Dr Samuel Wong

Dr Samuel Wong is the Co-Founder and Creative Director of The TENG Company, a not-for-profit Major Grant Arts Company in Singapore. TENG is one of the largest traditional arts companies in Singapore. He spearheads the company’s Artistic Innovation, Social Impact and Industry Empowerment Divisions and re-invents the possibilities of Chinese music by fusing tradition, innovation and a unique Singaporean identity.

Samuel obtained his PhD in Ethnomusicology from the University of Sheffield in 2009 where he was awarded dual scholarships from the Harry Worthington Foundation and the Hokkien Huay Kuan for his doctoral studies in music. His dissertation dealt with the social interactions of Chinese orchestras.

Samuel is also author of the books “Impressions of a Pipa Player” (2003), “QI: An Instrumental Guide to the Chinese Orchestra” (2005) and co-author of “The TENG Guide to the Chinese Orchestra” (2019). His books are used as reference texts for the ‘O’ and ‘A’ Level Music Examinations in Singapore.

Samuel was awarded The Outstanding Young Persons of Singapore Award (2009), The Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Singapore Foundation’s Culture Award (2009) and Singapore Institute of Management’s Teaching Excellence Award (2012) for his work in Music and Education. In 2021, Samuel was listed in Prestige Magazine’s “40 under 40” list of Singapore’s most successful, influential and innovative young people.

Samuel has lectured extensively on topics pertaining to Chinese music and cultural entrepreneurship and innovation in institutions such as The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Academy of the Performing Arts, Yale-NUS, Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, Conservatorium van Amsterdam, University of Applied Sciences Utrecht, Nanyang Technological University, Silpakorn University, Rangsit University, Kolej Damansara Utama (KDU) University College, ASEAN Committee for Culture and Information (ASEAN-COCI), National Arts Council (NAC) Singapore and the Singapore Teachers’ Academy for the aRts (STAR).

In his youth, Samuel was described by the Singapore Business Times as “one of the best Pipa players in Singapore” and was a two-time Pipa Champion at Singapore’s National Chinese Music Competition (2000, 2002). He has performed internationally in over 30 cities including New York, Shanghai, Beijing, Seoul, London, Copenhagen, Bangkok and Melbourne. Samuel was also a featured soloist in Singapore’s National Day Parade (2009), Youth Olympic Games (2010) and the Shanghai World Expo (2010).

Samuel is current Adjunct Faculty at University at Buffalo-Singapore Institute of Management and Lasalle College of the Arts – two positions that he has held for over 14 years. He is also a Council Member of the Singapore Chinese Music Federation, an Artist Mentor with the National Arts Council and a Board Member with Along the Edge Ltd, an arts festival based in Hong Kong.

• Music in Society 
• Music and Gen Z
• Chinese Music
• Popular Music 
• Applied Musicology

• Ethnography
• Participation Observation
• Ethnomusicology
• Native Research
• Applied Musicology

2016-2019 The Forefathers Project, The TENG Company
https://theforefathersproject.com/

In 2016, The TENG Ensemble began a research process into the musics of Singapore's early Chinese migrants. Interviewing, documenting and learning from a community of first-generation masters, luthiers, instrument dealers and proteges from the local Cantonese, Hokkien and Teochew music traditions, The Forefathers Project marks an initiative by The TENG Ensemble that has been four years in the making.

The highlight of The Forefather’s Project is Heirlooms, a documentary-concert that features eight newly commissioned works that are inspired by Singapore’s diverse Chinese dialect music traditions. The Project will also showcase instruments found only in dialect ensembles and will feature documentaries, music videos and workshops.

In The Forefathers Project, The TENG Ensemble innovates age-old traditions, celebrates Singapore’s unsung Chinese music pioneers and reimagines the sounds that were carried in the hearts of Singapore’s Chinese forefathers.

Books and Chapters

Wong Samuel, Tham S. (2021) “Growing a Generation-Z audience: The untapped audience for Chinese Instrumental Music in Singapore,” in Critical Approaches to Community Arts. Hong Kong: Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Wong, Samuel. (2020) “Rituals of Respect: Social Interactions within Singaporean Chinese Orchestras,” in Traditional Chinese Music in Contemporary Singapore. Singapore: Pagesetters

Wong, Samuel, Fu Teresa. (2020) “Marketing an Identity: The TENG Ensemble and the Rise of New Chinese Music Ensembles,” in Traditional Chinese Music in Contemporary Singapore. Singapore: Pagesetters

Chow, J.Y., Wang, C.W. & Wong, S. (2019). The TENG Guide to the Chinese Orchestra. Singapore: World Scientific.

Wong, Samuel (2014) “Hua Yue: The Chinese Orchestra”, in Singapore Soundscape: Musical Renaissance of a Global City. Singapore: National Library Board.

Wong, Samuel (2008) “The Problem with Chinese Music,” Silkroad Bimonthly, 4-5. Taiwan: Taipei Chinese Orchestra.

Wong, Samuel (2005) Qi: An Instrumental Guide to the Chinese Orchestra. Singapore: TENG.

Wong, Samuel (2003) Impressions of a Pipa Player: Profiles of the world’s premier. Singapore: Beaumont Publishing. Book was launched on April 26 2003 at the Esplanade Library.

Reviews and Newspaper Articles

Wong, Samuel (2010) “A hybrid formation.” The Business Times 26 March. Arts, 42.

Wong, Samuel (2010) “Instruments with character.” The Business Times 2 April. Arts.

Wong, Samuel (2010) “The ancient royal and military instruments.” The Business Times 16 April. Arts, 29.

Wong, Samuel (2010) “Sound of pearls falling on a jade tray.” The Business Times 23 April. Arts.

Wong, Samuel (2010) “Reformed plucked string instruments.” The Business Times 30 April. Arts, 33.

Wong, Samuel (2010) “The sounds of cloud and water.” The Business Times 7 May. Arts, 31.

Wong, Samuel (2010) “An eclectic mix.” The Business Times 14 May. Arts, 30.

Wong, Samuel (2010) “Reformed plucked string instruments.” The Business Times 30 April. Arts, 33.

Wong, Samuel (2010) “Soloists stole the show.” The Straits Times 2 March. Life! Supplement.

Wong, Samuel (2010) “A little too much of this and that.” The Straits Times 1 February. Life! Supplement, 7.

Wong, Samuel (2005) “The Problem with Chinese Music in Singapore,” NAFActs, 2-3. Singapore: Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts.

Wong, Samuel (Ed.) (2005) Hao Wai. Singapore: Singapore Chinese Orchestra.

Wong, Samuel (2005) “Double Standards needed, Please.” The Straits Times 15 April. Life! Supplement, 4.

Wong, Samuel (2002) “Can Art do Justice to Art,” How to Read a Poem, 83- 85. Singapore: Ngee Ann Polytechnic.

Wong, Samuel (2002) “Singapore Chinese Orchestra’s New Music Director” Hua Yue, 4-5. Singapore: Singapore Chinese Orchestra.

I would be interested to supervise dissertation projects in:

• Music in Society 
• Music and Gen Z
• Chinese Music
• Popular Music 
• Applied Musicology

Awards

2021
The Prestige 40 under 40 List (2021), Singapore

2018
CHT International Award for Music and Education, The TENG Company, Kuala Lumpur, 27 Jan 2018

2013
Ngee Ann Polytechnic 50th Anniversary Distinguished Alumni Award (Arts & Culture)

2012
Singapore Institute of Management, Teaching Excellence Award 2012

2010
Singapore Soka Association Culture Award

2009
Junior Chambers International, “The Outstanding Young Persons of Singapore Award”, Honoree, Cultural Achievement

Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Singapore Foundation Culture Award 2009

2007
The Henry Worthington Scholarship, University of Sheffield 

The Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan Arts and Cultural Bursary for PhD Studies, 2007


Competitions

National/ 1st Prize Winner, National Chinese Music Competition, 2004 (Ensemble International Category, The TENG Chinese Chamber Ensemble)

1st Prize Winner of the National Chinese Music Competition, Singapore, 2002 (Pipa Category, Senior group)

2 Gold Awards in the 21st Century International Chinese Music Competition (Orchestra Categories), held in Genting, Malaysia, 2002

1st Prize Winner of the National Chinese Music Competition, Singapore, 2000 (Pipa Category, Intermediate group)

2nd Prize Winner of the National Chinese Music Competition, Singapore, 2002 (Ensemble Category, Open group)