Lim Soon Lay

Malaysia

Erhu Examiner

Lim Soon Lay started her musical journey by studying western music theory, played the Piano and Violin since elementary school. During her high school, she often joined the domestic and international tour performances with the Penang Symphony Orchestra. In 1992, She was selected by the Ministry of Culture, representing Malaysia to Brunei to participate in the East Asian Youth Music Camp. She admitted herself to Shanghai Conservatory of Music for Violin and Erhu studies in 1993 and successfully entered the Erhu major of the folk music department in 1994. Before furthering her studies abroad, she received a Performer’s Certificate in Piano and Violin from Trinity College of Music.

In 1998, Lim graduated from Shanghai Conservatory of Music in China with Bachelor’s Degree with honors and was named by the China State Education Commission as the most outstanding foreign student, which then gave her a full scholarship to continue pursue a Master’s Degree in Chinese Orchestra Conducting and graduated in 2000.

In 1992, she won the Malaysian National Chinese Music bowed string instrument’s solo championship. In 1995, she achieved the first place for Erhu in the Freedom Cup International Competition for Traditional Chinese Instrument Solos held in Beijing. In 2007, she won the award of excellent commendations at the China Beijing International Music Team Tournament. Successively in 1998, Lim gave public Erhu solo recitals in Shanghai and in 2000, she was given the honor to conduct the renowned Shanghai Chinese Orchestra.

In recent years, Lim has been active in the international music scene. She has visited China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, the UK, Singapore and Brunei to participate in international festivals, music forums, being an adjudicator in music competitions and held public performances. Also in 2007 and 2013, she has won the Malaysian Women’s Weekly Magazine’s “Outstanding Contemporary Women Award” and Malaysia’s Jessica Magazine awarded her the “JESSICA Most Successful Woman Award”. Lim entered the “Who’s Who in Malaysia in the next century” and “Who’s Who in Malaysia Golden Jubilee” under the history, arts and music category.