Respected music conductor Adrian Tan passed on in his sleep on Monday, 12 July from a cardiac arrest. He was 44-years-old.
His death came as a shock to those who knew him, including friends, colleagues, as well as local musicians.
Celebrated as a community leader, an orchestral trailblazer, and a visionary for many, in 2012, Tan became the music director for the Singapore Wind Symphony as well as the Braddell Heights Symphony Orchestra. He was also actively involved overseas, where his roles included directing the Saigon Philharmonic Orchestra in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
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A major in theatre studies, he graduated from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and was awarded a scholarship to do his postgraduate studies abroad. He then attained a Master in Music Studies (Conducting) from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.
Tributes poured in on social media after the news of his unfortunate demise, including a post from jazz musician Jeremy Monteiro who said he was “shocked beyond words and saddened to tears.”
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“Now that you are gone, this mission will be much harder,” said Monteiro in his Instagram post caption.
The Composers Society of Singapore also posted an image of Tan on their Instagram page after his passing, calling for followers to write to their email, composerssocietyofsingapore@gmail.com, if they had anything to share in remembrance of the late conductor.
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In another post dedicated to Tan, the Singapore Wind Symphony where Tan served as music director from 2012 to 2018 wrote, “His passion and contributions to the local music scene will be deeply remembered by all of us.”
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A former schoolmate of Tan, Singaporean poet and playwright Alfian Sa’at also published a tribute on his Facebook page, detailing the experience he had with the late conductor.
Tan leaves behind his mother, who lived with him prior to his passing.
