Singapore's Musical Pioneer

Goh Soon Tioe was born on October 18, 1911 in Padang,Sumatra ( in the Dutch East Indies, as Indonesia was called at that time). His father, Goh Goan Tee, was a businessman in Padang. Goan Tee was the Kapitan Cina of his day. His portrait can still be seen at the Goh Clan house in Padang today. Goh Goan Tee and his wife Lie Kie Pat had 4 sons and 7 daughters. Goh Goan Tee passed away when Goh Soon Tioe was only 2 years old.
The household then came under the direction of Goh's oldest brother, Goh Soen Thong.
Goh Soon Tioe was educated in a Dutch School in Padang and later studied at the Anglo Chinese School in Singapore. He started violin lessons in Singapore under the tutelage of Raquiza, a Filipino violinist.
Goh later studied at the Conservatoire de Musique de Geneve and developed a close friendship with Alfred and Pierre Vidoudez, well-known violin and bow makers in that city. Goh studied violin with Maggie Breittmayer and Oscar Studer in Geneva, Francisco Costa in Barcelona, and Alfred Marchot in Brussels. He also studied the classical guitar with Andres Segovia in Barcelona.
Fleeing from the Spanish Civil War in 1936, and the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939, Goh returned to Singapore in 1939. There, in a studio in Oldham Lane, he began teaching the violin. One of his earliest students was Ethel Low, daughter of the Singapore educationist, N.I. Low. Ethel was later one of the first Singaporeans to study at the Royal Academy of Music in London.
During the Japanese Occupation, Goh married Chang Lee Sieng, a teacher from Sibu Sarawak. Soon after their first child, Sylvia, was born, the young family fled to Padang, where they lived till the end of the War.
Soon after their return to Singapore, the family occupied the premises at 22 Balmoral Crescent. This was to be the family home till 1994.
Goh gave many recitals from the late 1940's to the early 60's. He often performed with South African pianist Noreen Stokes in recitals and together with Louis Moyser, they gave chamber music concerts. Goh also formed the Goh Soon Tioe String Quartet with Harry Khoo, Goh Sin Ee and Tibor Nappholz .
Goh was also the leader of the Singapore Musical Society Orchestra, then under the direction of Gordon van Hien.
Goh continued to teach a large number of students at his Balmoral Crescent home. Many of them were students at ACS Barker Road. Being a personal friend of ACS principal, Thio Chan Bee, Goh was also involved with musical activities at the school.
In 1953, Goh began his impressario activity as well as forming his own orchestra, the Goh Soon Tioe String Orchestra. The first artiste he presented was Scottish violinst Maurice Clare. The concerts were held at Victoria Memorial Hall. Maurice Clare performed the "Four Seasons" by Vivaldi with the orchestra which was made up of Goh's students with help of adult amateurs in the viola and cello sections.
For the next 20 years, Goh continued to expand his activities as teacher, impressario and conductor. One of his early students was Choo Hoey, who later became the founding conductor of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra in 1979. Another founding member of this Orchestra is Lynette Seah who studied with Goh in the 1960's. Goh's own daughter, Patricia also joined the Orchestra at its inception as a bassoonist.
In 1955, Lee Pan Hon was brought to Goh's attention. Goh taught him from 1956 to 1963, when Lee left to study at the Menuhin School in England. Lee later studied at the Royal Academy and in Bucharest, and, among other positions, was the leader of the Ulster Orchestra and the Halle Orchestra in the U.K.
In recognition of his prominent contributions to the arts in Singapore in the early years of the Republic, Goh was was conferred the Pingat Jasa Gemilang by the first president of the Rebublic, President Yusof Ishak.
In 1971 Goh was appointed the Conductor of the Singapore Youth Symphony Orchestra. The Orchestra participated in the the 3rd Festival of Youth Orchestras in Lausanne. He retained the appointment with the Youth Orchestra till 1975. The Orchestra performed under his baton in Hong Kong and Jakarta.
Goh died in 1982 after a debilitating battle with Alzheimer's Disease. His orchestra and studio came under the direction of his daughters, Vivien and Patricia.