Welcome to the official website of Bernard Tan!
Dr. Bernard Tan holds Doctor of Musical Arts from University of Michigan, USA. He is a pianist, vocal coach, conductor, and music educator based in Malaysia. His work spans from collaborative piano playing to vocal coaching, from piano teaching to opera conducting.
"Gifted with an exemplary piano touch and an admirable physiological setup..."
Robin Bowman, British pianist and vocal coach
MUSIC PERFORMER
Collaborative Pianist
Being a doctoral graduate of the legendary collaborator Martin Katz at University of Michigan, Bernard excels in his ability to collaborate with singers and instrumentalists at a very high level. Constantly in demand for recitals, Bernard enjoys music-making with a variety of musicians, locally and internationally.
Chamber Musician
The art of collaborative piano playing also extends to chamber music for Bernard. He frequently collaborates with musicians in chamber music performances. He enjoys the nature of music-making as an ensemble, where every part plays an important role in making the music complete.
Conductor
Bernard first conducted when he was 16, having gone through conducting workshops for young choir conductors. In the years to come, he has developed his artistry in this area, particularly having tutored by Catalan conductor Oriol Sans in opera conducting when Bernard was residing in the United States.
MUSIC EDUCATOR
Piano Teaching
A highly inspiring piano teacher since he was a teenager, Bernard has shown depth of knowledge in his piano teaching. He emphasises on a natural playing mechanism in building piano technique, which allows freedom for expression, as evident in his own playing. He also coaches pianist on the art of collaborative piano playing as part of the holistic development of a pianist.
Vocal Coaching
As an established vocal coach and opera repetiteur and conductor, Bernard has coached in opera productions in many countries. He is known for his understanding of the styles and interpretations of the various vocal music: German lieder, French melodies, Mozart recitatives, Italian verismo, etc. He is also a known diction coach, famous for his ability to identify and solve diction faults in singing.
Music Lectures & Workshops
Bernard is a well-known music educator, for his engaging and enriching music lectures and workshops. He has spoken in universities, conferences, summer courses, and at other occasions, on various topics from piano technique to vocal literature, from musicianship to opera playing.
Gallery
