Jason De Hamel began playing music at young age of five and started on the electronic organ and went on to become part of the JVC & Technics Organ Demonstration team when he was nine.
He joined the St Patrick’s School Military Band in secondary school (under the mentorship of Mr David Glosz) and went on to sign up with the Singapore Police Force Band in 1991 and was a band member for four years. Holding appointments such as principal French horn player, police combo band member, fanfare herald trumpeter and member of the police band’s brass quintet, Jason had the honour of representing Singapore at the Edinburgh Military Tattoo in 1991 and the Jakarta Police’s 50th Commissioner of Police in 1995. He was awarded Team High Commendation from the Commissioner of Police in 1995.
In 1998, together with Mr Brando Tan, Jason set up the St Patrick’s Alumni Band (old boys band) and was appointed Chairman of the Alumni Band (2000-2008). He began his career as a school band instructor in 1999 and since then, he has toured New Zealand (1999), Hawaii (2000 & 2007), Perth (2007 & 2018), Taiwan (2008), Hong Kong (2009 & 2015), Japan (2010), and Gold Coast (2015).
In addition, he has conducted the combined primary school brass bands at the Primary School Band Camps in 2008 & 2009 and was one of the tutors for the Music Talent Development Centre in 2011 & 2012.
A Mass Communications graduate (with a minor in Music) from Oklahoma City University, Jason also completed the Specialist Diploma in Band Directing (Merit) with National Institute of Education, a course on Working and Facilitating the Learning of Children with Special Needs in the Arts by Social Services Training Institute (SSTI) and Teaching the Arts in An Early Childhood Environment by Seed Institute. He also holds music certification in electronic organ, brass instruments and percussion. He has attended courses by Kalani (Introduction to Orff in 2014) & Arthur Hull (Community Drum Circle Facilitation in 2011 & 2012).
He is currently the resident conductor of St Anthony’s Canossian Secondary School Concert Band, St Joseph’s Institution Junior Brass Band and St Stephen’s School Brass Band. Jason has been a NAC endorsed Artist as well as AMIS Instructor since 2011 and is teaching several music programmes at St Patrick’s School & St Stephen’s School at the moment.
Jason has served on board the council of the Band Directors’ Association (Singapore) holding the post of Secretary and St Patrick’s School Alumni Band President. Jason has performed with the Singapore Wind Symphony, Band Directors’ Association Wind Orchestra and the Singapore Police Force Band.
He is currently a member of the Lion City Brass Band and plays the organ weekly for church mass.
Aside from music, Jason is also an avid scuba diver and is currently is an Open Water Scuba Instructor with Scuba Schools International and a proud father of two children.