Page 17 - NAFA Annual Report 2016/2017

SCHOOL OF MUSIC

NAFA-TNNUA MOU Signing Ceremony

On 5 December 2016, a five-year Memorandum of Understanding for academic
cooperation and exchange was created between NAFA and the Tainan National
University of The Arts (TNNUA), Taiwan. Various representatives from TNNUA attended
the signing ceremony, including Vice President Professor Cheng Te-yuan; Associate
Professor Gong Jow Jiun (Dean of Office of International Affairs); Professor Huang Tsui
Mei (Dean of Academic Affairs Division); Assistant Professor Hong Pei Chi (Director of
Graduate Institute of Collaborative Piano); Associate Professor Tsai Chin Tong (Director
of Graduate Institute of Studies in Documentary & Film Archiving and Dean of Information
Technology Division); and Assistant Professor Lin Hsin I (Department of Material Arts &
Design and Supervisor of Office of International Affairs). NAFA’s earliest collaboration with
TNNUA dates back to 2011, when a group of NAFA Vocal Studies students performed joint
concerts with TNNUA Piano students in both Singapore and Taiwan. In 2015, both institutions
presented a collaborative concert, which was staged in their respective hometowns.

Collaborative Concerts with
Universities in Taiwan

The NAFA School of Music continued to participate in notable exchanges in Taiwan.
Between 12 and 25 November, Senior Music Lecturer and Head of Vocal Studies,
Dr Jessica Chen, together with the Voice students, presented four concert
performances in Taiwan. This was carried out in collaboration with three national
universities namely, Tainan National University of the Arts (TNNUA), National Taiwan
Normal University and University of Taipei. Dr Chen also conducted masterclasses at
two of the universities. On 16 November, NAFA students performed with students
from TNNUA’s Graduate Institute of Collaborative Piano at the Chimei Museum
in Tainan, as well as the Kaohsiung Medical University.

International Hua Yue Bei 2016

The NAFA Chinese Chamber Ensemble was invited, by the International Federation of Youth
Development Culture and Chinese Folk Music Development Research Centre, to perform at
the International Hua Yue Bei 2016, in a concert titled 飞跃.东盟 (Leap. ASEAN).
Wang Siyuan (Pipa, Year 2 Diploma in Music) also performed a solo pipa piece titled 点
alongside a renowned calligrapher from China. Notably, Siyuan and Sun Rui (Dizi, Year 3
Diploma in Music) were awarded the Gold Award, and Yu Man (Pipa, Year 3 Diploma in
Music) clinched the Silver Award in the Professional Institution category of this Chinese musical
instruments competition and concert, which saw the attendance of prominent musicians.

Singapore Saxophone Symposium 2016

NAFA’s annual Singapore Saxophone Symposium seeks to foster interest and
passion for music and the saxophone. Held on 13 and 14 August 2016, the
Symposium featured concerts and masterclasses by international artistes such as
Ao Kun (China), Nathan Bogert (USA), Christopher Condon (USA), Kyle Horch (UK),
Keuris Quartet (Netherlands), Ku Po Yuan (Taiwan), Shyen Lee (Taiwan/Thailand),
Chien-Kwan Lin (USA/Singapore), David Nabb (USA), Timothy O’Dwyer (Singapore/
Australia) and Wong Tak Chiu (Hong Kong). The prominent line-up of ensembles
included the NAFA Saxophone Quartet, Salaya Saxophone Ensemble, SaxoBang
Ensemble, Singapore Saxophone Symposium Ensemble and Trio Lalumière.

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