OUR TEACHERS & MENTORS

Hailed as a performer with an “artistry of the highest order” by Straits Times and “maturity of musicianship and virtuosity” by Pianomania, Kseniia Vokhmianina has gained critical and audience attention as a concerto soloist, recitalist and chamber musician.

A prizewinner of numerous piano competitions held in France, Australia, Poland, Italy, Serbia, Indonesia, Singapore, Germany, Kseniia has been a guest artist in various international music festivals, including “Convivium Musicum” (Serbia), “International Piano Festival” (Vietnam), “Days of Music” (Montenegro), “George Town Festival” (Malaysia), “International Holland Music Sessions” (Netherlands), “Pablo Casals Festival” (France). She appeared as a concerto soloist with international symphony orchestras, including Kaunas Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra (Lithuania), Sichuan Symphony Orchestra (China), Murmansk Philharmonic Orchestra (Russia).

Kseniia Vokhmianina began her music training at a very young age in her native Ukraine. She studied at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts under Prof. Boris Kraljevic as a recipient of the Lee Foundation Scholarship. Further studies took her to the Royal College of Music (United Kingdom), Kharkiv National Pedagogical University (Ukraine), and Zurich University of the Arts in Switzerland where she was taught by Prof. Konstantin Scherbakov.

Kseniia has been a full-time Music Faculty member at the School of the Arts (SOTA) in Singapore since 2014. A dedicated music educator, she conducts individual piano lessons, masterclasses, and lectures on various aspects of music performance. Her students win local and international music competitions as well as succeed at various music examinations. Her love for musical collaboration led her to initiate the “By Candlelight” chamber music series in connection with the Arts House (Singapore).

Since 2018 she has been the President of the World Piano Teachers Association (Singapore affiliate). She is often invited to jury at regional and international piano competitions. In 2022 Kseniia joined Emmanuel & Sons as a Senior Music Director.

Bobur was born in a family of musicians from Tashkent, Uzbekistan and started his violin journey at the age of four (4). He won the Gran Prix winner in “Blue Bird” International Competition 2013 (Ukraine) and winner of the “individualis” International Violin Competition 2014 (Ukraine).

Since then, he participated in many international competitions in Ukraine, Russia, Singapore, France, China, Poland and Belgium etc. His talent was globally recognized. He is the Finalist of E.Ysaye International Violin Competition (Jul 2023 in Belgium) and Semi-Finalist of Qingdao International Violin Competition (Sep 2023 in China).

Bobur also actively involved in numerous concerts and performance. He is constantly playing solo, involved in chamber ensemble as well as orchestra and charity concerts. One of the few are the Concert with Aleksey Igudesman & Joo (Singapore) and the Project “United in Music: A virtual charity concert to aid  UHCHR’S coronavirus response” by The UN Refugee Agency.

Graduated with Bachelor of Music (Honours) degree in Violin Performance from Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, National University of Singapore under the tutelage of Professor Qian Zhou. He joined Music Salon Emmanuel to share his passion in music and violin.

Mr Yeo received his Undergraduate Diploma with majors in Composition and Guitar Performance and minor in Piano Performance from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA). He studied composition with the eminent Singapore composer Leong Yoon Pin. Upon graduation, he was invited to join the faculty. He later obtained a Graduate Diploma in Classical Guitar Performance from the renowned New England Conservatory in Boston. From College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) in Ohio he obtained a Master of Music Degree majoring in Classical Guitar and Orchestral Conducting. Subsequently he engaged in Doctoral studies at the University of Southern California (USC). He was awarded numerous scholarships from the institutions he attended. During his academic career he was tutored by many world-class performers, including classical guitarists David Leisner, Pepe Romero, Oscar Ghiglia, conductors Richard Hoenich and Christopher Zimmerman.

As a recitalist, he has given many concerts both as soloist as well as a chamber musician in various kinds of ensemble in the U.S. and in Asia. While in Singapore, he served as the first guitarist of the Singapore Guitar Quartet.

His teaching experiences include tertiary teaching positions at NAFA, CCM, USC, where he taught classical guitar, sight reading, aural training and chamber music.

As a conductor he has worked with many guitar and instrumental ensembles. His conducting appointments include being the Assistant Conductor of Brentwood-Westwood Symphony Orchestra, L.A. Chamber Players, and XinPin Orchestra.

In his spare time he volunteers at non-profit organisations to promote music learning, singing and music appreciation.

Carrie Seah embarked on her path in music when she started on piano at the age of eight. She deeply appreciates the value of strong foundational skills and the right attitude necessary for learning music, namely: the ability to focus, the courage to be creative, persistence and diligence.

She began teaching at the age of twenty to individuals and groups ranging from young children to senior adults. She had served as a Church pianist while living in California and Singapore, and provided classical piano lessons, while holding on to a full-time profession in the technology sector.

As a teacher she is very patient with students, inspiring them through her love for music, and instilling in them the importance of developing the right habits and attitude. She is currently pursuing Advanced Music Certification through the Berklee College of Music. She is studying advanced classical piano by taking private lessons. She holds certifications from The Royal Conservatory (Teaching Elementary, Teaching Intermediate Piano), ABRSM (Grade 8 Piano, Theory), University of Oxford: Analysing Classical Music (An Introduction), Piareno (Jazz).

Hansen was born in Medan, Indonesia, and commenced piano studies at the age of seven with Mrs Sri Suliani Leo. As a Lucien Wang Scholarship recipient he came under the tutelage of Dr Nicholas Ong. He obtained his Bachelor of Music (Honours) degree from the Royal College of Music.

He participated in numerous competitions, such as the 8th Lucien Wang Piano Competition (First Prize winner), the Nanyang International Music Competition (Third Prize and Best Etude winner), Batam International Competition (Second Prize winner), and the NAFA Kris Foundation Concerto Competition 2019 (Special Commendation).

He performs often and has been active in masterclasses. As an accompanist he has performed with the NAFA Vocal Concert Medan 2017, and has worked with Maestro Lim Yau, Dr Zechariah Goh as an appointed repetiteur to the NAFA Chorus and Chamber Choir. He has worked with renowned musicians like Mei Yi Foo, Alexey Lebedev, Przemyslaw Witek, Professor Andreas Weber, Professor Gabriel Kwok, and Professor Nelita True. With experience in performing and teaching, he recognises the beauty and power of music to uplift and shape character.

Alvaro obtained his Doctorate in Music Education Sciences from the National Pedagogical University of Colombia with Best Music Pedagogy Teacher Award for his research on the music methods of Kodaly, Dalcroze, Suzuki, Martenot, Willems, Montessori, and Orff. Subsequently, based on his teaching experiences in the United States, France, Israel, Spain, and Italy, he developed his own methodology.

He was a special guest artist who presented a programme of classical guitar and harp music when the late President of Singapore S R Nathan staged a State Presidential Banquet at the Istana Palace in honour of President Gloria Arroyo of the Philippines. When the Mexican Embassy in Singapore held its Bicentennial of Independence Celebration at Fairmont Convention Centre he was invited to conduct a full music programme which was attended by ambassadors from all over the world.

An accomplished conductor, guitarist (classical as well as flamenco), harpist, and ukulele player, he has made recordings that won him a worldwide following.

At the tender age of 11, Xiu-Min Lin became the youngest person in the world in his time to attain a Fellowship Diploma from London’s Trinity College of Music (FTCL). He had initially studied medicine in Melbourne and become a family physician in Singapore. Not wanting to give up his passion for piano, he studied with Boris Petrushansky in Imola Piano Academy in Italy. He also pursued guidance from renowned masters all over the world such as Ronald Farren-Price, Frank Wibaut, Stefan Kutrzeba, Andrei Gavrilov, Elena Kuschnerova, Dmitri Bashkirov and Mikhail Voskresensky.

Xiu-Min continues to juggle both piano and doctoring. At Music Salon Emmanuel, he hopes to raise the standards of piano-playing in the country by imparting the secrets of his art to aspiring students, and guide them towards unprecedented achievements in the musical world.