Yao Cong completed his BMus (Hons) at London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama where he studied under the tutelage of Mr. Patrick Harrild, Principal Tuba of the London Symphony Orchestra. His undergraduate studies at the Guildhall School were sponsored by the Loke Cheng-Kim Foundation.

 

Yao Cong’s work as a musician has taken him across the world, performing in numerous festivals, concert series and tours with orchestras including the Singapore Lyric Opera Orchestra, The Philharmonic Orchestra, The Orchestra of the Music Makers, Windstars Ensemble, the International Youth Wind Orchestra, Alzira Spanish Brass Festival, and twice with the Asian Youth Orchestra (2008 and 2011). He has worked under the direction of renowned conductors such as Vasily Petrenko, James Gaffigan, James Macmillan, James Judd, Lim Yau, Leif Segerstam, Ben Gernon, and has collaborated with artists Stefan Jackiw, Spanish Brass and Boston Brass.

 

Currently based in Singapore, Yao Cong is the Orchestra Manager of the Metropolitan Festival Orchestra. As a freelance musician, Yao Cong is a music educator and works with local school bands, freelance orchestras, the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA), School of the Arts Singapore (SOTA) and the Singapore Armed Forces Central Band.

 

To date, Yao Cong has been actively involved in community performances, both in London and Singapore. Previously a representative of the Youth Executive Council, Yao Cong has organised several music platforms and performances with the aim of bringing music to the public. In London, his brass quintet was invited to perform at various events such as the City of London Festival and a series of Chamber Tots workshops at the Wigmore Hall.

 

On disc, Yao Cong’s ensemble made their first CD release with Toccata Classics titled ‘John Gardner – Music for Brass and Organ’ featuring Paul Archibald (trumpet) and Stephen King (organ). He is also involved in the Guildhall Brass Ensemble’s 2013 CD release ‘La Fanfare Wagnerienne – The Extraordinary Lost Collection of Paul Gilson’.

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Yao Cong is currently the Principal Bass of the Lion City Brass Band.