Faculties

A Symphony Of Talents, Today And Tomorrow

People are at the heart of everything we do. Our students, alumni, faculty and staff are our driving force for excellence as we strive to nurture musical and creative talents of tomorrow. Passionate and full of potential, our students can count on us to be the bridge between them and their dreams. Our faculty, experts in the fields and with decades of expertise from across the world, are dedicated to nurture the next generations of talents. And our staff – the chords that bind us all together – from admissions to partnerships and the little things that keep us going.

Professor Greg Whateley

Chairman for Academic & Examination Board | Emeritus Professor of UBSS

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Adj Professor Andy Wong

Vice-Chairman for Academic & Examination Board
Hitmaker Global Academy

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Professor Ian Bofinger

Academic & Examination board | Executive Dean of AMPA

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Nelson Kwei

Academic & Examination Board
Founder & Director | Konzert Choral

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Mr Shawn Kok

Academic & Examination board | AEB Hitmaker Global Academy

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Our Leadership

Andy Wong

Executive Dean & Director

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Chang Hong

CEO

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Jeff Miyahara

Chief Creative Officer

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Mr Darrell Ang

Honorary Dean

Ms Kelly Wee

General Manager & Management Representative

Mr Nic Lee

COO, Hitmaker Records

Our Faculty

Chong Hsien Xian

AVID Certified Instructor, Music Production Instructor at Hitmaker Global Academy

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Christine Sham

Lecturer at Hitmaker Global Academy

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Colin Yong Boon Cheok

Senior Lecturer at Hitmaker Global Academy

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Daryl Tay Wen Qiang

Lecturer at Hitmaker Global Academy

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Eric Wong Hock Ling

Vice Dean at Hitmaker Global Academy

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Eugene Seow

Academy Manager at Hitmaker Global Academy

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Fabian Lim Yong Liang

Senior Lecturer at Hitmaker Global Academy

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John Stephen Sharpley

Senior Lecturer at Hitmaker Global Academy

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Junior Tan

AVID Certified Instructor, Vocal & Music Production Instructor at Hitmaker Global Academy

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Matthew Siew

Avid Certified Instructor, Senior lecturer and Talent Development Director

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Ng Sok Wah

Programme Manager & Avid Certified Instructor at Hitmaker Global Academy

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Shawn Kok

Academic & Examination Board member at Hitmaker Global Academy

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Wilson Ong

Vice Dean at Hitmaker Global Academy

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Colin Yong Boon Cheok | Bachelor of Arts, National University of Singapore

Senior Lecturer | Part-Time

Accelerated Foundation Programme in Music and Creative Arts	Private Instruction
	Ensemble
	Sibelius Notation
	Contemporary Music Arrangement I
Diploma in Music Teaching	Private Instructions (Optional)
	Ensemble + Performance Style and Appreciation
	Sibelius Notation
	Capstone Project
Diploma in Songwriting and Music Production	Performance Studies (Selective Options – Keyboard Skills, Guitar, Drum, Bass)
Diploma in Songwriting and Music Production	Sibelius Notation
Diploma in Music Composition for Film and TV	Performance Studies (Selective Options – Keyboard Skills, Guitar, Drum, Bass)
Diploma in Music Composition for Film and TV	Sibelius Notation

Chang Hong | Post-Grad in Music Performance, Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, NUS

Principal & CEO | Full-Time

Accelerated Foundation Programme in Music and Creative Arts	Private Instruction
	Ensemble
	Global Experience Workshop (GEX)
Diploma in Music Teaching	Private Instructions (Optional)
	Ensemble + Performance Style and Appreciation
	Global Experience Workshop (GEX)
	Capstone Project
Diploma in Songwriting and Music Production	Global Experience Workshop (GEX)
Diploma in Music Composition for Film and TV	Global Experience Workshop (GEX)

Chong Hsien Xian | Bachelor of Creative Technology, JMC Academy

Lecturer | Part-Time

Accelerated Foundation Programme in Music and Creative Arts	Contemporary Music Arrangement I
Diploma in Music Teaching	Private Instructions (Optional)
	Music and Audio Production and Post-Production
	Capstone Project
Diploma in Songwriting and Music Production	Songwriting I, II & III
	Music Production I, II & III
	K-Pop Specialised Course
	EDM Specialised Course
Diploma in Music Composition for Film and TV	Cubase Fundamental

Daryl Tay Wen Qiang | Diploma in Mass Communication, Ngee Ann Polytechnic

Lecturer | Part-Time

Accelerated Foundation Programme in Music and Creative Arts	Private Instruction
Diploma in Music Teaching	Private Instructions (Optional)
Diploma in Music Teaching	Capstone Project
Diploma in Songwriting and Music Production	Performance Studies (Selective Options – Keyboard Skills, Guitar, Drum, Bass)
Diploma in Music Composition for Film and TV	Performance Studies (Selective Options – Keyboard Skills, Guitar, Drum, Bass)

Fabian Lim Yong Liang | Master of Education (Music), Nanyang Technological University

Senior Lecturer | Part-Time

Accelerated Foundation Programme in Music and Creative Arts	Private Instruction
	Tonal Theory I
	Contemporary Theory I
	Tonal Solfège I
	Contemporary Ear Training I
	Nomenclature I & II
	Contemporary Music Arrangement I
	Music History \| The Middle Ages to Classical
	Music History \| Beethoven to Bernstein
Advanced Certificate in Music Teaching	Performance Style and Music Appreciation (Jazz/Contemporary)
	Accelerated Tonal/Contemporary Harmony
	Accelerated Tonal Solfège/Contemporary for Ear Training
	Accelerated Nomenclature
Diploma in Music Teaching	Private Instructions (Optional)
	Tonal and Contemporary Theory
	Ear Training
	Music Analysis
	Music History \| Beethoven to Bernstein
	Music History \| The Birth of Jazz & Popular Music
	Capstone Project
Diploma in Songwriting and Music Production	Performance Studies (Selective Options – Keyboard Skills, Guitar, Drum, Bass)
	Tonal Theory
	Contemporary Theory
	Tonal Solfège
	Contemporary Ear Training
	Music History \| Beethoven to Bernstein
	Music History \| The Birth of Jazz & Popular Music
Diploma in Music Composition for Film and TV	Performance Studies (Selective Options – Keyboard Skills, Guitar, Drum, Bass)
	Tonal Theory
	Contemporary Theory
	Tonal Solfège
	Contemporary Ear Training
	Music History \| Beethoven to Bernstein
	Music History \| The Birth of Jazz & Popular Music

Junior Tan | Diploma in Music Production & Audio Engineering, Orita Sinclair

Lecturer | Part-Time

Accelerated Foundation Programme in Music and Creative Arts	Private Instruction
	Ensemble
Diploma in Music Teaching	Private Instructions (Optional)
	Capstone Project
Diploma in Songwriting and Music Production	Performance Studies (Selective Options – Keyboard Skills, Guitar, Drum, Bass)
	Songwriting I, II & III
	Music Production I, II & III
Diploma in Music Composition for Film and TV	Performance Studies (Selective Options – Keyboard Skills, Guitar, Drum, Bass)
	Cubase Fundamental

John Stephen Sharpley | Doctor of Musical Arts, Boston University

Senior Lecturer | Part-Time

Accelerated Foundation Programme in Music and Creative Arts	Private Instruction
Advanced Certificate in Music Teaching	Accelerated Nomenclature
Advanced Certificate in Music Teaching	Theoretical and Culture Applications in Music Education: An Introduction
Diploma in Music Teaching	Private Instructions (Optional)
	Music Analysis
	Theoretical and Culture Applications in Music Education: An Introduction
	Music Education Pedagogy, E-Pedagogy and Facilitation
	Music History \| Beethoven to Bernstein
	Music History \| The Birth of Jazz & Popular Music
	Capstone Project
Diploma in Songwriting and Music Production	Music History \| Beethoven to Bernstein
Diploma in Songwriting and Music Production	Music History \| The Birth of Jazz & Popular Music
Diploma in Music Composition for Film and TV	Music History \| Beethoven to Bernstein
Diploma in Music Composition for Film and TV	Music History \| The Birth of Jazz & Popular Music

Kok Wai Heng Shawn | Master of Music Education, Boston University

Academic & Examination Board Member | Part-Time

Accelerated Foundation Programme in Music and Creative Arts	Private Instruction
	Ensemble
	Performance Style and Music Appreciation
Advanced Certificate in Music Teaching	Performance Style and Music Appreciation (Jazz/Contemporary)
	Introduction to the Learning Theories and the Psychology & Sociology of Learning
	Theoretical and Culture Applications in Music Education: An Introduction
	Music Education Pedagogy, E-Pedagogy and Facilitation
Diploma in Music Teaching	Private Instructions (Optional)
	Ensemble + Performance Style and Appreciation
	Introduction to the Learning Theories and the Psychology & Sociology of Learning
	Theoretical and Culture Applications in Music Education: An Introduction
	Music Education Pedagogy, E-Pedagogy and Facilitation
	Capstone Project
Diploma in Songwriting and Music Production	Performance Studies (Selective Options – Keyboard Skills, Guitar, Drum, Bass)
Diploma in Songwriting and Music Production	Performance Style and Music Appreciation
Diploma in Music Composition for Film and TV	Performance Studies (Selective Options – Keyboard Skills, Guitar, Drum, Bass)
Diploma in Music Composition for Film and TV	Performance Style and Music Appreciation

Ng Sok Wah | Bachelor of Music Studies, University of Sydney

Programme Manager | Full-Time

Accelerated Foundation Programme in Music and Creative Arts	Private Instruction
Accelerated Foundation Programme in Music and Creative Arts	Sibelius Notation
Diploma in Music Teaching	Private Instructions (Optional)
	Sibelius Notation
	Effective Communication & Language I & II
	Capstone Project
Diploma in Songwriting and Music Production	Sibelius Notation
Diploma in Music Composition for Film and TV	Sibelius Notation

Ong Chok Yen Wilson | Master of Music, Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, NUS

Vice Dean | Part-Time

Accelerated Foundation Programme in Music and Creative Arts	Private Instruction
	Ensemble
	Tonal Solfège I
Advanced Certificate in Music Teaching	Accelerated Nomenclature
Diploma in Music Teaching	Private Instructions (Optional)
	Ensemble + Performance Style and Appreciation
	Ear Training
	Capstone Project
Diploma in Songwriting and Music Production	Tonal Solfège
Diploma in Music Composition for Film and TV	Tonal Solfège
Diploma in Music Composition for Film and TV	Contemporary Ear Training

Poh Qingle | Diploma in Music & Audio Technology, Singapore Polytechnic

Lecturer | Part-Time

Accelerated Foundation Programme in Music and Creative Arts	Private Instruction
Accelerated Foundation Programme in Music and Creative Arts	Contemporary Music Arrangement I
Diploma in Music Teaching	Private Instructions (Optional)
	Music and Audio Production and Post-Production
	Capstone Project
Diploma in Songwriting and Music Production	Performance Studies (Selective Options – Keyboard Skills, Guitar, Drum, Bass)
	Songwriting I, II & III
	Music Production I, II & III
	Pop Specialised Course
Diploma in Music Composition for Film and TV	Performance Studies (Selective Options – Keyboard Skills, Guitar, Drum, Bass)
Diploma in Music Composition for Film and TV	Logic Fundamental

Sham Sze Ting | Bachelor of Music, Berklee College of Music

Senior Lecturer | Part-Time

Accelerated Foundation Programme in Music and Creative Arts	Private Instruction
Accelerated Foundation Programme in Music and Creative Arts	Contemporary Music Arrangement I
Diploma in Music Teaching	Private Instructions (Optional)
	Music and Audio Production and Post-Production
	Capstone Project
Diploma in Songwriting and Music Production	Performance Studies (Selective Options – Keyboard Skills, Guitar, Drum, Bass)
	Songwriting I, II & III
	Music Production I, II & III
	K-Pop Specialised Course
	Pop Specialised Course
Diploma in Music Composition for Film and TV	Performance Studies (Selective Options – Keyboard Skills, Guitar, Drum, Bass)
	Logic Fundamental
	Scoring for Film and TV I, II & III

Seow Youjing Eugene | Master of Music, Queens College

Academic Manager | Full-Time

Accelerated Foundation Programme in Music and Creative Arts	Private Instruction
	Tonal Theory I
	Contemporary Theory I
	Tonal Solfège I
	Contemporary Ear Training I
	Nomenclature I & II
Advanced Certificate in Music Teaching	Performance Style and Music Appreciation (Jazz/Contemporary)
	Accelerated Tonal/Contemporary Harmony
	Accelerated Tonal Solfège/Contemporary for Ear Training
	Accelerated Nomenclature
Diploma in Music Teaching	Private Instructions (Optional)
	Tonal and Contemporary Theory
	Ear Training
	Music Analysis
	Physical Training & Discipline
	Capstone Project
Diploma in Songwriting and Music Production	Performance Studies (Selective Options – Keyboard Skills, Guitar, Drum, Bass)
	Tonal Theory
	Contemporary Theory
	Tonal Solfège
	Contemporary Ear Training
Diploma in Music Composition for Film and TV	Performance Studies (Selective Options – Keyboard Skills, Guitar, Drum, Bass)
	Tonal Theory
	Contemporary Theory
	Tonal Solfège
	Contemporary Ear Training

Siew Renhao Matthew | Bachelor of Creative Industries, Queenland University of Technology

Senior Lecturer | Part-Time

Accelerated Foundation Programme in Music and Creative Arts	Private Instruction
	Ensemble
	Sibelius Notation
	Global Experience Workshop (GEX)
Advanced Certificate in Music Teaching	Performance Style and Music Appreciation (Jazz/Contemporary)
Diploma in Music Teaching	Private Instructions (Optional)
	Ensemble + Performance Style and Appreciation
	Sibelius Notation
	Global Experience Workshop (GEX)
	Capstone Project
Diploma in Songwriting and Music Production	Performance Studies (Selective Options – Keyboard Skills, Guitar, Drum, Bass)
	Performance Style and Music Appreciation
	Sibelius Notation
	Global Experience Workshop (GEX)
Diploma in Music Composition for Film and TV	Performance Studies (Selective Options – Keyboard Skills, Guitar, Drum, Bass)
	Performance Style and Music Appreciation
	Sibelius Notation
	Global Experience Workshop (GEX)

Wong Hock Ling | Bachelor in Psychology, SIM University

Vice Dean | Part-Time

Accelerated Foundation Programme in Music and Creative Arts	Private Instruction
Diploma in Music Teaching	Private Instructions (Optional)
	Music and Audio Production and Post-Production
	Capstone Project
Diploma in Songwriting and Music Production	Performance Studies (Selective Options – Keyboard Skills, Guitar, Drum, Bass)
Diploma in Music Composition for Film and TV	Performance Studies (Selective Options – Keyboard Skills, Guitar, Drum, Bass)

Our Students and Alumni

Mei Song

Associate Professor at Sichuan Conservatory of Music |
Continuous Education & Professional Studies (CET) with Hitmaker

Ping Yuan

Professor of Shanghai Conservatory of Music | Jazz and Music Production with Hitmaker

Yang Tingting

Tingting is one shining example of many of our success stories – this young talent trained with us in the clarinet, classical and jazz piano…

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Zhang Li

Liuqin Instructor at Hitmaker Global Academy | Continuous Education & Professional Studies (CET) with Hitmaker

Professor Greg Whateley

Chairman for Academic & Examination Board | Emeritus Professor of UBSS

Professor Whateley completed a Diploma of Teaching (with majors in Music and Psychology), a Bachelor of Education (Curriculum Design and Development), a Bachelor of Music Education (with a music education focus), a Graduate Diploma in Educational Administration (with a focus on Organisational Behaviour), a Master of Education (Assessment and Evaluation) and a Doctorate in Virtual Pedagogy. Throughout his teaching career he has maintained a keen interest in how and why people learn.

Dr Whateley began his teaching career (1975 – 1988) in the area of music and arts education at both primary and secondary level. He has taught at every level of formal education (K – PhD) and has either, taught and/or researched, in four States and five Countries.

He commenced his work in the tertiary sector at the University of Tasmania in Hobart (1989-90) as a Lecturer in Music Education. He moved to Griffith University on the Gold Coast (1991-1999) as a Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Music Education. He served as Head of School - Arts and during that time managed the Film and Television Music post- graduate awards at the University and the Queensland Conservatorium of Music where he also served as Deputy Dean (External Relations). He became Associate Professor and Director of the Central Queensland Conservatorium of Music (2000-2003) where he co-founded (with Professor Ian Bofinger) Australia’s first ‘Virtual Conservatorium’. He also held the position of Head of School - Arts and Manager, Business Initiatives in the Faculty of Education and Creative Arts.

He took the position of General Manager and Professorial Head of School at the Australian Institute of Music (2004 – mid 2005). He also held the position of Senior Visiting Fellow at the College of Fine Arts, University of New South Wales (2006 - 2008) and Director of Education and Quality at the National Centre for Language Training (an International Centre of Excellence at the University of New South Wales) from mid 2005 to end 2008. Greg held the position of Senior Visiting Fellow at Wesley Institute (2005- 2011) where he chaired the Academic Board and managed the Master of Music program (Arts Management strand). In 2008 Greg was appointed Principal of the Australian International Conservatorium of Music. He was also Consulting Chair of Arts Management at the Sydney Opera House in association with the Australian Institute of Music. In 2011, Greg accepted the post of Deputy Dean at UWSCollege, University of Western Sydney and later became the Dean of The College (Western Sydney University). For seven+ years Greg was the Chair of the Academic Board at the Australian Institute of Music (AIM)

Greg’s teaching areas include Teaching Pedagogy, Human Behaviour, Organisational Leadership, Organisational Behaviour, Critical Management, Qualitative Research Methodology and Music History & Form.

Professor Greg Whateley is currently Executive Dean at UBSS (Group Colleges of Australia) researching and writing in the areas of Quality Management and eQuality and teaching in the areas of Management and Leadership. He is author of more than 250 external publications and advises in the areas of accreditation, quality assurance, government reporting, eLearning, mLearning and bLearning. He is currently a Member of the Editorial Board for the International Journal of Innovation, Creativity and Change; a Reviewer for the British Educational Research Journal, a Member of the Academic Board of the Asia Pacific International College (Sydney/Melbourne), a Member of the Academic Board of the Australasian College of Health and Wellness (Sydney), Chair of the Academic Senate of UBSS and Director, Group Colleges Australia. Greg is also a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management.

Adj Professor Andy Wong

Vice-Chair for Academic & Examination Board Hitmaker Global Academy

A visionary leader with a flair for harmonizing creativity and business acumen. Through pioneering initiatives in the music and educational sectors, Andy has consistently showcased an innate ability to foresee industry trends and craft transformative strategies. His passion and dedication are evident in every endeavor, making him a force to be reckoned with in the creative and business worlds alike With over 15 years in education, Andy's impact began as the transformative Principal of Singapore Raffles Music College (2008- 2016), where he seamlessly combined traditional pedagogy with innovative learning methods.

This blend later evolved into the revolutionary Hitmaker methodology in 2015, co-founded alongside music luminary Jeff Miyahara. By 2018, their vision gave birth to the Hitmaker Global Academy, which under Andy's leadership, integrated expertise from Grammy Award-winning professionals into its curriculum. Venturing into e-commerce between 2016-2018, Andy showcased his adaptability with the rise of See Chic, a pioneering online optometry platform recognized by Euromonitor for its disruptive presence.

Today, the academy stands as a testament to Andy's vision, having secured multiple accolades like the SME100 award. A sought-after guest lecturer and an alumnus of the University of Manchester, his continued leadership at Hitmaker and other initiatives underscores his commitment to reshaping global creative arts education. With his ability to infuse industry-leading expertise into educational blueprints, Andy Wong has set Hitmaker Global Academy on a trajectory of unparalleled success in music and arts education. Andy Wong, celebrated for his groundbreaking contributions to music education and business innovation, has recently assumed esteemed roles as Adjunct Professor at Universal Business School Sydney (UBSS) and Fellow at the Centre of Scholarship and Research. These accolades echo Andy's unwavering commitment to excellence in both education and the global creative arts sector.

With over 15 years in education, Andy's impact began as the transformative Principal of Singapore Raffles Music College (2008- 2016), where he seamlessly combined traditional pedagogy with innovative learning methods. This blend later evolved into the revolutionary Hitmaker methodology in 2015, co-founded alongside music luminary Jeff Miyahara. By 2018, their vision gave birth to the Hitmaker Global Academy, which under Andy's leadership, integrated expertise from Grammy Award-winning professionals into its curriculum. Venturing into e-commerce between 2016-2018, Andy showcased his adaptability with the rise of See Chic, a pioneering online optometry platform recognized by Euromonitor for its disruptive presence. Today, the academy stands as a testament to Andy's vision, having secured multiple accolades like the SME100 award. A sought-after guest lecturer and an alumnus of the University of Manchester, his continued leadership at Hitmaker and other initiatives underscores his commitment to reshaping global creative arts education. With his ability to infuse industry-leading expertise into educational blueprints, Andy Wong has set Hitmaker Global Academy on a trajectory of unparalleled success in music and arts education.

Professor Ian Bofinger

Academic & Examination board | Executive Dean of AMPA

Professor Ian Bofinger has had a diverse career in music, combining his background in performance (violoncello solo, chamber music and orchestral), management and blended learning education design.

Ian commenced his professional career as a Lecturer in ‘Cello at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music (Griffith University) in 1998, whilst working with the Queensland Symphony and Queensland Philharmonic Orchestras. In 1991, Ian moved to the Central Queensland Conservatorium of Music where he ultimately became Deputy Director (2002-2005) and foundation ‘cellist of the Lyrebird Trio. During this time he completed his Doctoral Studies where he co-founded (with Greg Whateley) Australia’s first ‘Virtual Conservatorium’.

In 2005, Ian relocated to Sydney to take up the position of Deputy Dean and Head, Academic Studies and Information Services at the Australian Institute of Music (AIM). The original requirements of this position at AIM were to update three of the weakest and maligned areas at the Institute – Academic Studies, Information Technology and the Library. The opportunity to step outside of the music discipline came in early 2009 when Ian became Manager, TEL (Technology Enhanced Learning) at the University of Western Sydney College. Later in 2009, Ian returned to the Australian Institute of Music to take up his current position as Executive Dean. In the 6 years from 2009 - 2015, Ian has been instrumental in the rapid growth and development of AIM to become the largest music school in the southern hemisphere. In this time, AIM more than doubled its campus size, income and student numbers. Ian also designed and implemented a second major campus of AIM, which was operational in the CBD of Melbourne at the beginning of 2014.

Ian is currently the Executive Dean and CEO at the Australian Academy of Music and Performing Arts (AMPA). The Academy of Music and Performing Arts (AMPA) is one of Australia's leading tertiary providers of performing arts education. Educating and inspiring young artists for over 20 years, AMPA remains committed to providing the highest quality in undergraduate and postgraduate degrees focussing on the performing arts, including contemporary, jazz and classical music, dance performance (modern, ballet, jazz, contemporary and hip hop), music theatre, composition/music production and arts management.

Nelson Kwei

Academic & Examination Board Founder & Director | Konzert Choral

Nelson Kwei, the premier choral director of Singapore, is an international acclaimed conductor, conservatorium lecturer, editorial advisor, international adjudicator, music arranger and vocal clinician in the music scene. He is a Fellow from the London College of Music, has a Licentiate in singing from the Guildhall School of Music and Advance Post-Graduate in Choral Conducting from the Royal Academy of Music (London). In 2013, Nelson was specially elected to receive the Associateship from the Royal Academy of Music for his outstanding achievements in choral music. He currently holds the record in Singapore of garnering an unprecedented 254 gold, distinction awards and champion titles for Singapore. In 2018, Nelson led the NUSChoir to win the “Choir Of The World Award – Pavarotti Trophy” in the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod becoming the first and only Singapore choir to achieve this honour.

A familiar figure in the local choral scene, Nelson started conducting at the tender age of 10 when he was selected to direct his school harmonica band, symphonic band and choir. It was the start of an illustrious career. As a student, he went on to conduct and sing for the Anglican High School Choir, the Temasek Junior College Choir and the National University of Singapore Choir. Upon graduation in 1985, he founded and conducted the Victoria Junior College Choir and Varsity Choral Ensemble.

In June 1990, the VJC Choir made history in the local music scene by being the first school choir to win an international choir competition at the Welsh Eisteddfod. Nelson’s conducting style and interpretation of music were highly commended by the distinguished panel of judges. Since then, He has led the Victoria Chorale, the Tampines Junior College Choir, The Amadeus Choral Society, the Victoria School Choir, the Catholic High School Choir and the Dunman High School Choir to clinch top prizes at international choral competitions such as Bournemouth Musicmakers International Competition Festival, Riva Del Garda Concorso Corale Internazionale, Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod , International Choral Competition at Pohlhelm, Germany, Mendelssohn-Bartholdy International Choral Competition, Germany, Choir Olympic 2000, Austria, Hawaii International Choir Competition Festival and Pacific Basin Music Festival.

Nelson was also the first choral scholar from Singapore. He was awarded the prestigious scholarship in 1990 by the Ministry of Education resulting in a Certificate of Advanced Studies in Choral Conducting Studies for the Post-Graduate from the Royal Academy of Music in London. Upon his return, he was appointed as a Choral Project Officer with the ECA Centre, Ministry of Education. During his service with the Ministry of Education, Nelson had conducted many choral workshops for choir teachers and took charge of many national projects.

In 1993, Nelson was honoured with the “Singapore Youth Award”, the highest accolades for youths in Singapore, in recognition of his significant contribution in the field of choral art. In 1999, he was awarded with the “Culture Award” by the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry and in 2001, the Rotary Club honoured him as the “Ambassador of the Arts” for Singapore. In 2011, COMPASS Singapore has awarded Nelson with the prestigious "Meritorious Award" in view of his outstanding artistic achievement and contribution to the nation.

On the international level, Nelson won the prestigious “Outstanding Choral Director Award” 2 years in a row at the International Choral Competition in Germany, 1998 and 1999 and also the “Best Conductor Award” at the Petr Eben International Choral Competition in 2002 and 2004 in Prague. Between 2006 and 2008, he has led his choirs to 8 Gold Medals including 3 Choir Olympic Champions in the World Choir Games held in Bremen, Germany & Xiamen, China. His choir was also the first Asian choir to win the Grand Prize & Audience Prize at the prestigious Concorso Corale Internazionale held in Riva Del Garda, Italy. In 2008, he was also conferred the “Conductor Prize” in the 10th edition of the internationally-acclaimed choral competition.

In 2012, Nelson was once again presented with his 6th conducting prize in the 28th Franz-Schubert Choir Competition held in Vienna, Austria where he led Victoria Junior College Choir to attain 4 Gold awards and 2 Category Champion prizes. In 2013, he led the National University of Singapore Choir to achieve an unprecedented result of three 1st Prizes in the oldest choral competition in the world, the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod held in Wales, UK. Recently in 2015, he led the Victoria Junior College Choir to 4 Category Champion awards in Hoi An, Vietnam, cementing our nation’s status in the international choral arena.

In July 2016, Nelson and the NUS Choir were invited to participate in the Taipei International Choral Festival and also to perform in the National Concert Hall, the first choir from Singapore to be invited to this prestigious event. During the festival, Nelson also gave a lecture on Southeast Asian Choral Music for the participating conductors from around Asia. In December 2016, Nelson gave a special choral music interpretation workshop for the teachers at the Hong Kong Children’s Choir.

Presently, he is the Artistic Director of the “Singapore Choral Festival”, “A Voyage of Songs” and “Asia Cantate”, both are prominent international choral competitions and "Jubilate, Festival of Choirs".

Nelson is also invited as both clinician and adjudicator in many top international choral festivals and competitions including the World Choir Games Series. Currently, he is the conductor of many schools, colleges, university and semi-professional choirs in Singapore that has won numerous national and international accolades.

Shawn Kok

Academic & Examination Board member at Hitmaker Global Academy

Also known as “turbochicken”, Shawn Kok is a Singaporean drummer, sound designer, lecturer, and edupreneur. Having marinated in the music and entertainment industries in various capacities for over two decades, and trained in media, Shawn is known as a bilingual, comb-shaped arts practitioner and educator whose expertise maps reliably across music performance and education, music and audio technology, digital media, and higher education.

Shawn began his professional practice as a drummer in 1999, and has performed at numerous high-profile events, including SPOP 2018 finals and Marina Barrage’s 10th anniversary celebration. He has recorded percussion for Mediacorp drama serials and films, including the theme song for “When Ghost Meets Zombie” starring Nathan Hartono. A Tycoon percussion artist, Shawn is the principal pop percussion instructor for LOPSCA Studios (Shanghai, China) and a curriculum consultant for 鹏客音乐 in Zhangzhou, China.

Shawn’s teaching career took off in 2008, when his YouTube videos gained traction. Garnering over millions of views globally for his Western-adapted hand drum methods, Shawn is one of the Internet’s most recognisable contemporary percussion teachers today. In 2018, he started his own contemporary percussion online school in China, teaching over 3,000 people in this format.

Today, Shawn holds numerous positions in education. He is an Academic & Examination Board member and tutor at Hitmaker Global Academy, and teaches at institutions including Lasalle College of the Arts, Republic Polytechnic, Singapore Media Academy, and National Institute of Education Singapore.

Andy Wong

Executive Director

Andy Wong is one with a passion for education, and a good eye for business. Active in the education scene for over 15 years, he is no stranger to helping students find and become the best versions of themselves.

He was principal of Singapore Raffles Music Junior College from 2008 to 2016, where he provided leadership in wide-ranging aspects of school operations. In 2016, he was heavily involved in the e-commerce sector, where he was in charge of developing a fully automated e-business platform that included marketing, operations, finance and data analysis.

Later, his work with See Chic, an online optometry services platform, was published in the Euromonitor as the up-and-rising disruptor in the online distribution channel. In 2018, he, together with Jeff Miyahara and Chang Hong co-founded Hitmaker Global Academy, with the aim of nurturing talents of tomorrow.

Today, Andy continues his passion for teaching in areas of business and music while helping to build up Hitmaker’s reputation as one of the region’s most established schools.

Chang Hong

Principal and CEO

Chang Hong graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree with Honours in Clarinet in 2007 and achieved the Dean‘s List at YST. She pursued further as a postgraduate and attained a Master’s Degree in Clarinet Performance at YST and Peabody. She has performed with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra and is a member of Singapore Lyric Opera. Chang Hong has years of experience organising international music festivals such as the International Solo & Ensemble Competition with more than 300 participants, study performance tours at prominent locations such as the Esplanade in Singapore and Min-On Concert Association in Japan.

Jeff Miyahara

Chief Creative Officer

Jeff Miyahara is one of the most in-demand record producers and songwriters in Japan. With numerous #1 hits, over 40 million in sales, and an impressive list of awards and accolades (including Songwriter Of The Year 2009 and Hitmaker of the Year 2010), Jeff is fast becoming widely known as a hit-maker for artists from all over the world. In addition to his numerous collaborations with mega-hit artists in Japan, Jeff also continues to work with top-tier international artists. In 2009, he signed on with UM360 (a management division of Universal Music Japan) to further solidify his position as a major player in the global music market.

Jeff has been called a ‘Rosetta stone’ of record making, as it seems that regardless of the language and cultural elements of the artist’s input, an acclaimed hit-song comes out the other end. Jeff’s multi-cultural and multi-lingual background (LA-raised, half Korean, half Japanese) forms the foundation for his unique approach to songwriting and production. He has an unparalleled ability to craft songs that resonate across cultural and linguistic boundaries, genres, and even generations.

Darrell Ang

Honorary Dean

Born in Singapore, Darrell Ang studied conducting in St. Petersburg with Leonid Korchmar and continued at Yale with Shinik Hahm. He became the youngest Associate Conductor of the Singapore Symphony OrchestraOne of Asia’s most sought-after conductors, Darrell Ang conducted orchestras in over twenty countries across the globe last season, including the ORF Vienna, Slovak Philharmonic, Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie, New Zealand Symphony, Antalya Symphony, USA’s Pacific Symphony, New Japan Philharmonic, Orquesta Sinfónica de la UAEH (Mexico), Estonian National and the Manila Symphony. A Grammy Award Nominee for Best Orchestral Performance, Darrell has been hailed by Tatler Asia as a classical musical prodigy, and one of Singapore’s best known music exports. Today, he is Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of The Sichuan Orchestra of China, and also leads Hitmaker Global Academy as Honorary Dean.

Chong Hsien Xian

AVID Certified Instructor, Music Production Instructor at Hitmaker Global Academy

Jaydos is a multi-instrumental songwriter, music producer and arranger hailing from the sunny island of Singapore.

Starting his musical journey at the age of 14, his keen learning abilities has allowed him to teach himself instruments like the guitar, drums, keyboards and bass guitar, with the latter being his principal instrument.

He was awarded a scholarship by the Media Development Authority of Singapore in 2010 to pursue a Bachelor’s in Creative Technology, majoring in Audio Engineering & Sound Production at JMC Academy in Melbourne, Australia.

Christine Sham

Lecturer at Hitmaker Global Academy

Christine Sham is a film and TV composer, keyboardist, music arranger, producer and educator based in Singapore.

A Berklee College of Music degree graduate majoring in Professional Music, Christine has been composing music for TV Commercials for 20 years.

In 2005, her breakthrough film scoring, "Be With Me" by Singapore director Eric Khoo led her to score even more movies from Khoo such as In the Room, Tatsumi, Ramen Teh and more.

She continued to build a name for herself, touring across the globe with some of the biggest Chinese Pop stars including A*Mei, Stefanie Sun, F.I.R, Eric Moo, Angela Zhang and David Tao.

Colin Yong Boon Cheok

Senior Lecturer at Hitmaker Global Academy

As a session bass player, Colin made his way into numerous International Music / Jazz Festivals in far off cities like Toronto, Chicago, New York, Berlin, Cape Town, Singapore, China, Japan, India, and other South East Asian countries. He has worked with various International and Regional Jazz and Pop artistes like Jeremy Monteiro, Ernie Watts, the late Eldee Young, Eugene Pao, Tots Tolentino, David Packer, Michael Veerapen, John “Kaisen” Neptune, V Selvaganash, Patricio Buanne (Italy), Fei Xiang (aka Kris Phillips), and Kit Chan (Singapore).

Daryl Tay Wen Qiang

Lecturer at Hitmaker Global Academy

A versatile and adaptable multi-reed musician, Fabian has performed and recorded for local and international artists. He has performed and recorded with David Foster, Incognito, Jam Hsiao, Kit Chan, Stephanie Sun, Eric Moo, J.J. Lin, Joanna Dong, Elva Hsiao, Olivia Ong, Chyi Yu, Wan Fang, Jeff Chang, Sandy Lam, A-Mei, Sky Wu, Joanna Wang, Wang Chi-Ping, Soda Green, Dick Lee, Jeremy Monteiro, the late Iskandar Ismail, 五条人，and many others.

Fabian performs in many music genres, from musical theatre to jazz and classical. He was a musician for popular theatre productions such as Disney’s Aladdin, West End-casted The Addams Family, Tropicana the Musical, Singing in the Rain, Facing Goya, Company, and Santa Claus The Musical. He is often involved in local theatre productions by Dream Academy, Pangdemonium, and W!ldRice. Fabian is a trained and experienced music educator. He has taught and conducted school bands and choirs, working with children and adults from 6 to 65. An alumnus from Berklee College of Music, Fabian also holds a teaching post graduate diploma and a master degree in music education from the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, where he was previously an adjunct lecturer. He is currently lecturing at LaSalle College of the Arts. In pursuit of music education, Fabian is currently a doctoral candidate at Boston University.

Eric Wong Hock Ling

Vice Dean at Hitmaker Global Academy

Eric Wong is the Creative Director of United Records Productions (URP), which he co-founded with his wife Careen Tham. With knowledge from both the classical and contemporary realms of music, coupled with an acute ear for musical finesse, he currently oversees all music and video productions at URP. He has a deep passion for film production and has directed and produced several music videos and short films. Eric graduated with a degree in Psychology at SIM University in Singapore.

Eugene Seow

Academy Manager at Hitmaker Global Academy

Award-winning musician Eugene Seow embarked on his musical journey at the age of six, learning classical piano. The Berklee College of Music graduate attended the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College, obtaining a Master of Music in Jazz Studies.

Today, Eugene is a multi-instrumentalist who plays piano and electric bass. He displays incredible versatility, whether it’s pop, rock, classical or jazz, and in any ensemble whether it be big band, combo band, symphonic band, orchestra or even marching band.

Eugene’s rich experience includes having shared the stage with some of the world’s most celebrated jazz musicians such as Orlando Le Fleming (celebrated Bass player in NYC), Samuel Torres (Second place winner of the Thelonius Monk International Jazz Competition) and Terence Blanchard (5 Grammy wins and 13 nominations).

Fabian Lim Yong Liang

Senior Lecturer at Hitmaker Global Academy

Mei Song, lecturer of saxophone in the Department of Modern Instrumental Music of Sichuan Conservatory of Music, instructor of undergraduate top students of Sichuan Conservatory of Music, vice chairman of the Saxophone Commitee of China Popular Music Association, executive director of the saxophone professional committee of Sichuan Musicians Association, Selmer Artist, Chinese Orchestra Saxophone Artist, artistic director of 2019 Chengdu (Aishang) International Saxophone Workshop. Mei Song has performed at the 15th World Saxophone Congress in Thailand (2009), the 10th Siskiyou Saxophone Workshop at Southern Cincinnati University and Ithaca College of Music (2012). He has also held more than 100 recitals and masterclasses at various venues, including the Sydney Opera House, Shangai Conservatory of Music, as well as in the cities of Mianyang and Chongqing. Mei Song was recognized as the instructor of the top undergraduate students at the Sichuan Conservatory of Music from 2012 to 2019. He also won the Best Teaching Prize at the 9th, 12th, 13th and 14th Zhongsin International Music Competition, and the Second Prize at the 3rd Young Teachers' Teaching Competition at the Sichuan Conservatory of Music.

John Stephen Sharpley

Senior Lecturer at Hitmaker Global Academy

John Sharpley, composer, performer and teacher, possesses a unique and multi-faceted career that spans geographic and cultural borders.

Born in Houston, Texas, USA, he earned a Doctorate in Composition from Boston University; a Bachelor of Music and a Master of Music degrees from the University of Houston; and diplomas for piano, violin, and composition at the National Conservatory of Music in Strasbourg, France.

His composition teachers include Michael Horvit, David Del Tredici, John Harbison, Betsy Jolas and Leonard Bernstein.

Junior Tan

AVID Certified Instructor, Vocal & Music Production Instructor at Hitmaker Global Academy

Junior is a Singaporean actor and music composer. He studied traditional harmony and music theory under Cultural Medallion recipient, Phoon Yew Tien.

In 2013, Jr received his break through role as Xu Ming Wei in the Channel U drama, SCRUM! Over the span of 9 years in his acting career, he has portrayed a wide range of roles ranging from comedic to villains. Jr is heavily influenced by the works of film director Martin Scorsese, Kim Ki Duk and Herman Yau.

In 2020, Jr officially joined Night Owl Cinematics as a talent. Jr is currently focused on composing music and producing content for his personal social media channels.

Matthew Siew

Avid Certified Instructor, Senior lecturer and Talent Development Director

The multi-talented Matthew Siew possesses a multitude of skills that he is always looking to sharpen, and ready to share with his students. For instance, he is adept in music notation, where he is known to have skilfully arranged music for various instrumentation and applications such as choir, string quartet, a capella and more. He is also trained to use various musical instruments, and is especially skilled in piano, keyboard, guitar and drums. Highly versatile in terms of music style, Matthew understands the art and techniques of Funk, Jazz, Rock, Latin, Pop, Reggae, amongst many other styles. With Matthew, it is more than just knowledge – the seasoned performer brings along a wealth of real-life experience to help inspire students who aspire to make their marks on stage. Having performed at over a thousand events and concerts across the world, Matthew is no stranger to the both the excitement and unpredictability at such events, bringing to students a well-rounded perspective of performing live.

Ng Sok Wah

Programme Manager & Avid Certified Instructor at Hitmaker Global Academy

Sok Wah is a recipient of the National Arts Council (NAC) Overseas Arts Bursary. She graduated from Sydney Conservatorium of Music, The University of Sydney in 2002 with a Bachelor in Music Studies. Trained as a pianist while in Singapore, she majored in percussion in Sydney. Upon graduation, her accomplishments led to her receiving various grants, some of which saw her travelling the United States to learn from well-recognised instructors and performers in the industry.

Sok Wah has been active in the local arts scene as a performer and educator. She has performed with Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO), Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SCO), Singapore Festival Orchestra (SFO), Singapore Lyric Opera Orchestra (SLO), Metropolitan Festival Orchestra (MFO) and many other arts groups.

As an educator, Sok Wah enjoys growing musically with her students, and has taught students from toddler to tertiary level. Equipped with the latest (WSQ) Advanced Certificate in Learning and Performance (ACLP), she is also a certified learning facilitator and assessor of SSG-funded certifiable courses. Beyond music and teaching, she loves travelling whether for work or leisure, exploring new sights and cuisine, sleeping and discovering the joys of motherhood.

Wilson Ong

Vice Dean at Hitmaker Global Academy

Known for his work in conducting, presenting and hosting, Wilson Ong has had an exciting musical career that has brought him across the region. He has worked with some of the industry’s biggest names such as JJ Lin, Dick Lee, Anita Sarawak, Jeremy Monteiro and Paul Anka.

Today, Wilson. is a renowned Band Conductor in Singapore, Wilson teaches Music Theory, Aural & Solfège Training and Orchestration Arranging at Hitmaker.

Yang Tingting

Tingting is one shining example of many of our success stories – this young talent trained with us in the clarinet, classical and jazz piano, as well as music production for three years. She then successfully auditioned for a few Ivy League schools. Her passion and excellence led her to be awarded a scholarship at the prestigious Berklee College of Music, where she continues to scale new heights towards her dream of being a professional musician!