Malaysian-born Tengku Irfan has appeared around the world as a conductor, pianist, and composer. He made his Carnegie Hall debut conducting The Juilliard Orchestra in April 2024. He appears as a guest conductor with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra. As assistant and cover conductor, he has worked with orchestras such as New York Philharmonic, New Jersey Symphony, National Symphony Orchestra, National Youth Orchestra of the United States, among others. Through his work as conductor, he is the recipient of the Robert Craft Igor Stravinsky Grant in Orchestral Conducting and the Bayreuth Stipendium Award. He earned his Masters of Music in Orchestral Conducting at The Juilliard School, studying with David Robertson. During his studies at Juilliard, he was a proud recipient of The Juilliard School Kovner Fellowship Award. Currently, he is the founder and music director of his own group, Ensemble Fantasque, promoting works from the 20th and 21st centuries, and underperformed pieces from earlier time periods.

Schedule

COVER CONDUCTOR: NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY (NOVEMBER 6-9 2025)

Tito Muñoz, conductor
Michelle Cann, piano

Program info here

COVER CONDUCTOR: NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC (NOVEMBER 13-14 & 16 2025)

David Robertson, conductor
Nicola Benedetti, piano

Program info here

SOUNDBRIDGE FESTIVAL (NOVEMBER 21-23 2025)

Tengku Irfan conducts several concerts in a contemporary music festival in Kluang, Johor, Malaysia

Tickets and info here

ENSEMBLE FANTASQUE: CHROMATIC ALLURE (DECEMBER 19 2025)

Schoenberg - Notturno
Carter - Mosaic
Takemitsu - Le son calligraphié I
Seeger (Ruth Crawford) - Music for Small Orchestra
Ives - Arrangements of selected songs

Tengku Irfan, conductor
December 19 2025, 7:30pm, Tenri Cultural Institute, New York

Tickets here