Mary Gan retires as MSM Principal

By Evelyn S. E. Lim

MS MARY Y. T. GAN (picture at right), the founding Principal of the Methodist School of Music (MSM), will be retiring this month after 13 years of service.

Ms Gan hails from Malacca. A former student of MGS Malacca, she obtained the undergraduate and Masters' degrees in Music in the United States. Before moving to Singapore, she taught privately in the Kuala Lumpur/Klang area and part-time at the Selangor Institute of Music.

From 1982 to 1997, she served as Music Lecturer at Trinity Theological College here. She is also the founding Director of the Paya Lebar Chinese Methodist Church Junior Choir and the Praise Choristers of Telok Ayer Chinese Methodist Church.

In 1995, she and a small group of church leaders were convinced of the need to start a music school for the training of church musicians. As the Chairman of the then Council on Worship and Music, she presented the proposal to the General Conference Executive Council (GCEC) which approved the setting up of the MSM.

In January, 1997, the MSM was established. Under her leadership, the school evolved from its fledgling roots into what it is today – an institution that provides training, resource and platforms for people in the church music ministry, both local and international. She recollects that the path has not always been rosy, and sometimes plagued with issues such as funding, programme development and re-location (from the original Mount Sophia premises to Upper Bukit Timah Road, soon after the school opened).

Her dreams for the church music scene remain bright; her optimism for the future of MSM undaunted.

She looks forward to spending more time with her family and friends, and to pursuing her other areas of passion, such as nurturing children’s choirs, and perhaps, writing a book. 

The leaders and staff of the MSM wish every good blessing upon Ms Gan, and are grateful for her years of unwavering dedication to the school.

Mr Robert Goh Say Hong, a long-time leader of Charis Methodist Church, will take over as Principal of the MSM.

Dr Evelyn S. E. Lim is the Organist/Lecturer at the Methodist School of Music.