Kam Ning
Encyclopedia
Kam Ning is a renowned violin
ist and daughter of violinist-composer Kam Kee Yong. Born in Singaporer in 1975, She was given violin
lessons at the age of six by the elder Kam, and had her early education at the Methodist Girls' School
.
In 1987 she received scholarships from the Lee Foundation
and Shaw Foundation to study in the Yehudi Menuhin School
, where she attended lessons and masterclasses conducted by Lord Menuhin
himself and collaborated with him in chamber and orchestral performances at the age of 11. In her second year at the school, she played at the Royal Festival Hall
with the Wren Orchestra of London, and her debut performance to a packed Victoria Concert Hall in Singapore. In 1993, Kam furthered her music education at the Curtis Institute of Music
to study with Jaime Laredo and Yumi Scott and received her Bachelor Degree there. She graduated from the Cleveland Institute of Music
with a Masters of Music Degree and an Artist Diploma in 2001, under the tutelage of Donald Weilerstein.
The young Kam appeared in an episode of the popular British television programme Blue Peter
when she was eight, playing Paganini's Caprice No.5 in a segment featuring students from the Yehudi Menuhin School. In 1990, Kam received the Outstanding Young Artist of the Competition prize in the Royal Over-Seas League Music Competition in Britain and in 1991, she won first prize in the Junior Section of the Folkestone Menuhin International Violin Competition, in Britain. She was awarded the Young Artist Award by the National Arts Council
in 2000. In 2001 her performance took the second place Prix du Gouvernement Fédérale Belge Eugéne Ysaye in the Queen Elisabeth Music Competition
in Belgium
in 2001.
Kam Ning has since performed with many world-class orchestras like the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, the National Orchestra of Belgium
, the Singapore Symphony Orchestra
, the City of London Sinfonia
and the Luxemburg Philharmonic, Malaysian Philharmonic, Helsinki Philharmonic, Toronto Symphony, Singapore Symphony and the National Orchestra of Belgium,just to name a few. In her performance with the Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana
under Menuhin in Switzerland in 1991, she was praised by critics as a "brilliant young violinist from Singapore" for her outstanding performance of Mendelssohn's E-minor Violin Concerto. As an artist who is keen on venturing off the beaten path, she has collaborated with her brother, percussionist Francis Kam, on concert tours in Taiwan, featuring contemporary music including works by their father, Kam Kee Yong.
Kam Ning counts her father Kam Kee Yong, and mentor Yehudi Menuhin as her most important sources of influence. To her, Menuhin remains "the most imaginative man she has ever met" for his repertoire in violin-playing. Her father's strict teaching instilled a sense of discipline in her, as he set high expectations from her.
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
ist and daughter of violinist-composer Kam Kee Yong. Born in Singaporer in 1975, She was given violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
lessons at the age of six by the elder Kam, and had her early education at the Methodist Girls' School
Methodist Girls' School
Methodist Girls' School is a girls' independent school, consisting of two sections - the Primary School and Secondary School, located in Bukit Timah, Singapore. It is affiliated to the Anglo-Chinese School family and the Methodist Church in Singapore...
.
In 1987 she received scholarships from the Lee Foundation
Lee Foundation
Lee Foundation is a charitable foundation in Singapore created to aid "the advancement of education, medicine and cultural activities; helping the poor; and assisting victims of fire, flood and famine", It also funded other philanthropic work...
and Shaw Foundation to study in the Yehudi Menuhin School
Yehudi Menuhin School
The Yehudi Menuhin School is a specialist music school in Surrey, England. It was founded in 1963 by the violinist Yehudi Menuhin.The School also gives pupils the best musical education any specialist schools can with a number of internationally main teachers, Simon Fischer , Natalya Boyarskaya ,...
, where she attended lessons and masterclasses conducted by Lord Menuhin
Yehudi Menuhin
Yehudi Menuhin, Baron Menuhin, OM, KBE was a Russian Jewish American violinist and conductor who spent most of his performing career in the United Kingdom. He was born to Russian Jewish parents in the United States, but became a citizen of Switzerland in 1970, and of the United Kingdom in 1985...
himself and collaborated with him in chamber and orchestral performances at the age of 11. In her second year at the school, she played at the Royal Festival Hall
Royal Festival Hall
The Royal Festival Hall is a 2,900-seat concert, dance and talks venue within Southbank Centre in London. It is situated on the South Bank of the River Thames, not far from Hungerford Bridge. It is a Grade I listed building - the first post-war building to become so protected...
with the Wren Orchestra of London, and her debut performance to a packed Victoria Concert Hall in Singapore. In 1993, Kam furthered her music education at the Curtis Institute of Music
Curtis Institute of Music
The Curtis Institute of Music is a conservatory in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that offers courses of study leading to a performance Diploma, Bachelor of Music, Master of Music in Opera, and Professional Studies Certificate in Opera. According to statistics compiled by U.S...
to study with Jaime Laredo and Yumi Scott and received her Bachelor Degree there. She graduated from the Cleveland Institute of Music
Cleveland Institute of Music
The Cleveland Institute of Music is an independent music conservatory located in the University Circle district of Cleveland, Ohio, United States and is overseen by president Joel Smirnoff and Adrian Daly, dean....
with a Masters of Music Degree and an Artist Diploma in 2001, under the tutelage of Donald Weilerstein.
The young Kam appeared in an episode of the popular British television programme Blue Peter
Blue Peter
Blue Peter is the world's longest-running children's television show, having first aired in 1958. It is shown on CBBC, both in its BBC One programming block and on the CBBC channel. During its history there have been many presenters, often consisting of two women and two men at a time...
when she was eight, playing Paganini's Caprice No.5 in a segment featuring students from the Yehudi Menuhin School. In 1990, Kam received the Outstanding Young Artist of the Competition prize in the Royal Over-Seas League Music Competition in Britain and in 1991, she won first prize in the Junior Section of the Folkestone Menuhin International Violin Competition, in Britain. She was awarded the Young Artist Award by the National Arts Council
National Arts Council Singapore
The National Arts Council of Singapore was established in September 1991 "to nurture the arts and make it an integral part of life in Singapore.-History :...
in 2000. In 2001 her performance took the second place Prix du Gouvernement Fédérale Belge Eugéne Ysaye in the Queen Elisabeth Music Competition
Queen Elisabeth Music Competition
The Queen Elisabeth Music Competition, a founding member of the World Federation of International Music Competitions has been, since its foundation, considered the world over to be one of the most prestigious and most difficult. It is devoted to violin , piano , to composition and to singing...
in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
in 2001.
Kam Ning has since performed with many world-class orchestras like the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, the National Orchestra of Belgium
National Orchestra of Belgium
The Nationaal Orkest van België or Orchestre National de Belgique is the oldest of two major orchestras now in Belgium, along with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Liège....
, the Singapore Symphony Orchestra
Singapore Symphony Orchestra
The Singapore Symphony Orchestra is a 96 members professional symphony orchestra. Its main performing venue is the Esplanade Concert Hall in Singapore although it has also toured widely in Asia, Europe and the United States...
, the City of London Sinfonia
City of London Sinfonia
The City of London Sinfonia is an English chamber orchestra based in London. In London, the CLS performs regularly at Cadogan Hall and St Paul's Cathedral. It is also the resident orchestra at Opera Holland Park. The CLS has annual residencies in four towns in Southern England: Ipswich, King's...
and the Luxemburg Philharmonic, Malaysian Philharmonic, Helsinki Philharmonic, Toronto Symphony, Singapore Symphony and the National Orchestra of Belgium,just to name a few. In her performance with the Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana
Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana
The Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana is a Swiss orchestra based in Lugano. The orchestra's primary concert venue is the Auditorio RSI....
under Menuhin in Switzerland in 1991, she was praised by critics as a "brilliant young violinist from Singapore" for her outstanding performance of Mendelssohn's E-minor Violin Concerto. As an artist who is keen on venturing off the beaten path, she has collaborated with her brother, percussionist Francis Kam, on concert tours in Taiwan, featuring contemporary music including works by their father, Kam Kee Yong.
Kam Ning counts her father Kam Kee Yong, and mentor Yehudi Menuhin as her most important sources of influence. To her, Menuhin remains "the most imaginative man she has ever met" for his repertoire in violin-playing. Her father's strict teaching instilled a sense of discipline in her, as he set high expectations from her.