The NAFA Strings programme is where aspiring musicians from Singapore and like-minded artistes from the region and beyond gravitate together to realise their artistic aspirations. Students receive training and mentorship from a team of Singapore’s top and dedicated pedagogues as well as renowned and established performing musicians. Led by Head of Strings, Dr Tan Wee Hsin, the faculty not only guides the young musicians through their Principal Study to instill strong solo, chamber and orchestral musicianship skills, but also endeavours to encourage our students to develop good interpersonal skills, diversity, and out-of-the-box ingenuity and creativity to better thrive and contribute to the constantly evolving music and artistic scene.

“The most important recurring stage in the growth of the musician is the Stage.”

All Strings students will receive opportunities to hone their skills on stage. Amongst the array of organized performing opportunities which are available to our students, the weekly performance (sonata) classes enable them to perform to the entire cohort, receiving valuable critique from the lecturer-in-session as well as feedback from fellow students. Opportunities throughout the semester such as Music Platforms and Concert Series, along with public performances with the NAFA Orchestra as well as Project Strings, allow them to refine musicianship at solo, ensemble and orchestra levels. Students will also avail themselves to special projects with their composition counterparts, conducting colleagues, as well as various chamber music opportunities and resources available to them.

Through the close relationships the Strings programme maintains with many regional musical communities as well as those in Europe and the United States, our students also receive many opportunities to participate in masterclasses by distinguished foreign artists. To date, the programme has had the pleasure to welcome eminent musicians such as Pierre Amoyal, Itzahk Rashkovsky, Ani Schnarch, Mark Messenger, Lucy Russell, Ray-Chou Chang, Kevin Lin, and Igor Yuzefovich to name a few. The programme also organizes lectures and talks pertaining not only to instrument issues, but also pedagogical models and methods, music entrepreneurial concepts, physiological and psychological aspects of our art, and the like.

The NAFA Strings students have also been at the forefront of musical outreach, bringing music and kindness to the less fortunate who are around and amongst them. Opportunities for interested students who may wish to continue into this area of work have been offered training, internship and working opportunities by collaborating partners.