Abigail Sin  
Pianist and Co-founder, More Than Music Concert Series

 

When she was just 10, Abigail got the world’s attention when Time Magazine called her a bona fide prodigy and one of Asia's Small Wonders. By 14, she became the youngest person to join the National University of Singapore’s Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music. She has played at concerts across the globe and with prominent artistes, winning many prestigious awards along the way. In 2013, she co-founded a concert series that showcases emerging music talents in the region while putting an interactive spin on classical music. The 22-year-old Young Steinway Artist and Lee Kuan Yew Scholar is now doing her doctoral studies at the Royal Academy of Music.

What are you currently busy with? 
I am in my first year of doctoral studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London, researching the piano music of Charles Griffes. I really love my work, and there's a nerdy exhilaration in finishing a bit of analysis or having a breakthrough moment, knowing that what I'm doing is unique and venturing into uncharted territory.

Violinist Loh Jun Hong and I founded the More Than Music Concert series in 2013, aiming to present the best young talents in the region in world-class chamber music performances, bringing classical music to new audiences in fresh, interactive and engaging ways. More Than Music concerts break down the barriers between the performers and audience, with imaginative story-telling and candid anecdotes bringing the music to life. We've had four concerts so far, and we’re currently preparing for our next concert, Heartstrings, to be held on May 20 at The Esplanade. After that, we will be taking More Than Music to Malaysia for the first time, with two concerts in Kuala Lumpur. We also have a recital presented by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra for SG50 at Victoria Concert Hall in June. 

What would you consider your greatest achievement so far? 
I’d rather not try to list one "greatest achievement". There is a long road ahead and plenty more that I want to do and learn as a musician. That said, I am immensely grateful and honoured to have received the Lee Kuan Yew Scholarship for my doctoral studies. I know that the scholarship is seldom given to someone in the arts, much less the performing arts. The fact that I was considered favourably for this prestigious scholarship, which will support my four years of doctoral studies, reflects just how far Singapore’s arts scene has come. 

What drives you? 
There is just so much to discover and learn as a musician, both as a performer and as a researcher (and seeing those two seemingly disparate roles merge into one!). It's not just about being physically able to deliver a piece of music the way I imagine it should be, but it’s also about pushing the boundaries and discovering new expressive insights into the music. The work that musicians do takes a tremendous amount of rigour, discipline and self-awareness but at the same time, it is liberating and exciting. Being able to share amazing music on stage with other people is a real honour and privilege!

What's the greatest challenge faced by people in your industry? 
Being able to play our instruments well and understand the pieces that we play is challenging enough! But I think that on the whole, classical musicians feel the pressing need to convince people that the music we play is not only relevant but valuable and important for our society today. Music for me is about "More than Music". It tells us so much about what it means to be human and how we relate to each other and find our place in the world. Finding new platforms to communicate this more effectively and reaching out to new audiences are key issues.

How do you hope to radically transform the field you’re in?
I hope to create new ways of presenting high-quality classical music performances to audiences who might not ordinarily attend classical concerts. More Than Music is one step that we're taking in that direction. 

What is success to you? 
When I was at the Verbier Festival Academy in Switzerland, the renowned pianist and pedagogue Menahem Pressler (who was 86 at the time) told us this about his own practising: "We will never be good enough". That sounds awfully neurotic, but it's true! I think we can never stop growing as musicians and hope we never lose our curiosity and love for the music itself. It's really about the journey not the destination.

Who’s the most influential figure in your life?
Professor Thomas Hecht, the Head of Piano at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music at NUS, accepted me as his student when I was 11 years old and pretty much changed my musical life for good. My entire "operating system" as a pianist is all thanks to him and he's given me the tools to keep growing as a musician, even after I've moved on to work with other teachers. I really don't know if I would still be pursuing music as a career if I had not met Prof Hecht. 

What’s your big dream? 
For the short-term, I want to finish my PhD and develop the More Than Music Concert Series, not just in Singapore but within the region. For the long-term, I simply want to keep growing as a musician and as an artist. The "dream" keeps changing and I'm doing things now that I never could have imagined doing a few years ago. I hope to be open-minded, adaptable and brave and to keep working hard. Performance will also be central to what I do, but I would also like to teach and help to create larger, long-term initiatives to help groom the next generation of musicians (and audiences!) in Singapore.

Jessica Ho
Manager, Innovation Labs, Eu Yan Sang International, and Brand Manager, Pronature Foods

 

Part of a rare breed, 29-year-old Jessica knew from the start that she wanted to blaze a trail in the ages-old field of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and natural therapies. Then again, this isn’t exactly foreign ground for the scion of the Eu Yan Sang clan.  After studying and working abroad, she returned to Singapore and is now a manager at Eu Yan Sang International’s Innovation Labs, where she provides technical training and support on TCM and nutrition. The health and fitness enthusiast is also involved in raising awareness about the modernisation of TCM.

What are you busy with now?
I work at Innovation Labs, the idea-incubation department at Eu Yan Sang, where I help develop new products, and manage our new brands, especially under our teas, supplements and health food lines. I’m also involved in the curation of new products, including sourcing quality suppliers and manufacturers. In addition, I handle product training.

What would you consider your greatest achievement so far?
Ticking every item off my bucket list before turning 30. Ten years ago it seemed unobtainable, but it probably helped that I carried that wrinkled piece of paper in my wallet for a decade. On my list were 30 different goals, including buying a property, witnessing a natural phenomenon, completing a solo pilgrimage walk, and funny enough… joining Eu Yan Sang.

What brings you greatest fulfillment?
Educating today’s consumers on 360-degree wellness, participating as a fifth-generation member in a 135-year-old family business, and knowing that this may change lives through the promotion of healthier living.

What's the greatest challenge faced by people in your industry?
Transformational change and effective communication methods. I think that the same goes for most corporate organisations.

How do you hope to radically transform the industry?
By demystifying TCM for the next generation of consumers, creating relevance and increased accessibility for Chinese medicine, to bridge the gap between therapies from the East and West.

What is success to you?
For the living, the journey to success should be an ongoing process, for nothing is ever utterly complete until nothing more can be done. True success should be measured by what you leave behind when you go to the grave. In other words, it’s a work in progress. Do I think I’m successful? I have a supportive family, amazing friends, a job that challenges me, a roof over my head. I have good health, am debt-free, and I have (I believe) a good sense of humor. So far, so good.

Who’s the most influential figure in your life? 
My grandfather, Dr Richard Eu, former Chairman of EYS. He has always been my rock, and has supported and guided me through all the major decisions and milestones in my life. I’ve always thought of myself as independent, and not easily influenced by others. But there’ll always be that one person in your life who says “jump” and you’ll say “how high?” For me, that’s him.

What’s your big dream?
To live a full life without regrets. It’s virtually unobtainable, but I think hope is good for the soul. 

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