Gateway Piano Faculty: Joshua Yong
In 2012, Joshua completed his Diploma in Piano Performance at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA), under the tutelage of Dr. Paul Liang and Prof. Benjamin Loh. Subsequently, in 2017 Joshua graduated from the Royal College of Music in collaboration with NAFA under the guidance of Prof. Benjamin Loh and Prof. Kathron Sturrock. During those years, Joshua received numerous awards for the piano and was featured in numerous concerts in Singapore, Korea, and Budapest, including events by Steinway Singapore.
Joshua’s education, and hunger for musical knowledge and experience did not stop at the piano. He started studying conducting at the age of 16 under Eric James Watson and was his assistant for 4 years. Since then, he has studied with many conductors and educators including Romanian conductor and composer, Marius Hristescu, Singaporean conductors and composers Dr. Zechariah Goh, Joost Flach, Jason Lai, and Lim Yao. In 2014, Joshua spent around 1 and a half years in Munich studying with the conductor Konrad von Abel who was the assistant of the late Sergiu Celibidache. Conducting professors whom he studied with in masterclasses include: Apo Hsu, Chan Tze Law, Douglas Bostock, Mark Heron, Peter Stark. During the final years of his degree all the way to the completion of his Specialist Diploma for Orchestra Conducting, Joshua was a student of Singaporean conductor, Lim Yao. As a conductor and conducting student, Joshua conducted works ranging from early music to new compositions by his colleagues. Orchestras that Joshua appeared with * include: Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts Orchestra, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts Choir, Kammerphilharmone Graz (Graz Chamber Orchestra), Braddell Heights Symphony Orchestra, Singapore National Youth Orchestra, and more.
Today, Joshua continues to focus on orchestral conducting as well as nurturing the next generation of pianists. With almost 15 years of teaching experience, he has seen many of his students attending and receiving awards from piano competitions.
* in performance/rehearsal/masterclass (active)