Pei-Sian Ng
About
Q&A
Question: Can you tell us a bit about you, and what you are up to these days?
Answer My name is Pei-Sian, people call me Pei in Singapore. <br> <br> I’m based in Singapore and am Principal Cellist at Singapore Symphony Orchestra. It’s already been 12 years, and it was my first job! I was blessed to find a place where I never felt like I needed to leave. It’s kind of close to home, so I get to see my parents once or twice a year which is great. <br> <br> I love to keep fit! I like yoga, calisthenics, and recently I started running. I love doing long walks and meditation as well. I found especially through the pandemic, my priorities in life changed a lot. Slowing down, focusing on mental health, feeling good…<br> <br> Not to say that you’re less productive when you slow down, but if you have this idea of ‘slowing down’, it’s better for your health, there’s less stress; it helps you enjoy every moment. <br> <br> I have an identical twin brother, Pei-Jee who also played with me in AYO. He has just been offered Principal Cellist at The Royal Scottish National Orchestra in Glasgow – I am so proud of him!
Question: What was a highlight of your time in AYO programs?
Answer My first concert with AYO was in 1999 when I was fifteen. We did Bruckner 9 – I didn’t even know who Bruckner was at the time! It was just life changing. I had never experienced the full force of a symphony orchestra in such an intense period. I fell in love with orchestra playing. <br> <br> I was very shy (I still am!) and it pushed me a little out of my comfort zone to talk to people and find myself. So that was a great experience!<br> <br> The following year we did some Federation centenary stuff, but the highlight of that year was touring Australia with Pinchas Zuckerman. He played Beethoven’s Violin Concerto and we also did the Bartok Concerto for Orchestra. Those two years were very important to my musical development and my perception of orchestral playing, and how great it feels to be part of something larger than life.
Question: How did you find the experience of returning to AYO programs as a soloist?
Answer It’s such an honour to be invited! I didn’t ever expect to be invited, so I feel very grateful. I do really enjoy working with youth orchestras. Over the past few years I’ve worked with the Adelaide Youth Orchestra and Singapore National Youth Orchestra as well as now AYO. <br> <br> I feel happy working with these organisations… it’s less about proving yourself and more about sharing what you have, what you’ve learnt and experienced. Who you are on the instrument.<br> <br> If I’ve inspired one or two people by working with these youth orchestras, that would mean a lot!
Question: What skills, musical and otherwise, did you take away from your time at AYO?
Answer I think AYO programs help you with the skills of opening up, talking to people… Especially as being a musician is a very social profession. You learn to work with people, to explain yourself, share your opinion on musical matters. And sometimes that means learning to not take things too personally or emotionally. It’s really for the music. Learning to trust each other. <br> <br> That’s a major skill you learn in that intense period you get on an AYO program.
Question: How or why did you choose your instrument?
Answer Both of my parents were working parents. They wanted us to learn music and enjoy it. But they were very busy, so they wanted to take me and my twin brother to the same violin teacher as my eldest brother. I don’t know what kind of student my eldest brother was, because the teacher rejected us! So my mother was desperate for someone to teach us. She was walking through the school and saw a lady carrying cello. She was like, please teach my sons! And I don’t think cello was that popular at that time. <br> <br> That lady was Barbara Yelland, an amazing woman who became our first cello teacher. She filled our hearts and minds with passion, imagination, the idea of storytelling through the cello… I’ll forever be grateful!
Question: What composer would you invite to a dinner party and why?
Answer One of my great friends a composer based in London. His name is <a href="https://www.rayfieldallied.com/artists/daniel-kidane">Daniel Kidane</a>. He’s just killing it overseas! He’s getting commissions from LSO, LVO, all the big orchestras, and he just got signed with Shot Publishing. <br> <br> He’s British with half African heritage and half Russian heritage. I would just love to have dinner with him!