JASS Benefit Gala 2026
When You Wish Upon a Star
A Decade of Dreams
Celebrating ten years of music, mentorship and community.
Messages from JASS
Ten years. One shared dream.
Reflections from our Patron and Founding Directors on a decade of music, mentorship and community, and the possibilities still waiting to be played.
Patron, Jazz Association (Singapore)
Professor Tommy Koh
“At ten years, JASS has shown what sustained vision can achieve: nurturing talent, widening access and strengthening Singapore’s cultural life.”
Ten years is a significant milestone for the Jazz Association (Singapore). I have followed its journey with admiration and great affection, from an ambitious beginning to its place today within Singapore’s cultural landscape.
JASS has demonstrated how music can educate, connect and inspire. Its programmes have given young musicians valuable opportunities to learn, perform and grow, while its community initiatives have made jazz accessible to audiences of different ages and backgrounds.
It has also helped Singaporean musicians share their artistry beyond our shores, strengthening Singapore’s reputation as a creative and culturally confident nation.
As JASS begins its second decade, I look forward to its continued growth. With the steadfast support of our donors, partners and friends, we can continue building Singapore into a vibrant and leading city of jazz.
Thank you for believing in this mission, and I wish you all a wonderful evening.
Professor Tommy Koh
Patron
Honorary Chairman & Founding Director
Mr Albert Chiu
“Ten years ago, we shared a dream: to make Singapore a leading city of jazz. Today, that dream has taken root.”
Ten years ago, together with our fellow founders and our Patron, Professor Tommy Koh, we shared a dream: to make Singapore a leading city of jazz.
It fills me with immense pride to see how beautifully that dream has flourished. JASS has grown into a vibrant community that lives out our belief in Jazz for All.
Through performances, education and outreach, we have brought the joy of jazz to audiences from every generation and background. We have also created new opportunities for Singaporean musicians to develop their artistry and reach wider audiences.
This milestone belongs to everyone who has believed in our mission. As we begin our second decade, may we continue to listen, adapt and find harmony together.
Mr Albert Chiu
Honorary Chairman & Founding Director
Chairman & Founding Director
Dr Edmund Lam
“What I see is more than an audience. I see a community united by purpose and by the music that brings us together.”
Good evening, and a warm welcome to each and every one of you. This tenth anniversary carries a special feeling: a sense of shared purpose and a collective love for the music that brings us together.
Over the past decade, JASS has grown because a community chose to believe in what jazz can do. It can nurture young talent, connect people and give Singapore’s artistic voice room to flourish.
Tonight, we celebrate what has been achieved, while recommitting ourselves to the work ahead. There remain many young musicians to support, audiences to reach and new chapters of Singapore jazz to write.
Thank you for walking this journey with us and for helping jazz sing ever more brightly in Singapore.
Dr Edmund Lam
Chairman & Founding Director
Vice-Chairperson & Founding Director
Mrs Susan Peh
“Every great composition begins with a single note, and every movement begins with a single act of generosity.”
Dear Jazz Friends, this evening marks a deeply meaningful milestone for everyone who has been part of the JASS journey.
Like jazz itself, a thriving arts ecosystem depends on every part playing together: musicians, educators, audiences, donors and partners. Each of us has a role in sustaining its rhythm and ensuring that the music reaches the next generation.
Our supporters are the quiet heroes behind every note. Your generosity makes our scholarships, youth development, community outreach and new Singapore music possible.
Every great composition begins with a single note, and every movement begins with a single act of generosity. Together, let us keep the music playing for generations to come.
Mrs Susan Peh
Vice-Chairperson & Founding Director
Executive Director, Music Director & Founding Director
Professor Jeremy Monteiro
“When we started JASS in 2016, we had big dreams. Ten years later, every note we play still carries that dream forward.”
It is wonderful to welcome our steadfast supporters and our new friends as the Jazz Association (Singapore) celebrates ten remarkable years.
When we began in 2016, we had big dreams: to raise artistic excellence, nurture young musicians and make jazz accessible to people across Singapore.
Those dreams have become orchestras, scholarships, original works, community programmes and countless moments of connection through music.
None of this would be possible without our donors, patrons, partners and friends. You are the rhythm section behind everything we do.
As we look to the decade ahead, let us keep dreaming, creating and swinging together.
Professor Jeremy Monteiro
Executive Director, Music Director &
Founding Director
Editorial note: message copy is pending final approval from each contributor.
Our Story
A dream that learned to swing.
Since 2016, Jazz Association (Singapore) has been shaping the future of jazz—nurturing talent, widening access and building a vibrant community around the music we love.
What began as a shared belief in the transformative power of jazz has grown into a decade of music, mentorship and community.
A Decade in the Making
The journey so far
Five milestones that transformed an ambitious idea into a growing jazz ecosystem for Singapore.
2016
The Beginning
JASS was founded in September to promote participation, engagement and excellence in jazz.
2017
Charity Status
JASS became a registered charity, establishing the foundation for greater public impact.
2020
Supporting Musicians
The JASS Support Fund introduced short-term assistance for eligible musicians facing crisis.
2021
NAC Major Company
JASS became a recipient of the National Arts Council’s Major Company Scheme.
2026
A Decade of Dreams
Ten years of performances, education, youth development and community connection.
Chapter One
A bold idea takes root
JASS was born from the vision and passion of Professor Jeremy Monteiro and fellow jazz advocates Albert Chiu, Edmund Lam and Susan Peh.
Their purpose was clear: to build a stronger jazz ecosystem, raise artistic excellence and ensure that jazz remained accessible, relevant and inspiring for generations to come.
Chapter Two
Jazz for everyone
Today, JASS connects performance, education, scholarships, youth development and community outreach within one growing ecosystem.
From nurturing emerging musicians to presenting Singapore jazz internationally, every programme brings JASS closer to its vision: a centre of jazz excellence and a leading global city of jazz.
The Programme
Tonight, the dream takes the stage.
An evening of music, celebration and purpose, bringing together generations of extraordinary artists in support of the future of Singapore jazz.
One unforgettable evening.
Ten years in the making.
Saturday, 26 September 2026
Island Ballroom · Shangri-La Singapore
6:00 PM
Arrival
Pre-dinner cocktails
Guests arrive for cocktails, conversation and the opening of the evening’s auction activities.
Opening
Welcome
Guests take their seats
The Island Ballroom opens for the formal commencement of the JASS Benefit Gala 2026.
Act I
Address
Welcome from JASS
Opening reflections on ten years of music, mentorship and community impact.
Dinner
Dining
Dinner commences
A specially created gala menu served alongside the evening’s musical programme.
Spotlight
Special Performance
A rising star
JASS Music Scholar Maya Raisha returns to Singapore for a spellbinding performance celebrating the next generation of jazz.
Reflection
JASS Story
Ten years of impact
A special presentation tracing the people, performances and programmes behind the JASS journey.
Giving
Live Auction
Bid for the future of jazz
An exclusive selection of experiences and collectibles offered in support of JASS programmes and initiatives.
Main Stage
Headline Performance
Teresa Carpio with JASS
Teresa Carpio joins Jeremy Monteiro and a combined orchestra of JASSO and JASSYO! musicians for a celebration of timeless music, memories and extraordinary artistry.
Appeal
Fundraising
Help keep the music playing
Guests are invited to support scholarships, youth development, community outreach and the creation of new Singapore jazz.
Finale
Celebration
A decade of dreams
The evening reaches its finale with the musicians and voices of JASS celebrating the journey so far—and the dreams still ahead.
Stars of the Evening
Voices that light the night.
Three generations of artistry come together for an unforgettable celebration of Singapore jazz—honouring its roots while looking boldly towards its future.
A Decade of Dreams
Teresa Carpio · Jeremy Monteiro · Maya Raisha
Featured Artists
Meet the stars
Three distinctive voices. Three extraordinary musical journeys. One momentous evening.
01
Special Guest
Teresa Carpio
A Voice That Defines Generations
One of Asia’s most enduring vocalists, celebrated for her emotional depth, technical mastery and ability to connect across languages and generations.
Few voices in Asia possess the emotional weight, longevity and quiet authority of Teresa Carpio. For more than five decades, she has remained one of the region’s most respected and enduring vocalists.
Born into a musical family, Teresa’s early life was shaped by performance. She rose to prominence during the growth of Mandopop and Cantopop in the 1970s, establishing herself through the sincerity, precision and emotional clarity of her delivery.
Her repertoire spans languages and genres, but her gift lies in interpretation. Whether performing an intimate ballad or appearing in a large-scale production, she brings audiences into the story within every song.
Her influence extends across generations of Asian artists who regard her as a benchmark for vocal integrity and authenticity. Her musical roots are also deeply connected to jazz through the Carpio family’s enduring presence in the regional scene.
At the JASS Benefit Gala 2026, Teresa represents the enduring power of artistry to move, inspire and connect across generations.
02
Music Director
Jeremy Monteiro
A Guiding Star of Singapore Jazz
Singapore’s “King of Swing”—a pianist, composer, mentor and cultural force who helped place Singapore jazz on the international stage.
Cultural Medallion recipient Jeremy Monteiro has been synonymous with the growth and international recognition of Singapore jazz for decades. Affectionately known as Singapore’s “King of Swing”, he is a pianist, composer, producer, pioneer and mentor.
In 1988, Jeremy became the first Southeast Asian to lead a band of established international jazz musicians on the main stage of the Montreux Jazz Festival, performing as Monteiro, Young & Holt and Friends.
His playing is rooted in swing, rich in phrasing and guided by deep respect for jazz tradition, while remaining open to reinterpretation and evolution.
Beyond the stage, Jeremy has helped nurture the next generation of musicians through JASS, the Jazz Association Singapore Orchestra and the Jazz Association Singapore Youth Orchestra.
His journey mirrors the story of Singapore jazz itself: one of passion, perseverance, possibility and a belief that the music should continue evolving through every generation.
03
JASS Music Scholar
Maya Raisha
A Rising Star of Singapore Jazz
A compelling new voice whose music moves effortlessly through jazz, soul, R&B, musical theatre and Brazilian influences.
Maya Raisha is a standout voice within Singapore’s new jazz vanguard. She was a recipient of the JASS Music Scholarship 2025 and one of Esplanade’s Next Wave Artists of 2024, earning a place in the Mosaic Jazz Fellows programme.
Raised in a musical household, Maya began with classical piano and percussion at four. She transitioned into jazz at twelve and began performing professionally the following year.
Singing in English, Malay and French, she moves naturally through jazz, soul, neo-soul, R&B and musical theatre. Her performances combine a mature vocal tone with confident stage presence and sophisticated musical instincts.
Maya has appeared at venues ranging from Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands to New York’s Carnegie Hall. She is pursuing a Master’s in Jazz Studies at the Aaron Copland School of Music, Queens College, New York.
Her return to Singapore represents what the JASS journey is ultimately about: nurturing exceptional talent and creating opportunities for the next generation to shine.
An evening to savour.
Four courses composed for one unforgettable evening.
Beverage menu
The Gala Auction
Bid generously. Make an impact.
Discover a specially curated selection of experiences, artworks and exceptional objects—all offered in support of the future of jazz in Singapore.
Selected Lots
A glimpse of what awaits
Auction lots will be revealed closer to the gala. These three spaces can be used to feature selected items.
Lot 01
Auction Category
Auction Item Title
Add a concise description of the item, experience or artwork being offered.
Kindly donated by: Donor Name
Lot 02
Auction Category
Auction Item Title
Add a concise description of the item, experience or artwork being offered.
Kindly donated by: Donor Name
Lot 03
Auction Category
Auction Item Title
Add a concise description of the item, experience or artwork being offered.
Kindly donated by: Donor Name
Every successful bid helps JASS nurture young musicians, widen access to jazz and bring Singapore’s musical voice to audiences at home and abroad.
View all auction lotsBuild Your Legacy Through Jazz
Let your story become music.
Commemorate someone you love, celebrate a meaningful occasion or create something that will continue to resonate for generations.
Your Jazz Legacy
A composition created especially for you
Through a donation to JASS, a new jazz composition can be specially created and dedicated to you, someone you love or an occasion you wish to commemorate.
You will help shape the story behind the music, name the composition and receive its basic score with melody and chords. The work may then make its debut at a future JASS concert, subject to the JASS performance schedule.
A Gift with Meaning
More than a composition
Your contribution creates a personal legacy while supporting the future of original Singapore jazz.
Create your legacy
Honour a loved one, celebrate a milestone or preserve a meaningful story through an original piece of music.
Champion Singapore music
Help grow a vibrant repertoire of original jazz composed in Singapore and inspired by the stories of our community.
Nurture our composers
Create opportunities for Singapore’s composers and lyricists to develop, present and share their artistry.
The Journey
How it works
From your first pledge to the composition’s debut, every step becomes part of the story.
Select
Choose the composer tier that best suits your intended legacy.
Pledge
Submit your donation pledge through the official JASS campaign.
Imagine
Share your story and develop the composition’s direction with the composer.
Name
Give the new composition a title that captures its meaning.
Receive
Receive the basic musical score with melody and chords.
Witness
Experience the composition’s debut, subject to the JASS concert schedule.