ABOUT KLSINGS!
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KLSings! was founded in 2011 by Cheryl Teh with the following objectives:
a) promote the joy of group singing through formation of community singing groups / choirs in Kuala Lumpur / Petaling Jaya and beyond b) build communities through song c) encourage singing and musical activities d) heighten the awareness of benefits of singing through workshops and events However, KLSings! was "quiet" until 2019 as Cheryl focused on building her corporate career as well as served as voluntary Chairperson and Choir Director of The Philharmonic Society of Selangor. |
ABOUT CHERYl TEH
Cheryl can’t recall a time when music wasn’t part of her life. From the age of three, after observing her mother teach the piano to neighbourhood kids, she would start playing the tunes when no one was around. At four, she asked her parents for the violin. Her parents obliged, even driving 2 ½ hours to Kuala Lumpur (in those days!) for lessons from the small town of Temerloh, Pahang where they lived.
In the mid-80s, Cheryl's family moved to Kuala Lumpur where she joined the then Kuala Lumpur Symphony Orchestra (KLSO) as a violinist. It was through the KLSO that Cheryl first encountered The Philharmonic Society of Selangor, as violinist fo their 1987 production of Guys & Dolls. This experience was to leave a lasting impression and the start of a lifelong passion for musical theater.
In 1988, Cheryl was a recipient of a Rotary scholarship to represent Malaysia at the Rotary International Music Exchange (PRIME) program in Sydney, Australia and would decide to continue her secondary schooling in Melbourne, Australia after that.
In Melbourne, Cheryl embraced music, involving herself with Elwood Secondary College's music programs and community music groups including the Victorian Youth Symphony Orchestra, St Kilda Chamber Ensemble, Monash Theatre Group, Camberwell Theatre Company and Dandenong Light Opera Company as violinist, violist and occasional rehearsal pianist. At University, she was also a founding violinist of the New Monash Orchestra.
Returning to Malaysia in the mid-90s, Cheryl rejoined The Phil, singing with the Choir and Chamber choir. She also studied voice under Cha Seng Tiang for a short while. In 2002, Cheryl was cajoled into preparing The Phil’s Choir for Christmas shows. She went on to conduct them for the 2003 season which included four major productions before taking a break to concentrate on her career. During this time, in between work commitments, she decided to ‘get on stage’ in other productions including the opera Turandot and operetta The Merry Widow.
In 2008, Cheryl returned to The Phil to serve in a dual volunteer role as both Chairperson and Choir Director. Under her leadership, the society and choir grew, both in strength of members and financially, as Cheryl not only brought her corporate experience towards the running of the society, but also her strong passion for music and community building when leading the choir.
In the Fall of 2010, Cheryl's knowledge was further strengthened after she attended the Community Choir Leadership Training Program, held yearly in Victoria, Canada. Through CCLT, she was greatly inspired by the program and the work of Shivon Robinsong and Denis Donnelly which was the catalyst towards her mission of playing a bigger role in building communities in harmony through singing.
In 2015, Cheryl was selected as a recipient of the prestigious Eisenhower Fellowship Program in the USA where she spent 6 weeks visiting community choirs and programmes across in 15 cities across the USA, further deepening her knowledge.
In 2019, Cheryl retired from both corporate life and The Phil to begin her new journey with KLSings and VoxPop Choirs.
And in 2020, Cheryl was also part of the Australia Council for the Arts International Leadership Program cohort of arts leaders.
In the mid-80s, Cheryl's family moved to Kuala Lumpur where she joined the then Kuala Lumpur Symphony Orchestra (KLSO) as a violinist. It was through the KLSO that Cheryl first encountered The Philharmonic Society of Selangor, as violinist fo their 1987 production of Guys & Dolls. This experience was to leave a lasting impression and the start of a lifelong passion for musical theater.
In 1988, Cheryl was a recipient of a Rotary scholarship to represent Malaysia at the Rotary International Music Exchange (PRIME) program in Sydney, Australia and would decide to continue her secondary schooling in Melbourne, Australia after that.
In Melbourne, Cheryl embraced music, involving herself with Elwood Secondary College's music programs and community music groups including the Victorian Youth Symphony Orchestra, St Kilda Chamber Ensemble, Monash Theatre Group, Camberwell Theatre Company and Dandenong Light Opera Company as violinist, violist and occasional rehearsal pianist. At University, she was also a founding violinist of the New Monash Orchestra.
Returning to Malaysia in the mid-90s, Cheryl rejoined The Phil, singing with the Choir and Chamber choir. She also studied voice under Cha Seng Tiang for a short while. In 2002, Cheryl was cajoled into preparing The Phil’s Choir for Christmas shows. She went on to conduct them for the 2003 season which included four major productions before taking a break to concentrate on her career. During this time, in between work commitments, she decided to ‘get on stage’ in other productions including the opera Turandot and operetta The Merry Widow.
In 2008, Cheryl returned to The Phil to serve in a dual volunteer role as both Chairperson and Choir Director. Under her leadership, the society and choir grew, both in strength of members and financially, as Cheryl not only brought her corporate experience towards the running of the society, but also her strong passion for music and community building when leading the choir.
In the Fall of 2010, Cheryl's knowledge was further strengthened after she attended the Community Choir Leadership Training Program, held yearly in Victoria, Canada. Through CCLT, she was greatly inspired by the program and the work of Shivon Robinsong and Denis Donnelly which was the catalyst towards her mission of playing a bigger role in building communities in harmony through singing.
In 2015, Cheryl was selected as a recipient of the prestigious Eisenhower Fellowship Program in the USA where she spent 6 weeks visiting community choirs and programmes across in 15 cities across the USA, further deepening her knowledge.
In 2019, Cheryl retired from both corporate life and The Phil to begin her new journey with KLSings and VoxPop Choirs.
And in 2020, Cheryl was also part of the Australia Council for the Arts International Leadership Program cohort of arts leaders.
