Every day across Singapore, familiar sounds weave through the rhythms of urban life – the ascending chimes of transit doors on train platforms, the gentle current of the river against historic quays, and the persistent call of the Asian koel echoing through neighbourhood estates.
To most, these are merely background noise, but for the composers participating in the 3rd Wind Band Composition Contest 2025 – COMPOSE!, organized by the Wind Bands Association of Singapore (WBAS), these everyday acoustic markers served as gateways into memory, identity, and shared culture.
Challenged to draw inspiration from Singapore’s unique cultural soundscape, composers across the region turned fleeting daily cues into compelling new works for the wind band stage.
The Band Post speaks with winning composers Yeo Chow Shern, Viskamol Chaiwanichsiri, and Wai Yen Ow Yong to explore the stories, craftsmanship, and cultural reflections behind their scores.
For Malaysian composer Yeo Chow Shern, the starting point was the SMRT platform chime adapted from the folk song ‘The Trishaw’ (三轮车 Sān Lún Chē).
“What attracted me was how such a short musical idea could contain so much character,” he reflected. “Rather than simply quoting the original chime, I wanted to take its melodic contour and develop it into something new. I imagined the piece as a journey.”
He shaped ‘A Trishaw Ride’ into a dynamic narrative trajectory, opening gently in B♭ major before accelerating into the energy of the ride, moving through reflective minor harmonies, and arriving at a majestic E♭ major finale. “I wanted the music to feel like it was going somewhere, rather than simply presenting a series of contrasting sections.”
Across the city, Singaporean flutist and first-time band composer Wai Yen Ow Yong was drawn to the Tamil motif of ‘Singai Naadu’, hearing in it the heartbeat of the Singapore River.
“My piece ‘River of Unity’ is a wind band composition inspired by the Singapore River!” she explained. “This piece reflects on the idea of unity across time and how the river connects past and present, people and cultures into memory and modern identity. At the heart of the piece is a motif derived from the ‘Singai Naadu’ train chime, heard daily across Singapore’s MRT system. This familiar melody, embedded in urban life, serves as a bridge between modern Singapore and its historical roots.”
Drawing on her active performing background, she built a rich sonic tapestry of riverfront life, weaving in instruments like the kompang alongside pentatonic scales.
“As a composer, I really love incorporating stories into my pieces and to include little details of a motif which holds meaning as a decoration or a countermelody. I feel that it helps in creating direction and purpose in each note that I compose. This piece is actually the first ever band piece that I have composed, and what helped me in the process of composing it was my active engagement in the band scene! I play the flute in bands and ensembles and it helps me to train my timbre awareness and which combination of instruments complement each other.”
For Thai composer Viskamol Chaiwanichsiri, the competition offered a unique avenue for regional and cross-cultural dialogue.
“As a composer who often works with cross-cultural elements, I found this edition of WBAS COMPOSE! particularly interesting because the competition invited composers to engage with the sounds and culture of Singapore,” Viskamol noted. “I think this is a wonderful concept because it not only encourages Singaporean composers to explore their own cultural environment, but also allows composers from overseas to interact with, learn about, and become exposed to Singaporean culture through the process of creating music.”
Approaching the materials as an outsider, Viskamol sought local guidance to ensure cultural depth.
“At the same time, I am very conscious that I am not Singaporean, and there are cultural references and meanings behind these sounds that I may not be able to fully understand from an outside perspective. I would therefore like to acknowledge the Singaporean band directors, composers, and friends who generously helped me understand the cultural context behind the elements I explored in these pieces, especially Mr. Asyahari Hussaini and Mrs. Tan Soh Hwa. Their perspectives and conversations were very valuable throughout my creative process.”
Two Distinct Sonic Visions
Viskamol tackled two distinct works for the contest. In ‘Spirit of the Lion’, he too engaged the ‘Singai Naadu’ chime, but reframed it into an energetic, accessible celebration for developing ensembles:
“Spirit of the Lion takes its primary musical inspiration from the SMRT train chime based on the melody ‘Singai Naadu’. I wanted to create a piece that captures the energy, optimism, and forward-looking spirit that I associate with the country. I intended the piece specifically for the Medium Work category and for developing ensembles, so one of my main goals was to create something that would be upbeat, fun, and enjoyable to play. Stylistically, I mixed elements of jazz and pop, giving the piece a lively rhythmic character while keeping the writing approachable for ensembles at this level.”
He enlivened the score with prominent solos and structural variations: “I also wanted to give individual musicians opportunities to be featured within the ensemble. The piece therefore includes several soloistic moments, particularly clarinet and saxophone solos. From a compositional perspective, rather than simply presenting the original SMRT material as a quotation, I used it as a starting point for developing new musical ideas.
Techniques such as fragmentation and inversion allowed me to take small elements from the original material and transform them into new melodies. I also altered and developed the rhythmic patterns of the source material, which helped give the piece its own upbeat character. In this way, the original sound remains recognizable as an influence, but it gradually becomes part of the musical identity of Spirit of the Lion itself.”
For his advanced entry, ‘Koel’s Call’, Viskamol turned toward nature.
“Koel’s Call comes from a very different source of inspiration. The Asian koel is a bird whose distinctive call is familiar across many parts of Southeast Asia, including both Singapore and Thailand. Its recognizable call became the starting point for the musical material of the piece. This was quite challenging compositionally because the entire piece is derived from the sound of the koel. I began by listening carefully to recordings and identifying the contrasting calls of the male and female birds. The male koel is represented by smoothly gliding figures that rise and fall, while the female koel is characterized by short, ascending, and accelerating gestures.”
He organized the work into five vivid scenes, namely ‘The Awakening Light’, ‘Capriccio of the Koel’, ‘To the Open Sky’, ‘A Distant Home’, and ‘When Day Fades’, grounding the music in personal memory:
“The Awakening Light opens at daybreak, reflecting how the koel’s call often acts almost like a natural alarm clock. Capriccio of the Koel explores its playful and sometimes mischievous character through rapidly changing musical ideas. To the Open Sky transforms the gliding motifs into accompaniment figures that suggest the movement and freedom of flight. A Distant Home is the most personal section. I wrote the piece while living outside Asia, and hearing recordings of the koel immediately brought back memories of home. A sound that had once been an ordinary part of my surroundings suddenly carried a strong sense of familiarity and nostalgia. Finally, When Day Fades brings the different ideas together as the music gradually softens, leaving only the distant calls of the koel.”
He placed this pursuit within a long-standing musical tradition: “Birdsong has fascinated many composers throughout music history, from Beethoven and Saint-Saëns to Respighi and, especially, Olivier Messiaen. I have always been interested in this tradition, and I am glad that this competition gave me the opportunity to explore it from my own perspective by focusing on a bird that is deeply familiar in Asia. For me, the koel’s call is not only musical material, but also a sound connected to nature, place, memory, and home.”
Jury’s Verdict and Winners of COMPOSE! 2025
The participating composers experienced the quiet vulnerability of submitting their creative visions to the scoring jury, comprising Jodie Blackshaw, Eiji Suzuki, and Zechariah Goh.
The results highlighted a rich variety of voices across the region:
Yeo Chow Shern (Malaysia) – Category Winner: Easy Work for ‘A Trishaw Ride’
Viskamol Chaiwanichsiri (Thailand) – Category Winner: Medium Work for ‘Spirit of the Lion’ & Category Winner: Advanced Work for ‘Koel’s Call’
Wai Yen Ow Yong (Singapore) – Distinguished Award: Work by a Singaporean Composer for ‘River of Unity’
Robert Casteels (Singapore) – Distinguished Award: Work by a Singaporean Composer for ‘Cool’
Mohamad Izz Aaryan (Singapore) – Honorable Mention for ‘Kakatooie! and His Birdly Endeavours to the Playground’
For the awardees, the recognition brought both validation and motivation:
Chow Shern shared his initial humility regarding the process: “When I submitted the piece to COMPOSE! 2025, I was simply grateful for the opportunity to have my music considered.”
For Viskamol, winning two categories validated his philosophy on accessible writing: “I am incredibly honoured that both Spirit of the Lion and Koel’s Call were selected as winning works in the competition, especially because the two pieces are quite different from each other. Having both pieces recognized means a great deal to me, representing two sides of what I enjoy about writing for wind band. I strongly believe that meaningful and engaging music can be written for ensembles at every level. A piece for developing musicians can have just as much artistic identity and imagination as a technically advanced work; the challenges are simply different. I am very grateful to WBAS for creating this opportunity for composers and new wind band music.”
For Wai Yen, the award served as a vital reassurance and a springboard for future growth: “As a composer, we often spend a lot of time working on a piece, and there may be a lot of uncertainty about whether the ideas and emotions we are trying to convey will actually resonate with the audience or judges! I am very grateful and honoured to receive this award; it is an encouragement for me to continue composing band pieces and exploring new sounds.
I see this award not only as a recognition of what I’ve achieved, but also as a motivation to grow as a composer. There is so much more I have yet to explore, and moving forward, I want to be confident in taking bolder creative approaches.”
From the Page to the Stage: SIBF 2026
For Chow Shern, the celebration evolved into an educational journey when “A Trishaw Ride” was chosen as the required piece for Division 2B at the 10th Singapore International Band Festival (SIBF) 2026.
“When WBAS announced that the jury had completed the scoring and that A Trishaw Ride had been selected as the Category Winner in the Easy Work category, I was honestly very happy and grateful,” he recalled. “It was a meaningful encouragement and a reminder that even a simple musical idea can connect with others. But what excited me most was the possibility that the piece could continue beyond the competition and reach young musicians. When I found out that A Trishaw Ride had been selected as the required piece for Division 2B at SIBF 2026, the experience became even more special. Suddenly, it was no longer just a competition entry sitting on my computer. Students, teachers, and conductors would be spending time learning and interpreting the music. For a composer, that is one of the most rewarding things.”
He designed the piece to challenge young players musically rather than just technically: “Because A Trishaw Ride was written for the Easy category, I wanted it to be technically accessible while still being musically meaningful. I believe young musicians should not only be given music that they can play. They should also be given music that gives them something to express. The technical demands are therefore only one part of the piece. I wanted the musicians to explore phrasing, dynamics, articulation, balance, and musical character, and hopefully feel that they are taking part in a genuine musical journey.”
Through school workshops, Chow Shern realized the music was actively bridging generational knowledge:
“Another interesting observation came from the conductors and adjudicators who visited schools to conduct workshops on A Trishaw Ride. I received feedback that they were surprised to find that quite a number of young musicians were not familiar with the original children’s song 三轮车 Sān Lún Chē. I found this particularly meaningful. In a way, A Trishaw Ride has become an introduction to that musical material for a younger generation who may not otherwise encounter it. Some students may first discover Sān Lún Chē through the wind band piece, and hopefully that will encourage them to explore the original song and the story behind the music that inspired the composition. For me, this has been one of the unexpected joys of writing the piece. I started with a short melody that I found musically interesting, but through the performances and workshops, it has also become a small way of connecting young musicians with a piece of Singapore’s musical and cultural memory.”
Hearing different student bands perform reminded Chow Shern of Frank Ticheli’s perspective on performance: “You have to learn, play the technique, be accurate, but that’s not the end goal.”
“That really resonated with me,” Chow Shern said. “The technical aspects are important. The notes, rhythms, articulations, and dynamics all need to be learned accurately. But ultimately, they are only the foundation. The real goal is to discover what is behind the notes. What is the character of the phrase? Where is the music going? What is the intention behind the music? Every conductor has a different perspective, and every band has its own sound and personality. I was therefore very curious to hear how different ensembles would approach the same score — and hearing the piece performed by different bands turned out to be probably the most meaningful part of the entire journey. Although everyone was playing the same music, each performance felt slightly different. Some bands brought out the playful and energetic character of the faster sections, while others highlighted the more lyrical and reflective moments.”
He added: “As a composer, I may have a particular sound in my head when I write a piece, but once the score reaches a conductor and an ensemble, it begins to take on a life of its own. Sometimes a conductor or band brings out something in the score that I may not have consciously realised when I was writing it — a particularly well-shaped crescendo or diminuendo, a subtle change in phrasing, or the way a section balances its sound can reveal a musical possibility I had not initially imagined. That is one of the most fascinating and humbling parts of being a composer. I can actually learn something new about my own music by hearing someone else perform it.”
The Music Beyond the Score
Reflecting on the entire experience, Chow Shern noted:
“There is something deeply meaningful about writing a piece inspired by a Singaporean sound and then hearing it performed here. Singapore has been an important part of my musical journey, and I loved the contrast within the source material itself – the trishaw evokes an earlier era, while the SMRT chime belongs to the modern city.
Rather than creating a literal historical portrait, I wanted that familiar chime to spark a broader musical journey. It is special to think that a brief sound from a train platform eventually made its way onto the SIBF stage. Looking back, the greatest reward isn’t simply that the piece won; it is that the music moved beyond the score. Once the musicians took A Trishaw Ride into their hands, the journey became truly theirs.”
Viskamol shared a similar appreciation for how the music fostered lasting dialogue and cultural connection across borders:
“I am also grateful that the experience extended beyond the competition itself. After the competition, I had the opportunity to make the acquaintance of and have conversations with two of the judges, Mr. Benjamin Yeo and Mr. Eiji Suzuki. It was a privilege to exchange ideas with composers whose work and experience I greatly respect.
As a Thai composer, I am also very happy that these pieces have been recognized in Singapore. Southeast Asia has such a rich and diverse musical culture, and I hope that composers from our region (and composers from elsewhere who approach these cultures with curiosity and respect) can continue to create opportunities for musical and cultural exchange. I am very thankful to WBAS for this recognition and for creating a platform that encourages composers to engage with Singapore through its sounds and stories.”
Wai Yen synthesized that same collective spirit through the metaphor of her river:
“In River of Unity, the river becomes a metaphor for collective identity: a current that carries voices from different times and backgrounds into a shared present. Through the communal sonority of the wind band – an ensemble shaped by collective breath and cooperation, the piece underscores the idea that unity emerges through many individual contributions.
By weaving a modern train chime into a historical narrative, the piece reflects on how memory, sound, and history converge, reminding us that the currents of the past continue to flow within the present.”
Across every measure, whether tracing the flight of a koel, the lively motion of a trishaw, or the historic flow of the river, the composers of COMPOSE! 2025 demonstrated how the everyday sounds of a community can be reimagined as living art, carried forward on the shared breath of musicians across the region.