| Charity
Kiew is currently a fourth year student at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of
Music (YSTCM). She is a recipient of a full scholarship to pursue a degree in
harp performance under Gulnara Mashurova, principal harpist of the Singapore
Symphony Orchestra. Charity is an active orchestral musician in Singapore. She has performed with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, the Metropolitan Festival Orchestra, the Orchestra of the Music Makers and the Philharmonic Orchestra. She was also the principal harpist of the Singapore National Youth Orchestra. In addition to playing with local orchestras, she has performed with the Nanjing Youth Orchestra and the Penang Philharmonic Orchestra. Her experience and capabilities in orchestral playing has allowed her to successfully secure a place in the prestigious Aspen Music Festival in Colorado, USA; and she became the first ever Singaporean harpist to attend the festival, in 2015. She was also the first ever Singaporean harpist to have attended the Bowdoin International Music Festival in 2014 in Maine, USA. In addition to orchestral performance, Charity is also an active chamber and solo musician. Although she was only in her first year at YSTCM, she was invited to perform alongside renowned flutist Daniel-Jose Castellon in 2013; and In 2015, she was invited to perform chamber music in the inaugural Singapore International Festival of Music together with other prominent Singaporean musicians. Charity is also an award-winning harpist - in 2010 she won joint second place (no first was awarded) in the Singapore-Malaysia Harp competition. Charity firmly believes in using her musical capabilities to give back to society. She has played the harp at hospitals such as the Tan Tock Seng Hospital and the Alexandra Hospital for the staff and patients there. While in the USA, she plays music at the retirement homes too. Her harp sextet - Viva Rave - has also performed at the fund raising concert of the Ci Ai Child Care Centre. In addition, Charity has been teaching the harp for about four years to children and adult students. |
