Mr Saturnino Tiamson, the visiting drum teacher of Harrow International School Hong Kong, has recently won the Senior Over Winner Gold Medal and Plauqe at the Instrument Jazz category, four other Gold Medals and one Silver Medal in the World Championships of Performing Arts in Los Angeles, California on 11-16 July 2016. This international meet is often cited as the official ‘Talent Olympics’ for performers and is the only event of its kind. Performers are selected from over 50 countries including the U.S., Europe, Canada, Asia and Africa.
- Senior Over Winner Gold Medal and Plauqe – Instrument Jazz
- Gold Medal – Instrument Contemporary
- Gold Medal – Instrument Original Works
- Gold Medal – Instrument Open
- Gold Medal – Instrument Jazz
- Silver Medal – Instrument Classical
Tiamson relocated from the Philippines in 2005 and performed at Hong Kong Disneyland for 10 years. In 2008, his 3rd year in Hong Kong, Timeout Magazine hailed him as one of the Top 20 Musicians in Hong Kong together with star celebrities Eason Chan and Denis Ho Wan-see.
Tiamson participates in voluntary projects in Hong Kong and abroad. He gives free tutorial services through social media to students from Hong Kong, Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Kuwait, China, North America, Japan and Singapore. He organises free music and percussion workshops for overseas workers of the Mindanao Hongkong Workers Federation Drum and Lyre and in the Philippines.
He is a busy drummer and percussionist in Hong Kong and plays classical, rock, jazz, pop, latin, original works, broadway musicals and many more with different bands and orchestras. He is also a regular columnist for Friends International Magazine. He is also an envoy for the Pambansang Samahan ng mga Banda sa Pilipinas, an organisation that supports Filipino musicians, a member of the Hong Kong Musicians Union, Asosasyon ng Musikong Pilipino and a lot more. In 2015, his achievements were recognised by the Gawad Geny lopez Jr Bayaning Pilipino (Filipino Hero) for Asia Pacific. 2014 Bagong Bayani (New Hero) for Culture and the Arts by Bagong Bayani Foundation. The Award is a national search for the country’s outstanding and exemplary overseas workers. (This bit doesn’t make sense – I suggest you leave it out for now!)
His continuing quest for excellence earned him the Specialist Drums Certificate from Berklee College of Music with a Scholarship Award from Cris Williamson. He was awarded the Grade Percussion Certificate with Distinction by the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music. He is also a participant of the Conn-Selmer Institute in Indiana, USA.