Musical Tales of Little-Known Tails

Xiangning is a pianist, artistic researcher, educator, as well as curator and producer of interdisciplinary works. After graduating from the School of the Arts Singapore as the Valedictorian of Class of 2015, Xiangning obtained a Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees in Piano Performance at the Yong Siew Toh (YST) Conservatory, where she currently leads the Creative Curation Team and work as a Teaching Assistant in relation to areas of Singapore Studies and Artistic Research.

Xiangning's research interest lies in the intersections of cultural history, decolonialism, literature, and music, with a focus in Southeast Asia. She is currently pursuing graduate studies in History at the National University of Singapore. Recent conference appearances include the Performing by the Book? Artist-Researchers’ Negotiations Between Text and Context colloquium (2022) at Orpheus Instituut, Ghent, Belgium. Active in interdisciplinary collaborations, Xiangning often explores themes of wonderment, intimacy, and nature in their work. She has been involved in the creative direction, curation, and production of multiple projects, including Springing (2019) and Wanderer (2022) in collaboration with YST, and Eye-to-I: Self-guided audio tour (2021) with Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay as part of Voices – A Festival of Song. As a pianist, Xiangning has collaborated with various local ensembles such as The Opera People (TOP), The Philharmonic Orchestra (TPO) Wind Quintet, and the Orchestra of Music Makers (OMM). As an advocate for greater diversity and inclusivity in the arts, Xiangning is currently a member of the Diversity, Inclusivity and Equality (DIGE) Working Group as part of Association Européenne des Conservatoires (AEC)—Empowering Artists as Makers in Society project. Recent panel invitations on this matter include the Imagining Opportunities for Establishing New Traditions Which Embrace a More Diverse world – Networking beyond Europe (2022), and Association for Asia Pacific Performing Arts Centres (AAPPAC) Conference Future Forward: Notes for the Way Forward (2022).