Follow that beat
Ask Jeremy Ng how his passion for percussion began, and he will tell you that it was ignited at home, by his grandfather’s weekend jam sessions with his friends. “My grandfather owned a drum set, electric guitar, and everything else you would need for a getai set up right in our living room! As a kid, I would try to play the drums out of curiosity – of course, it was all intuitive since I had no formal music training then,” he recounts with a laugh.
That early exposure as a child soon pulled Jeremy into the heady world of pulsating beats and drums. In primary school, his elder sister nudged him to try out for the school band, and by his polytechnic days, Jeremy was appointed student conductor of the Temasek Polytechnic (TP) Band and section leader of its Percussion section. There, while pursuing a Diploma in Leisure and Events Management (now known as the Diploma in Hospitality and Tourism Management), he was actively involved in projects such as TP’s 25th anniversary musical, Crunch Time (2015), and conducted the TP choir and band in concert in 2016.
These experiences eventually resulted in him being asked to lead the percussion sections for the Philharmonic Youth Winds in 2018 and eventually for the 2018 Singapore International Band Festival, which cemented his resolve to pursue music full-time at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music (YST).
A tapestry of sounds
Describing the school culture at YST, Jeremy shared that the student community is very diverse, with students hailing from countries such as Taiwan, China, Malaysia, Uzbekistan, Korea, and Thailand. This multi-cultural environment is also reflected in YST’s course offerings: one of his favourite courses was MUA3219: World Music Ensemble, where students come together to learn about music from different cultures and then perform pieces together for the general public at the end of the semester.
A moment from the Southeast Asian Symphony premiere performance in October, featuring works by composers from across the region, which Jeremy performed in.
Alongside playing in the YST Orchestral Institute as part of his studies, the bubbly 26-year-old percussionist performs with other local ensembles, as well as jazz and wind bands outside of school, including the Philharmonic Wind Orchestra, Orchestra of the Music Makers, Asian Cultural Symphony Orchestra, Ventus and The Jazzlings. Reflecting on why he chooses to be heavily involved with external performance groups, Jeremy muses: “These groups perform a variety of music genres, and I appreciate the opportunity to perform a diversity of genres to hone my sensibilities and widen my repertoire.”
Jeremy (on the right holding a tambourine) with his percussion studio mates of the YST Orchestral Institute at their concert One Always Returns in October 2023.
Hitting the right notes
Jeremy’s peers and tutors at YST have been nothing short of supportive and empowering. In the Percussion studio, the students constantly motivate and inspire one another, while also offering constructive feedback on each other’s pieces. Jeremy also counts faculty members Mr Joachim Lim (’14), Mr Mario Choo and Dr Jonathan Fox as teachers who have influenced his musical sensibilities and techniques in diverse ways.
Jeremy (second from left) with Mr Mario Choo (first from right), Mr Joachim Lim (first from left) and his YST peer after their Junior Recitals in November 2023.
A melting pot on campus
Jeremy shares that alongside his in-depth Western percussion studies, he is also adept at performing in more traditional styles using instruments such as the kompang, Chinese drums, taiko and hand percussion. “My favourites tend towards auxiliary percussion like the conga, bongo, timbales, triangle, because I enjoy the freedom to improvise off the basic groove,” he elaborates.
An avid gamer, Jeremy is also the resident percussionist with JDN Party Quest, a music ensemble formed with fellow YST peers that performs orchestral soundtracks from popular films and video games like Super Mario, Genshin Impact, Animal Crossing, Pokémon, and Studio Ghibli. His favourite game and soundtrack? “Final Fantasy!” he laughs.
Jeremy (first from left) with his JDN Party Quest band mates.
Outside of YST, Jeremy’s campus life is also enriched and enlivened by the bustling residential and intellectual community at Tembusu College, one of four residential colleges at NUS University Town where students across different NUS faculties reside and take common classes.
Jeremy (seated, left) with his UTS2114: Technologies and Ageing in Singapore instructor Dr Kuan Yee Han and coursemates.
Passing on the torch
Known amongst his friends in school as the one with “kor kor energy” (a big brother vibe) who always looks out for others, it has been natural for Jeremy to step into the role of mentoring his juniors. Motivated by his tutors who have inspired him to become a better musician and person, he firmly believes in empowering the upcoming generation through the art of making music.
With that belief firmly in place, Jeremy currently teaches percussion at several schools in Singapore ranging from the primary to tertiary level – passing on his love for music in the process. He shares: “I hope to shape individuals' lives more positively by inspiring and
being a role model for Singaporean percussionists and musicians – be it through performance, teaching or masterclasses or even in my interactions with them!”
An infusion of ideas
Jeremy was thrilled to discover he had been selected for the Asian Youth Orchestra (AYO) in the summer of 2023. The audition process was highly competitive: Jeremy was one of just six Singaporeans to successfully fill the 90 AYO spots, and he was also the only local percussionist.
For this young musician, AYO was an opportunity of a lifetime. He got to spend six weeks with his peers from around the world, undergoing intensive orchestra coaching by distinguished faculty over a three-week Summer Festival. The students then took off on a three-week performance tour across Italy, Germany, Hong Kong, Thailand, Taiwan and Japan. In embarking on this journey, he was supported by YST’s Student Artistic Development Grant. A particular learning point, Jeremy shares, was learning to adapt to the changing acoustics of the numerous performance venues whilst on tour — an invaluable skill that will stand him in good stead in the future.
Jeremy (second from left, back row) preparing for a concert in Brescia, Italy with his fellow AYO members.
Next stop: The future
Looking at the road ahead, Jeremy shares that he intends to audition for the Pacific Music Festival and Verbier Festival in summer 2024, to further extend his growth through AYO. The YST Student Exchange Programme is also on the cards for this percussionist with a hunger for learning, and he will be heading to the Royal Danish Academy of Music in January 2024.
Jeremy (first from right) with the Orchestra of the Music Makers percussion section at their concert OMM Goes to the Movies IV, held at the Esplanade in January 2023.