The Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music (YST) at the National University of Singapore (NUS) and The Tianjin Juilliard School have signed an MOU to collaborate in the areas of performance, teaching, and curriculum development. The two schools will also engage in faculty and visiting artist exchange as well as foster faculty and student collaboration on joint projects.
TJS Resident Faculty (from left) Gergely Ittzés, Zhang Daxun and Guillaume Sutre in performance during their visit to the YST Conservatory in January 2019, where they also gave masterclasses.
Photo Credit: Duan Chao
The Tianjin Juilliard School is Juilliard’s first campus outside New York and the first performing arts institution to offer a U.S.-accredited master’s degree in China, offering graduate, pre-college as well as public education programmes. The Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music focuses primarily on world-leading full-time undergraduate studies, building out by integrating pathways for youth, NUS student and continuing education involvement.
Since October 2018, TJS and YST have collaborated in a series of exchanges and have provided chamber music ensemble coaching and playing opportunities for faculty and students of both institutions. The success of this enduring partnership was further exemplified by the appointment of Prof Bernard Lanskey, Dean of the YST Conservatory to the Tianjin Juilliard Advisory Council in September 2019. This latest MOU is the result of continued shared interests and a desire to deepen the partnership. Both schools are committed to identifying further opportunities to collaborate in training young musicians and artist citizens around the globe.
“Since its inception over 15 years ago, the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory has proven to be an essential hub of classical performance and education in Asia. In our comparatively brief history, The Tianjin Juilliard School has thoroughly enjoyed our collaborations with YST to date and looks forward to strengthening our partnership through more frequent musical exchange activities. I’d like to extend my sincere gratitude to Dean Lanskey and the entire YST team for their unwavering commitment to collaborate throughout an ever-changing educational landscape.” Alexander Brose, the Executive Director and CEO of The Tianjin Juilliard School, said.
Prof Bernard Lanskey shared, “Having been involved with Tianjin Juilliard’s focus since 2018, it has been wonderful seeing it develop as a contemporary presence in Asia that brings community development and excellence into dialogue. We see many synergies between YST and TJS. Both schools are centred in Asia with a historical US connection, and oriented internationally. Our respective emphases on undergraduate studies at YST and on pre-college and graduate education at TJS offer great adjacency. TJS’s newly-completed physical facility epitomizes many contemporary music education ideals; as such, it is sure to make an impact on cultural life in Tianjin. We are excited to further this partnership and keep exploring new ways to evolve.”
At the TJS Advisory Council Inaugural Meeting in September 2019 – from left: Yu Long, Tianjin Juilliard Advisory Council Chair; Prof Bernard Lanskey, Dean of the YST Conservatory; and Dr Joseph Polisi, President Emeritus and Chief China Officer, TJS. Photo Credit: Shengyishijue