Born in Singapore and resident in the UK since 1978, Melvyn Tan has distinguished himself as a highly versatile international keyboard artist. He began his studies at the Yehudi Menuhin School and thereafter at the Royal College of Music. Having studied piano with Marcel Ciampi, Nadia Boulanger, Vlado Perlemuter and Angus Morrison he turned his searching attentions first to the harpsichord and then the fortepiano, establishing a formidable world-wide reputation and making numerous ground-breaking recordings as an exclusive EMI artist including the complete Beethoven Concerti with Sir Roger Norrington.

Since returning to the modern piano in 1996, Melvyn has performed in most major festivals and concert halls throughout the world. He has given complete cycles of Beethoven Sonatas and Debussy and Chopin Preludes in New York, Tokyo and London. His chamber music collaborations are numerous and include Steven Isserlis, Christian Altenberger, the Škampa Quartet and fellow pianist, Ronald Brautigam. He also works regularly as lieder partner of singers including Anne-Sofie von Otter, Angelika Kirchschlager and Olaf Bär.
Melvyn Tan was made a fellow of the Royal College of Music in November 2000.