Empowered by the Wee Cho Yaw Future Leaders Award, Bian Tong's passion for jazz has become a force for social good.

When Bian Tong (NUSC + Business ’25) picks up his saxophone, he's not just making music. He's creating change. 

Empowered by the Wee Cho Yaw Future Leaders Award, this NUS graduate has turned his passion for jazz into a force for social good, from raising funds for medical causes to teaching music to prison inmates.

NUS alumnus Bian Tong combines his love for jazz with a mission to help others.

Growing up in a modest household where his parents worked in Chinese opera, Bian knew from a young age that financial aid would be his pathway to higher education.

“Without the award, none of my existing accolades, both academic and artistic, would be possible,” he said. “Thanks to the award, I was able to pursue my desired major and have a place in NUS College. And without having to worry about money, I was able to found The Jazzlings.”

That freedom and focus became the turning point in his journey.

The Jazzlings began in 2022 as a small group of ten musicians from the NUS Jazz Band CCA. Under Bian’s leadership, it grew rapidly into Singapore’s largest collective of youth jazz performers, with more than 50 university students and young professionals.

Because of the financial support provided by the Wee Cho Yaw Future Leaders Award, Bian was able to dedicate time, energy and resources to growing The Jazzlings while completing his Business Analytics major and Political Science minor.

The group has since performed across Singapore, from Chingay to the 2024 National Day Parade Bay Celebrations at The Promontory. They even hosted the world’s first and largest jam session on a yacht, in collaboration with the National Council Against Drug Abuse and the National Youth Council.

The Jazzlings take their music to the seas. They once hosted the world’s first and largest jam session on a yacht. 

But it’s in the community where The Jazzlings’ music truly makes an impact. They have performed for patients at Tan Tock Seng Hospital and the Community Rehabilitation Center, raised funds for the Rare Disorder Society Singapore, and even taught jazz to inmates at Changi Prison.

“Through The Jazzlings, we’ve become a youthful force for good in Singapore,” Bian shared. “Our music and projects support #DrugFreeSG initiatives, promote active ageing and build an inclusive Singapore. Through music, we’re able to champion causes we care about, while encouraging like-minded youths to volunteer with us.”

Bian’s journey shows how financial support can unlock potential and create lasting impact, allowing one person’s opportunity to ripple outward and transform the lives of many others. Through The Jazzlings, his music continues to orchestrate social change, one performance at a time.

Every gift has the power to transform not just one life, but an entire community. By supporting bursaries and scholarships at NUS, you can help nurture the next generation of change-makers who will use their talents and education to build a better Singapore. Give today via our Give.NUS platform.