Joel Tan (b. 2003) is a Singaporean composer, writer, and mathematics educator. Growing up with a keen interest in the sciences, he initially prepared for a career in mathematics until he was introduced to composition by Lee Ji Heng at Eunoia Junior College. At 17, he abandoned his pursuit of mathematics in favour of composition.

Since then, he has continued to develop as a musician, participating in workshops such as the Choral Composition Seminar (Singapore) by The Renaissance Singers (2022), the Young Composers’ Academy by the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music (2023), and the Young Composers’ Forum by the Composers’ Society of Singapore (2024). He has also organised various events, including Menagerie, a student-led chamber orchestra concert, and Beansprouts, a composition workshop for students aged 13 to 18. Additionally, he believes that music and concerts should be discussed more widely, and he spends his free time writing concert reviews and articles for the Composers’ Society of Singapore.

Currently pursuing a degree in composition at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, Joel hopes to explore various methods of writing and thinking about music while continuing to develop as a composer. Aside from trying to figure out life, he enjoys reading, writing, spending time with friends, and occasionally interacting with nature.