Artists Rizman Putra and Safuan Johari of the duo NADA talk about the evolution of their artistic practice, from being a fictional band at the Malay Heritage Centre to becoming an international art/music juggernaut. In this video, they share more about their interests, including the Nusantara as an influence, and help us decode their monochromatic …
By Shahril Salleh (1,357 words, 4-minute read) Doyen. Icon. Self-professed Dragon Lady. These are some of the facets of Margaret Leng Tan, Singapore’s Cultural Medallion award recipient in 2015. Margaret is a treasured Singaporean musician and performance artist who is currently based in New York. As a champion of new music, especially that of John …
Nabilah Said chats with Cheryl Ong, Dharma and Yuen Chee Wai from The Observatory about their free improvisation music festival, Playfreely, which features free improv musicians from Southeast Asia and the larger region. The 7th edition of Playfreely takes place from 28 to 29 November 2019 at 72-13 on Mohamed Sultan Road. Artists involved in …
In this video, LASALLE students Nicole Kessler and Marian Saturno speak to musician Tim De Cotta on his (many) musical influences, how he talks about social issues through music and how to keep your art pure. Tim De Cotta is a vocalist, bassist, songwriter and producer styled in R&B and hip hop, and founder of …
In this video, LASALLE students Michelle Fonseca and Hazeline Ali speak to Sheng player Michael Lee, who has played the classic Chinese musical instrument for more than 50 years. Being a Sheng maestro has brought Michael Lee all around the world, taking up roles as concert master, music director, conductor and teacher, but why does …
The working processes of artists: Sheng player Michael Lee Read More »
By Shahril Salleh ( 1,000 words, 6-minute read) As cultural icons go, very few choirs have the same gravitas and history as the SYC Ensemble Singers. This ensemble is led by Cultural Medallion winner Jennifer Tham, the beloved doyen of Singapore choir. As its Artistic Director, Jennifer has also been a friend and mentor to …
By Shahril Salleh (1,000 words, 6-minute read) New music is the epitome of unfamiliar territory. Even as someone who read music at university, often I find myself unprepared (and even dreading) to watch new music concerts. Part of my own anxieties comes from a need to know and be familiar with what is being performed. …
Conversations in a small room: “Dialogues And Reflections” Read More »
By Shahril Salleh (1,200 words, 6-minute read) Choral music festivals are gaining traction in Singapore. In my opinion, this is a good thing for both the choral music scene as well as the arts ecosystem. From a place-making perspective, not only do festivals create attention and vibrancy at the arts and civics districts, we also …
Full Hungarian splendour: Treble Voices Festival 2019 Read More »
“All music, any organization of sounds is then a tool for the creation or consolidation of a community, of a totality.” – Jacques Attali “Gua jahat ada hajat boy” – Akeem Jahat Tuning In The title of this article references a song by the Indonesian band Project Pop, Dangdut Is The …
What is the music of my country? Race, harmony and diversity in Singapore Read More »
In this video, indie-electronic duo .gif, made up of Nurudin Sadali and Chew Wei Shan or Weish, are interviewed by LASALLE students Narrel Wisaksono and Aqid Aiman. They talk about their sound, the nature of cross-disciplinary collaborations and wearing chicken suits onstage. This video can also be viewed on YouTube. Between February to April 2019, …
By Shahril Salleh (932 words, 5-minute read) ONE chamber choir has a formidable reputation. It is one of Singapore’s premier community choir – one that made waves and built bridges for our nation in the international choral music scene. Its recent concert, 10toONE, held on 14 July 2019, not only showcased the choir’s high standards …
Hitting the right (heart) notes: 10toONE by ONE Chamber Choir Read More »
