A recipient of the National Arts Council and National University of Singapore (NUS) scholarships, Adrian Chiang is a man of multiple talents, who wears many musical hats – conductor, music director and producer. After graduating in 2001 with the bachelor of business administration, he worked in sales and marketing for 5 years. At age 30, he took a bold step to pursue his passion in music conducting and attained a master degree at Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music (NUS). He currently teaches conducting at YSTCM, and serves as President of both the Band Directors’ Association (Singapore), as well as the National Instructors and Coaches Association. He also actively grooms aspiring young musicians through directing the Wind Ensembles & Orchestras in various education institutions in Singapore, and is the General Manager of a professional chamber orchestra, Resound Collective.
Alumni in classical music: The story of Adrian Chiang
Q: You wear many hats – conductor, music director and producer. What is a typical day like for you?
I think this has been the case for me since young. I had multiple CCA involvements when I was in secondary school and I believed I had inadvertently gotten used to being able to handle many projects at the same time. I guess whether you are in a freelance career or in an employed position, it is inevitable that your portfolio might consist of different job functions and responsibilities.
There is no “typical day” per se because every day’s schedule will depend on what is happening that day. However, the fixed thing would be to wake up daily at 6am to do some cardio on the treadmill with my wife (and mainly for me to catch up on my Korean drama), before walking or driving my 2 girls to school at 7.15am. After that will depend on what’s happening that day.
Q: It is remarkable that you decided to make a drastic career change and pursue a very different major for your master degree in your 30s. What gave you the courage to leave your full-time job to pursue a different career path and what motivates you to keep to it?
My best friend, aka my wife. She knew that pursuing a conducting career was what I was truly passionate about, and she helped chart my path out of full-time employment to one of a freelance career. She is also a fellow Bizader. We met in NUS Business School and got married one year after she completed her Honours year. I guess from here you can tell that she’s the smarter one, although I always add on to say I’m smarter to have married her.
Naturally it helped that she was holding on to a full-time employment and for me, being 30 years old is probably a good time or number milestone to do and try something new. Even if all fails, it will not be too late for me to turn back. At least I’ll have no regrets!
Q: How do you cope with the change of field and mindset from a business degree to a master degree in conducting?
To me it is not about a change of field. It is about how you marry what you know and it makes you stronger for what you are and what you possess. As a musician, I am my own “business” and “brand”. People hire you for who you are and what you can do. And because it is my own business, I will still need to think about other matters such as project management, marketing, financial matters and investments.
To me it is not about a change of field. It is about how you marry what you know and it makes you stronger for what you are and what you possess.
Q: How was it like working with celebrities like the renowned Singaporean-born singer JJ Lin?
I used to be the Orchestra Manager at the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, so working with celebrities is not rare for me. My experience working with celebrities has always been enjoyable because I get to watch them perform their art and I get to collaborate professionally with them at high levels.
Admittedly, I wasn’t a fan of JJ Lin before the collaboration, so to me it was just a normal do-my-stuff and that’s it. I mean I heard of him prior to the project, but it didn’t mean anything much to me. During the process, he got my respect as I saw how he worked and this is the main reason why I enjoy what I do, getting to watch everyone in the production working their best and giving their all for the final product.
Q: With the current coronavirus situation, how did it affect you and how do you solve them?
For conductors in my field, I think this year has really pushed us beyond our boundaries to re-think how we can teach our students and share our music with the community.
This is why having a portfolio of different skill sets is important in today’s age. Conducting this year has been rare and only with the occasional recorded or digital productions. Otherwise, it would be mainly keeping myself busy with project planning, improving myself, and still teaching my students other elements of musicianship that will make them better musicians when we get to meet at our next live rehearsal.
This may sound cheesy but I think when one door closes, either another window opens or you just got to find a way to bash the wall down. With or without COVID-19, our business environment is constantly changing and to be ahead of the game, one needs to always be at your best form and try to stay ahead of the competition. Having empathy for others and making sure that I present my best are 2 important values I treasure and hold close to my heart.
Q: Any plans for your future? Possibility of another music-related career?
I am indeed in the midst of starting another platform that is related to conducting and how we can promote more sharing of knowledge amongst conductors. Follow me on social media and keep yourselves updated!
Q: How has your NUS business school education journey benefitted your current career and personal life?
It has been quite a long time since I have left NUS Bizad (over 20 years!) but I must say my time in NUS has been crucial in forming the way I think and work. Learning the principles and going out into the school of hard knocks are two rites of passage that one has to go through. And it is true when they say the more you know, the more you don’t know. So, we have to always remember to stay humble and keep learning from the people around us!
It is true when they say the more you know, the more you don’t know. So, we have to always remember to stay humble and keep learning from the people around us!
Q: Any favourite moment from your undergraduate days?
I think my favourite moments were hanging out with my wife at the Hon Sui Sen library to study for exams from morning till it closed. We literally would start our hibernation there about a month before exams, be it for revision or rushing for projects. Of course, one of the higher points was when our group came in 2nd place for the M1 marketing strategy contest.
Q: Any last advice to your juniors who are straddling between business and music worlds?
Passion can come in many ways. It is true that being passionate about something does not mean it’ll be able to bring the dough back. My form of passion of wanting to be a musician or conductor was probably one of the harder routes to follow, not to mention social and family pressure of taking it seriously as a career option. But it’s something that I took 10 years to make it become a full-time career and, in the meantime, I ensured that I was constantly enriching myself plus made connections with each job that I had.