Samuel Phua

Hailed as “Singaporean Saxophone Extraordinaire” by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, Samuel Phua 潘培铭 is a recipient of the Singapore National Arts Council Arts Scholarship (Undergraduate) 2017. He is a passionate advocate of contemporary music and has recorded the works of over 30 Singaporean composers to date. He has performed as a soloist with orchestras and bands such as the Armenian State Symphony, Singapore Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra of the Music Makers and The Philharmonic Winds. He has also taken part in improvisation projects such as METRIC Intensive Programme in Estonia and Quandary episode 2 with Miao Dance Singapore. As a chamber musician, he co-founded the Xin Saxophone Quartet and Modulah! Collective and oversaw many collaborations between musicians, composers, dancers, narrators and filmmakers.

Aside from performing, he is a dedicated saxophone teacher and enjoys sharing his knowledge of the saxophone with students of all ages and levels in his private studio, Sampan Music Academy. During his studies in the Sibelius Academy, he took to body movement courses such as Yoga, Pilates, Alexander Technique and Body Mapping. These courses are essential to musicians because musicians can easily be injured without understanding the anatomy and the limits of the body while playing intensively on a musical instrument. Looking to deepen his practice and knowledge of yoga, he underwent a 200-hour teacher training course with Yoga Mala and incorporates aspects of these somatic lessons in his teachings. Do check out his website for more information: www.samuelphua.com

Programme

Jon Lin Chua: Operatic Resonances
Samuel Phua, Soprano saxophone

Koh Cheng Jin: Under the Casuarina Tree
Samuel Phua, Soprano saxophone
Tan Jie Qing, Yangqin

Koh Cheng Jin: A Fleeting Perennity
Samuel Phua, Alto saxophone
Tan Jie Qing, Yangqin