Judges & Members
A native of Singapore, Benjamin Loh first obtained his B.Sc. in Economics from the Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania. Subsequently, he studied at the Manhattan School of Music, where he graduated with a Master of Music in Piano Performance as a student of Dr. Marc Silverman. While a student in Singapore, he studied with the late Mrs. Lucien Wang. Since returning to Singapore, he has successfully balanced the role of teacher and performer. Many of his students have won prizes in local and international piano competitions, and others have continued their musical training at prestigious institutions such as The Juilliard School, Cleveland Institute of Music, Manhattan School of Music, École Normale de Musique de Paris, Purcell School, Royal College of Music (UK) and Mozarteum University.
As a performer, he is often heard in chamber music concerts, and performs locally as well as abroad.
Mr. Loh very much in demand as a teacher and has given lectures and master classes in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, Bulgaria, Italy, Costa Rica and the U.S.A. In South Korea, he was on the faculty of the Asia International Piano Academy & Festival (AIPAF) from 2008 to 2014, and was their International Advisor for seven years. He has also given lectures and master classes at the John Perry Academy of Music, Hotchkiss Summer Piano Program, Colburn School, University of Iowa and Chicago International Music Competition and Festival in the U.S.A., Adam Gyorgy Island Academy in Indonesia, 1st Chung Ang University International Piano Conference & Festival, Eumyoun International Music Festival and DMZ International Music Festival in South Korea, the 1st Bangkok Piano Symposium in Thailand, Amalfi Coast Music Festival and Music Fest Perugia in Italy as well as at the Costa Rica Festival and Piano Concerto Festival in Bulgaria.
As an adjudicator, he has been on the jury of the ASEAN Chopin International Piano Competition (Malaysia), e-Artium Competition (Malaysia), UCSI – International Piano Festival Competition (Malaysia), International Chopin Piano Competition in Asia (Japan), PTNA Competition (Japan), All Japan Piano Concours (Japan), IIYM International Piano Competition (U.S.A.), Piano House International Piano Competition (U.S.A.), Asian Youth Music Competition (Hong Kong), Kawai Asia Piano Competition (China), Taiwan-Asia Piano Open Competition (Taiwan), Asia Piano Competition (Taiwan), Steinway Youth Piano Competitions in Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines, and the 1st Korea-Asia Piano Open Competition (South Korea).
In the past, Mr. Loh has held the post of music critic for The Straits Times and The Business Times in Singapore. He was formerly Vice-President of the Singapore Music Teachers Association as well as Head of Music at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA), Singapore. Presently, he is on the piano faculty of the LASALLE College of the Arts, and also maintains an active private teaching studio. He was previously on the Advisory Committee of the Singapore National Arts Council National Piano and Violin Competition and is an Honorary Consultant of The Amigos Music Society of Hong Kong. He is also on the board of directors of the International Performing and Visual Arts Examination Board (IPVAEB) in Singapore.
In 2005, he was given the Special Recognition Award by the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts (MICA) for his contributions to the Singapore National Arts Council.
Mr. Loh is a Steinway Artist and a Steinway Honorary Professor.
JUDGE