COMMUNITY
Our
OUR COMMUNITY
No matter what one's background may be, the TJChoir is a home for anyone with a passion for singing. Here is a compilation of stories featuring some of our members over the years.
Ms Choy Siew Woon
Conductor of the TJC Choirs
"At TJChoir, the singers give so much more than just their voices, and this has influenced me so much as an educator. There is a real sense of family here, where at the end of the day, everyone chooses to open their hearts and minds to each other, to the choir, and to the music. Whether it was a long day at school, or the task of learning new piece – the singers face the music with a sense of respect, curiosity and fearlessness. We sing as a sport, challenge the meaning in words, calculate our starts and stops, and… experiment with time-traveling, teleportation between countries, and making all sorts of sounds in our humble music lab – all to find our identity in the music! In song, we are anthropologists, physicists, mathematicians, philosophers, teachers, students, music-makers – everything and anything the music calls for us to be. I am grateful for this quirky and special journey with TJChoristers past and present. And to the TJChoristers of the future – we can’t wait for you to join our crib, and to grow with the flow, alongside us!"
Siew Woon has been at the helm of the TJC IP Choir since its creation in 2013. Her work with the choir has propelled its growth and shaped its music identity. In 2018, she took over the direction of the JC choir. As one TJChoir, Siew Woon continues to push the choir to new choral heights while upholding its motto of being blended in voices, and bonded in spirit.
A SINGING FAMILY
Have you ever wanted to be part of a closely knit community? If so, TJChoir is the best place to be! Personally, I have loved it here! It has been such a great experience as I have made many close friends, seniors and met amazing teachers. TJChoir is definitely my safe haven for me to escape from the challenges of JC life. Being in the choir has taught me that making melodious music requires utmost teamwork and cooperation of every member. It is also a great testbed to see our music ideas come to life!
Aw Jun Hui
Batch of 2021-2022
Choir DSA . Student Conductor
I wanted to continue my choir journey after secondary school and joining the TJChoir was an opportunity for me to meet both my academic needs and passion in choral music. The journey has been truly insightful and memorable. Since joining the choir, I was able to hone my craft. We even got a chance to dip our hands in digital audio and video production for our online performances in the past two years. I can say confidently that being part of TJChoir through this pandemic has helped me to break free from what my traditional understandings of a choir were. I will cherish the lasting bonds that my choir mates and I have built making music together in fun, unique and innovative ways.
John Ethan Prince Asuncion Roy
Batch of 2020-2021
Choir DSA . Chairperson
Jazli Mustafa
Batch of 2017-2018
Choir DSA . Bass Section Leader
I applied for DSA to TJChoir to fulfill my interest in being in a choir that did a wide array of choral repertoire, from traditional pieces to less conventional music. As a member of the choir, I appreciated it for being more student-initiated, yet well supported by wonderful tutors. My fellow choristers also quickly became my closest friends in JC, and we created unforgettable memories through our novel methods of learning new songs, countless chats at post-practice dinners, and shared experiences leading up to performances. To this day, I still hold on to many lessons I have learnt as a TJChorister. One of them is a quote from our conductor to“not try to be a banana, if you are an apple. You’ll always be a second rate banana, but you can be a perfect apple”. These words constantly remind me to be the best version of myself, and not someone that I am not.
Frederick
Liau
Batch of 2019-2020
Choir DSA . Tenor
I first heard about TJChoir when I took part in its SING! combined choirs exchange and concert. Through that experience, I saw how the choir was very much like a family. Joining TJChoir was truly a different experience for me, discovering interesting and fun ways to help me sound better and shape the choir's sound as a whole. Learning music became fun and exciting and no two practices felt the same. Most importantly, my seniors and batch mates were so patient and supportive as they guided me along the way. They were the ones that truly made TJ choir a safe place for me to be myself and pursue my passion in singing.
I always wanted to experience what it feels like to sing in a traditional choir. Nothing compares to the magical feeling one experiences when the choir sings in perfect harmony. Choral music has the ability to dissolve the stress from school life, all while bringing the family of choristers closer together through song. Through leading the choir as a student conductor, I learnt how to support individual choir members in order to shape and develop their sound as a whole. I am proud to call the choir as my second home, and the initial strangers whom I sang alongside with have become my close-knit family.
Caitlin Seet
Batch of 2019-2020
Choir DSA . Student Conductor
My two year experience with TJChoir was fulfilling and nurturing. From travelling to Hong Kong to participate in the 6th Winter Choral Festival in Hong Kong, to planning and executing our annual choir concert, Reflections, TJChoir gave me the opportunity to not only develop my interpersonal and leadership skills as a student leader, but also make wonderful and unforgettable memories. Rather than follow the notion to try our best, our conductor and teachers always encouraged and pushed us to do our best. This mindset, coupled with the desire to be the best version of myself in all that I do, are important life lessons I’ve gained from my days at TJChoir.
Karyn Liow
Batch of 2016-2017
Choir DSA . Chairperson
Cindy Ong
Batch of 2018-2019
Choir DSA
Student Conductor
Alto Section Leader
My overall experience in TJChoir can be described in one word: Precious. It was nothing short of surprises and learning experiences, where I became not only a better musician but person as well. One of my most memorable experiences was the camaraderie that I experienced in the choir. I truly experienced the support and love that everyone had for music and for each other, which propelled us to create performances that we could be proud of. The choir has taught me to be courageous in every situation. I used to be someone who struggled with low self-esteem, but my conductor and teachers have always been there to guide me and really encouraged me to step up for the choir, whether or not I was given a formal appointment. It helped me see the beauty and power of trust between everyone in a community.
Lim Shao En
Batch of 2018-2019
Choir DSA . Student Conductor
I knew I made the right choice to join TJChoir through its Direct School Admission exercise from the very first day I stepped into practice. Within that day, I felt like I was part of a family. Despite our different backgrounds and experiences, we all had one thing in common: a strong passion for music, and determination to improve as choristers. As the student conductor, I had the privilege to lead the choir in practices and performances while working with the committee to uphold the high standard of our choir. I will never forget the many life lessons that I have learned in the choir, from discovering the importance of communication, to finding a balance between the journey and destination.