Music Director & Resident Conductor
Mr Francis Tan Huan Chun
Mr Francis Tan received his music education from Indiana University and Australian National University, and obtained his Masters of Music in Conducting (2017) at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory, National University of Singapore. From 2013-2017, Mr Tan was the Associate Conductor of the National University of Singapore Wind Symphony. Under his baton, the band clinched third place at its inaugural showing at the 2016 Singapore International Band Festival (Division 1) and the Gold Award in the 2017 World Music Contest (Division 2) in Kerkrade, Netherlands. Over the years, he has had the opportunity to design and develop varsity band programmes that enable students to maximise creativity in music performance, concert programming and management. This year, he is appointed as the music director and resident conductor and is gearing the band towards greater musical excellence |
His all-encompassing mission as a conductor is to inject classical and wind band music into Singapore's cultural DNA in varying capacities. To this end, he has contributed extensively to the music field through involvement in the coaching, performance and community arenas. He is currently an executive committee member of the Winds Bands Association of Singapore and has guest conducted at two of its Junior College- Polytechnic Band Festivals (2011-2012). He was the guest conductor for the Orchestra of the Music Makers (2017) and the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory Orchestra (2015, 2017). Currently, he is also the band director of Pioneer Junior College and Anglo-Chinese School (Independent). His tenure with the latter has seen the band achieve top honours for 8 consecutive years since 2009. In addition, Mr Tan conducts the National University of Singapore Alumni Orchestra and is the Assistant Conductor of Westwinds, Band of the Bukit Batok Community Club. In the performance arena, he has also been a freelance musician for the Singapore Lyric Opera Orchestra and Singapore Symphony Orchestra since 2005.
As a music educator, he is passionate about developing student leadership through band programmes which emphasize character development through music-making. His belief that each band student can be a student leader has fuelled his development of a distinctive yet holistic band curricula, one that is responsive to the demands of the evolving education and music landscape.