ME6 Philip Tng
Having started his musical education on the piano at the age of 10, ME6 Philip Tng has since transcended tremendous musical boundaries to reach his current position as the Senior Director of Music of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Band. As a saxophonist with the SAF Music and Drama Company, he was awarded a scholarship to study at the Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall in London. Upon graduation from the Bandmaster course with several accolades, including the Graham Wallace Award for best overseas student bandmaster, the Sommerville Prize, and the first prize in the Fanfare Award of the Fred Mortimer Memorials Competition in 1993, ME6 Tng went on to become the Director of Music of the SAF Central Band. He held this position for five years before assuming the post of Senior Director of Music of the SAF Band in August 2000.
ME6 Tng is active in many musical activities in Singapore, including conducting the National Day Parade and adjudicating local band competitions. In October 1996 ME6 Tng was appointed as West Winds’ Band Director, a position which he holds till this very day. In 2005, both the SAF Central Band and West Winds were selected to perform at the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles (WASBE) Conference held in Singapore. ME6 Tng was also invited as a guest conductor at the Western International Band Clinic (WIBC), Seattle in 2006.
ME6 Tng received another scholarship from the Singapore Armed Forces in 2008 to pursue his Masters in Wind Band Conducting at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. During his studies, he had the privilege to study conducting with numerous conductors, namely, James Keene, Abel Ramirez, Roby George, Robert W. Rumbelow, Tim Foley, Stephen Peterson and Russel Mikkelson. Graduating with excellent academic achievements, he was initiated into the Phi Kappa Phi Chapter at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.