YMB Saya Tin

Tin was born in Mandalay on 11 February 1894 (7th waxing of Tabodwe 1255 ME) to Daw Thein and her husband U Yan Aung, a former official in the service of the last Burmese king Thibaw.[1] He had one elder sister and one younger sister.

After finishing high school at age 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.

In 1918, Tin founded his own private school, the "Young Men's Buddhist School" in Mandalay, and came to be known as YMB Sayar Tin. (Sayar 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 Tha Khin Ba Thaung, and joined his political movement, Dobama Asiayone (We Burmese Association).

Tin composed Do Bama Song (တို့ဗမာသီချင်း), 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. After the ceremony, Tin was imprisoned by British officers, who accused him of inciting insurgents. He was later released in 1946. In 1942, Do Bama Song was adopted as the national anthem of the State of Burma. In 1947, it was used as a template for the National Anthem of the Union of Burma, for which Tin was awarded Rs.1,000/-. The Burmese government awarded him the title Wunna Kyawhtin (the beautiful-famous) on the Independence Day, 4 January 1948.

Tin died of tuberculosis on 8 August 1950 and was buried in Yangon. Tin had composed over 4,000 songs.[1]

Notes

Sources

• Myat Soe, ed. (1964). Myanma Swezon Kyan (in Burmese). Vol. 5 (1 ed.). Yangon: Sarpay Beikman.