biography

Performer, Music Composer & Arranger, Educator, Instructor, Producer, Director, Conductor, Sound Tech, Web Designer, Actor, Events Coordinator, Compere/Show Host

DAMIEN LIM started his music education at the age of 7, playing the electone organ. In 1990, he started learning the percussion in Westlake Secondary School.

In 1991, Damien was transferred to Montfort Secondary School where he was appointed the Section Leader & Band Major in his final 2 years. He was also called up to perform at the National Day Parade'91 with the Combined Schools Band & subsequently, selected to play with the Singapore Schools Percussion Band.

During this period, he was under the tutelage of his father Mr Nicholas Lim (till 1993) & Mr Syed Ibrahim (till 2001). He also set up the Montfort School Percussion Band & was appointed its Conductor until 1995.

In 1994, Damien auditioned for the SAF Central Band, Singapore Wind Symphony (SWS) & the Singapore Youth Orchestra (SYO) simultaneously over 3 days & was accepted into all 3 musical groups. In March, just 2 months after joining the SYO, he got his "breakthrough" when he was called up to play with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO). Then, he was 17 years old. His first music composition, The Festival Joyunn Fanfare, was commissioned by the SWS & up to date, has 3 commissioned compositions, of which, one was played by the world-renowned Medici String Quartet. "A Promising Young" composer, as what the music critics from the Straits Times described, he was under the mentorship of Prof John Howard from 1994 to 1996.

Damien was appointed the Principal Percussionist of SYO for the year 1996 after being awarded the "Most Outstanding Percussionist" Award in 1995.

Enlisted to the military in July 1996, he signed a 6-years contract as a musician with the SAF Central Band, which officially "kicks-off" his career as a full-time musician. He has since obtained the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) Advanced Certificate in Percussion, the Associate Diploma of the Trinity College of London in Percussion (ATCL), the Licentiate Diploma (Professional Performance Diploma) of Guildhall School of Music & Drama in Percussion (LGSMD-PPD), the Diploma of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music in Percussion (DipABRSM) and the Licentiate Diploma of the Royal Schools of Music in Percussion (LRSM). He was under the tutelage of Lim Meng Keh.

In the Central Band, he re-started the percussion ensemble, which successfully performed the exciting & thrilling Brazilian Street Dance during the band's "In Harmony 7 -Nightfall In Camp" concert at the Victoria Concert Hall in 1998. Subsequently, he conducted the percussion ensemble in the band's "Chamber Repertory 1" concert at CHIJMES Hall in 1999. Damien was Principal Timpanist & Percussionist of the SAF Bands, Percussion Ensemble Leader & Instructor at its training wing. He was also the Events Coordinator for the SAF Bands. During his years of service, he has performed for numerous local & foreign dignitaries & VIPs. Damien completed his service in July 2002.

A well-travelled musician, he has performed with the HeartBeat Percussion Band (HBPB) in Sarawak(1991), Egypt(1996), Turkey(1998), USA(1999), South Korea(2000) & with the SYO in Sydney, Newcastle & Canberra, Australia(1997). With the SAF Central Band, he sailed on the Republic of Singapore Navy ship, RSS Intrepid, embarking on a 2-month long music attachment to Shanghai (China), Maizuru/Kyoto(Japan), Sattahip/Pattaya(Thailand) & Muara/Bandar Seri Begawan(Brunei) in 1998. The Central Band also performed their first overseas performance in Perth, Australia (1999), in Brisbane, Australia (2000) and most recently, in Cazaux, Le Teste and Saumur in France (2001). In November 1998, he participated in the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC'98) held in Orlando, Florida (USA) & in June 2000, the World Percussion Festival "Drumusique": Kuala Lumpur, 5th - 10th June 2000 in Malaysia with the Telok Kurau Secondary School Percussion Band. He also performed with the World Youth Wind Orchestra (WYWO) in Shladming, Austria, from 8 - 16 July 2000. The WYWO'2000 was under the baton of Alfred Reed, Ray Cramer & Johann Moesenbichler. He also studied under Austrian Percussionist, Herbert Prinz during the WYWO. He has travelled to Thailand with Singapore's own musical "Chang & Eng - the Musical" in March 2001 and to Malaysia in February 2002 under the baton of Iskandar Ismail.

An active performer & educator, Damien is timpanist/keyboardist with "Chang & Eng - The Musical" & the "Forbidden City" Musical. He also free-lances for the SSO. He is currently instructor/conductor of the Guangyang Primary School Angklung Ensemble (SYF Bronze Medal - 2000, 2002), Yio Chu Kang Primary School Angklung Ensemble (SYF Bronze Medal - 2002) , Telok Kurau Secondary School Percussion Band, Punggol Primary School Angklung Ensemble & Telok Kurau Primary School Angklung Ensemble. He was also instructor/conductor for Ang Mo Kio Primary School Percussion/Angklung Band (SYF Gold - 1998, Silver - 1996, 2000 & Bronze - 2002). He also instructs the percussion ensembles of the Xinmin Secondary School & Catholic High School Bands. Damien was Deputy Conductor of the HeartBeat Percussion Band from 1999 to 2001. He was percussion tutor at the EastONE Schools Cluster Festival Band for the "Musical Moments" Concert in November 2001. Damien was also conducting at the National Combined Schools Percussion Festival (Group 1) in December 2001 and again in the National Youth Percussion Festival 2002 (Group 5).

Damien is a co-founder of the "D-Duo" Percussion Duo & also Band-Leader of the "Four-4 Percussion" quartet.

A versatile person, Damien was also a part-time TCS actor, playing the supporting role of "Fatty" in the TCS 5 local drama series, Growing Up. He also spends his leisure time working on music arrangements and compositions.

In the field of theatre arts, Damien has performed as musician in SRT's production of "Forbidden City" (2002 - date), "HONK!" (2002) & "They're Playing Our Song" (1999), Action Theatre's "Chang & Eng - The Musical"(1998 - date), Community Chest's "Tribute to a Musical Theatre" (2000) as well as Theatre Practice's "Sampek Engtay - The Butterfly Lovers" (2000). He performed at the SYO's production of Benjamin Britten's Operetta "Noye's Fludde" (1995) & SLO/SSO's production of Verdi's Opera IL Travotore (2001). He was also invited as music director for "Wonderful Baby" (1995) staged by the Temasek Polytechnic Drama Group. He also composed & arranged the music for the National Primary School Science Fair (2001) & the Shobo Nichiren Shoshu 750th Anniversary (2002). Damien has 3 musical plays, "Singapore- My Homeland (2000)" & "Fairy Tale Land Goes Bonkers 1 & 2 (1998/99)", written & performed by the Ang Mo Kio Primary School. He is presently directing a 90-minute musical "River Of Life" for the Telok Kurau Secondary School for its production in April 2003, which he's also Artistic cum Music Director.

In all these years of music making, he has worked closely with prominent names like MAJ Tonni Wei, Iskandar Ismail, Eric Watson, Sydney Tan, Robert Casteels, Wendy Koh, Dick Lee, Syed Ibrahim, M.S.Maniam, Babes Conde, Kit Chan, Ken Low, Tamagoh, Tribal Tide Percussion Band, Gilbert Kaplan, Brad Haak, Evelyn Glennie, Lea Salonga, Alfred Reed, Lim Yau, Choo Hoey, Lan Shui, Akira Jimbo, Peter Erskine & Lewis Pragasam.

Damien is the Chapter President of the Percussive Arts Society - Singapore Chapter, which aims to increase appreciation for local percussion music. He was appointed as PAS representative to South-East Asia region in January 2002.

Damien is managed by Lim Yong Productions.

(5 Jan 2003)