Mr. Alex Abisheganaden is GENUS's Founder, and Resident Conductor. In 1986, he introduced the Niibori guitars to the Ensemble. Since then, GENUS has been performing with these instruments in their vastly popular annual concerts.

 

He has been one of Singapore's best-known musician and stage personality having excelled as a guitarist, singer, double bassist, conductor and actor in drama, musicals and operas. He has shown other facets of his talent in his capability as a writer, composer and music adjudicator.

 

Mr. Abisheganaden founded the Singapore Classical Guitar Society in 1967 and remained at its helm for twenty five years during which the guitar fraternity enjoyed enrichment programmes by way of concerts, workshops, camps, master classes, expositions.

 

Incidentally, he is one of a few in the world who had the privilege to study the guitar with the inimitable genius John Williams. He is today, Singapore's only representative in the International Guitar Orchestra Association that has its headquarters in Hawaii.

 

In 1988, in recognition of his leadership and involvement in music in Singapore as performer, teacher, adjudicator and impressario; he was awarded our government's prestigious Cultural Medallion.

 

In 1998, he also received the COMPASS Meritorious Award from the Composers & Authors Society of Singapore.