Samuel Wong
Creative Director / Pipa
Dr. Samuel Wong is a musicologist, cultural leader, and visionary strategist whose work lies at the intersection of heritage, innovation, and social impact. As the Co-Founder and Creative Director of The TENG Company, he has played a transformative role in shaping the organisation into one of Singapore’s most dynamic and respected arts groups. Under his artistic leadership, TENG is recognised as a Major Company with the National Arts Council, and an Associate Member of the National Council of Social Service, reflecting its deep commitment to both excellence and community engagement.
Samuel obtained his PhD in Ethnomusicology from the University of Sheffield in 2009, supported by dual scholarships from the Harry Worthington Foundation and Hokkien Huay Kuan. He was part of the Oxford Cultural Leaders Programme 2025, an initiative by the University of Oxford’s Gardens, Libraries and Museums and Saïd Business School, where he honed his expertise in strategic leadership, innovation, and cultural entrepreneurship, joining an international network of senior cultural executives. His work at TENG is characterised by a deep commitment to music research applied to real-world settings, innovating within tradition, and expanding the role of Chinese music in contemporary society.
He has led a series of pioneering projects at TENG that have redefined how music engages, educates, and uplifts communities, including:
Stories from an Island City (2016): Reviving Singapore’s forgotten lullabies and folksongs through performance and recording.
TENG Gives Back (2018): A social impact initiative bringing live music therapy to hospitals, hospices, and special needs environments.
The Mapletree-TENG Scholarship (2018): Providing music education and mentorship for talented children from underprivileged backgrounds.
The Forefathers Project (2019): Researching and reimagining Singapore’s vanishing dialect-based musical traditions (Hokkien, Teochew, Cantonese), combining scholarship with performance.
Music for Mindfulness (2023): An evidence-based music project integrating binaural beat technology and Chinese instruments to alleviate anxiety and promote mental wellness.
SMRT Train Chimes (2023): Leading the creation of custom train and station chimes to enhance commuter experience and assist the visually impaired.
The Singaporean Composers Series (2024): Commissioning new Chinese instrumental works by Singaporean composers to cultivate a distinctive national musical identity.
Samuel is also a published author of key texts in Chinese music studies, including Impressions of a Pipa Player (2003), QI: An Instrumental Guide to the Chinese Orchestra (2005), and co-author of The TENG Guide to the Chinese Orchestra (2019), which is used in Singapore’s national ‘O’ and ‘A’ Level Music syllabi.
His work has earned him numerous accolades, including The Outstanding Young Persons of Singapore Award (2009), The Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Singapore Foundation’s Culture Award (2009), and the Singapore Institute of Management’s Teaching Excellence Award (2012). In 2021, he was recognised in Prestige Magazine’s "40 under 40" list for his contributions to arts innovation and leadership.
As a sought-after speaker and thought leader, Samuel has delivered keynote lectures and masterclasses at institutions such as Yale-NUS College, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, HKAPA, and the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. Most recently, he was an invited speaker at the Hong Kong Cultural Leadership Summit 2025, sharing insights on arts, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
In addition to his leadership at TENG, Samuel is the founder of Samuel Wong Creatives, a boutique consultancy specialising in performing arts advisory, creative direction, and programming strategy for cultural institutions, festivals, and creative organisations.
Samuel currently serves on the Advisory Panel of the Singapore International Festival of the Arts and is a Council Member of the Singapore Chinese Music Federation. Through both The TENG Company and Samuel Wong Creatives, he continues to champion the role of the arts as a tool for cultural preservation, creative transformation, and community empowerment.