Wong Wai Kit brought his skills on the ruan to Ding Yi Music Company in 2023. He is also a guest ruan musician with the Singapore Chinese Orchestra and the Chinese Chamber Music Ensemble and is affiliated with the Ruanxian Association of Singapore.
He began playing the zhongruan at the age of six, and was taught by respected musicians Ding Xiao Yan, Fu Yingying and Han Ying. He has also received tutelage from renowned ruan musician Feng Man Tian, Dilin from Central Conservatory of Music and musician and composer, Lin Ji Liang.
Wong won first place in the open category for zhongruan in the 2016 National Chinese Music Competition organised by the National Arts Council. In 2017, he clinched second prize in the Nanyang International Chinese Music Competition in the youth high school open category.
He graduated with Second Upper Class Honours in Music Performance from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) and the Royal College of Music in 2021. While in NAFA, he also studied orchestration and arrangements under the guidance of Dr Zechariah Goh and Americ Goh, and studied conducting under Joost Flach and accomplished maestro Lim Yau.
Wong was invited to pursue his Master’s degree at the China Conservatory of Music, where he graduated with a major in Ruan Performance and Research under the tutelage of renowned Ruan musician and Professor Wei Wei. As the first Singaporean musician to be accepted into the China Conservatory of Music as a Ruan Major, Wong was awarded a scholarship provided by the conservatory, further distinguishing his remarkable achievement.
Apart from rigorous practice, Wong dedicates time to exploring new works and playing styles. He wields the ruan’s versatility for expression in both Chinese classical folk music and contemporary pieces. He also enjoys tinkling the keys on the piano.
Wong relishes the creative synergies he has with his fellow ensemble members and aspires to become a better musician and person with Ding Yi. Looking ahead, he also aims to inspire and pass on his knowledge to the future generation of musicians, and “create a better environment for them to perform and prosper in”.
“Passion is the key to success in any field – but passion must go hand-in-hand with hard work to realise our goals.”
