Toh Ban Sheng
ICCF
BIO
Starting out essentially as a self-taught musician, former Physics teacher Toh Ban Sheng completed two master’s degrees in Choral Conducting and Voice from the USA with the support of a National Arts Council Bursary. Toh has since come to be recognized as an eminent conductor and music educator with an illustrious track record, having garnered numerous Grands Prix, Category Champions, Jury Prizes and some 80 gold awards at international and national competitions. An active member in the international choral scene, Toh is highly sought-after as an adjudicator, clinician and guest-conductor.
He has also written for the International Choral Bulletin and had his music published in the United States and Europe. Perhaps, the most awarded Singaporean choral conductor with seven Conductor’s Prizes in Europe under his belt and an outstanding pedagogue, he has been invited to adjudicate, conduct, or teach in Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, China, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Italy, Kazakhstan, Korea, Lithuania, Malaysia, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Slovakia, Taiwan and USA.
With Raffles Singers, he proudly presented two concerts at the 11th World Symposium on Choral Music in Barcelona, Spain, and recently won double Grands Prix in Austria and Slovakia.
At home in Singapore, Toh’s choirs have twice won the highest national accolade of Best Choir of the Year Award in consecutive years. He has served as a Music Specialist with the Ministry of Education and part-time lecturer at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory and the National Institute of Education. For many years, he also mentors teachers under the NAC-STAR Artist-Mentor Scheme and sits in panels of review in the National Arts Council.
Among many other notable appointments, he was privileged to conduct an 800-strong National Day Parade Combined Choir at the National Stadium on live telecast. His work as a Chorus Master for Mahler Symphony Nr. 2 and Beethoven Symphony Nr. 9 has won him raved reviews by Straits Times. In recognition of his artistic achievements and contributions in the music arena, Toh was conferred the Young Artist Award in 2006 by the National Arts Council. He currently directs five award-winning choirs in Singapore schools and junior colleges, in addition to directing the Amoris Singers and Raffles Singers. Since 2014, he has been serving as the Artistic Director of International Choral Festival Orientale Concentus held in Singapore.
Two new upcoming international festivals have sought him out as the Artistic Director. His self-titled biography, “The Accidental Conductor”, was published in 2010 and the Choral Series under his name with Earthsongs Music Publication (USA) was launched in 2012.
