“Will you be able to eke a living from music?” This refrain is commonly heard as Singapore society has been apprehensive of professional training in music and the arts addressing such practical aspects of life, even though perceptions have slowly been changing. Taking the road less travelled to hone skills in instruments, whether western or eastern, have been plagued by brutal realities - there are only two full-time orchestras: the Singapore Symphony Orchestra and the Singapore Chinese Orchestra. Places are limited and there is a concern of how many local music students who have successfully trained enter as full-time orchestra musicians.

The Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts established the School of Music in 1984; this was followed by the founding of the National University of Singapore's Yong Siew Toh Conservatory in 2001, with both institutions have nurturing local talent over the years. NAFA saw from 2013 to 2015 a total of 120 Diploma in Music graduates, 36 Diploma in Music Teaching graduates and 67 Bachelor of Music (Hons.) graduates. Of the latter, 14 continued with their studies. There are currently three NAFA graduates employed as a full-time members of the Singapore Chinese Orchestra and two under the Singapore Symphony Orchestra. Besides, there are two NAFA graduates performing professionally in the Guiyang Symphony Orchestra and one at the Xi'An Symphony Orchestra in China.

About 50 students graduate annually from the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory, with 15 graduates in the past three years joining orchestras locally and overseas. About 50% of the graduates continue their education, with the rest getting involved with music-related occupations, for example as music producers, managers and educators, among others.

“作为一个音乐人你能维持你的生计吗?“这一直是新加坡社会对在音乐和艺术专业培训领域方面的一种担忧。尽管观念逐渐发生变化，但无论是西方还是东方,已经被残酷的现实所困扰——只有两个全职交响乐团:新加坡交响乐团和新加坡中国交响乐团。由于职位有限,那么会有多少个学习音乐的学生可以进入这二个交响乐团成为一个成功音乐家？

南洋艺术学院音乐系成立于1984年，其次是新加坡国立大学Yang Xiu Tao音乐学院成立于2001年。NAFA2013年到2015年总共有120音乐文凭毕业生,36个音乐教学文凭毕业生和67年音乐学士(荣誉)毕业生。目前一个在新加坡中国乐团，两个在新加坡交响乐团。除此之外,有两个毕业生在贵阳交响乐团,一个在西安在中国交响乐团。每年大约50名学生从Yang Xiu Tao音乐学院毕业,约15名毕业生在过去的三年里加入本地及海外管弦乐团。大约50%的毕业生继续深造。

其余的学生则加入与音乐相关的职业,例如音乐制作、音乐产业管理者和教育者,等等。更多资讯请关注我们：www.nanyangyishu.com