Our Faculty

Our Philosophy

At Bowed Strings, we believe music lessons should be more than just instruction. they should be inspiring, empowering, and deeply personal. Our teaching is guided by care, clarity, and consistency, creating a warm, judgment-free space where students can truly enjoy learning and grow with confidence.

Whether you’re learning for leisure or pursuing musical excellence, we meet you where you are and help you progress at a pace that feels right for you. Our hands-on, student-focused approach ensures every lesson is meaningful and motivating.

With years of performance experience and training under renowned musicians, our instructors bring both technical expertise and artistic insight to every class. Students gain not only practical skills but also the deeper understanding and discipline of fine musicianship.

We believe a strong foundation is the key to success. Our curriculum draws from time-tested studies and repertoire—including Schradieck, Wohlfahrt, Dont, Kreutzer, Kayser, and Mazas to develop well-rounded skills in tone, technique, and interpretation. Each lesson is thoughtfully tailored, pairing concertos and repertoire with the specific études and exercises needed to master them. At Bowed Strings, students don’t just learn how to play—they learn how to listen, express, and perform with artistry and confidence.

Meet The Faculty

Violin Head Teacher, Co-Founder

Xin Jie

Students also call her Ms Cheong

Having picked up the violin at the age of 8, Xin Jie fell in love with the instrument and pursued it thereafter. Upon completion of her ABRSM Grade 8 at the age of 12, she participated in various competitions ranging from solo, trio and ensemble categories. Xin Jie has 14 years of experience up till date, and 5 years of teaching experience. She served as the Concert Master under the baton of Maestro Lim Soon Lee in the NUS Symphonic Orchestra and the Concert Master/Violin II Principal Player under the baton of Mr Chan Wei Shing in the CHIJ St Nicholas' Girls String Orchestra.

She was invited as a Guest Player for Singapore National Youth Orchestra (SNYO) in 2015. XJ then served as the Concert Master and Violin II Principal Player of her former secondary school, She later served as the Concert Master of NUS Symphonic Orchestra, having the opportunity to perform as Soloist with NUSSO in March 2021. Some prestigious awards she has received are the First Prize of the N7 Inter-school Solo Competition 2011, First Prize (as Soloist) in N7 Inter-School Ensemble Competition 2012, Gold Award as Soloist of the Ensemble in the Singapore Raffles International Music Festival 2014. She was also awarded with the Second Prize of the International Grand Prize Virtuoso Competition in Oct 2022 and First Prize of the American Protége (Competition of Romantic Music) in 2023.

Also having studied a second major in Psychology from the National University of Singapore, Xin Jie studies about the Psychology of Music Performance too. She understands the art of teaching and holds the patience and encouragement needed to keep her students going. She also takes in students with dyslexia, ADHD, and students with learning difficulties and all these have made her love teaching even more.

As an MOE-registered instructor, Xin Jie has conducted a diverse range of violin enrichment programmes at schools (Mayflower Primary School, Greenwood Primary School, Fuchun Primary School and more). Her students come from diverse backgrounds, including those from Singapore American School and NAFA School of Young Talent. Nuturing young talents and discover their music potentials has been Xin Jie's pursuit as an educator.

Xin Jie also served as the music conductor of Fuchun Primary String Ensemble, achieving a Distinction in the recent grading exam.

"Playing the correct notes is easy but what I'd like my students to achieve musical and stylistic playing from each and every student." - XJ

Teacher Xin Jie's certifications:-

ATCL (Associate of Trinity College London) in Violin-

ABRSM Piano Grade 8

-ABRSM Theory Grade 8

Theory & piano accompaniment for lower grades are covered in her lessons.

Cello Teacher, Co-Founder

Xin Ying

Students also call her Ms Cheong

Xin Ying picked up the cello at the age of 10 after she fell in love with the deep and warm tone of the instrument, she pursued the cello thereafter under renewed cello mentor Natasha Liu (NAFA School of the Arts Young Talent Educator). Xin Ying also has put to 8 years of experience on various stages and competitions, serving as the Principal Player for most orchestras. She has attained various awards such as the Silver Award (as Cello Leader) in the Singapore Raffles International Music Festival 2013 and also served as the Cello Section Leader of former secondary school, CHIJ St Nicholas Girls Secondary School

Xin Ying has been working with students to hone their practical and theoretical skills. She is also currently teaching in schools and served as the cello instructor in Fuchun Primary String Ensemble.

Xin Ying enjoys teaching students and be nit-picky about their playing. Students have commented on her high expectations for their playing. Engage with a cello lesson with XY to get the experience.

Teacher Xin Ying also holds a Grade 8 in Piano and Grade 8 in Theory. Theory component is covered in her lessons.

Violin Teacher

Xiao Lei

Students also call her Ms Leia

Xiao Lei is a professional violinist and violist undergraduate from NUS Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music with extensive experience in both performance and music education. From Taiwan to Singapore, she has taught students of all ages and levels, many of whom have achieved ABRSM Distinctions on both violin and viola.

Ms Leia believes that learning an instrument should be simple, enjoyable, and rewarding. She uses everyday examples to make complex concepts easy to understand and emphasizes body awareness in her lessons by helping adults relax and release tension after a long day, while guiding children to develop better control and coordination.

As a patient and adaptable teacher, Ms Leia tailors her approach to suit each student’s personality and level. Her teaching style is gentle yet rigorous, transforming complex musical ideas into natural, engaging lessons. She strongly believes that “there is no such thing as talent” — treating every student equally and wholeheartedly supporting their growth and progress.

Ms Leia has also taken part in various masterclasses by Yi-Fang Huang (The Juilliard School), Li Honggang (The Tianjin Juilliard School), Lech Antonio Uszynski (Royal Conservatoire The Hague), Wenting Kang (New England Conservatory), Nicholas Cords (New England Conservatory), Dimitri Murrath (San Francisco Conservatory of Music) and many more renowed musicians!

Notable Performance Experiences:

Aug 2025 – Re:sound – Qin Li-Wei Returns
Mar 2025 – Re:sound – Ad Classica Concentus: Back to Classics
Feb 2025 – Recorded National University of Singapore Anthem
Dec 2024 – Collaborated with bassist Sung Mikyung on Bottesini Double Bass Concerto No. 2
Oct 2024 – The More, The Merrier, Violin Solo & Ensemble Performance, Esplanade Recital Studio
May 2024 – The Conduct Leadership Workshop, Metropolitan Festival Orchestra
Mar 2023 – Awakening the Titan (Mahler Symphony No. 1), Esplanade Concert Hall with YST Orchestra

Violin Teacher

Ding Sng

Students also call him Mr Sng

Ding Sng is a multi-style violinist, composer, and educator from Singapore. His music blends his contemporary jazz and classical training with the rich melodies and textures of Southeast Asian traditions. He believes deeply in the importance of traditional music and its place in a modern, evolving sound world.

A recent graduate of Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, Ding was a Berklee World Tour Scholarship recipient and majored in Contemporary Writing & Production and Violin Performance (Jazz, Classical, and World styles).

As a composer, arranger, and producer, Ding has written for orchestra, string orchestra, multimedia, and world music ensembles, with premieres at New England Conservatory, Berklee Performance Center, and Harvard CAMLab Caves. He has also shared the stage with renowned artists such as NEA Jazz Master Kenny Barron, Lalah Hathaway, and jazz violinists Sara Caswell and Jason Anick, and has toured New England with fiddle legends Darol Anger and Mike Marshall.

Ding is passionate about teaching students of all ages, from young beginners as young as five to adult learners. His lessons combine solid classical fundamentals with creative exploration in jazz, pop, and world music. He often uses popular music as a bridge to help students connect with the instrument, while introducing learning by ear, improvisation, and harmonic concepts in which these skills form the foundation for jazz and contemporary performance. His goal is to help every student not only play beautifully, but also express themselves freely through music.

Notable Experiences:
As a soloist, bandleader, and orchestral musician, he has performed at venues including

Berklee Performance Center, Harvard CAMLab Caves,
Shalin Liu Performance Center, University of Vermont,
Boston University Agganis Arena
Singapore’s Victoria Concert Hall and Esplanade Concourse.