Albert Tay

“NAFA was a significant milestone in my life where I was afforded the opportunity to meet and learn from fantastic mentors and practising artists like Ms Jennifer Tham, Dr Zechariah Goh and the late Mr Leong Yoon Pin. Their generosity and passion for music continues to be an inspiration for me!”

Award-winning composer, conductor, educator Albert Tay is a global citizen and “playaholic” for whom work is play!

When not composing, the thinker-innovator can be found guest conducting, giving lectures and masterclasses as well as adjudicating choral/singing competitions around the world.

Tay is the founding director of the Kodaly Academy of Music (Singapore) (KAM) where he leads diverse and dynamic teams of artists and administrators from different countries in spearheading the Asia Kodaly Symposium as well as provide direction and training for choirs. He is also the Artistic Director of Schola Cantorum Singapore Ltd., a non-profit choir collective.

The NAFA alumnus credits his teachers, Professor Peter Erdei, Leong Yoon Pin, Professor Laszlo Nemes, Dr Kelly Tang, Jennifer Tham and Dr Zechariah Goh as major influences in his journey as a musician, and is grateful to the International Kodaly Society, National Arts Council (Singapore) and NAFA for scholarships that supported his degree and postgraduate studies. Tay was awarded the professional title of Magister Chori (‘Choir Master’ in Latin) and an honorary membership by the Croatian Choral Directors Association. He is the first Singaporean musician to receive the Hungarian Gold Cross of Merit, a state decoration conferred by the President of Hungary for his efforts in promoting classical music and the Kodaly Concept in Asia.