Alvin Seville Arumugam

Alvin Arumugam is the Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the Musicians’ Initiative (Singapore) since 2017. Under his leadership, the orchestra has developed into one of the leading orchestras in Singapore, and has garnered critical acclaim for its innovative and bold programming. Often featuring works by under-explored or contemporary composers, the orchestra continues to challenge public notions of music through its bold and unconventional works.

Alvin started his musical journey with the Symphony Wind Symphony as a flautist. Under the tutelage of Mr Jin Ta, the Principal Flute of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO), he obtained a Diploma from the Associate Board of the Royal Schools of Music in Flute Performance. Alvin subsequently picked up conducting and would go on to helm multiple school bands as their band director over an impressive 25-year tenure. Among his accomplishments include leading the Anderson Junior College Symphonic Band to attain 2nd in the Australian Yamaha National Band Competition (Open Division) in 2008, and the Anglo-Chinese Junior College Band to become overall Champion in the 1st and Open Division of the Singapore International Band Festival in 2014. In addition, he was appointed as the Concert Master of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Band from 2003 - 2005.

Alvin has also held a number of notable international engagements. In 2016, he was one of two conductors selected to represent Singapore in the World Music Contest Conducting Masterclass and Competition, of which he was a finalist. In 2019, Alvin was appointed as the Music Director of the South Asian Symphony Orchestra (SASO) by the former foreign secretary of India, Ambassador Nirupama Rao, and has remained as its resident conductor since. In 2022, Alvin assumed directorship of the Nimrod Orchestra - composed of the top musicians located in Greater London - and in 2023, served as Assistant Conductor to Martyn Brabbins and the BBC Symphony Orchestra for its World Premiere of Iain Bell’s Beowulf.

As an Opera conductor, Alvin made his debut as an assistant conductor to Darrell Ang with Manila Symphony Orchestra in its 2015 production of La Cenerentola. In 2018 and 2019, he conducted the Musicians’ Initiative in its collaboration with The Opera People in staging Il Re Pastore and Der Zwerg respectively. Alvin was the assistant to Toby Purser, Head of Conducting (Royal College of Music) for the 2022 production of Cosi Fan Tutte at the Vienna Opera Academy. Additionally, he has collaborated with outstanding artists such as Kanon Matsuda (Deutsche Grammophon) and Neil Varon (Eastman School of Music).

Alvin holds both a Master’s in Music (Conducting) from the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music (YST), as well as a Master’s degree in Performance (Orchestral Conducting) from the Royal College of Music, London. During his time at the RCM, Alvin regularly conducted the college orchestra and assisted visiting conductors such as Martyn Brabbins, Antonio Pappano, Jac Van Steen and Rafael Payare.