The Temasek Junior College Symphonic Band was established in 1977 for students to express their interest and love for music. The Band has since maintained a high standard of excellence driven by commitment, dedication and sheer passion of its students and conductor. 

Mr Lin graduated from the Teacher’s Training College in 1971, and became a full time band conductor from 1977 onwards.

He was awarded a scholarship from the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) in 1979 to study music in Sydney, Australia, and subsequently obtained an Advance Certificate in Music Education from the National Institute of Education in 1981.

In that very year, Mr Lin conducted the Temasek Junior College Symphonic Band in its first ever concert, Prelude I. Since then, he has been a mentor to his students till his passing.

Regarded as an exceptional teacher to many, veteran band conductor Mr Lin Ah Leck (林生) passed away on 13 October 2019.

‘Band give me a chance.’ A phrase heard by generations of TJ Band students. Most of the time, the mistake was ours but this was perhaps his gentle way of reassuring us and getting us to try again. This was what he was like to many of us. He was firm but never fierce or unreasonable with us. He taught us never to be satisfied with what is, and to always think of what could be. His simple ‘再来一次’s were profound lessons on introspection and self-assessment. From him we learnt to take ownership of our music. It was never “do this or that”, but “go and think of how you can match the band sound”.

Through him, we learnt how music is a full-bodied experience. His eclectic taste for music demonstrated to us how music knows no boundaries. Most of us start out band life in the TJ band room wondering why tuning had to take forever but as time went by and when we heard ourselves produce that magical TJ band sound, we understood why. At rehearsals he would take us from ‘Bangkok’ to “Germany’ several times until we finally get things right. And sometimes we had to repeat from ‘F-fu’ or ‘Orange’.

Each time, he would thank the band and we would sometimes wonder why we deserved any thanking. But that was Linsheng for you. Performances with him were always thrilling to say the least. He would always remind us to ‘enjoy the performance, Band! never mind if it was the SYF or a regular concert. ‘Enjoy so the audience (and the judges) also enjoy with us the music’ was his gentle reminder to us all. We always looked forward to those climatic moments where the TJ Band magic happens; that moment of splendour where his concept of the ‘big ball’ sound arrives. Words can’t quite adequately explain his music, you had to be there to feel it in your bones.

TJ Band will always be very special experience for every single student who had been under Lin Sheng’s baton. He was humble, always keen to learn, and ever ready to bounce ideas and discuss music. Band practice was more than just playing notes to fulfil CCA requirements. Band was our escape from the boredom of home and school. Band was where we gathered as partners in music. Even after graduation, we felt that same excitement performing under his baton as an alumni. Nothing can explain him staying back on Saturday nights to conduct us pro bono other than his passion for music and love for us.

To our dearest Lin Sheng 林生, you have been our rock and a Father figure through almost 4 decades of TJ band. Thank you for always making time for us, above and beyond what duty called for. Thank you for always believing in us, and assuring us that we’ll make progress as long as we do not let up. Thank you for always genuinely caring for us all. We are blessed to have been part of your magical journey as a musician and we hope we have also made you proud of us. Words cannot express the intense sadness we are feeling at your sudden departure. We pray that you are still happily making music wherever you may be.

It mattered not where we were from, to TJC Symphonic Band we all belonged.