Saya Tin

Infobox musical artist
Name = Saya Tin


Img_capt =
Img_size =
Landscape =
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name =
Alias =
Born = 1892
Died = 8 August 1950
Origin = Mandalay, Myanmar
Instrument =
Voice_type =
Genre = Traditional Burmese Music
Occupation = Musician, composer, teacher
Years_active = 1918 – 1950
Label =
Associated_acts =
URL =
Notable_instruments =

Saya Tin or "Nandawshay" Saya Tin (1892 - 8 August 1950) was a Burmese composer. A modernizer of classical Burmese music, Tin wrote the Burmese national anthem, "Kaba Ma Kyei".

Early life

Tin was born in Mandalay in 1892 to Daw Thein and her husband U Yan Aung, a former official in the service of the last Burmese king Thibaw. He had one elder sister and one younger sister.

After finishing high school in 1909 at the age of 17, Tin worked as a school teacher in a private school for the next three years. In his leisure time Tin took up playing his concertina, exploring its sounds, and studying traditional Burmese music.

Musical career

Tin was one of the earliest modernizers of traditional Burmese music. His musical style can be best described as traditional Burmese music influenced by the early 20th century Western music. Indeed, he began to make a name for himself with modernized "anyeint" (a type of traditional Burmese theater) songs. His dance numbers for "anyeint minthami" (lead female performers) in particular were highly popular. Many popular "anyeint minthami" of the day like Liberty Ma Mya Yin and Mandala Myint owed much of their success to his songs. Many of his songs of that era like "Yangon Thu" (Yangon Girl) are still covered by modern Burmese singers today.

In 1918, Tin founded his own private school: "Young Men's Buddhist School" in Mandalay, and came to be known as YMB "Saya" Tin. (Saya in Burmese means "teacher"). His school's musical troupe performed free of charge at charity events and weddings.

In 1930, Tin closed down his school and moved to Yangon where his songs had been recorded, and used in films. Tin met up with an old classmate "Thakin" Ba Thaung, and joined his political movement, Dobama Asiayone (We Burmese Association). In a nod to Burmese nationalism (and indeed his native Mandalay) in colonial Burma, he took on the prefix "Nandawshay" (lit. Before the Palace), hence Nandawshay Saya Tin.

"Kaba Ma Kyei"

Kaba Ma Kyei (Till the End of the World) is the national anthem of Burma.

Tin composed the song in 1930 with Ba Thaung supplying the patriotic lyrics. Tin himself gave the first ceremonial rendition of the song on the flat ground of Shwedagon Pagoda at 5:00 pm on 20 July 1930. In 1947, the song was adopted as the Burmese national anthem for which he was awarded one thousand kyats. The Burmese government awarded him the title "Wunna Kyaw Htin" (the beautiful-famous) on the Independence Day, 4 January 1950.

Death

Saya Tin died of tuberculosis on 8 August 1950, and was buried in Yangon. Tin had composed over 4000 songs.