Vivien Goh, born in 1948, is the daughter of Singapore’s first pioneering violinist, the late Goh Soon Tioe. Picking up the violin at age six and studying intensively with her father from age 12, she became one of the first Singaporeans to attain the Licentiate of the Royal Schools of Music as a 15 year old. Winning a full scholarship later to the Eastman School of Music in the United States, Goh spent four years training in the United States before returning to Singapore after graduation to teach and conduct, making an indelible mark on the Singapore classical music scene. Goh is best known today for her contributions to music education, notably with the Singapore Youth Orchestra, an organisation she spent 10 years grooming into one of the best youth orchestras in Asia.

As the second child of pioneering Singapore violinist Goh Soon Tioe, Vivien Goh grew up with classical music figuring prominently in her early life. Her father had high hopes for his children, and gave Goh a violin at the age of six. Initially a reluctant learner, she soon grew to master her instrument and two years later, she performed with her father in the Goh Soon Tioe String Orchestra at the Singapore Badminton Hall.

Needless to say, classical music was a family affair for Goh, with her sisters playing the cello and bassoon and her mother occasionally playing the piano. Adding to this, playing in her father’s string orchestra influenced Vivien’s inclinations as a violinist and constant guidance by her father honed her playing skills. Goh became one of the first Singaporeans to attain the Licentiate of the Royal Schools of Music when she was 15.

A top student at the Senior Cambridge Examinations in 1964, Goh eschewed what would have been a successful academic career in pursuit of her love of music. She received a full scholarship to study at the Eastman School of Music, where she worked as a cloakroom assistant so as to attend as many free concerts as she could. While at Eastman, Goh was a leader in her field, playing first violin with the Eastman Honors Quartet. She also became concertmaster of the Eastman School Symphony Orchestra as well as the Eastman Philharmonia, where her concerto performance with Walter Hendl and the Eastman-Rochester Orchestra was broadcast live on Voice of America.

Upon graduating with a Bachelors in Music and a Performer's Certificate in 1969, Goh returned to Singapore and threw herself into teaching. She started her career in music education by giving private violin lessons and also working with the Instrumental Music Programme at the Ministry of Education, conducting group violin lessons in Singapore schools. Continuing to pursue her musical interests outside of teaching, she became conductor of the Goh Soon Tioe String Orchestra in 1975 when her father fell ill.

In 1980, she became the music director and resident conductor of the Singapore Youth Orchestra. In the early days, it was a challenge to find enough musicians to form the orchestra. However, a training programme was established with help from tutors from the newly formed Singapore Symphony Orchestra, and the musicians who went through the programme became the foundation of the Singapore Youth Orchestra today.

In her 10 years with the youth orchestra as its music director and conductor, Goh invested her time heavily with young musicians and groomed the ensemble to become a semi-professional orchestra which went on to give successful concert tours in Italy, the United Kingdom and Australia. Her impact on young musicians and the Singapore Youth Orchestra was such that she was called “the woman who made the Singapore Youth Orchestra what it is today” by The Straits Times in 1989.

In 1983, Goh received the Cultural Medallion for her contributions to music.

Goh has continued to work towards the musical education and betterment of young musicians. She serves as director of Fiddling for Fun, providing ensemble playing experience for young violinists, many of whom have gone on to become professional violinists and active amateur musicians in Singapore.

To honour her father’s memory and achievements, she wrote and published his biography Goh Soon Tioe: One Great Symphony in 1992. This was capped off in 2011 with One Great Symphony: Goh Soon Tioe – Celebrating 100 Years, a concert in which she conducted the Goh Soon Tioe String Orchestra Alumni at the Singapore Chinese Orchestra Concert Hall. The same year, she established the Goh Soon Tioe Outstanding Performer Award at the National Piano and Violin Competition, which bestows the top violinist in the competition a $10,000 award.

Today, Goh continues to teach violin privately to aspiring musicians. She considers her work with young children her calling.