Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music (YST) has announced the appointment of Norwegian composer and researcher Dr Peter Tornquist as the institution’s new Dean, with a term of office beginning in February 2022.
Tornquist joins YST from Oslo, Norway, where he was Principal of the Norwegian Academy of Music from 2013 to July 2021. During his tenure, he contributed to the development of higher music education through a widening network of strategic national and international partnerships, and helped position the Academy as one of the highest-ranked performing arts institutions globally.
A graduate of the Royal College of Music in London, he has been awarded Honorary Fellowships by two other UK conservatoires, the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and the Royal Northern College of Music, in recognition for his services to music.
YST Governing Board Chair Ms Chong Siak Ching said, ‘The Governing Board and management of YST are excited to welcome Dr Tornquist to our conservatory. We are confident he will continue to advance YST’s artistic, educational, research and community work, as the Conservatory grows from strength to strength as Asia’s most exciting international conservatory and one of the world’s most distinctive music schools.’
Peter Tornquist said, ‘I am delighted to be joining YST and working alongside the highly qualified and dedicated team of colleagues here. YST has been a longstanding partner of the Norwegian Academy of Music, and I have been fortunate to get to know it during my past visits.
‘Amidst a rapidly-changing global economy, our job as educators is to prepare students to push the boundaries and explore the full potential of their musical identity. My heartfelt thanks to [outgoing Dean] Prof Bernard Lanskey for his leadership, which has shaped YST into the dynamic conservatory it is today, and I look forward to contributing my experience in furthering the Conservatory’s mission.’
