Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music (YST) is Singapore's first conservatory of music, founded in 2001 as part of the National University of Singapore (NUS). Established through a partnership with the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University, YST offers a four-year Bachelor of Music (Honours) degree with 20 majors, plus graduate programs including the Master of Music, Master of Music Leadership, Master of Audio Arts and Sciences, and PhD in Music Practices. All 220 undergraduate students receive full financial support covering tuition and costs through government grants, the Yong Loo Lin Trust, and other donors.
Here is a video of renowned violinist Shlomo Mintz conducting a masterclass with YST string students, originally livestreamed on the Conservatory's YouTube channel:
Programs and Degrees
Bachelor of Music (Honours)
The BMus is a four-year, full-time program with 20 majors across six areas:
- Instrumental Performance: Violin, viola, cello, double bass, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, French horn, trumpet, trombone, tuba, percussion, harp, and piano
- Voice
- Composition
- Audio Arts and Sciences
- Music and Society
- Music, Collaboration and Production
Students receive one-to-one instruction with faculty, alongside core classes, electives, academic music studies, collaborative music-making, professional integration, and NUS General Education requirements. A Second Major in another area is possible.
Collaborative platforms include the Conservatory Orchestra, OpusNovus (contemporary music ensemble), and the Collaboratory (for student compositions, experimentations, and improvisations). The conservatory presents approximately 200 concerts annually.
Joint Degree with Peabody Institute
YST offers a Joint Bachelor of Music Degree with the Peabody Institute at Johns Hopkins University. Students spend five semesters at YST and three at Peabody in Baltimore, Maryland. This is the first and only international undergraduate conservatory joint degree program of its kind.
Young Artist Programme (YAP)
Established in 2008, the YAP serves musicians aged 15 to 18 enrolled in Singapore schools. Students receive professional performance training and academic study until they are eligible for the BMus program. Annual tuition for AY2026/2027 is SGD $9,000 plus student services and health fees.
Graduate Programs
- Master of Music (MMus): Cohort-based fee system. For AY2025/2026, Singapore Citizens pay SGD $20,000 per year with MOE subsidy, while international students pay SGD $76,600 without subsidy.
- Master of Music Leadership (MMusL): A self-funded 40-unit coursework program for music industry practitioners. Full-time fee for AY2026/2027 is SGD $52,702 (inclusive of 9% GST). Available full-time (1 to 2 years) or part-time (2.5 to 4 years).
- Master of Audio Arts and Sciences (MAAS): Self-funded program with no scholarship or MOE subsidy available.
- PhD in Music Practices: Research-based doctoral program.
Tuition and Financial Aid
All 220 BMus students receive full financial support covering all costs, thanks to the Government of Singapore, the Yong Loo Lin Trust, and other benefactors. The Yong Loo Lin Trust has contributed a total of SGD $50 million to the conservatory, matched by funding from Singapore's Ministry of Education.
For AY2025/2026, the published tuition fees before financial support are:
- Singapore Citizens: SGD $16,500 per year
- Singapore Permanent Residents: SGD $24,700 per year
- International Students (ASEAN): SGD $37,800 per year
- International Students (Others): SGD $50,750 per year
- Full Fees without MOE Tuition Grant: SGD $146,500 per year
Graduate programs are largely self-funded, with limited subsidies available for Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents on certain programs.
Admissions Process
Application for the August 2026 BMus intake opened with a deadline of December 1, 2025. Applicants must submit audition repertoire to the YST admissions office by this date. The BMus program requires completion of at least 12 years of general education by July of the application year.
Admission is evaluated on multiple factors including intellectual aptitude, artistic drive, linguistic proficiency, and personal qualities. Audition requirements vary by major. International applicants must demonstrate English proficiency.
The MMusL program has two intakes per year: apply February to March for August (Semester 1) or July to September for January (Semester 2).
Real-World Example
An international violinist from Thailand accepted into the BMus program for August 2026 pays zero tuition and zero housing costs thanks to full financial support from the Yong Loo Lin Trust and government grants. Without this support, their tuition would be SGD $50,750 per year (approximately USD $38,000). Over four years, the student saves SGD $203,000 (approximately USD $152,000) in tuition alone. They study with Professor Qian Zhou (Head of Strings), perform with the Conservatory Orchestra in Singapore and on international tours, and can apply for the Student Artistic Development Fund to attend competitions and festivals abroad.
Notable alumni include conductor Wong Kah Chun and baroque violinist Alan Choo.
Notable Alumni
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Wong Kah Chun (also known as Kahchun Wong, born 1986) - Conductor who graduated from YST in composition. He became the first Asian to win the Gustav Mahler Conducting Competition in 2016. He served as Chief Conductor of the Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra from 2018 to 2022. In 2019, he received the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, the highest tribute Germany can pay to individuals for their service. He was the youngest Singaporean and the first artist from Singapore to receive this award. In May 2022, the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra appointed him as its next Chief Conductor, effective with the 2023-2024 season, with an initial contract of 5 years. He was also the youngest conductor to lead the New York Philharmonic. While still a student at YST, he was an assistant conductor of the Singapore Chinese Orchestra under Yeh Tsung's mentorship.
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Alan Choo - Baroque violinist and founder of Red Dot Baroque, Singapore's first professional baroque ensemble, which is Ensemble-in-Residence at YST. He made his solo debut with the Grammy Award-winning Apollo's Fire Baroque Orchestra at the Tanglewood and Ravinia Music Festivals in 2017. He now serves as Concertmaster and Associate Artistic Director for Apollo's Fire. His solo debut album, the complete Mystery Sonatas of Heinrich Biber, was released on AVIE Records in 2024 and debuted at number 2 on the Billboard Classical chart. He holds a Doctorate in Historical Performance from Case Western Reserve University, as well as degrees from the Peabody Conservatory and YST. Here he performs Vivaldi's La Folia with Apollo's Fire, from the ensemble's official YouTube channel:
Why It Matters for Independent Artists
YST is the right choice if you want conservatory-level training in Asia with zero tuition burden. The full financial support for all 220 undergraduates means you graduate debt-free, which is exceptional for a top-tier conservatory.
The 20 majors go beyond traditional classical performance. Programs like Audio Arts and Sciences, Music and Society, and Music, Collaboration and Production prepare students for careers in music production, community music, and collaborative creative work, not just concert performance.
The Joint Degree with Peabody Institute lets you study in both Singapore and Baltimore, gaining exposure to two different music markets and faculty networks. This is unique among conservatory programs worldwide.
If you are 15 to 18 and based in Singapore, the Young Artist Programme offers a pathway into the BMus program with professional training before university age.
Visit the official YST Conservatory website for full audition requirements and program details.
Related Resources
- Music Schools Directory - Compare YST with other music schools
- Streaming Royalty Calculator - Project streaming revenue while studying
- 21 Ways Musicians Can Earn Income - Income strategies for performing musicians
- Complete Guide to Making Money as a Musician in 2026 - Career planning for conservatory graduates
- Music Scholarships Directory - Find additional funding opportunities
Related Schools
- Peabody Institute - YST's joint degree partner at Johns Hopkins University
- Central Conservatory of Music - Major conservatory in Beijing, China
- Korea National University of Arts - Leading arts university in Seoul, South Korea
- Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts - Performing arts institution in Asia
- Sydney Conservatorium - Conservatory in the Asia-Pacific region
