Violist Lionel Tan, founding member of Singapore’s T’ang Quartet, dies at 60

SINGAPORE – Founding member of T’ang Quartet violist Lionel Tan has died of a lung infection after battling oesophageal cancer. He was 60.

T’ang Quartet co-founder and his brother cellist Leslie Tan told The Straits Times Lionel died at Mount Elizabeth Novena hospital on May 31 at 8.35pm, surrounded by friends and family: “He knew what was happening. He left instructions for me to take care of mum. He was witty, he was warm. He withdrew from public life towards the end, but he enjoyed reaching out to people. He was a great musician and a great teacher.” 

In a lengthy post on Facebook, Leslie paid a moving tribute to his younger brother: “When we were younger I always looked up to him... Lionel led - I was always a step or two behind...

“Tonight Lionel beat me to it again. He should not have departed before me but he did.” 

Lionel’s partner of 16 years Marcia Tan, 54, accompanied him through his chemotherapy treatments from his diagnosis in January 2025. She said that the musician lasted longer than even the oncologist expected. Given months to live, Lionel survived for 1½ years. It was long enough to make clear his final wishes to loved ones, Marcia said. “He doesn’t want a funeral. I’m going to sort out the cremation and organise a beer party later.” 

The Tan brothers, along with violinists Ang Chek Meng and Ng Yu-Ying, burst onto the classical scene in 1992 as the T’ang Quartet. Packaged in stylish black outfits as well as posing bare-chested like pop stars rather than conservative classical musicians, they were a phenomenon combining technical skills with marketing flair, attracting full houses to their chamber music concerts. 

While other home-grown string quartets debuted in the early 1990s and faded away, T’ang were remarkably long-lived. Over three decades, the T’ang Quartet became one of Singapore’s most prominent cultural ambassadors, performing extensively both locally and overseas.

The Tan brothers left the quartet shortly before its 30th anniversary in 2022. They were succeeded by Han Oh and Wang Zihao, who joined the ensemble in 2020 and 2021 respectively.

They chalked up successes including releasing three albums, winning the third prize as well as the Special Jury Prize at the Joseph Joachim International Chamber Music Competition in Weimar, Germany. They were also invited by the British Broadcasting Corporation to record for its World Recital Series in 2006.

Born to a teacher father and a homemaker mother, Lionel was the second of three boys. His father, Marcia says, is “a music enthusiast, self-taught and gave all his children the opportunities that he never had”. 

Lionel began viola lessons with the then principal violist of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO), Jiri Heger, and won the viola/cello section of the National Music Competition the following year. He was awarded a Public Service Commission scholarship to study at London’s Royal College of Music and won the prestigious Lionel Tertis Prize for outstanding performance. 

He spent 11 years with the SSO before leaving for T’ang Quartet. In 2003, he was appointed to the faculty at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music at National University of Singapore and the faculty at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute.

Kenneth Kwok, chief executive officer of SSO, told ST: “The founding members of the T’ang Quartet were all musicians with the SSO when they started what would go on to become a truly iconic force in the classical music scene in Singapore, the quartet also making the country proud with their international success. A sterling performer, Lionel has been an inspiration and role model to so many young musicians and music-lovers over the years, and will be much-missed, including by friends in the SSO.”

Lionel remained an active member of the classical music community and founded Tangent Moves, a collective of rotating musicians celebrating classic works.

He is survived by his parents, two brothers and his partner.