This is not a blog on political matters, but I thought it interesting that a piano teacher has decided to stand for election at this year's General Elections on 3 May 2025. The would-be politician name is Emily Woo Chia Ying, who is on the slate of Red Dot United as it contests the Holland-Bukit Timah Group Representation Constituency.
I have known Chia Ying since 1982, when she was a music elective student at Raffles Junior College. She was a student of the late Ong Lip Tat, as were many other aspiring professional musicians and pianists. She performed Chopin's Fantaisie-Impromptu at the inaugural RJC Arts Festival at my invitation, and I also remembered her playing Rachmaninov's Prelude in A minor (Op.32 No.8) at an Ong Lip Tat student concert, and she was quite brilliant in the prestidigitation. She later studied and graduated from the Catholic University in Paris.
She is presently active in music education, including writing several books on piano playing and regularly attending concerts. One supposes that seeking political office is the next step. Interestingly, she is the minority candidate in Red Dot United's four-member group standing for election. Red Dot United has absolutely nothing to do with Red Dot Baroque although Chia Ying could qualify to be one of its keyboardists.
Update: RDU garnered 20.71% of the valid votes on 3 May 2025, and was able to keep its deposit.
