kiong was appointed as SCO’s Associate Conductor in 2008. During his appointment as an Associate Conductor, he introduced and choreographed many well-received SCO concerts – SCO’s Mother’s Day Concert, Concerts for Children, Community Series concerts, Outdoor Rhapsody, Caring Series concerts, Lunchtime Concerts and SYCO Concerts.
Quek Ling Kiong started learning liuqin from young. After being inspired by his teacher, Cultural Medallion recipient Tay Teow Kiat, he started learning percussion at the age of 13 and this unveiled his talent for the percussion instruments. He started his career in professional conducting after he met the talent scout in his life, Maestro Tsung Yeh, in 2003. He had thought of giving up further studies in professional Chinese music due to financial difficulties but he overcame all challenges and pursued his interest. Today, Quek Ling Kiong is one of Singapore’s best conductors. He said, “Music is a good thing. In my life, I want to share it with others.” He will continue to create good concerts that represent Singapore and culture, with music that people love, cultivate more young music talents and promote the Chinese music in Singapore.
Quek Ling Kiong conducting the SCO
Quek Ling Kiong conducting the SYCO
Quek Ling Kiong with the drummers from the Thye Hua Kwan Moral Home for Disabled at SCO Mother’s day Concert 2012
Quek Ling Kiong choreographed, conducted and hosted SCO’s well-received and sold out Concerts for Children
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Quek Ling Kiong Resident Conductor, Singapore Chinese Orchestra
Quek Ling Kiong was a recipient of the Singapore Young Artist Award in 2002. He studied at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music under the National Arts Council’s (NAC) Overseas Scholarship, as well as the Lee Foundation and Singapore Hokkien Huay Kwan scholarships. He learned Chinese percussion from renowned master Li Min Xiong and Western classical percussion from Xue Bao Lun. He also explored various Chinese percussion arts with masters such as Li Zhen Gui, An Zhi Shun and Zhu Xiao Lin. After graduating from the Conservatory in 1997, he joined the Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SCO) and became its Percussion Principal.
Quek Ling Kiong learned conducting from Cultural Medallion recipient Tay Teow Kiat and famed Chinese conductor Xia Fei Yun. He attended the workshops and masterclasses of such luminaries as Tsung Yeh, Kirk Trevor, Colin Metters and Harold Farberman as well as Johannes Schlaefli, Marc Kissoczy, Oleg Proskumya and Leonid Korchmar.
Quek Ling Kiong’s career in professional conducting took off when he became SCO’s first Conducting Assistant in 2003. In 2004, he became SCO’s Assistant Conductor as well as the Conductor for 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 2005, he debuted with SCO at the opening concert of the 12th International Conference of WASBE (World Association for Symphonic Band and Ensembles). In 2006, he led SYCO to perform at the International Arts Festival in Tainan, Taiwan.
Besides conducting orchestras in China, Taiwan and Hong Kong, he has conducted symphony orchestras in the Czech Republic including Westbohmisches Symphonieorchester in Marienbad, Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra and Berg Komorni Orchestra of Prague. In September 2006, he was again awarded the NAC overseas bursary and scholarship from the Hokkien Huay Kwan to pursue Conducting Studies in Zurich, Switzerland. He obtained his Diploma in Advanced Studies from Zürcher Hochschule der Künste in 2007. Upon his return to SCO in 2008, he was promoted to Associate Conductor. During his appointment as an Associate Conductor, he introduced and choreographed many well-received SCO concerts – SCO’s Mother’s Day Concert, Concerts for Children, Community Series concerts, Outdoor Rhapsody, Caring Series concerts, Lunchtime Concerts and SYCO Concerts. Quek Ling Kiong is currently an adjunct teacher at the Singapore School Of The Arts and the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts.
Quek Ling Kiong is promoted to SCO’s Resident Conductor from 1 January 2013.