String Orchestra

Jean Ai Seow

Artistic Director

A native of Singapore, Jean Ai Seow left her homeland at age 16 under full scholarship to study at the Royal Academy of Music in London, England.

At the Royal Academy, she studied the violin with Lionel Bentley and Clarence Myerscough, chamber music with Jean Harvey and orchestra training under Maurice Handford, obtaining her Licentiate and Professional Certificate of the Royal Academy of Music. She was invited to perform as a guest violinist for a Gala Concert at St. Martin-in-the-Fields.

Jean Ai went on to study in Paris with Bernard Mathern at the École Normale de Musique, where she obtained her Diplôme supérieur d’exécution. Upon her return to Singapore, she joined the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, touring Asia and Europe. Jean Ai Seow is currently a member of the Orchestre symphonique de Laval, the Orchestre des Grands Ballets Canadiens, and the Orchestre de chambre de Montréal. She also plays regularly with the Orchestre Métropolitain.

Having taught in many schools in Singapore and in Montreal, Jean Ai also offers private violin lessons. In 2008-2009 she conducted two string ensembles at the Lambda School of Music and Fine Arts, one for children and one for adults. In the summer of 2009, she had the opportunity to work under the direction of Kent Nagano in an orchestra specially selected for the Knowlton Music Festival. In April 2006 Jean Ai performed the Bach Double Concerto with Richard Roberts, concertmaster of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, for WIYSO’s 20th Anniversary Concert.

She has been Conductor of the West Island Youth String Orchestra since the 1994-1995 season.