Azariah Tan, 21, studies with Professor Logan Skelton at the University of Michigan. The National Arts Council-Conservatory scholar graduated with first-class honours in 2011 under the tutelage of Associate Professor Albert Tiu at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, NUS. Aside from receiving full-tuition scholarships administered through the University of Michigan and the National Arts Coun...cil of Singapore for his current studies, Azariah has earlier on, in 2007, received a scholarship from the Yamaha Music Foundation of Japan. In the same year he was also offered a scholarship and a place to study at the internationally-acclaimed Royal College of Music in London. In 2008, funding at the bequest from the late James Mottram, in conjunction with the Royal Northern College of Music enabled Azariah to participate in a series of masterclasses in Manchester. In 2010, a special grant from the Kagoshima Prefectural government facilitated his participation and performance at the renowned Kirishima Music Festival in Japan. In 2012, a fellowship award through the Irving S. Gilmore Foundation enabled Azariah’s masterclass participation at its biennial International Keyboard Festival based in Kalamazoo, Michigan - a piano music festival internationally recognized as one of America’s most prestigious.
Since winning the 1st prize at 2005 Trinity College of London Music Competition, Azariah has continued to win 1st prizes at the 2009 National Piano and Violin Competition in Singapore and the 2010 Bradshaw and Bruno International Piano Competition in USA; 2nd Prizes at the IX International Competition of Young Pianists in Nis, Yugoslavia (2006),the Asian Youth Music Competition (2007), and the 3rd ASEAN Chopin Competition in Kuala Lumpur (2008). He also received a Bronze and Special Jury Mention awards at the highly competitive 11th International Chopin Piano Competition in ASIA held in Tokyo (2010). Most recently, Azariah scored a triple win in the USA, finishing with 1st prizes for the “2012 American Prize” in both the Solo as well as the Concerto categories.
His performances have been broadcasted over the Yugoslavian National TV, and he has been featured over the Voice of America and on the Singapore Mediacorp TV Channels 5 and 8, FM Stations “Symphony 92.4” and “93.8 Live” as well as, on numerous occasions, in The Straits Times and other local and foreign publications. He has been actively involved in musical performances to raise funds for several charitable causes since 2007.
Azariah’s public performances began in 2006, when he appeared with American bill-board chartist and composer Kevin Kern at the Esplanade Concert Hall in Singapore. In 2009, he has made his debut performance in the US at the John F. Kennedy Center, as one of the 4 recipients of the VSArts International Young Soloists Award. He later received a prize-award invitation to perform at the Carnegie Hall in New York. In April 2010, he performed at the Teatro del Giglo in Japan with the Poland Silesia Philharmonic Orchestra and in June 2010, he returned to Washington DC to perform at the Shakespere Lansburgh Theatre. In July 2011, just prior to his coming over to the US to begin his graduate studies, he performed with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra for President S.R Nathan and the first lady at the Esplanade Concert Hall, as one of Singapore’s President’s Young Performers.
During his undergraduate study, he was placed on the University Dean’s List in 2007/8, 2008/9 and 2010/11. In 2009, he received the National University of Singapore Students Achievement Award for outstanding achievement in the Arts & Culture arena. Azariah hopes to graduate soon with a double Masters in Music degree both in Piano Performance and in Chamber Music from the University of Michigan. In April 2013 Azariah won the 2013 International Piano Competition of the World Piano Teachers Association in the category "Piano Concerto"
