Instrument Personalities in Band!

Instrument Personalities in Band!

The year 2022 looks promising for the wind band scene in Singapore. There is a gradual lightening of the Safe Management Measures (SMM) as we prepare the band program this year. It is a good year to join band and consider which instrument to play. Perhaps you wonder:...
Re-evaluating Repertoire

Re-evaluating Repertoire

“Stop using junk music that sounds like every other junk piece. There’s an awful lot of music out there called educational music, but it’s not really educational at all.” ~ The Instrumentalist, 1990 “What we need fewer of are the self-styled experts who think their...
10 Band-related Activities for May Holidays

10 Band-related Activities for May Holidays

With just a few months into the year, 2020 has already distinguished itself as a historic anomaly. The Coronavirus Disease (Covid-19) has affected many lives globally, and Singapore initiated the Circuit Breaker in April 2020 to tackle the spread of the disease....
The Problem with Music

The Problem with Music

Difficulty of musical performance “That’s enough. One by one”, I barked. It was an atmosphere too familiar. My students brought up their instruments and started playing the first 5 notes printed on their music for me. As my finger went down the row rapidly, I barked...
10 Myths about SYF Arts Presentation for Bands

10 Myths about SYF Arts Presentation for Bands

A reality check This month has been stressful for those involved in the Band SYF. As a band instructor, I have been thinking over about the value of SYF and the preparations for it – how does this whole journey help students to grow in band art and understand...
The Use of Metronome In A Band

The Use of Metronome In A Band

Why and when do we use it? [blockquote author=”Richard Wagner” ]The right comprehension of the melos is the sole guide to the right tempo; these two things are inseparable.[/blockquote] In my recent conducting experiences in school bands, one repeated...
How to Rehearse a Band?

How to Rehearse a Band?

On creating a wholesome program I approach this topic with fear. The more I reflect on this topic, the more I find that the methodology of rehearsal cannot be divorced from the rationale of rehearsal. Through a conductor’s rehearsal, the way he thinks about music will...
What is Good Band Music?

What is Good Band Music?

A brief exploration of Wind band music in a Singapore context [blockquote author=”” ]Art in our society has become perverted to such a degree that not only has bad art come to be considered good, but even the very notion of what art is has been lost, so...
Why Band Music Is Important

Why Band Music Is Important

The Positive Impact of Wind Band Music The Singapore Youth Festival (SYF) Arts Presentation for Wind Bands has always been the hype of the Singapore band scene. It is a parade of Singapore school bands; a showcase of the talents and efforts put in by the conductor and...