Introduction

Jun 10th, 1907 Tan was born in Qingdao.

1922 Tan studied the violin with Li Xugang (李勖刚) and later Horosefski.

1923 Tan studied violin at the Institute for the Promotion and Practice of Music under Mu ZhiQing (穆志清) and Isidor Oroop.

1924 Tan studied the violin under Paul Strauss in Qingdao.

1925 Tan studied the violin with violinist Heyst in the Shanghai Municipal Orchestra(上海工部局交响乐团).

Spring 1927 Tan became the first Chinese player in the Shanghai Municipal Orchestra.

June 1927 Tan served as the music instructor for the Publicity Department of the Political Department of the Nanjing National Revolutionary Army Headquarters(南京国民革命军总司令部政治部宣传处音乐指导员).

1928 Tan studied in Japan under the conductor and violinist Josef Koenig.

1929-1930 Tan studied under violinist Arrig Foa upon returning to Shanghai.

1929-1931 Tan was appointed as the violin professor at Shanghai Yishu University (上海艺术大学), Shanghai Zhonghua Yishu University (上海中华艺术大学), and Shanghai Renwen Yishu University (上海人文艺术大学).

1932-1935 Tan joined the Qingdao International Orchestra (青岛国际乐团).

1938-1949 Tan was officially hired into the Shanghai Municipal Orchestra; at the same time he was appointed as the violin professor atShanghai Meishu Zhuanke School(上海美术专科学校).

1949 Tan was elected as the vice president of the Shanghai Musicians Association (上海音乐家协会).

1956-1958 Tan became the director of the Musical Instrument Research Institute (中央轻工业部轻工业科学研究院乐器研究所).

1966 Tan was criticized and stopped working during the Cultural Revolution.

1972 Tan resumed working.

1979 Tan was featured in From Mao to Mozart: Isaac Stern in China, which won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 1981.

1982 Tan received his Honorary Degree of Doctor of Music from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music in Shanghai.

1984-2002 Tan worked as the consultant at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music (上海音乐学院).

Nov 28th,2022 Tan passed away at the age of 95.

(Reference: 谭抒真音乐文集，2007-6）