CONVENE 09 - Ng Chor Guan

Convene Ep 9 清雅集

Convene Episode 9 welcomes Ng Chor Guan, one of Malaysia’s most visionary composers, sound artists, and among the few distinguished theremin players in the region.

Internationally renowned for his work across theatre, dance, film, orchestral, and electronic music, Chor Guan moves fluidly between classical discipline and contemporary experimentation. As a theremin performer — an instrument played without physical touch — he brings an otherworldly sonic dimension to the stage. He served as composer, musical director, and theremin player for the internationally acclaimed project Super Everything, which toured the UK and was presented at the Houston Cinema Arts Festival. His performances have appeared at major festivals worldwide, and his innovative Mobile Phone Orchestra has redefined audience participation across Asia and Europe.

In this immersive session, tradition meets the future. Acoustic resonance converses with electronic textures. Heritage meets bold experimentation.

Together with Neil, the evening unfolds as a live musical dialogue — intimate, exploratory, and deeply human.

Set in the black box environment of Convene, this is not spectacle, but presence.

Tea and light refreshments will be served — because at Convene, music is always shared in community.

Join us for an evening where sound floats, boundaries dissolve, and dialogue becomes music.

About the artist

Ng Chor Guan

Ng Chor Guan is one of Malaysia’s most sought-after music composers and sound artists/designers for theatre, dance, film, concert music, and new media. He is also a committed arts activist on a mission to democratise music and theatre.

Chor Guan began his career as a professional music composer during his years in London. Upon returning to Malaysia in 2006, he collaborated actively with theatrical artists and choreographers, both local and international. Among his most significant collaborations to date are with British visual arts pioneers The Light Surgeons to develop “Super Everything” a project about Malaysia in 2011. “Super Everything”, for which he is composer, musical director, and theremin player, was performed again at the Houston Cinema Art Festival in Houston, USA, in November 2012, and toured the United Kingdom in March 2013.

His own works, which demonstrate an excellent integration of the classical and the contemporary, have been performed in a wide variety of mediums including orchestral, choral, chamber, and electronic music. They have been presented at numerous festivals all over the world, including the International Short Film Festival Oberhausen in Germany, Asian Contemporary Theatre Project in Japan, Silk Road Hong Kong Arts Festival, Hong Kong International Arts Carnival, Surabaya Performing Art Festival, The Studio Singapore, Sydney Fashion Week, Hong Kong Cultural Ambassador Program, George Town Festival, and more. His works have also been performed in France, Holland, Italy, Canada, and Korea.

Chor Guan has also introduced groundbreaking concepts that have revolutionised the way audiences interact with music or even participate in the performance. One of his most successful concepts is the Mobile Phone Orchestra (MPO) in which the audiences are encouraged use the recording function in their mobile phones to record specific sounds to be played during the performance. In Malaysia, MPO was performed in the George Town Festival, Melaka Art and Performance Festival, and the Toccata Studio Earth Hour. In 2012, he was invited to perform MPO at The Playable City Sprint at Bristol, UK, organized by the British Council and Pervasive Media Centre. He was one of five Asians selected to represent the continent. In September 2012, he was invited to South Korea to perform MPO at the opening ceremony of the 7th Global RCE Conference organised by UNICEF. In 2015, MPO was performed in Italy and Australia.

Chor Guan is also the co-founder of Toccata Studio, dedicated to creative research and development. Toccata Studio is associated with Space. Toccata, a venue for many multidisciplinary performances, including his own ongoing New Music Series and Dance=Music Series. These series aim to cultivate a new cultural language for Malaysia that unites the different media, musical disciplines, and traditions.

Chor Guan’s film music was awarded the Grand Prize in both the Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival in France and the Art Film Fest in Slovakia. In 2010, he was nominated for the first Selangor Youth Awards for best music composition. In 2011, he was awarded a Goethe-Institut scholarship, spending one month in Cologne. He was the musical director and composer for the Twilight-30th anniversary festival of Dance North in Australia, the creation recently won the 2016 Australian Dance Award.

In 2015, he was selected among 2000 applicants around the world as one of the participants in Berlinale Talents in conjunction with the Berlin International Film Festival. He runs Dance=Music Series with world-renowned Pina Bausch Tanztheatre Wuppertal in Germany. He was selected for the OneBeat programme, initiated by the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. In 2016, his duo band, FUGU runs a Beijing Tour. He was invited to a co-creation project in Taiwan with the renowned theatre group, Mobius Strip Theatre. In May 2016, he was invited to Finland for one month NeoFuture residency. He was then invited to perform at Splice Festival in the U.K. in July 2016. He spent one month in Bolivia, a co-creation project with musicians from Beijing and Bolivia, a collaboration with indigenious music ensemble in La Paz. “Space Age”, his creation in 2010, was invited to perform at PAMS 2016, Seoul, South Korea. He is part of the KulturKontakt residency programme organised by the Austrian Federal Chancellery and the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, the Arts and Culture, spending three months in Vienna, Austria, to create, perform, and lecture at the Academy of Fine Arts Austria.

Chor Guan also lectures at University Malaya, Aswara, and New Era College. He has also produced 11 albums.

Directions to 䪭堂 Ruan Tang, Goodman Arts Centre, 90 Goodman Rd, Blk B, #03-09, S439053 ()

Join us at 䪭堂 Ruan Tang as we celebrate creativity, culture, and connection.

'CONVENE 清雅集 ' is part of our 'Immersive Sound Garden Experience ' supported by the Cultural Matching Fund.

For more information, please refer to our website www.ruanatworkz.com/convene.

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About CONVENE 清雅集

CONVENE 清雅集 is an intimate and inspiring series that brings together like-minded individuals for an afternoon or evening of tea, snacks, and artistic expression. Each episode features a distinguished guest artist who shares their craft, weaving stories and melodies that captivate and unite our audience. Whether it's music, poetry, or visual arts, every gathering promises a unique and enriching experience, fostering a community of appreciation for the arts.

About 䪭堂 Ruan Tang

Ruan Tang 䪭堂, home of RuanAtWorkz Musical Arts—a charity (UEN: T15SS0002F) in Singapore—artfully dedicates itself to promoting the enjoyment of periodic unwinding through melodic, healing sounds, and enhancing well-being forpeople from all walks of life.

We want to make this a safe and enjoyable experience for all our attendee(s) as such, we have put in place some house rules:

1. General

• By attending CONVENE 清雅集, you agree to comply with and be bound by these terms and conditions.

• The event will take place at 䪭堂 Ruan Tang, Goodman Art Centre, 90 Goodman Rd, Blk B, #03-09, S439053.

2. Age Requirement

• This event is strictly for attendees aged 12 and above. Please bring valid identification as proof of age if requested.

3. Seating Arrangement

• Attendees will be sitting on the floor throughout the event. Comfortable seating arrangements will be provided, but you may bring your own if preferred.

4. Ticket Purchase

• The ticket price excludes any ticketing platform fees.

• All ticket sales are final. No refunds or exchanges will be issued unless the event is cancelled or rescheduled.

5. Entry and Attendance

• Please present a valid ticket upon entry. Digital or printed tickets are accepted.

• Doors open 20 minutes before the event starts. Latecomers may be admitted at a suitable break.

• The organizer reserves the right to refuse entry to anyone who does not comply with the venue’s regulations or exhibits inappropriate behavior.

6. Cancellation and Rescheduling

• In the unlikely event of a cancellation or rescheduling, ticket holders will be notified via email.

• If the event is cancelled, ticket holders will receive a full refund. If rescheduled, tickets will be valid for the new date, or a refund will be provided upon request.

7. Liability

• The organizer and venue are not responsible for any personal injury, loss, or damage to personal property.

• By attending the event, you agree to indemnify the organizer against any illness or adverse effects resulting from the consumption of food or drink provided.

8. Photography and Recording

• By attending the event, you consent to being photographed or recorded by the official event photographer/videographer for promotional purposes.

9. Privacy

• Personal information collected during the ticket purchase process will be used solely for the purpose of managing the event and will not be shared with third parties without your consent.

10. Amendments

• The organizer reserves the right to amend these terms and conditions at any time. Any changes will be posted on the event’s booking page and will take effect immediately.

By attending the event, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to these terms and conditions.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

䪭堂 Ruan Tang @ Goodman Arts Centre, 90 Goodman Road, Singapore, Singapore

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