SAMUEL PHUA

Hailed as "Singaporean Saxophone Extraordinaire" by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, Samuel Phua 潘培铭 is a recipient of the Singapore National Arts Council Arts Scholarship (Undergraduate) 2017. He graduated from the Sibelius Academy, Helsinki, with a Bachelor of Music Degree with minors in Performance Coaching, Chamber Music, Improvisation and Pedagogy under the tutelage of Joonatan Rautiola.  ​

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Samuel has performed as a soloist with Singapore's top orchestras and bands, including the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra of the Music Makers, Braddell Heights Symphony Orchestra, The Philharmonic Winds, Singapore Wind Symphony and Ventus Music. He has performed with the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra as a finalist in the 2020 "Classic Winds" International Saxophone and Clarinet Competition and clinched 4th place in the Asia Pacific Saxophone Competition 2019.

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As a chamber musician, Samuel co-founded the Xin Saxophone Quartet and was the artistic director of the Protégé Saxophone Ensemble (2015-2017).

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As an educator, he is currently a band instructor and saxophone tutor in many local and international schools in Singapore. He has taught many students through masterclasses in Europe and Asia and was the saxophone instructor in the International School of Music in Helsinki (2018-2020). 

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During his studies in the Sibelius Academy, he took to body movement courses such as Yoga, Pilates, Alexander technique and Body Mapping. These courses are essential to musicians because musicians can easily be injured without understanding the anatomy and the limits of the body while playing intensively on a musical instrument. Looking to deepen his practice and knowledge of yoga, he underwent a 200-hour teacher training course with Yoga Mala and incorporates aspects of these somatic lessons in his teachings. 

 

Samuel has represented Singapore at numerous international music events, such as the World Saxophone Congress, Asia Pacific Saxophone Academy (APSA), Arosa Music Academy.