Performing Arts in Singapore (Music)
About Project
This project charts developments in Singapore’s musical traditions, practices, and spaces through the recollections of over a hundred interviewees. It attests to the enduring significance of music in Singapore’s society and cultural life.
As told by the interviewees in this collection, music – encompassing genres as distinct as Bangsawan and xinyao; punk rock, pop, and classical music – was a key element of Singapore’s vibrant entertainment scene. Music was also an integral part of the diverse communal and religious practices in multicultural Singapore.
This project features people who had shaped Singapore’s music scene through the years. Some interviewees had been musical performers and teachers, or musical arrangers and composers. These interviewees were talented, dedicated to their musical craft, and had often been described as inspirations by their contemporaries and younger aspiring musicians.
Other interviewees had taken on different roles that were crucial for music’s development in Singapore, including radio hosts, album producers, band managers, lyricists, and concert reviewers. These interviewees frequently worked closely with musical performers to bolster and contribute to Singapore’s music industries.
Regardless of their diverse backgrounds, the interviewees in this collection shared a deep love for music. Many interviewees had been avid listeners of vinyl records and Rediffusion broadcasts, or had been raised in musical households. Their music tastes were diverse, and had often been influenced by an eclectic mix of local and international genres.
Given these interviewees’ passion for music, it is perhaps unsurprising that several of them would, over the course of their lives and careers, develop strong bonds with their mentors and contemporaries in Singapore – including other interviewees featured in this collection.
Collection highlights include interviews with Zubir Said, Alex Abisheganaden, Dick Lee, Leong Yoon Pin, Dawn Gan, Prof. Jeremy Ian Monteiro, Chris Ho, Ramli Sarip, Cyril Terrence “Terry” de Souza, Siva Choy, Richard Benjamin Khan, Dennis Lim Wee Kiang, Heng Cheng Hwa, and Chang Mui Lang.
By Lois Kok, Archivist, National Archives of Singapore (Project Marketplace FY24)
