EXAMPLE PAGE - SCHOOL BROCHURE - DEMOCRACY - Flipbook - Page 68
“If you love
something,
you persevere. Music
taught me
that in order
to succeed,
there are no
shortcuts.”
A LU MN I P RO F I LE
KENNETH TAN
K
Hear Kenneth Tan on
Facebook and Instagram
@KennyTanMusic
enneth Tan (ChE’14) may be the
youngest global category manager
at Halliburton, but his true passion
is music.
“I have been interested in music
since I was 7 years old,” Tan reflects.
“I used to watch my uncle Nelson
practice violin at my grandmother’s house in Malaysia and
one day told my mom that I would like to learn how to play.”
More than a passing fancy, Tan’s interest led to classes
and a recital diploma from Trinity College in London.
Unable to bring his violin with him to Purdue, Tan began
exploring other musical outlets.
“I joined Purdue Musical Organizations and auditioned
for the Heart & Soul choir,” Tan shares. “That was a turning
point for me because I realized how much I loved singing
and how much I connected with gospel and soul music.”
Today, as Tan pursues his career and moves from city to
city, he always finds a way to stay connected with music.
While living in Singapore, Tan took his music to the streets,
busking on nights and weekends. “I went through an application process followed by a workshop to learn the busk-
JI A N YAO A NG ( M’ 1 3) / J 1 00 0WO R DS
66 PUR D U E A LUMNUS
ing etiquette and then auditioned for a panel led by the
National Arts Council of Singapore,” he says.
Performing on the street required a unique set of skills
and presented an interesting opportunity to interact with
passersby. “I needed to continually update my repertoire
and work on the delivery of my performance to keep the
audience engaged,” Tan says.
As stay-at-home policies went into effect because of
COVID-19, Tan took the opportunity to push his music to
a new level.
“This was my first time doing a livestream on Facebook,
so it was a learning process,” he says. “It’s been so rewarding
because it is such a sincere outlet for me to share my love
for music, to entertain people during these trying times,
and to perhaps be a little of a role model for people who
want to pursue music while managing a full-time job.”
Tan also had an chance to reconnect with Purdue friends,
including Pam Sari (PhD LA’19), director of the Asian American and Asian Resource and Cultural Center (AAARCC).
“We met some time back at Purdue and reconnected when
I started my livestream, and now we talk regularly,” he says.
“Being able to connect with Pam and the AAARCC allowed
me to give back to the community that poured so much into me
during my four years at Purdue.”
The lessons Tan has learned
through his lifelong love of music
have served him well in his professional journey.
“Pursuing music is not for the
faint of heart,” he says. “It requires
a lot of discipline. It teaches
you that there are days of great
accomplishment but also long
days of hard work with no result.
But if you love something, you
persevere. Music taught me that
in order to succeed, there are no
shortcuts.
“In a world where people are
so caught up with trying to find
shortcuts without first appreciating what exists, applying the skills
I learned through my musical
journey has allowed me to build a
great foundation and confidence.”
—JOEL MEREDITH