1. Kelly Tang was born on 1961 and is a Singaporean composer known internationally for his wind band, chamber and orchestral works.
15 Facts About Kelly Tang
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Kelly Tang started piano lessons at age six, and later played the tuba in his secondary school band.
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The young Kelly Tang did not find the tuba particularly interesting to play as there were not usually many parts in a musical composition that involved the instrument.
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Kelly Tang played bass guitar while in Anglo-Chinese Junior College and later on in the army band.
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Kelly Tang enrolled at York University in Toronto, Canada with the support of his parents.
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In 1982, during his first year as an undergraduate at York, Kelly Tang met and was greatly influenced by Srul Irving Glick, his first music composition teacher.
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Kelly Tang was awarded his master's degree in composition by Northwestern University in 1991, and received his PhD in Music at Michigan State University in 1995.
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Kelly Tang's compositions have been performed by world-renowned ensembles such as the Russian National Orchestra, the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Minguett Quartet and the Ensemble Contemporain of Montreal.
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Kelly Tang's compositions have been performed at prestigious venues worldwide including Carnegie Hall, Vienna Musikverien, Berlin Konzerthaus, Auditorium di Milano, Museum of Musical Instruments, The Rodahal, St Paul's Cathedral and Sydney Opera House.
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Kelly Tang's music has been commissioned for the Singapore Arts Festival, Shanghai International Spring Festival and Esplanade Theatres By The Bay's Tenth Anniversary Celebrations.
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Kelly Tang's compositions are taught as part of the Ministry of Education's music curriculum, and he continues to mentor young composers and conduct composition workshops at schools and colleges across Singapore.
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Two Overtures for Wind Band by Kelly Tang was commissioned by the Co-Curricular Activities Branch of the Singapore Ministry of Education for the Singapore Youth Festival 2009 Central Judging of Concert Bands.
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Later on, in 2014, Kelly Tang was commissioned by the National Arts Council and the Singapore Symphony Orchestra to write an original composition for the opening ceremony of Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall on 15 July 2014.
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In celebration of Singapore's Golden Jubilee, Kelly Tang was commissioned to compose a piano concerto for "Sing50", a performance on 7 August 2015 showcasing Singapore's rich music history.
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In 2008, Kelly Tang was conferred the COMPASS Artistic Excellence Award by the Composers and Authors Society of Singapore.