From left to right — K口U comprises of Michellina Chan (Saxophone), Vincent Tan (Euphonium), Daniel Yiau (Bass Clarinet), Don Kow (Trombone)
K口U / 口 is a literal translation of the word ‘mouth’ in Mandarin.
K口U is one of the most organic form of expression on the human body. Provocative in nature and capable of amplifying controversial ideas, K口U is an amplification of our personal ethos expressed provocatively.
Unanimously formed in 2019 upon completing their music endeavours in Europe, K口U aims to revolutionise the average concert-going experience. The one-of-a-kind Singapore-based mixed instrument ensemble refuses to be confined by tradition. Instead, K口U innovates by engaging multiple senses of the audience, allowing one to fully immerse the mind of production.
Since their formation, they have been invited to perform at the Performers(‘) Present symposium by National University of Singapore, Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music and the Kuching Youth Band Fiesta 2019, organised by The Band Lab.
THE K口Us
DANIEL YIAU
BASS CLARINET | @d.y.c.h
Daniel Yiau is currently based in Singapore, having studied Wind/Brass band conducting in the Conservatorium van Amsterdam and the Sibelius Academy under the tutelage of Jan Schut and Petri Komulainen.
Daniel has conducted Symphonic Winds, Orchestra Collective, Philharmonic Winds, Amsterdamse Tramhamonie, Jeugd Project Orkest, Trompetterkorps der Koninklijke Marechausse, Amsterdam Brass, Lapland Military Band, Ilmavoimien soittokunta, Sinfonisches Verbandsblasorchester Markgräflerland, Estagio Nacional Orquestra Sopros, Filharmonica Mira, University of Louisville Wind Ensemble, amongst others.
As an active performer, Daniel plays all ranges of clarinets and has performed in various iconic performance venues across continents, mainly championing music written for the Bass Clarinet. As an avid composer and arranger, Daniel has had performances of his compositions and arrangements in United States of America, Germany, Japan, China, Great Britain, the Netherlands and Singapore, and also on BBC radio 3.
DON KOW
TROMBONE | @KYNNOD
Don Kow holds an Artist's Certificate in Trombone Performance from the Royal Conservatory of The Hague, a Master of Music from the Codarts University of the Arts and a Bachelor of Music (Honours) from the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music.
His principal teachers include Alexander Verbeek, Brandt Attema, Fredi Sonderegger, Sebastiaan Kemner, Shannon Pittaway, Timothy Dowling and Zachary Bond. In addition, he has also performed in masterclasses with Jorgen van Rijen, Ian Bousfield and Joseph Alessi.
With vast experience in chamber and orchestral playing, Don is versatile in diverse styles. He has performed on period instruments alongside the Orchestra of the 18th Century. Don has also performed performed a trombone solo role in the Dutch National Opera's production of Karlheinz Stockhausen's opera cycle 'Aus Licht' for the Holland Festival.
Don has received scholarships to attend the Animato Foundation Orchestra Academy and the Domaine Forget Music and Dance Academy. Additionally, he has also been invited to be the Principal Trombone with the South Asian Symphony Orchestra and the Bandung Philharmonic Orchestra.
MICHELLINA CHAN
SAXOPHONES | @michwichy
Michellina Chan, 陈嘉灵 (b. 1992) is a Singaporean saxophonist. She graduated with a Master of Music studying with Arno Bornkamp at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, Amsterdam University of the Arts, a Bachelor of Music (Performance) with First Class Honours from the University of Melbourne, Melbourne Conservatorium of Music (MCM) and the Diplôme d'Etudes Musicales (DEM) at the Conservatoire de Bordeaux Jacques Thibaud, Bordeaux, France under the tutelage of Marie- Bernadette Charrier.
She has received several accolades for her musical endeavours including the Welsford Smithers Memorial Travelling Scholarship, First Prize of the Hugo Stockigt Award (Open Unaccompanied Solo) at the CLASAX Performance Competition 2015 and the coveted First Prize of the MCM Chamber Music Competition 2014 as the soprano saxophonist of her quartet, 2.0 Saxophone Quartet. In 2016, she was featured in the Singapore local newspaper, Lian He Zao Bao and was broadcasted on the influential Mediacorp Channel 8 Television program Star Awards 2016.
VINCENT TAN
EUPHONIUM | @vincentzm.tan
Vincent Tan holds a Bachelor of Music (Honours) from the Royal Northern College of Music and a Diploma in Music Performance from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts.
His primary teacher includes Dr. David Thornton, Fredi Sonderegger and Prof. Steven Mead.
Vincent is a founding member of The Brass Compass, which won first prize in the Chamber Music Category at the International Tuba and Euphonium Conference (2016) held in Knoxville, Tennessee. He also represented the Royal Northern College of Music at the Philip Jones Tribute Concert held in St. John Smith’s Square in London.
Vincent is currently based in Singapore and holds the Principal Euphonium position in Orchestra Collective and The Philharmonic Winds. He hopes to push the musical boundaries of the euphonium and engage in diverse and cross-disciplinary projects.
Vincent is a Sterling Musical Instruments performing artist and plays exclusively on the Sterling Virtuoso Euphonium.