Lin Xiangning
Singapore
Born in Singapore, 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 her Bachelor of Music and Master of Music in Piano Performance degrees at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory, where she currently leads the Creative Curation Team and works as a Teaching Assistant in relation to areas of Singapore Studies and Artistic Research.
Xiangning’s research interest lies in the intersections between cultural history, decolonialism, and literature with 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, themes of wonderment, intimacy, and nature are often explored in her work. She has been involved in the artistic 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 a pianist, she 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 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 includes the 49th AEC Annual Congress and General Assembly: 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).
1. Eye-to-I: A self-guided audio tour (in collab with Esplanade)
https://linxiangning.squarespace.com/eye-to-i
This self-guided audio tour was the first of its kind at Esplanade—Theatres on the Bay, Singapore’s national performing arts centre. Titled “Eye-to-I”, the concept was to create an audio tour that “gave voice” to different sites around Esplanade; through poetry and musical miniatures,tell stories—real weaved with imagined—about each location.
2. Wanderers
https://linxiangning.squarespace.com/wanderers
Premiered at Yong Siew Toh Conservatory's 2022 Voyage Festival, this is an original staging of Vaughan Williams and Maurice Ravel-- a story-telling that incorporates music with movement work and poetry. It tells of the serendipitous encounter of two wayfaring strangers whose fates led to, and eventually apart from, each other.
3. in one day
https://linxiangning.squarespace.com/in-one-day
This is an interdisciplinary collaboration between a pianist, dancer, and theatre practitioner. The concept was to—“in one day”—conceive, create, produce, and perform an experimental production based on Franz Schubert’s Sonata in Bb Major.