SENIOR MANAGEMENT

Graduated with a Masters of Science in Communication Management, Noor Azhar started his foray into the creative and performing arts industries since he was a student at the Singapore Polytechnic. Professionally trained in branding, design, integrated communications and pedagogy development, Noor Azhar started his career in advertising as an art director before moving on to lead his own creative agency. At the same time, he also ran an edutainment company, providing bespoke entertainment for families and schools. He later progressed into design education at the tertiary level and later led in curriculum and pedagogy design, development, training and consultancy. He was awarded the Excellence in Teaching Award by Singapore Polytechnic, and also tutored at the Young Creative Academies of Cannes Lions International Creative Festival and Spikes Asia International Creative Festival.

While developing his professional portfolio, Noor Azhar has also built a strong reputation as Singapore’s leading purveyor of the Malay traditional arts of Bangsawan, or the Malay Opera. A protege of Singapore’s Father of Bangsawan, the late Haji Hamid Ahmad, Noor Azhar has acted in, directed and produced classic Bangsawan productions for the community at the Esplanade Theatres by the Bay and the Malay Heritage Centre.

He is also known to have produced Singapore’s and South East Asia’s first Bangsawan Festival. Currently, Noor Azhar is Founder and Director of Singapore’s leading Bangsawan troupe, Anggerik Temasek Bangsawan (ATB) Singapura. ATB currently leads in the training and regeneration of the region’s future Bangsawan purveyors and artisans through its children and youth Bangsawan programmes.

Noor Azhar’s strengths in engaging different layers of the community to use the arts as a self-development tool has seen many individuals turning to the Bangsawan art form to pursue personal growth. He believes that the operatic theatre is a holistic art form and can be a provider of a multitude of transformational and rehabilitative opportunities for all age groups.

His dedication to the Bangsawan art form has had him featured in many media features - articles, mainstream news coverage and specialty TV programmes that highlight the Bangsawan art form (see links below). Recently, Noor Azhar has been invited to give talks and seminars on the Bangsawan art form in Singapore and overseas, and to share his plans to reinstate the relevance of the art form to the present generation, and beyond.