Orkestra Melayu Singapura

The Orkestra Melayu Singapura (OMS) is an orchestra based in Singapore, which specialises in promoting and preserving traditional Malay music. It was founded in 1991 and performs on both western instruments and traditional Malay instruments. The OMS also has a gamelan ensemble founded in 2001 and an associated youth orchestra.

Maestro Amri Bin Amin began his professional music career as a flautist. In 1991, Amri was awarded the Singapore Public Service Commission scholarship to study at Kneller Hall, Royal Military School of Music, United Kingdom in 1993 and received his Bachelor of Arts (Music) from Kingston University in 1996. His flair in music arrangement and composition won him several prizes when he was in the United Kingdom. Some of the awards include The Somerville Award for best original composition of a suite, The Tomlinson Award for best arrangement of a selection of popular music, The Commandant Award for best original composition of a quick march and also the award for being the best overseas student.

He has been in the helm of several Malay musicals recently as the musical director, notably the Rock Opera The Musical at the Esplanade and Gentarasa 2007 – Titisan Cacamerba (Dynamic Transformation) at Republic Polytechnic. And recently, he leads the Singapore delegation as its musical director in the Singapore/Brunei annual concert. Amri is now appointed as the musical director for Orkestra Melayu Singapura (OMS) since 2 Jan 2009, in which he hopes to bring the orchestra to greater heights. “Writing, arranging and completing the music scores for the musical was an immensely satisfying pursuit. I look forward to the opening night when we present to the audience original compositions with full orchestra accompaniment plus choral and ethnic percussions providing the unique touch to rock music and theatre production. Definitely a musical not to be missed.”