Ding Yi Music Company

Ding Yi Music Company (鼎艺团; previously known as Arts Sphere Chamber Ensemble), is a Singapore-based Chinese chamber music ensemble, founded in 2007. Its musicians include both full-time and part-time members, many of whom trained at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA). The ensemble’s repertoire spans traditional Chinese music, contemporary avant-garde works, and cross-genre collaborations.

Ding Yi has been named "one of Singapore’s most dynamic and successful ensembles".^[1] Their performances have been described as "inspirational and aspirational" and their music "invigorating and inspiring".^[2][3]

Ding Yi Music Company aims to define a “distinct Singapore Chinese chamber music identity,” blending traditional Chinese instrumentation with contemporary sensibilities. Their mission includes promoting and cultivating appreciation for Chinese chamber music among Singaporeans and broader audiences, and bridging classical traditions with modern creativity.

Dr. Tay Teow Kiat, Emeritus Music Director is also the President of the Singapore Chinese Instrumental Music Association. His awards include the Cultural Medallion in 1993 and the Long Service Medal (Education Service) in 1997.^[4]

Tsung Yeh serves as Chief Artistic Mentor of Ding Yi Music Company. He was previously the Music Director of the Singapore Chinese Orchestra, and has been active as a conductor and educator in Singapore and internationally.

Wong De Li Dedric is the Resident Conductor^[5] of Ding Yi Music Company. He is also affiliated with the China Conservatory of Music Middle School Orchestra Class. In 2006, he won first prize in the National Arts Council Chinese Music Competition’s Suona Open Category.^[6]

The ensemble includes several award-winning musicians:

Chua Yew Kok – National Arts Council Young Artist Award 2013^[7]

Low Yik Hang – National Arts Council Arts Scholarship 2012

Yvonne Tay – National Arts Council Arts Scholarship 2015

The company’s operations are managed by a small administrative team, headed by a general manager. Ding Yi’s patron is Tan Choo Leng and its advisor, Grace Fu Hai Yien.^[8]

• Concerts and seasonal series — In 2025/26, Ding Yi launched a season combining tradition and innovation, featuring collaborations and works by both local and international composers, as well as artists such as William Wei and Robert Zhao Renhui.^[9]
• Ding Yi Chinese Chamber Music Festival (SCMF) — Since its inauguration in 2013, the festival has become a major platform for Chinese chamber ensembles globally to perform and exchange ideas, with the summit being live-streamed for the first time in 2022. The 2024 edition featured ensembles from Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, and concluded with a combined-ensemble gala.^[10]
• Composium — A composition competition, symposium and performance festival encouraging new compositions for Chinese chamber ensemble by both local and international composers.^[11]
• Outreach & Community Engagement — Through programmes such as the “Go Local!” and “Music For You” series, as well as outdoor concerts and performances in community clubs and hospitals, Ding Yi brings Chinese chamber music to diverse audiences beyond traditional concert halls.

Their work also extends into innovative formats: in 2021, they created a first-of-its-kind binaural audio experience in the Metaverse as part of a cross-cultural arts initiative and initiated the First Holographic Teresa Teng performance in Singapore, a commission by the National Arts Council as part of Silver Arts 2021.

• 15th Anniversary Score Compilation (2022) — Ding Yi published a compilation of original Chinese chamber music by local and international composers commissioned over the years, including JunYi Chow and Kong Su Leong.
• 2024 Ding Yi Chinese Chamber Music — The festival’s latest edition featured international guest ensembles from Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, Malaysia, and Singapore, culminating in a joint performance directed by festival director Tsung Yeh.
• Innovative Productions — In 2024 Ding Yi presented an instrumental-theatre production of the legend of Hua Mulan, combining music with theatrical storytelling to reach wider, family-friendly audiences.^[12]
• 2025/26 Season “Traversing” — The ensemble opened their 2025/26 season with a concert titled “Traversing,” blending cultural influences and reflecting Singapore’s multicultural identity and its 60 years of independence; critics praised the concert as a bold statement of the ensemble’s evolving artistry.^[13]
• Sustained Public Outreach — Ding Yi has performed in community settings, including public concerts, hospital performances, and cross-cultural collaborations. Its “Disappearing…” series, for example, was reported in The Straits Times as “a timely reminder to celebrate traditional practices”.^[14]

The ensemble conducts various education and outreach initiatives to raise awareness of Chinese chamber music, including collaborations such as the Feed Your Imagination (F.Y.I.) series with Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay.

Ding Yi Music Company has released three albums:

• Fire Phoenix (2011), featuring traditional and contemporary chamber works
• The Oriental Moon (2011), presenting rearrangements of Liang Wern Fook’s compositions
• Storytellers on Ann Siang Road (2016), showcasing commissioned works by composers including Phang Kok Jun, Cao Wen Gong, and Chow JunYi

Ding Yi Music Company has been noted in The Straits Times and other Singapore media for its contributions to the local arts and Chinese cultural landscape, including receiving the Singapore Chinese Cultural Contribution Award in recognition of its work in Chinese music and outreach. ^[15]

Singapore media coverage has highlighted Ding Yi’s engagement with contemporary musical practice and cross‑cultural collaborations, such as initiatives that bring traditional Chinese instruments into dialogue with other music traditions and ensembles. ^[16]

In Lianhe Zaobao, commentators have described the ensemble’s programming as exploring new directions for Chinese chamber music, particularly through thoughtfully curated music seasons celebrating heritage, innovation, and cultural exchange.^[17]

Reviews and features in Lianhe Zaobao have also discussed individual concerts that juxtapose traditional Chinese instrumentation with broader artistic themes and contemporary repertoire, illustrating Ding Yi’s role in expanding the reach of Chinese chamber music. ^[18]