PM Wong donating signed guitar for auction to help Gift a Guitar initiative

As part of the SG60 celebrations, the Music Society, Singapore (SGMUSO), in partnership with The Rice Company Limited (TRCL) has launched the Gift a Guitar Initiative.

The programme aims to provide 600 under-served youths aged 13 to 19 with brand-new acoustic guitars and structured music lessons.

To support the initiative, 60 guitars, donated by prominent figures, local and regional artists, and corporate sponsors, will be auctioned in August 2025 to raise funds for the program.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has donated and signed a guitar to contribute towards the initiative.

This guitar will be auctioned off by SGMUSO and TRCL to help fund the campaign in support of The Business Times Budding Artists Fund (BT BAF).

PM Wong was also part of the 2023 video which launched Gift a Guitar.

According to SGMUSO, the online auction will be open to a global audience. Before the auction, the guitars will be displayed at a dedicated venue for two weeks to a month .

Applications for youths interested in joining the Gift a Guitar program will open in July 2025. Selected participants will receive guitars and music lessons.

Chairman of SGMUSO and CEO/Founder of Timbre Group, Danny Loong shared the roots of this initiative.

"I was just 16 when I received my first guitar, an old Yamaha classical from my dad, tucked away in our family store room. That guitar sparked my passion for music, and I never looked back. I spent countless hours jamming with friends at church, HDB void decks, and East Coast beach, where music became a way to connect and express myself."

Loong said that these "formative experiences" inspired him to start Gift a Guitar.

"Music is more than enjoyment; it shapes lives, providing a powerful outlet for self-expression and bringing joy to others."

Image from Wong's Facebook