Singapore International Music Competition

International Performing Arts and Culture Organisation, Singapore

The International Performing Arts and Culture Organisation (IPACO) was founded in Singapore to provide artistic support for performing arts while creating a global artistic network for meaningful cross cultural exchanges. Through organising arts-related events with other international music partners around the world, it aims to inspire a creative learning environment for performing arts to thrive and be nurtured. The goal is to expand positively life-changing experiences for all through music making and music performances.

As a performing arts organisation, we believe that both rigour and creativity forms the core of performance and that a well learned musical journey shall also consist of a life-time of personal discovery, continuous learning, meticulous understanding and re-understanding of musical knowledge, experience and appreciation.

Artistic Director

Jeremy Wing Kwan Wong is an accomplished Singaporean concert pianist, chamber musician, composer, and music theorist. Based in both Finland and Singapore, Jeremy is a full time faculty at Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki, the president of World Piano Teachers Association, Finland and an associate faculty at School of Music, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore. His versatile performance and teaching experiences led to regular appearances in music festivals, competitions and performance masterclasses in Asia and Europe.

As a young concert artist, Jeremy received an accolade of academic and performance awards. Under the tutelage of Professor Boris Kraljevic, he finished his Diploma in Performance as the “Best Graduate” of Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) in 2009. Subsequently, he received the prestigious arts scholarship from National Arts Council Singapore to continue his Bachelor studies at the Royal College of Music London (UK) which he graduated with First class honors and the highest recital points. Thereafter, Jeremy completed his Masters of Music degree from Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki.

A laureate at international competitions, his compositions, “Variations and Theme” and “Miniatures for Duo Accordions” were premiered in Helsinki Music Center and were lauded with the ‘Vittoria Caffa Righetti Award’ at the 26th International Music Competition in Italy. At the same time, he was a top prize winner in the artist category of the 7th International Piano Competition in Milan. Jeremy has since performed extensively in Helsinki, Finland where he is also recently been appointed as artistic director of a Andreaskyrkan and East meets West cultural concert series.

Alongside his international performing career, Jeremy is a reputable piano and theory pedagogue.  Having written and published numerous pedagogical works on teaching piano improvisation and performance analytical theses. His three-volume book titled Fundamentals with Theory & Improvisation: An Applied Improvisation Method was completed in year 2014 followed by the An Applied Improvisation for Adult in year 2018. His two academic research papers, Tonal organization of three Schubert Sonatas from a Schenkerian Perspective and Phrase structure and Formal Functions in the Opening Themes of Tchaikovsky’s Seasons op. 37, was published in 2013 and 2017 respectively.

The core of his teaching methods revolves around a constructivist approach to enacting musical meaning, inner hearing, and theory-led applied improvisations into one’s performance. Being a devoted and pedagogically driven teacher, Jeremy’s students have succeeded in international competitions as well as international music examinations and entrance exams.

Jeremy is currently pursuing his doctoral degree at the MuTri doctoral school at Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki. 

Executive Director

Chen QU is a virtuosic Finnish- Chinese pianist and the artistic director of World Piano Teachers Association (WPTA) Finland. As the artistic director of WPTA Finland she has organized successful international music events that have benefited hundreds of talented young pianists from around the world, providing them with opportunities to showcase and develop their artistry on an international level. In addition to her work with WPTA Finland, Chen is also the executive director of the Singapore International Music Competition, where she continues to promote and encourage the development of young musical talent on a global scale.

She holds both Bachelors and Masters in Music degrees from Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki  major in Classical piano performance and minor in piano pedagogy, chamber music and singing under the piano class of renowned Finnish pianists Teppo Koivisto and Juhani Lagerspetz. She also completed 60 ECTS certified teacher’s pedagogical studies as well as a Diploma in music Performance from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore under the tutelage of Dr. Nicholas Ong.

Chen started her piano training since 4 years old and obtained the highest possible graded exam piano certification conferred by Shanghai conservatory, China conservatory and Chinese Musician Association. A multi international piano competition award winner, her achievements include second prize for the 3rd Irmler International Competition, Dalian (2009), Third prize in senior section of 7th International Piano Competition in Milan, Italy and Silver prize from the Asia International Piano Competition in Korea in (2017), First prize award from The North International Music Competition Stockholm, Sweden (2019) and Third prize winner from International Grand Music Competition Moscow, Russia (2020) . As a  scholarship recipient of Sibelius Academy foundation and Taiteen edistämiskeskus  grants, she is active in masterclasses and music festivals in Europe and Asia.

Chen is an avid piano pedagogue and performer. Since 2015, Chen has been actively performing and giving both Classical and Chinese folk music performances across major venues in Helsinki.

 

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