The TENG Company's video: EP1: The Founding Father of Singapore s Chinese Orchestras

In 1931, a group of Teochew immigrants established Thau Yong Amateur Musical Association out of a small shophouse located along Carpenter Street. For decades, Thau Yong’s music department was helmed by the late Mr. Yeo How Jiang, who also founded Singapore's first Chinese orchestra in 1959. Up till his passing in 2017, Mr. Yeo imparted his vast knowledge of Waijiang and Teochew music to generations of music practitioners via oral communication. His legacy lives on in Thau Yong, which remains the only organisation in Singapore that presents both Waijiang and Teochew music ensembles. -- A Video by The TENG Ensemble Production by Fiction Shore Pte Ltd Cinematography by Kevin Yeoh In support of the Singapore Bicentennial -- About The Forefathers Project: The Forefathers Project was initiated by TENG in 2016 to uncover and explore the music of Singapore’s early Chinese migrants. Over the course of four years, TENG interviewed, documented and learnt from a community of first-generation masters, luthiers, instrument dealers and proteges from local Hokkien, Cantonese, Teochew and Hakka traditions to shed light on the lesser-known elements of Singapore’s Chinese music heritage. -- About The TENG Ensemble: The TENG Ensemble is a critically acclaimed Singaporean Chinese fusion music group that bridges between cultures East and West, boasting musical influences from both the traditional and the contemporary. As a collective of music educators, scholars and award-winning instrumentalists, the Ensemble’s performances have been a staple in Singapore’s arts scene since 2009. At the 2015 National Day Rally, The TENG Ensemble was described by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong as ‘creating something uniquely Singapore’. The group has performed at events such as the ASEAN Tourism Forum, TEDxPetaling Street, Youth Olympic Games, Shanghai World Expo, Singapore Day in Melbourne, George Town Festival and Singapore International Jazz Festival. The Ensemble’s two full-length albums were both rated 4.5 out of 5 stars by The Straits Times and their second album ‘Stories from an Island City’ peaked at on Hong Kong’s iTunes World Music Chart. In 2018, the group was awarded the CHT International Award for Musical Performance and Education. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetengensemble Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thetengensemble The TENG Company and The Forefathers Project are proudly supported by Mapletree Investments.