Orkestra Melayu Singapura (OMS), Singapore’s first Malay orchestra, was set up by the People’s Association (PA) in September 1991. Formed to preserve and promote Malay music in Singapore, OMS is the only orchestra in Singapore to combine modern and traditional ...

Popular music flourished in Singapore during the 1960s, when a number of local bands became extremely popular with their cover versions of British and American songs as well as original compositions. These bands had a strong following and often played to crowds ...

Music festivals play an important role in developing audiences and Singapore’s music scene. Grouping music events into a festival results in an intense and exciting audience experience. Music festivals have been staged in Singapore since the early 20th century. ...

Paul Selvaraj Abisheganaden (b. 27 March 1914, Penang, Straits Settlements–d. 31 August 2011, Singapore) was a musician and conductor, who was awarded the Cultural Medallion in 1986. Born in Penang, Abisheganaden came to Singapore in 1916 at the age of two, when ...

Alex Abisheganaden (b. 31 January 1926, Singapore–) is a musician who received the Cultural Medallion in 1988. He is Singapore’s first home-grown classical guitarist and double bassist, and has dedicated much of his life educating and popularising the performance ...

Founded by Ang Chek Meng, Ng Yu-Ying, Leslie Tan and Lionel Tan in 1992, T’ang Quartet is the first professional string quartet formed in Singapore. Noted for its precision and balance, the quartet’s musical repertoire is a skilful and contemporary blend of both ...

Formal art and music education programmes in Singapore were established by the British colonial government in the 1920s and ’30s respectively. Private Chinese-medium schools also offered art education through courses run by professional artists. After Singapore ...

The Singapore National Youth Orchestra (SNYO) is made up of young musicians from various schools across Singapore, from primary to tertiary levels, including students in international schools. The orchestra is managed by the Ministry of Education and aims to provide ...

World of Music, Arts and Dance (WOMAD) Singapore was an arts event that made its debut in 1998 at the Festival of Arts. The first WOMAD to be held in Southeast Asia, the event ran for 10 years in Singapore before it was put on hold in 2007.

The Trailers was a very popular Singapore band in the 1960s. Formed in 1964 by Victor Woo and Eric Tan, the band was a regular feature at live music venues and events, and had released a number of commercially successful records. Among these were some original ...

Rufino Soliano (b. 10 January 1932, Singapore–22 April 2017, Singapore) was an accomplished musician, composer and conductor. He was the former head of the now-defunct Singapore Broadcasting Corporation Orchestra. Soliano had been active in the local music scene ...

Kam Kee Yong (b. Penang, Malaysia–) is a composer, violinist, conductor, artist, and the father of violinist Kam Ning. He is often described as a self-made man, with values of hard work and a pioneering spirit. Kam led the Singapura String Orchestra and the People’s ...

Yeh Tsung (b. 17 May 1950, Shanghai, China–), better known as Tsung Yeh, has been the music director of the Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SCO) since 2002. Currently also the music director of the South Bend Symphony Orchestra in the United States (US), Yeh is the ...

David Lim Kim San (b. 7 May 1933, Singapore–) has a diverse career in music which spanned over four decades, including educator, administrator, producer, advocate, vocalist and conductor. Lim’s contribution to the school band and choral movements began in the 1960s ...

Choo Hoey (b. 20 October 1934, Palembang, Sumatra, Indonesia–) is the founder and conductor emeritus of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO). He was the SSO’s resident conductor and music director from 1979 to 1996. A master in his field, Choo has gained a reputation ...

Margaret Tan Hee Leng (b. 1945, Singapore–), popularly known as Margaret Leng Tan, is a pianist and a leading figure in experimental music. One of the best-known Singaporean musicians internationally, she is famed for her skill with unconventional playing techniques ...

The SYC Ensemble Singers, formerly known as the Singapore Youth Choir (SYC), is an award-winning and well-travelled amateur choir established in 1964. The group began as a combined school choir under the Music Department of the Ministry of Education. In 1972, the ...

The angklung is a musical instrument of Javanese origin, made of bamboo.

Leong Yoon Pin (b. 5 August 1931, Singapore–d. 13 April 2011, Singapore) was a composer, conductor and educator. Described as the doyen of Singapore composers, Leong was well known for his choral compositions, many of which were locally commissioned and performed ...

Lee Peng Boon (b. 1956, Singapore–), popularly known as Dick Lee, is one of Singapore’s best-known personalities in the arts scene. Besides his creative output as a musician, playwright and designer, Lee is also involved in events management and advertising. In ...