ABOUT YST

Music (YST) at the National University of Singapore. Centred in one of the world’s most dynamic countries, the Conservatory is uniquely placed to offer a distinct and powerful contemporary Asian voice.

Founded in 2003, YST quickly established a reputation as Asia’s most exciting international conservatory by bringing together a world-class faculty and facility to develop excellence in instrumental performance and composition. Building on this strong foundation, the Conservatory has evolved over the past decade to become one of the world’s most distinctive music schools through diversifying its offerings and connecting more authentically with its students from Singapore, the Conservatory community is internationally diverse, with for all its undergraduate students. Educational opportunities made possible by other donors eminent musicians such as Nobuko Imai, Paul Lewis, Shlomo Mintz, Jorma Panula, András students can access funding to forge their own distinctive pathways through participating in international festivals, competitions and projects.

Keenly focused on nurturing identity as a driver for excellence, YST’s Bachelor of Music programme originally formed its core focus. The Conservatory’s continuum of offerings has since expanded substantially to include the Master of Music and Master of Music Leadership courses for adult learners, and a Young Artist programme, with the ambition to reach further into the University to establish linkages with other performing and creative arts. More broadly, the Conservatory’s extensive concerts and events calendar welcomes the wider public to engage in music.

Beyond Singapore, YST holds many bilateral relationships with music schools around the world. It is active in numerous international music education alliances including the ConNext Network,

Conservatoires (AEC). Alongside extensive student exchange partnerships, these relationships further enhance our work and energise our continued growth.

As part of one of the world’s most highly-ranked research-intensive universities, YST is also steadily building its presence in research. Faculty are engaged internationally as performers and composers as well as in a range of research and research-equivalent activity. The Conservatory has hosted several international symposia including Performers(‘) Present and Mathemusical platform for Conservatory and international scholars alike.

With excellence, inclusion, community, agency and identity as key drivers, the Conservatory seeks to nurture aspirant professional musicians while giving greater musical resonance in the broader ecosystem. Holding “Listen in New Light” as a core guiding principle connecting its past, present and future endeavours, YST is well-positioned to lead change in music and higher unique trajectory.