Samuel Wong

Creative Director / Pipa

Dr. Samuel Wong is a musicologist, cultural leader, and visionary strategist whose work lies at the intersection of heritage, innovation, and social impact. As the Co-Founder and Creative Director of The TENG Company, he has played a transformative role in shaping the organisation into one of Singapore’s most dynamic and respected arts groups. Under his artistic leadership, TENG is recognised as a Major Company with the National Arts Council, and an Associate Member of the National Council of Social Service, reflecting its deep commitment to both excellence and community engagement.

Samuel obtained his PhD in Ethnomusicology from the University of Sheffield in 2009, supported by dual scholarships from the Harry Worthington Foundation and Hokkien Huay Kuan. His research and artistic work explore the relevance of traditional Chinese music in modern society, with a focus on applied musicology, cultural preservation, and innovation.

He has led a series of pioneering projects at TENG that have redefined how music can engage, educate, and uplift communities. These include:

  • Stories from an Island City (2016): Reviving Singapore’s forgotten lullabies and folksongs through performance and recording.

  • TENG Gives Back (2018): A social impact initiative bringing live music therapy to hospitals, hospices, and special needs environments.

  • The Mapletree-TENG Scholarship (2018): Providing music education and mentorship for talented children from underprivileged backgrounds.

  • The Forefathers Project (2019): Researching and reimagining Singapore’s vanishing dialect-based musical traditions (Cantonese, Hainanese, Hakka, Hokkien and Teochew), combining scholarship with performance.

  • Music for Mindfulness (2023): An evidence-based music project integrating binaural and monoaural beat technology and Chinese instruments to alleviate anxiety and improve mental wellness.

  • SMRT Train Chimes (2023): Commissioned by Singapore’s public transport network, Samuel led the research and creation of custom chimes for train stations to enhance commuter experience and assist the visually impaired.

  • The Singaporean Composers Series (2024): Providing local composers frameless commissions to cultivate a distinct Singaporean musical identity.

Samuel is also a published author of key texts in Chinese music studies, including Impressions of a Pipa Player (2003), QI: An Instrumental Guide to the Chinese Orchestra (2005), and co-author of The TENG Guide to the Chinese Orchestra(2019), which is used in Singapore’s national ‘O’ and ‘A’ Level Music syllabi.

His work has earned him numerous accolades, including The Outstanding Young Persons of Singapore Award (2009), The Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Singapore Foundation’s Culture Award (2009), and the Singapore Institute of Management’s Teaching Excellence Award (2012). In 2021, he was featured in Prestige Magazine’s "40 under 40" list, recognising him as one of Singapore’s most influential cultural innovators.

As a sought-after speaker and thought leader, Samuel has delivered keynote lectures and masterclasses at institutions such as Yale-NUS College, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, HKAPA, and the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. He was an invited speaker at the Hong Kong Cultural Leadership Summit 2025, where he spoke on the theme of arts, innovation, and entrepreneurship, sharing insights on how music organisations can evolve in the face of changing societal needs.

Samuel currently serves on the Advisory Panel of the Singapore International Festival of the Arts and is a Council Member of the Singapore Chinese Music Federation. Through his work, he continues to champion the role of music as a tool for cultural preservation, creative transformation, and community empowerment.