SINGAPORE – The Mapletree-TENG Academy Scholarship 2019 is now open for application. The music scholarship, created by Mapletree Investments (“Mapletree”) and The TENG Company (“TENG”) in 2018, funds and provides youths from needy backgrounds with the opportunity to develop in Chinese instrumental music.

The scholarship, delivered by TENG’s educational arm, The TENG Academy, is a holistic programme that looks to develop young talents who demonstrate a passion for Chinese music through robust one to one training classes, mentorships and performance opportunities. There are four scholarships on offer this year and each scholarship is tenable for two years. This is the second year in which Mapletree is partnering TENG to play an integral role in making Chinese music education accessible for all.

“In TENG, we believe that music is for everyone and nobody should be deprived of the opportunity to learn an instrument. Through the scholarship, we hope that we can nurture the future generation of Chinese musicians in Singapore and that they can in return contribute to the very same ecosystem that we all belong to”, said Mr Yang Jiwei, 38, Executive Director of  TENG.

Mr Hiew Yoon Khong, Mapletree’s Group Chief Executive Officer, said, “We are heartened by the progress made by the inaugural batch of four Mapletree-TENG Academy Scholars. Mapletree is glad to continue our support for this initiative, since arts and education are two of our four pillars of Mapletree’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) framework. We hope to identify more Mapletree-TENG Academy scholars, who will raise appreciation of Singaporean Chinese instrumental music for the wider community, as well as to celebrate their achievements in this field.”

The inaugural recipients of the Mapletree-TENG Academy Scholarship have done exceedingly well. They have all achieved distinctions for both their ABRSM Examinations and Chinese Music Grading Examinations. The inaugural Scholars have also had the opportunity to share the stage with The TENG Ensemble in its recent community concert “Once Upon a Time 2019” at the VivoCity Auditorium. The sold-out concert at Singapore’s largest shopping mall boasted an audience of over 900 people. 

Mr Darrel Xin, 39, Erhu tutor to one of the recipients of the 2018 Scholarship attests, “It has been a year since I began coaching Keng Seng. Throughout this process, he has improved significantly in both practical and theoretical aspects of music. He is now certain of the path he intends to take in his musical journey and I am proud of how much he has achieved”.

Besides covering instrumental lesson fees, the scholarship also funds course material and examination fees. Applications for the Mapletree-TENG Academy Scholarship are open from 18 February 2019 and will close on 22 March 2019. Prospective candidates will be shortlisted for an audition and interview by 29 March 2019. 

More information about the Mapletree-TENG Academy Scholarship is available here: www.thetengacademy.com/training/mapletreeteng-academy-scholarship-2019

Photo of the Mapletree-TENG scholars at the certificate award ceremony on 22 September 2018.
From (L-R):
• Mr Wan Kwong Weng, Group Chief Corporate Officer, Mapletree 
• Dr Samuel Wong, Creative Director, The TENG Company
• Ms Heng Yeow Khing, Mapletree CSR Board Committee Member
• Chua Yee Ting, Mapletree-TENG Scholar
• Kee Teng Hwee, Mapletree-TENG Scholar
• Mr Yang Ji Wei, Executive Director, The TENG Company
• Mr Kan Shik Lum, Mapletree CSR Board Committee Member
• Mr Hiew Yoon Khong, Group Chief Executive Officer, Mapletree
• Chan Keng Sing, Mapletree-TENG Scholar
• Lu Jietao, Mapletree-TENG Scholar