Jin Ta is a flutist, educator, and composer. He is currently the principal flutist of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra and previously served as a full-time professor of flute at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music.

 

Born into a musical family in Beijing, Jin's parents were both musicians in the symphony orchestra. He began his musical journey at the affiliated middle school of the Central Conservatory of Music, studying under the renowned Chinese flute educator, Mr. Zhu Tongde. In 1991, he pursued further studies in the United States at the School of Music at the University of Michigan and later completed his master's degree at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston in 1995. Jin's dedication to his craft led him to win prestigious awards such as first place in the 2001 Israeli International Flute Competition and top honors in the Central and Western United States Flute Competition.

 

In 1997, Jin joined the Singapore Symphony Orchestra as its principal flutist, a position he holds to this day, making him the sole Chinese flutist to have held such a role in a professional orchestra abroad for an extended period. He has continued to excel in his career, receiving accolades such as the Shenzhen "Overseas High-Caliber Personnel" Project award and dedicating himself to nurturing young flutists through teaching positions at esteemed institutions like the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, and the LASALLE College of the Arts.

 

In 2019, Jin returned to China and became a professor of flute at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. His passion for music composition has also flourished in recent years, with notable works including the "First Flute Sonata," the "Second Sonata 'Mongol'," and the "Jin Flute Encore." The Sonata "Mongol" achieved significant recognition by winning the 2021 American Flute Association's inaugural award for original flute composition, establishing Jin as the first Chinese flutist and composer to receive this esteemed honor.

 

In 2023, Jin premiered a rewrite version of the "Mongol" Flute Concerto with the Sichuan Symphony Orchestra. This was followed by an invitation in 2024 to serve as a visiting professor at the Shenyang Conservatory of Music, further solidifying his reputation as a distinguished musician and educator in the world of flute performance.