Press: Reviews & Interviews
Singapore Composers Festival showcases Singapore and South Korean composing talents (Jun 2026)
“Toh Yan Ee’s Atlas opened the show with timpani skins being scraped before proceeding to intricate rhythms on pitched percussion (marimba and xylophone) resembling gamelan, and drumming that extolled the majesty of the eponymous star constellation.”
ReSounding:
See Ning Hui Piano Recital (Feb 2026)
Birdsong filled the air in the world premiere of Toh Yan Ee’s Within A Cage of Echoes. Her inspiration were the bird-singing communities of Singapore’s heartland neighbourhoods (…) the right hand playing in the keyboard’s treble registers dominated, with a counterpoint provided by other captive songsters (…) one was reminded of Messiaen (inevitably) but also the Oriental sound worlds of Takemitsu and Peter Sculthorpe.
PRXLUDES Feature Article (Feb 2026)
“I’m very conscious of what’s idiomatic to these instruments, respecting the musical idiom of the tradition. But I also try to find ways to make the instrument speak in a way that doesn’t necessarily conform to convention… it’s always a process of compromise and negotiation.”
Interview with Lianhe Zaobao (Jan 2025)
音乐艺术新星卓彦妤:
很难写出不属于自己的声音
Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music’s graduates share how they found their rhythm (Jul 2023)
Sun Tzu’s Art of War reimagined in music and dance (Apr 2023)
“…the fourth and final movement, March On by Toh Yan Ee, which returned to earlier martial manoeuvres. The artist is now exhorted to resist and persist until the final goal is reached, and then soldier on some more.”
Review by Dr Chang Tou Liang (The Straits Times)
San Diego New Music’s SoundOn Festival carries on long tradition of compelling new premieres (Jan 2023)
“iridescent shadows by Yan Ee Toh, featured Cella on flute and Zelickman, this time on bass clarinet. These players (…) moved smoothly between opposing states of synchrony and conflict, acceleration and entropy; Yan’s work is written ably for the instruments, exploring all manner of sonic detail and extended techniques; the duo’s ability to render these unfamiliar sounds confidently and capably helped make this piece both clear and moving.”