Shao Fern Teo

TEO, Shao Fern (b. 1992) is a Malaysian-born composer, pianist, and violinist. Her musical style stems from her background in classical training, Mandarin and Cantonese popular music, as well as church hymns and contemporary worship music. Her music is accessible and rooted in her creativity with tonality and instrumentation.
 
Fern started her musical training on the piano, and later picked up the violin and composition. She holds music theory and piano certificates from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM). She began composing by writing songs and tunes for school related events and organizations, and she would often play for hours on the piano transforming memorized pieces into new works. As a composer and performer, she is experienced in collaborating works with musicians and artists.
 
Fern attended INTI International University, Malaysia under the American Degree Transfer Program, and later transferred to the University of North Texas. As a multi-scholarship recipient, she received a Bachelor of Arts in Music degree (summa cum laude) from the University of North Texas in 2013, where she studied composition with Joseph Klein and Kirsten Broberg. Fern studied composition with Clifton Callender at Florida State University and graduated with a Master of Arts in Music in 2016. She participated in the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music Film Scoring Institute in the summer of 2016 under the tutelage of the Institute Director, Thomas Haines.

Fern has recently commissioned several new works, which include a world premiere of her violin and piano composition, Congkak, at Carnegie Hall. She is a former Disney Cast Member where she completed an entertainment internship in Stage Management at the Walt Disney World Resort.

Fern’s music expresses her unique Chinese-Malaysian flare and culture, and she embodies Malaysian warmth and hospitality, especially in sharing her proud Malaysian cuisine with people from around the world.

For more, please visit www.teoshaofern.com to learn more about her work and music.