Singapore, Singapore
Wai Yen is a Singaporean composer whose creative practice encompasses solo and ensemble works across a broad range of genres. A pianist and flautist, she frequently performs her own compositions, engaging with music as both creator and interpreter. With over five years of compositional experience, she is an active emerging composer who receives commissions and works closely with musicians from diverse musical backgrounds. She is currently pursuing a Diploma in Music Composition at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) under the tutelage of Dr Zechariah Goh. Wai Yen began her musical training on the piano in 2010, attaining a Distinction in the Grade 8 ABRSM Piano examination in 2021. She later expanded her instrumental practice to the flute, beginning formal studies in 2019 and achieving a Distinction in the Grade 8 ABRSM Flute examination in 2024. Her foundational training was further strengthened through the Music Elective Programme, where she attained an A1 at the O-Level examinations. During her secondary school years, she served as student conductor and drum major of her school band, developing leadership skills and a strong sensitivity to ensemble cohesion. As a performer, Wai Yen is active in several bands and orchestras and is currently a member of the Singapore Wind Symphony Youth. Her professional engagements include assisting TwoSet Violin with arranging their music for their 2025 USA tour, as well as collaborating with and composing works for Ding Yi Music Company. Through these projects, she has gained experience writing for both Western and traditional Chinese instruments within professional performance contexts, broadening her compositional language and collaborative approach. In 2025, Wai Yen won the Mapletree Young Composers Competition and the SIBF Composition Competition, marking a significant milestone in her artistic development and growing presence in Singapore’s contemporary music scene. Alongside her compositional practice, she has taught piano with TheHappyPianist for the past three years and holds a Ministry of Education (MOE) license to teach co-curricular activities in schools.