Melvyn Tan
Melvyn Tan Ban Eng (born 13 October 1956) is a Singapore-born British classical pianist, noted for his study of historical performance practice. From a young age, he went to England to study, first at the Yehudi Menuhin School when he was twelve years old, later enrolling at the Royal College of Music where he studied with Angus Morrison. At the Royal College, he was told by the then director Sir David Willcocks that he would have to study a second instrument; so he chose the harpsichord, which began his interest in early keyboards.
Also recorded as Melvyn Tan Ban Eng
Melvyn Tan
- Born
- 1956 · Singapore.
- Nationality
- United Kingdom
- Occupation
- pianist · musician
- Education
- Royal College of Music · Yehudi Menuhin School · Anglo-Chinese School
- Languages
- English
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
VALÉORINE documentary reading
Documentary summary
Melvyn Tan Ban Eng (born 13 October 1956) is a Singapore-born British classical pianist, noted for his study of historical performance practice. From a young age, he went to England to study, first at the Yehudi Menuhin School when he was twelve years old, later enrolling at the Royal College of Music where he studied with Angus Morrison. At the Royal College, he was told by the then director Sir David Willcocks that he would have to study a second instrument; so he chose the harpsichord, which began his interest in early keyboards.
Admitted source layer · organised and presented by VALÉORINE
Note VALÉORINE
Melvyn Tan (born 1956) is a musician and pianist, of British nationality. The musician was born in Singapore. Melvyn Tan was educated at Anglo-Chinese School, Royal College of Music and Yehudi Menuhin School. Languages used include English.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 29 September 2026
VALÉORINE
Reference Check
Propose documentary evidence for Melvyn Tan. A contribution is never written directly as fact: identity, source, rights and evidence gates still decide.
Sign in to contribute
World of VALÉORINE
Documentary connections
Only confirmed graph relationships appear here. Images are shown only when their identity and reuse rights both pass the documentary gate.
Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q6814147 · wikipedia · Melvyn Tan
In this article
Identity and overview
Identity and overview
Upon returning to Singapore in 2005, he was fined for not having done National Service in Singapore, although he was studying in London during the time he was required to serve and did not have an exit permit to MINDEF, he had already started a busy concert career, and he had already acquired British citizenship. During his development as a pianist, Tan developed a passion for the fortepiano, which he has promoted throughout his career, and thereby changed other musicians' perceptions of this instrument. He was invited to play and record on Beethoven's Broadwood instrument. He has now returned mainly to the pianoforte and performs a wide-ranging repertoire from Bach to Messiaen. In 2007, he performed at the Royal Academy of Arts for Jasper Conran's London Fashion Week collection.
The canonical record carries the following identifying particulars.
Works and production
Works and production
The following works and productions are recorded by name or by count. Recorded with the occupation musician. Institutional cataloguing adds that melvyn Tan is recorded as a citizen of United Kingdom. It is also recorded that melvyn Tan is recorded with the gender male. The register further records that melvyn Tan was born on 13 October 1956. The register further records that melvyn Tan is recorded with the occupation pianist.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Duchen, Jessica. Tan, Melvyn. Grove Music Online / Oxford Music Online. 1 February 2010.
- 2.Davis, Elizabeth. 'A lot of students don't know how to practise' says Melvyn Tan. Classic FM. Global 2020.
- 3.Mattison, Ben. PlaybillArts: News: Pianist Melvyn Tan Cancels Return to Singapore Over Draft Controversy. Playbill, Inc. 6 December 2005.
- 4.Ministry of Defence. Ministerial Statement on National Service Defaulters by Minister for Defence Teo Chee Hean. 16 January 2006.
- 5.The Beethoven Broadwood Fortepiano. AllMusic
- 6.Jasper Conran Autumn/Winter 2007 Collection Video.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
Further particulars
Held on the record
Further particulars
Open the remaining particulars
Every statement above is held against the register that stated it; where the registers are silent, the entry is silent.
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 17 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Music memorabilia
42,307 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Melvin GibbsPerson
- Melvin RhynePerson
- Melvin SparksPerson
- Melvin TaylorPerson
- MemnockPerson
- Memo AguirrePerson
- Memo RemigiPerson
- Memorandum RecordingsOrganisation
Best supported in this field
For owners
Own a work by Melvyn Tan?
A specialist will read what you send and tell you what the house can establish, what it cannot, and whether the object is suited to sale. There is no charge and no obligation. The object stays with you throughout; nothing is shipped to us unless it is arranged in writing beforehand.