Classes taught at SPACE 2B:
GuZheng, Crystal Bowls, Singing Bowls, Gongs

Background:

Chan Xin Tong is a versatile musician deeply passionate about collaborating with artists across genres and immersing herself in diverse musical traditions. She began her musical journey with Western classical piano and Chinese guzheng, later expanding her practice through extensive collaborations with Indian classical musicians in Singapore, integrating Indian elements into her guzheng playing. Notably, she has performed thrice at Esplanade’s eXchange series (2024, 2025, 2026), and worked with local intercultural ensembles such as Artusik, The Straits Collective and Swarhythm. During her year-long studies in the Global Music Programme at Sibelius Academy in Finland (2024-2025), she collaborated with musicians worldwide, strengthening her belief in music’s power to foster understanding and connection. As a dynamic performer, she has developed a global artistic perspective through collaborations with musicians from Carnatic, Persian, Arabic, Turkish, Japanese, Vietnamese, Nordic traditions, and more. She has also broadened her practice to include other plucked zithers such as the Japanese koto and Finnish kantele.

Heavily inspired by her cultural encounters, she has composed music for mixed ensembles featuring diverse ethnic music such as The Straits Ensemble Singapore under the New Sights Fellowship Programme (2023) and School of the Arts’ Silk Road Rhapsodies Concert (2025). During her free time, she also writes multiple works that bring the guzheng into various genres of the world, often reimagining conventions of Chinese music while honouring its traditions.

Beyond performance and composition, Xin Tong is dedicated to sharing music through education and community outreach. She has conducted workshops and performances in settings such as Dover Court International School (Singapore), Massy-Palaiseau communities during the Ethno France Camp 2025 (France), and Sibelius High School (Finland). As Vice-President (2023-2024) of the National University of Singapore Indian Instrumental Ensemble, she also played a pivotal role engaging migrant worker communities through their acclaimed production, ‘Desi Lah!’, awarded ‘Distinction’ for Arts Production of the Year at the NUS Achievement Awards 2024.

Passionate about exploring the connections between music and wellness, she regularly facilitates sound meditation sessions and curated improvisational performances at SPACE 2B meditation studio in Singapore (2019 – Present), Capella Hotel, and the Asian Civilisations Museum. She leads the project ‘Tuning in: Soundscapes for Mindfulness,’ at SPACE 2B, integrating music with mindfulness practice. Under the guidance of Christina Nikolovski, she was also trained to play the Crystal Bowls, Singing Bowls and Gongs in a meditative setting.

Xin Tong completed a Bachelor of Music (Honours) in Music, Collaboration and Production at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music. Through her experiences, she views music not just as organised sound, but as a powerful tool for social connection across cultures, ages and backgrounds, and in turn, creates meaningful musical experiences that engage and connect communities.