Assistant Conductor

At the 4th National Music Competition in Singapore (1983), Singapore violinist Foo Say Ming walked away with the 1st prize in the Violin (Open) Category, and also the 1st prize in the Ensemble (Open) Category of the competition. The judging panel also unanimously awarded him the grand prize of the competition: the Best Performer Award.

He continued his musical studies at the Royal College of Music (London, United Kingdom) with Rodney Friend (former concertmaster of BBC Symphony Orchestra and New York Philharmonic Orchestra). He was later accepted into the Conservatoire de Lausanne (Switzerland), where he continued his studies with the great French violinist Pierre Amoyal, a protégé of the great Jascha Heifetz. He was conferred Virtuosité (Premier Prix avec Félicitations du Jury).

Say Ming has performed with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) as soloist on a many occasions. In addition to performing with the SSO, he was also featured as soloist with Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne (Switzerland). He was invited to perform with the National University of Singapore Symphony Orchestra (NUSSO) on it's successful tour to Scotland at the Aberdeen International Youth Festival (Scotland) in 2005. Under the baton of NUSSO's Music Director Lim Soon Lee, his performance of the Chinese violin concerto "Butterfly Lovers Concerto" was described as:

"... never faltered in his interpretation, weaving through the dramatic score like a beautiful silken thread." (The Press And Journal, Aberdeen, Scotland, Aug 2005)

"... supreme tenderness from soloist Foo Say Ming." (Evening Express, Aberdeen, Scotland, Aug 2005)

Say Ming also works extensively with young aspiring musicians in Singapore. Some of his students have won top prizes in music competitions local and abroad, and some have gone on to further their musical studies abroad. He is currently a tutor at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA), the National University Of Singapore Symphony Orchestra (NUSSO), and he instructs the Hwa Chong Junior College String Orchestra.

Say Ming leads and directs "re: mix", a chamber orchestra made up of some of the most dedicated musicians on the island. re: mix seeks to break new ground in the exploration of the repertoire for the "petit orchestre" through its unique take on programming ideas and concepts.