Meet Deborah Siok, the Erhu teacher who will have you playing your favourite tunes in no time! She is not only a talented musician, but also a patient and observant teacher who is dedicated to helping her students reach their full potential.
With Deborah as your guide, you’ll learn the fundamentals of music, including good technique and musicality, all while having a blast. She tailors each lesson to your pace and learning style, ensuring that your music lessons are not only effective but also enjoyable.
Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro, Deborah is capable of teaching students of all levels. Her lessons are also conducted in both English and Mandarin, making her a versatile teacher who can cater to students of all backgrounds. So what are you waiting for? Get ready to play beautiful melodies under the expert guidance of Deborah Siok!
Deborah Siok’s musical journey started at the age of three when she first learnt the electric piano. She picked up the erhu when she turned nine, under the tutelage of Erhu master Zhang Yuming. Within six years, she attained Diplomas in Erhu performance from the NUS Centre for the Arts as well as in the NAFA-CCOM Chinese Instrumental Exams.
A prominent Erhu player in the school, Deborah was the concertmaster of the NAFA Chinese Ensemble and regularly performed solo and chamber ensemble repertoire, and also led the ensemble to attain 3rd Prize in the 2016 National Chinese Music Competition’s Ensemble Category. She received tutelage from erhu performer Wang Ying during the School’s International Placement to the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing.
After graduation from NAFA, Deborah has been under the tutelage of SCO Concertmaster Li Baoshun, and she has received guidance from prominent erhu players through lessons and masterclasses including those from Yan Jiemin, Zhang Zunlian, Huo Yonggang as well as Duan Aiai, often receiving excellent and encouraging reviews.
Deborah’s interest in orchestra playing first began when she was involved in youth orchestras in Singapore. She first joined the Toa Payoh West Community Centre Chinese Orchestra at the age of 13 and first honed her orchestra and ensemble skills in the many community performances as well as formal concerts that the orchestra performed. Later on, she joined the Singapore National Youth Chinese Orchestra from 2016 to 2022 as a gaohu player and later on became the Erhu Principal as well as Sectional Leader, providing her with more opportunities to perform both locally as well as on concert tours under the nurturing guidance of SCO conductors as well as SCO instrumental instructors.
Deborah is currently an official member of the Singapore Chinese Orchestra as an erhu musician, since joining it in 2022.
During her schooling years, Deborah was the concertmaster of her schools’ Chinese Orchestras. In Junior College, she took Music at the GCE ‘A’ Level Examinations, where she honed her skills in performance and composition, and decided to further her studies in the Arts. In 2019, Deborah attained her Bachelor’s Degree in Music in NAFA, in collaboration with the Royal College of Music, London, graduating with First Class Honours.
In 2018, Deborah performed Wang I-Yu’s erhu concerto “蓝色星球—地球, The Blue Planet—Earth” with the Singapore Chinese Orchestra as part of the SNYCO’s concert Dauntless Spirit and was offered the SCO’s Musician Fellowship later that year. She then went on to clinch the First Prize of the 2018 National Chinese Music Competition’s Erhu Open Category, organised by the National Arts Council. In 2019, Deborah was selected to perform Wang Danhong’s erhu concerto “阿曼尼莎, Amannisha” with the SNYCO as part of the orchestra’s We Soar II concert tour. The concerto was performed both in Singapore as part of the Pre-Tour Concert, as well as on tour in Suzhou, China. In 2020, Deborah clinched the Grand Prize in the first-ever Solo Grand Category in the inaugural Singapore Chinese Music Competition organised by the Singapore Chinese Orchestra, where she also performed Amannisha with the SCO as part of the final round of the competition.
Catch this touching performance of the 二泉映月 Erquan Yingyue (Moon’s Reflection On Erqaun) Huqin Quartet Music Video, performed by our Erhu teachers – Deborah Siok, Shunta Goh and Chen Ning:
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