Jedidiah Wong Jhin Yee , or better known as JD, is a successful alumni of the International College of Music (ICOM). He is the founder and Studio Manager / Producer of Studio 21:05 (Twenty One O Five Productions) –  a recording and production studio wholly owned and managed by the members of Pop Shuvit.  Since its birth in 2002, Studio 21:05 has spawned no less than a dozen #1 hits on Malaysian radio, and collaborated with artists from the US, UK, Canada, Japan, Thailand, Taiwan and Singapore. 

JD is best known as the guitarist and producer for Pop Shuvit, the band which has built itself a huge following in Japan with 5 album/EP releases in Japan since 2004.  The band made two successful headlining tours in 2005 and 2007, with concerts in Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya. They have also toured Asia extensively, with Taiwan, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Manila, Bali and Singapore being among the stops.  Recently, Pop Shuvit had just returned from tour with multi-platinum US-band, My Chemical Romance, during their Asian Tour, in Kuala Lumpur, Manila and Hong Kong.

JD was awarded the Best Engineered Album at the 2008 Anugerah Industri Muzik (AIM08).  In that same category, 3 out of 5 of the nominated albums were engineered by him.   IN AIM09, JD once again garnered a nomination for Best Engineered Album.  At the same time, he has also been on the jury panel of the AIM for 2 years running.

JD shares with us his musical background and the importance of a formal tertiary education in music :

“ I was enrolled in Technics’ organ program when I was 6 years old, and took lessons for several years.  I picked up the violin when I was 14 and only  started playing the  guitar when I was 16.  My violin teacher wanted me to audition for the KLSO (KL Symphony Orchestra) but when studies and exams came, I had to put music aside for a while.  It wasn’t until a year or two later when I started really focusing on my guitar playing”.

“I somehow knew that I wanted to work in music after I finished school. I saw an ICOM poster in my school and that immediately grabbed my attention; it was the perfect opportunity to pursue my dream.”

“I always believed that ICOM would be a perfect, centralised spot for me to pursue skills and knowledge for a music career.  Almost everything that is needed to be learned can be found within its walls, whether from textbooks, classroom lectures or practical workshops - .it is up to the student to seek it out.”