Singapore

AZARIAH Tan is just 26 and already, he has been described as "one of Singapore's finest musicians".

The pianist holds a First-Class honours in music from the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, a double masters in music and a doctorate in piano performance from the University of Michigan. He has also won scores of piano competitions across the world -- all with his hearing aid. He has bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and has only 15 per cent of his hearing left, but hasn't let this define him. He would rather be seen as a musician first.