Chamber Music Academy 2026
As part of our celebration of chamber music, the Singapore Chamber Music Festival will include a Chamber Music Academy which provides educational elements for amateur groups young and not so young. Such developmental opportunities and the gathering of musicians for a chamber music festival are key to nurturing a culture of lifelong music-making among friends.
The Chamber Music Academy is split into two weeks: amateur and community ensembles are encouraged to apply for the first week of coaching (25 March to 30 March), while the Advanced Quartet Program (AQP) takes place in second week (31 March to 5 April), specially tailored for pre-conservatory and conservatory-level string quartets.
The AQP is an intensive week-long programme targeted at pre-conservatory and conservatory-level string quartets. Designed for those with a serious ongoing interest in chamber music, AQP participants will go through a rigorous schedule of study with world-renowned chamber musicians in a uniquely supportive environment. Participating quartets focus on one to two major works while learning the art of working together as a string quartet. The AQP culminates in a showcase concert, providing these ensembles with a valuable opportunity to refine their artistry and present their work on a prominent platform. Places for AQP are limited and submitted applications will go through a selection process. Selected quartets will be notified by email. ASEAN and International quartets are welcome to apply for the AQP.
Chamber Academy Events
(open to public observers)
Advanced Quartet Program Showcase Concert
The SCMF celebrates the progress and achievement of the Advanced Quartet Participants after an intensive week of coaching in this showcase concert.
Hailing from Australia, Hong Kong, the USA and Singapore, enjoy an evening of varied quartet music by the Cong Quartet, Vertice Quartet, Bencoolen Quartet, Quartet 121, ZiNC Quartet and YST Quartet 2 as they showcase the fruits of their hard work!
Programme
NOMOS Quartet
Felix Mendelssohn – String Quartet No. 2 in A minor, Op. 13 (Movements I & II)
Vértice Quartet
Joseph Haydn – String Quartet in C major, Op. 33 No. 3 “The Bird” (Movements I & IV)
Quartet 121
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – String Quartet No. 15 in D minor, K. 421 (Movement I)
Elliott Carter – Elegy for String Quartet
Serene Quartet
Maurice Ravel – String Quartet in F major (Movements II & IV)
— intermission —
Bencoolen Quartet
Antonín Dvořák – String Quartet No. 12 in F major, Op. 96 “American” (Movement I)
Cong Quartet
Antonín Dvořák – String Quartet No. 12 in F major, Op. 96 “American” (Movements II–IV)
This event is open to public - $5 ticket via BookMyShow
Featured Quartets
Cong Quartet (Hong Kong/Netherlands)
Formed at the Indiana University, Cong Quartet is the Ensemble-in-Residence at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), and served the artistic residency of Musique à Flaine in France. The quartet was a laureate of competitions including the Banff International String Quartet Competition and the winner of competitions such as the Virtuoso Belcanto Festival Chamber Music Competition in Italy.
To celebrate their 10th season in the 2025-26 season, the quartet has performed at the Philharmonie de Paris, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam and other significant venues during their anniversary tour.
NOMOS Quartet (Singapore)
Formed in their freshman year at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music and now continuing into the sophomore season, the NOMOS Quartet comprises four dedicated young musicians - Chen Yun-Li, Chen Yi-Tien, Timothy Cher, and Zhu Ruoning.
The NOMOS Quartet is coached by Han Oh, and has been fortunate to receive masterclasses from the Verona Quartet, the Borromeo Quartet, the Brodsky Quartet, the T'ang Quartet, and Sibbi Bernhardsson.
Quartet 121 (Australia)
Founded in February 2024, Quartet 121 is a Sydney-based string quartet of students from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. The quartet has developed under the tutelage of Timothy Kantor, Julian Smiles, and Ole Bøhn.
Quartet 121 has been awarded the Sydney Eisteddfod Orvieto Musica Festival Scholarship, and the George Henderson String Quartet Scholarship. The quartet has also played in masterclasses with the Esmé Quartet, Eric Wong, Alessandro Cervo, Kirsten Docter, and the Takács Quartet.
Bencoolen Quartet (Singapore)
We’re a young quartet formed by members of the Singapore National Youth Orchestra. Our name comes from the place we frequently rehearse at, which is at Bencoolen Street in Singapore!
We have been playing together for the past 2 years and have performed on various occasions including SCMF 2025 and private concerts. We have had the privilege of studying under coaches from Yong Siew Toh Conservatory and the Concordia Quartet.
Vértice Quartet (Singapore)
Formed in 2025, the Vértice Quartet consists of first-year students at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music. Named after the Italian word for “summit,” the ensemble reflects this aspiration through its commitment to artistic growth, musical excellence, and a shared passion for chamber music, striving to bring joy to every performance and connect meaningfully with audiences.
The quartet is coached by Dr Yang Shuxiang, Mr Leslie Tan and members of the T’ang Quartet, Mr Ng Yu-Ying and Mr Ang Chek Meng, and had a masterclass with Mr Paul Cassidy of the Brodsky Quartet.
Serene Quartet (Taiwan)
Founded in Taipei in 2025, the Serene Quartet derives its name from the Chinese term Xianshi (閒適), embodying poised focus and unhurried attentiveness. The ensemble emphasizes structural clarity and expressive nuance through refined listening.
In 2025, they won First Prize in the Emerging Young Artists Chamber Program at Taipei National University of the Arts (TNUA). Recent highlights include a 2026 invitation to the Lihpao Cultural Arts Foundation’s Noon Concert series and a featured performance at the TNUA prize-winning ensemble concert, showcasing their growing artistic profile.
ZiNC Quartet (USA)*
Founded in 2022, the ZiNC String Quartet comprises violinists Elle Shin and Jose Olea, violist Julius Adams, and cellist Claire Park. Each member has earned Masters degrees from top music institutions including Yale School of Music, UNC School of the Arts, New England Conservatory, and Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. The ZiNC Quartet is based in Durham, North Carolina, and performs full-time with the Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle, as well as bringing educational programs to local public schools.
*Update: Due to travel complications arising from the current situation in the Middle East, ZiNC Quartet (USA) is unfortunately unable to join us for the Festival this year. Our thoughts are with those affected, and we look forward to welcoming the Quartet back to our stage in the future.
Spend an afternoon with these talented young quartets as they share their music.
Festival Workshop II: Say it Without Words!
On-stage communications in small ensembles
by Sandy Yamamoto & Jonathan Ong
When watching an experienced chamber group in concert, it seems that the members have a magical, almost psychic understanding of one another's thoughts.
In this workshop, two leading chamber musicians, Sandy Yamamoto and Jonathan Ong, with the help of a live string quartet, share their secrets about how they communicate intent, ideas and emotions with fellow musicians, and as importantly, with their audience.
Venue: SNYO Studios
This event is open to public - Free with registration
Festival Workshop I: Playing with Expectations by Shuxiang Yang and Abigail Sin
Join Dr Yang Shuxiang and Dr Abigail Sin for an interactive workshop on the string quartet. We will explore how the string quartet became both a popular form of social entertainment and a bold space for new musical ideas. Looking at important works by Haydn and Beethoven, we will discover how these pieces were shaped by the people they were written for and the ideas of their times.
Through guided listening and discussions, we will learn how these works still challenge, delight and inspire musicians and audiences today.
This event is open to public - Free with registration
Venue:
YST Conservatory of Music, Seminar Room 8
Connect, Share, Celebrate!
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Exciting lineup of Chamber Concerts
Held over 12 days in partnership with the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, the festival brings together artists from overseas and Singapore, coming together to perform chamber works in various combinations.
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Join the Chamber Music Academy
As part of our celebration of chamber music, SCMF includes a Chamber Music Academy (CMA), providing a range of educational elements, including coaching for aspiring chamber groups, workshops and demonstration sessions.
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Be a Donor
SCMF 2026 has been made possible thanks to the support of many individuals, institutions and organisations. Please consider making a donation to help support some of the cost of running this and future festivals.