Meet Chin Yen Chien, an enthusiastic and outspoken teacher who is not only highly skilled in the instrument, but also incredibly cheerful, making every lesson a fun and enjoyable experience. With his outgoing personality, you will find it easy to ask questions and participate in lessons. And with his bilingual abilities, he can conduct lessons in both English and Mandarin, ensuring you’re comfortable and able to understand every step of the way.
Chin Yen Chien began his musical journey with the Pipa at the age of 10. In 1992, he was already making a name for himself in competitions, winning the 1st Prize for the Intermediate Category in the Inaugural Chinese Music Competition. The following year, he took home the 1st Prize ‘Pipa Intermediate Category’ of the National Music Competition organised by the National Arts Council.
Not only is he actively involved in various Chinese orchestras in Singapore, but Yen Chien also has prominent roles such as the plucked-strings sectional instructor of People’s Association Youth Chinese Orchestra (PAYCO) and as the chairman of Nanyang Khek Community Guild Chinese Orchestra (2007-2011).
Yen Chien is also a dedicated and skilled music educator. He’s currently the plucked-strings instructor of Bukit Panjang Government High School and Hong Wen School, and also demonstrated his conducting skills as the conductor of Serangoon Secondary School from 2010 to 2016.
With his diverse and impressive list of achievements and experiences, it’s clear that Yen Chien is a truly seasoned practitioner of his craft. Whether he’s performing on stage or teaching in the classroom, he brings passion and dedication to everything he does.
Yen Chien’s musical talents have taken him to some exciting places, representing Singapore in a variety of international arts events. He performed in the World Commonwealth Commemoration Day in New Delhi in 2004, the Asia-Pacific Harmonica Festival Competition in Hangzhou in 2008, where he was the Xiaoruan soloist and helped his ensemble win the Gold Award. He’s also represented Singapore in cultural exchange events like the ANMC 21 in Bangkok in 2009, the Inaugural ASEAN Musical Extravaganza in Kuala Lumpur in 2012, and even played Pipa with traditional Indian musicians at the International Ramayana Festival in New Delhi and Patna in 2015.
But that’s not all, he also performed at the SAC International Conference of Folk Performing Arts in ASEAN in Bangkok, in conjunction with the 5th Cycle Birthday of Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn in 2015.
Whether he’s performing on a local or international stage, Yen Chien never fails to impress and entertain his audiences.
