User:Saturninotiamsonjr

Saturnino Tiamson Jr, is a musician based in Hong Kong. Being outstanding in his field of craft is not enough to describe the accomplishments of Saturn, a musician by profession and a hero by heart. His life works did not just evolve around playing music for a living, he has brought pride and honor to the country through exemplary achievements and leadership.

2018 UPAA Distinguished Alumni Award in Culture and the Arts, 2016 (TOYM Philippines) "The Outstanding Young Men for Arts in Music", 2015 “Gawad Geny Lopez, Jr. Bayaning Pilipino (Filipino Hero) for Asia Pacific, Hong Kong Winner” and “Bagong Bayani (Modern day Hero) for Culture and the Arts” in 2014; Saturn recognized for helping young Filipinos get free training through his music workshops and pass scholarship programs for young musicians, especially the underprivileged. Saturn is recognized for his free music workshops for the youth when he visits the country during his vacations. Through his own personal resources, Saturn has successfully spearhead music workshops attended by youth participants in Rizal, Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Manila and Mindanao. He also gives personal tutorials via free music online using Skype, Facebook, and Facetime. His students come from the Philippines, Hong Kong, Brunei, Japan, China, North America, Kuwait, Singapore and among others. He also holds free music and percussion workshops, and gives free consultancy to the Mindanao Hong Kong Workers Federation Drum & Lyre (MinFed Band) composed of OFWs.

Outstanding in its trust sense: Saturn won four “(4) Gold Medals, one (1) Silver Medal in various categories and Overall Winner for Instrument-Jazz” in the 20th Annual World Championships of Performing Arts (WCOPA) in the United States of America in 2016. At the same year, he represented the Philippines and he won “2nd Prize with Diploma of Merit for Drum Set Category” (the only Filipino in the competition) in the 14th Edition Italy Percussion Competition by Italy Percussive Arts Society in Pescara, Italy. As a professional, Saturn is currently a Visiting Music Teacher (for Drum Set) in Harrow International School Hong Kong and The Independent Schools Foundation Academy. He is also a Drum teacher in Pui Tak Canossian College, Creative Secondary School and Faith Love Lutheran School for Leisure Cultural Services Department Young Friend Scheme “ Drum-Move ” Program in cooperation with the Hong Kong International Drummer Festival. He has led the Hong Kong Disneyland Band for a decade. A graduate of the University of the Philippines College of Music with a Diploma in Creative and Performing Musical Arts major in Percussion, he has been a consistent recipient of the “UP Student Achievers Award” from 2002-2005; received the highest Award given to the outstanding citizen of Angono, “Sangguniang Bayan Award for Music” from Angono Municipal Council in 2013; he was also given the highest award by Disneyland to its employees in 2012, “The Walt Disney Legacy Award ”; “ Dangal ng Bayan Award for Music” in 2011 in Angono Rizal (Art Capital of the Philippines); “Gawad Sining Award for Most Outstanding Musician” from Gawad Sulo ng Bayan in 2015; “ Name included at the Bantayog ng mga Bagong Bayani or Heroes Wall ” in POEA, 2015; and hailed by Time Out Magazine as one of the “ Top 20 Musicians in Hong Kong” in 2008.

Saturn started his music career as a 9 year-old boy with Angono Elementary School Drum & Lyre until he joined in Angono Wind Ensemble in 1993. In 1998, he began a Diploma course in Percussion at the University of the Philippines College of Music. He majored in Percussion under the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra Principal Percussionist, Mr Elizalde Tolentino. He continued to hone his musical skills through continued education; he has been tutored by Drum Corps International Snare Drum Champion as well as the Percussive Arts Society Individual Snare Drum Champion Jeffrey Allen Queen. He is also a student to the Australian Drumming Wizard Chris Brien on “ 4-Way Independence Drumming ”. He received his “ Specialist Drums Certificate ” from Berklee College of Music Online and awarded a “Celebrity Scholarship Award ” by the famous recording artist Cris Williamson. He studied Drum Set Fundamentals with Yoron Israel, Funk & RnB Drumming with Jim Payne and Afro-Cuban Drumming with Mark Walker.

Saturn has played both for semi-professional and professional orchestras and wind bands. To name a few are the Metro Manila Community Orchestra, Crosswave Symphony Orchestra, Peace Philharmonic Philippines from Cebu, UP Orchestra, UP Symphonic Band, UP Percussion Ensemble, UP ROTC Band. In 2001 and 2004, he was the Percussionist for Asian Youth Orchestra touring many different countries in Asia. He was the Timpanist of the 1st Southeast Asian Wind Ensemble in SAYOWE 2003 held in Thailand.

He has been under contract with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra in 2005 and has been a freelance percussionist. From 2001 to 2004, Mr. Tiamson was a percussionist, timpanist, drummer with the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra and guest musician with the San Miguel Philharmonic Orchestra.

Currently, Saturn is an active percussionist, timpanist and drummer around and outside of Hong Kong. He is a freelance drummer and percussionist in the Hong Kong Metropolitan Pop Orchestra and Philippine Pops Orchestra. In April 2017, he played in the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra's 34th Concert Season “Timeless Classics New Beginnings” under the baton of Maestro Yoshikazu Fukumura. Performing with some of the country's top companies over the last 18 years, he was the Percussionist in Tanghalang Pilipino's “Carmen” (2001) and “Luna” (2002-2003). Drummer and Percussionist in Atlantis Theatrical's Asian premiere and Award-winning Musicals “Fun Home” featuring Ms Lea Salonga and Eric Kunze;  “Kinky Boots” featuring Nyoy Volante, “Matilda”, " Side Show " and Waitress featuring Bituin Escalante, Jo Ampil and Philippine's theatre actors. In Hong Kong, he is the Drummer of Marsha Yuan, a well known HK Actress, Singer; William Elvin and The Circus Tour (Pop/ Rock Band), and Syzygy (Jazz Band); a freelance drummer for Helium3 (Rock Band), Gip Percussion Ensemble, Island Sun Drum, Andrewgyne Powers and many more.

Saturn is one of the consultants of the Hong Kong International Drummer Festival. Besides in teaching, performing and a being a family man, Saturn is also an active resource speaker in some special events. He was invited to be the presenter and speaker in TEDx Hong Kong in 2016.