curtain call:

a final bow for the

traditional arts
______________________
CAROLYN KHEW
CHEN SHANSHAN
VALERIE KOH

order of content
____________

Curtain call :
A final bow for the traditional arts
First published in Singapore in March 2013
Copyright 2013 Carolyn Khew, Chen Shanshan & Valerie Koh
Uncredited photos by Valerie Koh
Cover image by Flickr user carinasuyin, used under a Creative
Commons Attribution Licence
A final-year journalism project for the Wee Kim Wee School of
Communication and Information, Nanyang Technological University
All rights reserved. No part of these pages, either text or images,
may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any
form or any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopied, recorded or
otherwise, without prior permission of the copyright owners.

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07
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43
53

editorial

overview
Time ticking away for traditional arts
origins of traditional art forms
An infographic
MODERNISATION
Keeping up with the times
policy change
More arts groups to benefit from new funding schemes
young performers
Meet the next generation of traditional artists

01

editorial
______________________

02 | EDITORIAL

EDITORIAL | 03

the most popular art forms among young people were popular,
rock and indie music, and street dance. In contrast, youth
attendance for traditional art shows barely registered.
These results come as no surprise. Given the vast number
of entertainment options available these days, traditional art
shows simply cannot compete for young peoples attention.

very day, thousands pass by the Telok Ayer

Performing Arts Centre in downtown Tanjong Pagar,
en route to their offices or the nearby Amoy Street
Food Centre, with nary a glance.
The modest, four-storey arts space strikes a sharp contrast
against the dreary concrete jungle with its colourful murals
of dancers in flight and the painted faces of Chinese opera
singers. But not many passersby have cared to find out what
goes on behind its walls. And very soon, they will never have
the chance to.
The iconic arts centre, home to numerous traditional and
contemporary arts groups over the last 27 years, closes for
good in June when its lease expires. Most tenants have already
vacated its premises. The grand dame of the arts community
the first property acquired under the National Arts Councils
Arts Housing Scheme in 1985 is to be redeveloped by the
Urban Development Authority.
Like the centre, many traditional arts groups are fading away
silently, out of sight of most Singaporeans. These are hard
times for them.
Ask the average teenager and chances are, he or she has never
watched a wayang kulit performance or heard of nanyin music.
A 2011 National Population Survey on the Arts found that

But it was not always like this. Decades ago, when colour
television was still a novelty, traditional art shows such as
street theatre reigned supreme. Roving performers would set
up makeshift stages in a street corner. From Chinese string
puppetry to bangsawan (Malay opera) shows, families would
turn up in droves to watch them.
Compare this to a Chinese string puppetry performance
staged by the Sin Hoe Ping Jia Li Puppet Troupe in a temple
last November. The audience was almost non-existent, save for
a few curious onlookers.
Faced with waning public interest and an ageing talent pool,
traditional arts groups are gradually being edged out of the
local arts community. They are fighting a losing battle against
changing public tastes in present-day Singapore.
In light of this, some arts groups believe that adaptation is
the solution to keeping up with the times. Dance company
Variasi Performing Arts holds zapin hip-hop classes, a cross
between the fast-paced traditional Malay dance zapin and
Western hip-hop. It is a formula that has worked for them,
said founder Hamzah Zulkifli.
Still, walking the line between the traditional and contemporary
arts has proven to be tricky and has left the traditional arts
community deeply polarised.
Older artists are generally against fusing the old and the new,
fearing the bastardisation of traditional art forms.

04 | EDITORIAL

On the other hand, proponents of modernity believe it is the

way forward. They argue that guarding the integrity of an art
form rigidly may backfire and threaten its very existence.
It would be easy to point fingers at the authorities or groups
themselves for the current predicament of the traditional
arts but that would only divide the arts community further.
Preserving the traditions, culture and heritage of Singapore
requires a collaborative effort between all parties.
The onus lies with the youths themselves too. It is ironic that
they possess a burning curiosity for all things exotic, from the
contemporary arts to foreign cultures, but are far removed from
their own cultures and customs. Perhaps now would be a good
time for them to apply some of that openness to traditional
arts forms, and to rediscover their cultural identities.
Chen Shanshan

EDITORIAL | 05

07

Time ticking away

for traditional arts
______________________
The heyday of the local traditional arts scene
has long passed. Despite the National Arts
Councils five-year plan to revive the languishing
industry, arts observers and groups feel that
more needs to be done to stave off its collapse.
Carolyn Khew, Chen Shanshan and Valerie Koh
take a look at the struggles of these arts groups
and their efforts to reclaim their place in society.

08 | time ticking away for traditional arts

time ticking away for traditional arts | 09

Back in the 1980s, his troupe used to perform to a

thousand-strong crowd. And at the height of their popularity,
they staged as many as two shows daily for 15 consecutive
days. Today, the boisterous crowds are long gone and his
troupe struggles to attract an audience.
Like Mr Yangs troupe, many traditional arts groups find their
existence threatened by the crises of attracting an audience and
finding a successor. Other top concerns include a space crunch
in arts housing and limited funds. As traditional arts become
less visible over the years, fewer Singaporeans are aware of the
problems they face.
Mr Yang, now 63, said that he does not see much of a future for
the business that has been in his family for three generations.
Two of the major problems he faces are drawing a crowd and
finding new talents.

lone, raspy voice cuts through the stale air and belts
out a Hokkien song. It is a balmy weekday afternoon
at a Choa Chu Kang temple and an elderly puppeteer
from the Sin Hoe Ping Jia Li Puppet Troupe is performing on
a makeshift stage, elevated half a metre off the ground.
The stage is conveniently divided into two halves: upstage
and backstage. In between, a wooden backdrop, painted to
resemble an olden day Chinese courtyard house, becomes
part of the set for the puppet show. Behind the backdrop,
the puppeteer animates a metre-high marionette. With a casual
roll of her wrist, the puppet nods. And with another wave of
her arm, it bows.

Offstage, third-generation troupe owner Yang Lai Hao

monitors the performance. Apart from a few curious passersby
who were attracted by the brassy Hokkien tunes, he seems to
be the only other audience member. It was not always like that,
he said.

Young people dont understand the art form or the dialect

and theyre not interested in it. Its just a matter of time before
we lose it, he said.

Gone are the large crowds that

used to throng Chinese string
puppetry shows along the streets
or in temples.These days, the
traditional art has fallen behind
trendier art forms and is losing
its audience. Sin Hoe Ping Jia Li
Puppet Troupe is one of Singapores
last few puppetry groups.
Photo: Cheng PeiYun

These lifelike string marionettes

are handmade and painted by
puppeteerYang Lai Hao, 63. Each
represents a character from Chinese
classics such as Journey To TheWest
or Wu Song Fights The Tiger.

Over the last few decades, the traditional arts have been neglected
by artsgoers as the contemporary arts scene developed rapidly
over the last 15 years. Given more entertainment choices,
audiences began to favour novel and modern productions.

10 | time ticking away for traditional arts

Most, especially those in the younger generation, are apathetic

and regard the traditional arts as outdated antiques, said
artists. Experts peg these attitudes to the perceived lack of
relevance of these art forms to the lives of Singaporeans today.
Many traditional art forms are highly abstract in terms of
performance style. Those who are not regularly exposed to
it may enjoy it briefly for its novelty, said Arts Nominated
Member of Parliament Janice Koh. But they could feel
alienated because they no longer understand the dialect, or the
art form itself.
Youths nowadays are estranged from their mother tongues
and dialect groups, said traditional arts researcher Wang Tian
Yu who works with the Traditional Southern Fujian Music
Society and runs his own arts education company. And
because of that, they are unable to understand or relate to art
forms performed in those languages.
In addition, Ms Audrey Wong, Lasalle College of the Arts
programme leader and former Arts Nominated MP from
2009 to 2011, said that tech-savvy Singaporeans tend to be
more attracted by productions that incorporate technology. In
2011, experimental theatre group Cake Theatrical Productions
staged Decimal Points 4.44, a multimedia performance that
made use of extensive video projections. The show was very
well-received, selling out its two-day run at The Substation.
The current environment is not conducive for the traditional
arts to thrive, said Dr Chua Soo Pong, senior consultant at SIM
University and the founding director of the Chinese Opera
Institute, a non-profit group promoting opera in Singapore.
Although there are contemporary theatre and dance
programmes in arts schools such as the School of the Arts, the
same cannot be said for Chinese string puppetry or classical
Indian dances, stylised dances typically performed in temples
or courts.

time ticking away for traditional arts | 11

This lack of a structured learning environment means that

budding traditional artists have to learn the ropes from industry
veterans, somewhat like an apprenticeship. And while this
arrangement used to work in the past, time is no longer on the
side of these veterans. Age is catching up and as they retire from
the scene without successors, their trade becomes endangered.
Artists also believe that the disappearance of these art forms
will lead to a larger culture drain in Singapore. Cantonese
opera singer Chan Wai Sim, 65, said: Its really about the
preservation of a culture. Although its so old, theres still a
place for it because its our heritage.
The value of traditional arts was also discussed in Parliament
this month. Acting Minister for Culture, Community and
Youth Lawrence Wong said: They provide a link to our
past, and to our ancestral roots; at the same time, because the
traditional arts in Singapore have evolved with a certain local
flavour and character, they also contribute to our distinctive
Singapore culture.
But as public interest wanes and audience numbers dwindle,
more arts groups are finding it difficult for their art forms to
survive past the current generation of Singaporeans.
__________________
ageing audiences
A survey on artgoers in 2011 showed that traditional arts
audiences were predominantly senior citizens.
Traditional theatre, ethnic music and ethnic dance emerged as the
most popular art forms among elderly artgoers in the National
Population Survey on the Arts, commissioned by the National Arts
Council (NAC). Of the 45 surveyed senior citizens who attended
arts and cultural activities that year, about 36 per cent attended
traditional theatre performances, 20 per cent attended traditional
ethnic music shows and 11 per cent attended folk, traditional or
ethnic dance shows. Moreover, their attendance rates for traditional
art shows matched or even doubled the national average.

12 | time ticking away for traditional arts

time ticking away for traditional arts | 13

groups are non-profit organisations that do not promise

competitive salaries.
Larger arts groups such as Indian dance group Bhaskars
Arts Academy run in-house training programmes to ensure a
steady supply of homegrown talent. Students undergo about
10 to 12 years of training under the groups arts school,
Nrityalaya Aesthetics Society. The school trains its students
in Bharatanatyam, a choreographed dance which includes
sculpturesque poses and movements. Upon graduation, they
are auditioned for the groups main dance company.
But smaller groups that lack the resources to set up such training
programmes are the ones that flounder when their leaders age.
Some have turned to recruiting foreign talent to plug the gap
but with varying levels of success.

Although the figures indicated an overall growth in audience

numbers for traditional theatre performances, some artists
are sceptical of the rosy picture painted. Madam Ng Lee Lee,
64, opera enthusiast and group leader of the Kolam Ayer
Community Club Chinese Cultural Group said: The crowd is
diminishing. Its so hard to persuade the younger ones to come.
____________________
Finding a successor
With a rapidly ageing talent pool and disinterested youth,
numerous arts groups are scrambling to find suitable candidates
to succeed its current cohorts.
However, few have been successful in their search. Artists
acknowledge that there is a lack of incentives to attract young
people to join the profession. For instance, it often takes years
of training for a new recruit to attain the minimum level of
expertise required to lead an arts group. Moreover, many

2011 National Population Survey

on the Arts

Nanyin music group Siong Leng Musical Association first

started hiring musicians from China in 2000. These foreign
musicians were skilled in playing the musical instruments and
singing the Hokkien tunes that embody nanyin, a style of
traditional Chinese music that originated from Fujian province.
But the association quickly cancelled the arrangement after
receiving flak for the use of foreign talent.
On the other hand, Alapana Arts, a classical Indian music
and dance group, has achieved greater success with foreign
instructors. The group specialises in Carnatic music, a
type of predominantly vocal music from South India, and
Bharatanatyam. Most of its teachers are hired from India.
Artistic director V Raghuraman, an Indian national who
obtained Singaporean citizenship in 1999, believes that his
teachers expertise over their Singaporean counterparts will
maintain professional standards and preserve the authenticity
of the art form. A fully qualified instructor requires at least 800
to 1,000 hours of training over a span of eight years, he said, a
dedication to the craft that most Singaporeans do not possess.

14 | time ticking away for traditional arts

time ticking away for traditional arts | 15

Although the dance group is facing a shortage of qualified

teachers, he insists on upholding high standards for teaching
candidates.
Substandard work taught will spoil the next generation, said
Mr Raghuraman, 58, who has not hired any local Carnatic music
teachers in the past five years. The pedigree (must be) intact.
Beyond having the passion for and expertise in the art form,
potential leaders should also have certain administrative skills.
Experts identified a lack of administrative know-how as a weak
spot of local arts groups.
Ms Audrey Wong, 44, spoke of the difficulties her mother,
acclaimed Cantonese opera doyenne Joanna Wong, faced in
finding a successor.
____________________
You need to have the leadership skills, a certain degree
of administrative skills to keep the company going, and
also be a good enough practitioner of the form.
Ms Audrey Wong, Lasalle College of the Arts programme leader
___________________
We need activists, people who have the passion and understand
that it is an art form that needs (a) guardian, added Mr Noor
Azhar Mohamed, artistic director of Malay opera troupe Sri
Anggerek Bangsawan. And at the end of the day, (we need)
someone who has that little bit of time to spare rather than
doing it for money.
________________
Financial woes
Avid dancer Ms Seema Harikumar, 28, decided to make her
hobby a full-time affair last March. Prior to that, she had been
working as a project manager at a multinational company.

Lasalle College of the Arts programme leader and former Arts Nominated Member of Parliament AudreyWong, 45, grew up around the
traditional arts: her parents founded the local opera company The Chinese Theatre Circle. One of the challenges they face is the lack of
talented administrators to hand over to.I told them to be very realistic, she said.And they do say if Chinese opera dies in Singapore,
thats it.They dont really see a future for it.

16 | time ticking away for traditional arts

Having learnt dance at the age of nine, she had always wanted
a career in classical Indian dance, even if that meant taking
home a smaller paycheck. And so she joined Apsaras Arts as a
professional dancer last year. She is skilled in several classical
Indian dances, including Bharatanatyam.
I took a 50 per cent pay cut and had to be more prudent
with my spending, said the political science graduate from the
National University of Singapore.
Such sacrifices are commonplace among professionals in the
traditional arts, an industry where artists do not enjoy as
competitive wages as in many other fields.
In 2011, the arts council announced a funding boost of $23
million for traditional arts groups under its five-year National
Traditional Arts Plan. Last year, 60 groups benefitted from
this initiative.
Just last month, the New Grants Framework was launched,
under which the grant cap for Major Grant recipients was
raised from 30 to 50 per cent. The grant, which is one of the
more generous ones under the arts council, was also extended to
three years, compared to one- or two-year schemes previously.
The change gives established arts groups greater financial
stability and the ability to plan for long-term projects, said
Minister Wong in parliament earlier this month.
Although the new framework means greater financial support
for traditional arts groups, it is not always certain that groups
will get the funds if they apply for them.
Moreover, for some groups, production costs are simply
too high. Sri Anggerek Bangsawan, for example, needs at
least $100,000 to stage each Malay opera performance.
Bangsawan performances are known to be highly elaborate
with hand-painted backdrops and stage actors donning ornate
headpieces.

time ticking away for traditional arts | 17

Not all groups opt for public funding though. Some, like
Peranakan arts and culture group The Main Wayang Company,
choose to be self-reliant as the application for grants is a highly
competitive process, said its music director Alvin Oon, 45.
____________________
Although we are a profit-driven company, our approach
is very different. Weve made culture our business.
Mr Alvin Oon, music director of The Main Wayang Company
___________________
His company stages musicals and plays, and has even released
four music albums comprising original compositions and old
Peranakan favourites.
Under the New Grants Framework, the NAC also announced
that for-profit organizations will now be able to qualify for more
grants in recognition of their contributions to the development
of arts and culture. However this new development is unlikely
to sway some commercial companies like Choys Brothers
Opera Troupe.
Although the group had to forgo staging its annual performance
last year because of insufficient funds, its artistic director Choy
Yien Chow, does not believe in applying for public funding.
There are many requirements for funding. Id rather do
without it, said Mr Choy, 66.
At the other end of the spectrum, non-profit groups are largely
reliant on the NAC and private sponsors for funding.
Ding Yi Music Company, for example, receives about 70 per
cent of its funding from the Government and private companies.
Despite this, the groups general manager Dedric Wong, 27,
admitted that it is still a struggle for them to be in the black.

18 | time ticking away for traditional arts

time ticking away for traditional arts | 19

____________________

The Telok Ayer Performing Arts Centre was one of the first
properties set aside for arts groups under the Arts Housing
Scheme. News of the centres impending closure broke last year
and since then, its tenants have been steadily moving out. It is
not known exactly what will happen to the site after its lease
expires in June but the Urban Redevelopment Authority has
plans for redevelopment.

Even if we sell 100 per cent of our tickets, we might

not earn money. Production cost is just too high.
I think no music company can live off concert sales alone.
Mr Dedric Wong, Ding Yi Music Company general manager
___________________
______________
Space crunch

For the past decade, the centre had been home to Cantonese
opera group Chinese Cultural Arts Centre. Naturally, it holds
great sentimental value for its group members. Weve been
here ever since we started, said chairman Gary Kong.

To help traditional arts groups shoulder their financial burdens,

the NAC has also provided rental grants for arts housing.

Even though the group has secured a 37 sq m classroom at

Goodman Arts Centre, they will have to relocate again in
about a years time when the lease is up. Mr Kong said that
their application for a place at the newly opened Aliwal Arts
Centre at Arab Street was unsuccessful, even though tenants
displaced by the Telok Ayer Performing Arts Centre closure
were given priority.

Under the Framework for Arts Spaces, tenants pay subsidised

rental rates for facilities like dance studios and project studios
used for short-term projects. At Goodman Arts Centre, the
monthly rent of a project studio ranges from $390 to $780
depending on size.
The framework was announced in 2010 after the NAC
recognised that the previous Arts Housing Scheme was
inadequate in meeting the needs of an increasing number
of arts groups. The arts council reported that 520 new arts
companies and societies were formed from 2000 to 2009.

His current lease with the Goodman Arts Centre can only be
extended for a maximum period of six months. Future plans
are uncertain but he does not rule out pulling down the shutters
if his group cannot find a suitable place.
The Government is trying to support us but its (still) hard,
said Mr Kong, who is in his 50s.
The Telok Ayer Perfoming Arts
Centre closed this month.While
some tenants have been allocated
new studios at Aliwal Arts Centre,
others have not have secured
long-term housing. Cantonese
opera group Chinese Cultural Arts
Centre was given a one-year rental
space at Goodman Arts Centre and
will have to move out soon after.

___________________________
Paradigm shift in culture
Despite his passion for the arts, he cannot afford to give up his
day job to become a full-time artist with the group.
Mr Kong, who works as the managing director of a Japanese
paper company, knows that Cantonese opera belongs to a
sunset industry.

20 | time ticking away for traditional arts

He said that the dilution of ethnic cultures could be a contributing

factor to the decline of the scene: Its hard in Singapore because
we have many cultures and languages. We are Westernised.
Growing up in the Chinatown in the 1960s and 1970s, it was
easy for him to fall in love with the traditional arts. Local and
overseas opera troupes often performed in the neighbourhood
and he would accompany his mother to their shows.
I would always hear percussion music (from the performances).
I would look at the costumes, sequined and shiny, said Mr
Kong, recalling his younger days. I was dreaming, If I could
be on stage, it would be nice.
But these days, young people are hardly exposed to the traditional
arts, unlike Mr Kong. With the influx of Western influences
and new entertainment options introduced to Singaporeans
over the previous decades, more young Singaporeans are spoilt
for choice and choose to shun the traditional arts.
Miss Cheryl Seet, who has experience in jazz, contemporary
and Chinese dance, acknowledged the effect Western popular
culture has had in shaping her peers attitudes towards the
traditional arts. We are very used to (Western dance shows
such as) So You Think You Can Dance. You never see them do
traditional dances. It seeps into us that (Western dance) is so
cool, said the 18-year-old who is waiting to enter university.
Despite learning Chinese dance in her primary and secondary
schools, she still prefers jazz and contemporary dance for their
freedom of expression.
According to the 2011 National Population Survey on the Arts,
the most popular art forms among youths were variety shows,
popular, rock and indie music and street dance. In comparison,
youth attendance of traditional theatre and traditional ethnic
dance shows ranked below the national average. Only traditional
ethnic music attendance measured at 11 per cent, just one per
cent above the average.

time ticking away for traditional arts | 21

These findings tally with what industry veterans have said

of traditional arts groups losing younger audiences to more
contemporary art forms. For bangsawan performer Mr Azhar,
the current situation has created an uphill task for anyone for
wishes to bring back the traditional Malay opera as a form of
entertainment. It is also the reason why the troupe is not in a
hurry to hold performances, said the 36-year-old.
But right now, our mission is to preserve the art form, he
added. There just needs to be outreach initiatives.
Other artists feel that the traditional arts simply cannot
compete with contemporary art forms for audiences because
of rapidly changing public tastes.
The world has moved on beyond them because of globalisation,
said Mr Terence Tan, director of last years Asean Puppetry
Festival held in Singapore, which featured a mix of traditional
and contemporary puppetry shows from Southeast Asia.
Freelance musician Titus Ng, 26, agreed that youths do not
find the traditional arts relevant to their lives anymore. To be
honest, I think its very pass. I feel that people are doing it just
for the sake of keeping it alive.
Nominated MP Koh believes that changing cultural practices,
among other factors, have diminished the role of the traditional
arts as a form of entertainment. Before looking at efforts to
help traditional arts groups make a comeback, there needs to
be a re-examination of some fundamental questions, she said.
We first need to ask ourselves why we should be preserving
some of these art forms, she said. Is it about looking back to
a lost cultural identity? If its about preserving our heritage and
remembering our cultural past, then we should acknowledge
that most young Singaporeans today may not have a connection
to these art forms.

22 | time ticking away for traditional arts

time ticking away for traditional arts | 23

_____________________
Changing attitudes
towards traditional arts

On the other hand, Siong Leng Musical Associations school

outreach programmes promoting nanyin music were so poorly
received that they were axed. Vice-chairman Wang Pheck
Geok, 47, said that their school assembly performances
were not effective as the students could not appreciate the
mellow traditional Chinese music. It can be discouraging to
see students not responding well and they dont really learn
anything, she added.

Puppeteers fromWayang Ajen held

an interactive workshop promoting
Indonesian wayang golek, a style
of rod puppetry, during the Asean
Puppetry Festival last year.
Photo: Olivia Ng LiWen

Arts groups agree that in order for the industry to survive,

they need to change the mindsets of the next generation
of Singaporeans. Many have amped up outreach efforts to
schools and local communities to engage new audiences but
with mixed results.
One of the groups that frequents the school circuit is Malay
dance group Era Dance Theatre. It runs arts education
programmes promoting Malay dance in primary schools,
secondary schools and Institutes of Technical Education.
Although students are introduced to traditional Malay singing
and live music, choreographer Osman Abdul Hamid said that,
more importantly, they are taught Malay values through the
dance steps as well. For example, students are taught to bow in
respect when they walk past their elders.
We try to balance dance and the interests of the students so
we dont go too far off from what they want, said Mr Osman.
Era Dance plans to expand their arts education programmes to
10 schools by this year.

Such traditional arts performances are not unfamiliar to

secondary school student Chen Yuan Xuan. The 13-year-old
has seen lion dance performances in his primary and secondary
schools during festive occasions like Chinese New Year.
It can get a bit repetitive. Every year its the same thing. Were
not really engaged in the performances. Were just watching,
said the Secondary 2 student who is studying at Hwa Chong
Institution.
Community outreach programmes have not fared much better. A
nanyin music exhibition held at the Esplanade between January
and this month had a lacklustre crowd turnout, said organisers.
Although they received more than 200 inquiries from members
of the public, the majority came from senior citizens.
There are also artists like Mr Kong of the Chinese Cultural Arts
Centre who have been approached by the Peoples Association
to give a three-hour crash course in Cantonese opera.
Although Mr Kong thinks that the programme is worth a
shot, with the potential to attract families comprising both
the young and old, he remains largely sceptical of the instant
results promised. Its just marketing to attract people, he said.
Experts reckon that in order for outreach programmes to be
successful, artists have to find ways to make their art forms
more relatable, instead of merely exhibiting the art form.

24 | time ticking away for traditional arts

time ticking away for traditional arts | 25

One way suggested by Nominated MP Koh was to promote

the art forms through storytelling. Likening the softer
approach to the way stories are used to teach Chinese in
schools, she said: Our connection to the traditional arts can
be re-established through the stories they tell. (Legends and
epics) are wonderfully entertaining tales that could capture the
imagination of children and young people.

Ms Wong added that audience development has to be consistent

and sustained work that comes from different parties. To
create a more inclusive arts culture, she said that there should
be follow-up programmes to accompany performances.

Youths here say that they might be keener on the traditional

arts if groups and schools provided more opportunities for
participation.

He came back and told his mom, You know, mummy, we had
this really strange thing in school today. They brought in this
Chinese opera group and they did this performance. I didnt
understand a thing. It was so strange. This old man was just
singing there.

Avid artgoer Edlyn Ng, 23, suggested that schools should look
at creating opportunities for students to learn the art form
rather than just having a one-off performance.
There could be a whole week of extra-curricular activities for
students to participate in workshops and field trips to learn
more about a specific form of traditional arts (before having)
a performance at the end.
This way, the students would be a more discerning audience of
the traditional arts performances, said Ms Ng, who works as a
community outreach executive at a local theatre company and
watches arts performances at least once a fortnight.
Similarly, Yuan Xuan feels that he would be more interested
in the traditional arts if given opportunities to learn it. He
recalled the example of a Chinese cultural activities camp
he attended when he was 10. Instead of simply watching
performances, he managed to learn the rudiments of the
lion dance a traditional Chinese dance in which performers
mimic the movements of a lion during the week-long camp.
The art form is very technically demanding. We only learnt
the basics of it and we didnt get to do the stunts but I thought
it was really cool, he said.

She recounted the first encounter her friends son had with
Chinese opera at a primary school assembly a few years ago.

____________________
Whereas his mum (had) watched Chinese opera
as a kid, so at least she knows the form or at least
the stories. But her kid, it was as if he was watching
something by an alien species.
Ms Audrey Wong, Lasalle College of the Arts programme leader
___________________
_____________________________
Redefining traditional arts
for a new audience
Artists and industry players agree that a fundamental change is
in order if the traditional arts are to reassert their presence in
the local arts scene.
Said Mr Wong in an email interview: Everyone has a part to
play in the preservation of our heritage including the traditional
arts. This includes support from audiences, volunteers and
sponsors . The Government will do its part in areas such
as infrastructure and financial grants, to provide a conducive
environment for the development of traditional arts.

26 | time ticking away for traditional arts

Nominated MP Koh feels that there is a need to take a step

back and re-examine the purpose of traditional arts today in
order to move beyond the cosmetic approaches of preserving
the art form for its own sake.
Our arts agencies will have to work closely with traditional
arts groups to come up with ways to reinvent as well as renew
themselves. The artists may be highly skilled in their craft, but
may not necessarily have the know-how to market their work
to new audiences, or make their art financially sustainable,
she said.
Although Ms Wong supports the preservation efforts by the
arts community, she also recognises the very real possibility
that traditional arts may well vanish from Singapore one day.
Her 73-year-old mother, Joanna Wong of the Chinese
Theatre Circle, marked her swansong with a final
full-length performance in January. But even as she enters
semi-retirement, as reported in the media, she has not been
able to find a successor for the group she co-founded with her
husband in 1981, said her daughter.
I told my parents to be very realistic, to think of an exit
strategy. And they do say if Chinese opera dies in Singapore,
thats it. They dont really see a future for it, added the younger
Ms Wong.
I dont like to say you feel more rooted if you know your
traditions because thats a cliche and its not necessarily true,
she said. But it is a part of our history. Im very reluctant to
cut myself off from this history. Its a real pity if it disappears.
Its like (if) we all stop eating rice one day.

time ticking away for traditional arts | 27

29

BHARATANATYAM, CLASSICAL INDIAN DANCE

history bharatanatyam originated more than 2,000 years ago
in South India and is one of most popular Indian dance
forms today, performed by both men and women. Its
name refers to music, expression and rhythm, and it is
also known as the dance of fire.
style dancers typically wear leather or rope anklets called
gajjalu. One can tell a dancers skill from the ringing of
the copper bells attached to the anklet. A skilful dancer
with greater control over his or her movements would
be able to ring the bells softly.
local groups Alapana Arts, Apsaras Arts, bhaskars Arts Academy

CHINESE STRING PUPPETRY

history String puppetry is the oldest known form
of puppetry in China and dates back to the
Song dynasty as a form of entertainment for
noblemen.

origins of
traditional art forms
________________________

style Puppeteers wield eight to 12-inch wooden

handcrafted puppets, fitted with eight or
more strings, and belt out tunes in dialect.
Stories performed include classic Chinese
legends and novels such as Journey to
The West. The shows are performed on a
makeshift stage, adorned with tiny props
and a painted backdrop, on the streets or
in temples during religious ceremonies and
festive celebrations.
local groups Sin Hoe ping puppetry troupe

BANGSAWAN, MALAY OPERA

history bangsawan is believed to have originated
from Penang around the 1870s. Although
the Malay opera started out as a form of
entertainment for wealthier members
of society, it eventually opened up to the
masses as a form of common theatre.
style A typical performance consists of acting,
dancing and singing accompanied by utes,
percussion and string instruments. popular
genres include comedy, tragedy and
folklore. Traditional performances feature
hand-painted backdrops, ornate headpieces
and extra turns where the audience is
entertained by dance, songs or comedy skits
while the next scene is set up.
local groups Sri Warisan, Sri Anggerek bangsawan

WAYANG KULIT, INDONESIAN SHADOW PUPPETRY

history Wayang kulit, one of the oldest forms of storytelling from
Central Java, is the art of manipulating light and shadow to
tell stories.
style the dalang, typically a male puppet master, manipulates the
puppets and projects their silhouettes onto a blank canvas
screen by the light of an oil lamp. The two-dimensional
perforated puppets are crafted from buffalo or goat hide
and mounted on wooden sticks. Accompanied by an
orchestra, the dalang handles multiple puppets at the same
time and has to modulate his voice to suit the different
characters.
local groups Sri Warisan Som Said, Ethnic Shadows

NANYIN, CHINESE CLASSICAL MUSIC

history This ancient Chinese music originated from
the Han dynasty and was first played in
palaces. It later ourished in Fujian province
as its name, translated as music of the
South, suggests.
style Nanyin uses a unique notation system
and music scores. the distinctly slow and
melodious songs are played on string, wind
and percussion instruments, as well as the
dongxiao, a six-hole bamboo ute, and the
sibao, a set of hand-held bamboo pieces
used only in this genre of music.
local groups Siong Leng musical Association, traditional
Southern Fujian Music Society

31

Keeping up
with the times
______________________
Local traditional artists are modernising and
playing up the entertainment factor to bring in
younger crowds. Supporters and critics weigh in
on how these changes will affect the arts scene.

32 | keeping up with the times

keeping up with the times | 33

culture were to live only in the museum, it would just die a

natural death.
Like Mr Oon, many artists believe fusing the old and the new
is the way forward in appealing to a modern audience that finds
the traditional arts boring and staid. To make their art forms
more palatable to a wider audience, artists have resorted to
embellishing their performances with contemporary elements
or playing up the more spectacular aspects of their repertoire.

lad in colourful batik print shirts and black trousers,

singers Alvin Oon, Tony Quek and Damien Lim take
the stage during a Peranakan-themed musical. An
upbeat folk song rises to a crescendo as the three Babas pump
up the crowd by clapping their hands and grooving to the beat.
It appears to be a typical Peranakan tune, until Mr Oon and
Mr Lim launch into an English rap verse, complementing Mr
Queks vocal in Malay.
It may seem unconventional but here at The Main Wayang
Company, Peranakan music is given a facelift as pantuns or
Malay poetry are fused with rap rhymes and hip-hop beats. It
also jazzes up its repertoire with rock and roll music.
Mr Oon, the groups music director, finds that modernising
Peranakan entertainment is a more effective way of reaching
out to a wider audience. His company has been doing so since
it was founded in 2004. We focus on making culture relevant
to todays society and the young, said the 45-year-old. If

The Main Wayang Company,

a Peranakan arts and culture
enterprise, stages Peranakan wedding
shows upon request at school
performances. Music director Alvin
Oon, 45, said:We focus on making
culture relevant to todays society.
Photo:The Main Wayang Company

Today, even the lion dance, known for its energetic movements
and daredevil stunts, is no longer exciting enough for
spectators, said Ms Marz Johar Peck, event coordinator of YF
Performing Dance Troupe. In the traditional dance, a two-man
team dons a lion costume and dances to the beat of drums,
cymbals and gongs. It has its roots in Chinese culture and
is often performed on auspicious occasions such as Chinese
New Year. Besides this, Ms Marzs troupe also stages Chinese
acrobatic performances.
Although the lion dance is still the most popular traditional
arts performance among her corporate clients, there have been
calls to give it a modern spin. Since a few years ago, she has
noticed an increasing number of requests to inject hip-hop
dance moves into the groups traditional lion dance routines.
But Ms Marz, 46, prefers to retain the authenticity of
traditional art forms and hence turns down such requests.
Even so, she recognises that the industry is gearing towards the
trend of fusion performances.
____________________
Fusion dance has been going on and its here to stay.
Ms Marz Johar Peck,YF Performing Dance Troupe
event coordinator
___________________

34 | keeping up with the times

____________________________
Appealing to young artists
For the founder of Variasi Performing Arts, Mr Hamzah
Zulfiki, 30, modernising is also a means to attract young talent.
The Malay dance, drama and music group, set up when Mr
Hamzah was just 18, actively targets youths through their
outreach programmes like drama workshops and arts camps.
Currently, over half of their active members are between the
ages of 14 and 21.
The 60-strong group mainly performs zapin, a traditional
Malay dance popular with the youths for its fast-paced
movements. To further appeal to the younger crowd, the group
adds hip-hop steps into their dance routines.
The young think of traditional arts as very old-school. You
need to follow their needs in order to capture their interests,
said Mr Hamzah.
Nanyang Technological University undergraduate Muhamad
Nur Azhar Noordin feels that including modern elements may
not be a bad idea. The 22-year-old bioengineering student,
who was upfront about his disinterest in the traditional arts,
said that fusion performances would pique his curiosity
towards the art form.
Its new. Its something that has never been done before and
obviously, Id want to explore and see what these are. If its
cool, perhaps Ill pick it up, said Mr Azhar.
____________________________
Inevitable even for purists
Modernising may be a way to win over the younger crowd
but some traditional arts groups are more concerned with
preserving the integrity of their art form.
An example of a group that has kept changes to a minimum

keeping up with the times | 35

despite waning popularity is Sri Anggerek Bangsawan. Its

late founder believed strongly in maintaining the essence of a
Malay opera performance.
____________________
We are quite proud to say that we are traditionalists.
Mr Noor Azhar Mohamed, Sri Anggerek Bangsawan
artistic director
___________________
Said to be the last bangsawan troupe here, the group still
retains the use of the extra-turn, a unique feature of bangsawan
performances that usually last two to three hours.
The extra-turn takes place between scenes. Unlike typical
intermissions in contemporary theatre, artists sing, dance or
even perform comedy skits to entertain the audience while the
backstage crew changes the set. These performance snippets
are unrelated to the show.`
Technology could easily replace the need for the extra-turn
but the group continues to incorporate them to make their
bangsawan shows as authentic as possible, said Mr Azhar, 36.
Despite their best efforts, not even such a purist group can
completely avoid change. In the past, all the backdrops in their
performances were hand-painted but of late, the group has
used projections instead.
You cant entirely ignore technology, he said. But
certain elements have to be kept to ensure the authenticity
of bangsawan.

36| keeping up with the times

__________________________
Finding a middle ground
It is a tough call for arts groups that want to keep up with the
times without turning their backs on tradition.
Groups that are adamant against change may find themselves
catering to a niche and ageing audience. On the other hand,
those that embrace modernity have the potential to draw larger
crowds but risk misrepresenting the traditional arts.
Traditional arts researcher and owner of a traditional arts
education company Wang Tian Yu, 42, urges artists to be
responsible as they present their art form to the audience.
Even as they innovate, they must have a strong understanding
of the art form itself, he said.
Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Culture, Community and
Youth Sam Tan said in Parliament earlier this month that while
traditional arts should progress with time, they should not
change too drastically.
He added in Mandarin: Otherwise traditional arts will lose
its character and they will be very different from its original
heritage and then we would have lost a very important
cultural heritage.
Over at Variasi Performing Arts, instructors believe students
should be taught the basics of traditional Malay dance
movements and music instruments before being introduced to
fusion styles like hip-hop zapin. This ensures that they are not
completely cut off from tradition.
But industry veterans such as 64-year-old traditional arts
researcher and Dr Chua Soo Pong, who has watched the scene
evolve over the past two decades, remain unconvinced. He
believes that it is impossible to strike a balance between the
old and the new.

keeping up with the times | 37

____________________

Theres no comparison with the weight of tradition,

the exquisite movements and the grandeur. When you
have fusion, youll forget the traditions. Its a mess.
Dr Chua Soo Pong, traditional arts researcher
___________________
Dr Chua is also a senior consultant at SIM University. Prior
to joining the university, he was the founding director of the
non-profit Chinese Opera Institute from 1995 to 2010.
The Main Wayang Company may have attracted criticism for
their adoption of fusion styles but Mr Oon stands his ground
on the importance of keeping the Peranakan culture alive and
staying relevant to the current generation.
____________________
We are not bastardising the culture.
We are making it more relevant.
Mr Alvin Oon,The Main Wayang Company music director
___________________
He added that purists must be prepared for their culture to
disappear if they choose to remain steeped in their notions of
authenticity.
Besides, adapting and reinventing themselves has always been
part of the Peranakan spirit. Citing the popular phoenix motif
in his culture, he said: It symbolises rebirth. Our forefathers
took the chance to leave China and start anew. Its about a new
beginning and having new approaches to life.

38| keeping up with the times

keeping up with the times | 39

__________________
The way forward

Mr Terence Tan, 32, also adopted a similar approach when he

directed last years Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(Asean) Puppetry Festival in Singapore.

For most groups trying to recapture a lost audience, it seems

that modernising offers them the best shot at rebuilding their
connection with them.

He brought in a mix of both traditional and contemporary

puppetry performances to appeal to a wider audience.Thailands
Makhampon Theatre Group was one of the contemporary
puppetry companies invited to showcase their work. Instead
of using buffalo skin a staple in shadow puppetry to
make their puppets, the group used recycled cardboard. They
also replaced oil lamps with handheld light sources for their
performance. Through this, the group was able to experiment
with new lighting techniques unheard of in traditional shadow
puppetry, such as cross-dissolving and fading.

Siong Leng Musical Association gave nanyin music, an art

form which originated in China 2,000 years ago, a new lease
of life when they incorporated sitars and tablas, musical
instruments commonly used in classical Indian music, in their
previous performance.

My idea was that if you want to bring (the festival) to

Singapore, you cant make it all traditional. Specific groups of
people will come down to watch but these are going to be very
niche groups (which are) not enough, said Mr Tan.

During a show last year, Siong

Leng Musical Association updated
nanyin, a genre of music from
Fujian, China, for a modern
audience.The ensemble used
multimedia and sand painting to
embellish their performance.
Photo: Siong Leng
Musical Association

Fusion is necessary because traditional (performances) alone

cannot survive, said vice-chairman Wang Pheck Geok, 47.
The move paid off and the association played three sold-out
concerts at the Esplanade last July.

For The Main Wayang Company, there will be continued

efforts to ensure that their performances remain relevant to
their audience. By using a variety of languages, dialects, surtitles
and multimedia, the group hopes to make its Peranakan theatre
performances more appealing.
Said Mr Oon: Things change. Were moving on and
progressing. Tradition may be the cornerstone of our culture
but we have to move ahead without forgetting our past.

40

41

Thai puppetry troupe Makhampom

Theatre Group used recycled
materials and handheld lights
in their shadow puppetry show
during the Asean Puppetry Festival
last year. It was a stark contrast to
traditional groups that use buffalo
hide puppets and oil lamps.
Photo: Olivia Ng LiWen

____________________
Its deep in our culture, stuff that we cant erase even
in the modern generation. Deep down inside, we
shouldnt be changing so fast.
Mr Terence Tan, Asean Puppetry Festival director
___________________

Htwe Oo Myanmar Traditional

Puppet Theatre, a Burmese
puppetry group which performed
at the closing ceremony of
the same festival, is known
internationally for its efforts to
preserve traditional puppetry.
Photo: Olivia Ng LiWen

43

More arts groups

to benefit from
new funding schemes
______________________
Bold policy changes, including an upcoming
$200-million matching fund and the extension
of more funding options to commercial
entities, receive a cautious welcome from
non-profit traditional arts groups.

44 | More arts groups to benefit from new funding schemes

More arts groups to benefit from new funding schemes | 45

Under the revised framework launched last month,

for-profit groups can qualify for subsidies under four out
of seven grants from the arts council. These include the
Production, Presentation and Participation, Market and
Audience Development, and Capability Development grants.

Almost all the tickets, priced

between $10 and $50, for
Cantonese opera group Chinese
Cultural Arts Centres 30th
anniversary show last year were
sold. Still, founder Gary Kong said
that one cannot earn much from
ticket sales alone.

hen opera veteran Gary Kong received the funding

application results for his 30th anniversary show
last year, his excitement quickly gave way to dismay.

The $10,000 grant from the National Arts Council (NAC),

though generous, fell short of the hefty $30,000 he needed
for the entire production. But with additional subsidies from
the Lee Foundation and Singapore Totalisator Board, he
managed to scrape together enough funds to stage a grand,
one-night-only performance at Kreta Ayer Peoples Theatre in
September.
Fretting over budgets is nothing new to Mr Kong, the founder
of the Chinese Cultural Arts Centre. We cannot earn much
through ticket sales, he said. The cost of staging a full-length
opera performance can fall between $1,000 and $50,000
depending on the scale of the production, say opera artists.
To cope with the hefty financial burden, Mr Kongs Cantonese
opera troupe, along with most non-profit arts groups, relies
heavily on grants from statutory boards and the charity of
kind donors for daily operations and productions.
But these groups reckon that they face new competition for limited
funding after a recent revamp to the NACs grants framework.
While public funding used to be reserved almost exclusively for
them, commercial groups are now eligible for more grants these days.

Of these, the most generous is the Production grant

which offers up to $150,000 per financial year for each
applicant. As its name suggests, the all-encompassing grant
covers production, presentation and marketing costs of
projects in performing, visual, literary and digital arts, and
multi-disciplinary art forms.
Previously, for-profit groups were only eligible for two
out of 14 available grants: Partnership Funding for Arts
Businesses, and Publishing and Translation. These have since
been combined into a single grant called the Presentation and
Participation grant.

46 | More arts groups to benefit from new funding schemes

More arts groups to benefit from new funding schemes | 47

Competition will definitely be stiffer, said Mr Dedric Wong,

27, general manager of the Chinese chamber music ensemble
which plays instruments such as the double bass. He believes
that the more inclusive funding comes at the expense of
the non-profit groups. Up to 70 per cent of his companys
operations are funded by the arts council and private donors.

The new arrangement provides greater flexibility in supporting

arts projects, stated a NAC media release. It also acknowledges
the important role commercial entities play in the local arts
industry, in terms of supporting production, and market and
audience development.
Still, these groups will not be eligible for the full set of
privileges enjoyed by non-profit groups. For one, under the
Presentation and Participation grant, they can only receive a
subsidy of up to 30 per cent of their production budget. In
comparison, non-profit groups can apply for a grant to cover
up to half their total expenditure.

On the other hand, Miss Syafiqah Adha Mohamed Sallehin,

music director of the traditional Malay music group Gendang
Akustika, is pleased to learn about the streamlining of the
funding schemes. With a more straightforward application
process, it will be easier for the non-profit group to apply
for grants. Currently, the group survives on funds from the
Peoples Association and their earnings from wedding shows.
The popular music group plays at two or three weddings
monthly and is fully booked for the rest of the year.

___________________
More competition
for government funding
However for groups such as Ding Yi Music Company, this
revamp simply means smaller slices of the funding pie for all
art forms, traditional or contemporary.

Having to vie with more arts groups for funding in future does
not bother her. Gendang Akustika has not tried to apply for
grants from the arts council, simply because there is no need
for them at this stage, said Miss Syafiqah, 22.
Presently, their focus is on building their repertoire. We dont
focus on public shows so much because were still quite new,
she added. The group was formed in 2008 and has a total of
14 members, including singers and musicians.
_______________
Over-reliance
on government funding

Non-profit artists are concerned

about the inclusion of commercial
groups in arts grants previously
reserved for them. Mr DedricWong,
27, of the non-profit DingYi Music
Company, feels that there will be
stiffer competition for limited funds.

The current funding debate poses the question of the role

grants serve in the arts. Likening it to a double-edged sword,
Lasalle College of the Arts programme leader Audrey Wong,
44, said: Groups cannot survive without funding and yet,
how much is enough?
Excessive funding can lead to a sense of complacency and a loss
of drive to innovate and attract audiences, added Ms Wong.

48 | More arts groups to benefit from new funding schemes

More arts groups to benefit from new funding schemes | 49

_____________________________
Terms and conditions apply

Indeed, the provision of rental arts spaces at a 90 per cent

subsidy had resulted in tenants having little incentive to find
their own premises, found an NAC report published in 2010.

The constant worrying about funding could be resolved by

finding an arts patron to finance the groups activities, said
Miss Syafiqah. Acknowledging the concerns of groups such
as Miss Syafiqahs, the Government announced plans to
encourage private sector arts donations as an alternative to
public funding.

Hence the arts council announced the new Framework for

Arts Spaces scheme, in place of the existing Arts Housing
Scheme, in the same year. Rental subsidy was reduced to 80
per cent. Still in its pilot phase, this new framework currently
extends to Goodman Arts Centre and Aliwal Arts Centre, a
new arts space opened earlier this month.

During his Budget speech last month, Deputy Prime

Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam spoke of a new
multimillion-dollar fund to boost private donations. The
$200-million Cultural Donation Matching Fund will match
private-sector donations dollar-for-dollar and will be launched
after the authorities complete consultations with arts groups
and donors later this year.

Opened in 2011, Goodman Arts

Centre houses almost 50 artists
and arts groups. Up to 80 per cent
of the rental is subsidised by the
National Arts Council. Arts housing
is also available atWaterloo Street,
Chinatown and Little India.

But in spite of this move to wean artists off their reliance

on government support, local groups continue to display a
voracious appetite for public funding.
Mr Kong, who is in his 50s, recalled another instance when
the arts council awarded his troupe $3,000 for a performance
at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts.
I wanted to faint, he said, eyes widening in mock horror
as he recounted the incident. The sum was barely enough to
cover the venue rental cost, even though he managed to raise
the funds eventually.

Over the last decade, arts donations have been declining.

In 2011, corporate and individual donations totaled $37.8
million, almost $10 million lower than in 2004. While
specific details have yet to be released, the upcoming fund is
poised to reverse this trend.
In response to this new initiative, artistic director
V Raghuraman of classical Indian music and dance company
Alapana Arts, said that he has reservations about how the fund
will be administered. The musician, who has been in the local
arts scene for 14 years, added that from his observation, most
private sponsorships tend to go to larger arts institutions.
Those that are just (starting out) struggle with funding
because the funds are going to established organisations. Now
those already benefitting from private sponsors will get double
the funds, said the 58-year-old. Alapana Arts is a mid-sized
company with about eight teachers and 450 students.

50 | More arts groups to benefit from new funding schemes

While traditional artists such as Mr Raghuraman may have

their apprehensions, Acting Minister for Culture, Community
and Youth Lawrence Wong reassured the arts community that
the matching fund will benefit a wider range of groups.
We want the scheme to benefit a broad range of arts and
heritage groups and institutions, and so there is a need to ensure
that the matching grants are disbursed in a generally equitable
manner, and not monopolised by a few large beneficiaries,
said Mr Wong in Parliament earlier this month.
He added that beneficiaries should take the initiative in fund
raising, instead of replying on the Government.
While musician Ariffin Abdullah, 44, welcomed the new
matching fund, he disagreed that arts groups were ready to do
major fund raising on their own.
The founder of Sri Malighai, a Malay music ensemble whose
repertoire includes traditional and contemporary pieces, said
that the Government still needs to assist arts groups who lack
the business acumen to bring in the donations.
Being an artist, business is not our main priority but we still
need to survive to sustain our operations. We are not savvy
businessmen, he said.
This is not about having a crutch mentality but how the arts
industry needs to be assisted to move forward.

More arts groups to benefit from new funding schemes | 51

53

Meet the next

generation of
traditional artists
______________________
The reputation of traditional arts precedes it:
old, stale and museum-bound. But a small group
of aspiring young artists are undeterred and
have dedicated years of their lives to their craft.

54 | Meet the next generation of traditional artists

Meet the next generation of traditional artists | 55

youths devote long hours of practice to fine-tuning their skills

in playing lesser known music instruments or art forms like
wayang kulit or nanyin an old genre of Chinese music that
originated in the Fujian province in China. In a sunset industry
with an ageing population, they are far and few between and
hence highly sought after. Moreover, not many remain in the
industry for long. Parental objections, coupled with concerns
of making a living out of an arts career, have deterred many
aspiring young artists.
____________________
Its very tough to get young people to join.
So when the bird flies into the cage, we catch them
and dont let them go.
Mr Gary Kong, Chinese Cultural Arts Centre chairman
___________________

hile his peers play computer games in their free

time, full-time national serviceman Muhammad
Aliff Azman plays with puppets. The 22-year-old
adeptly handles the perforated buffalo-hide puppets, mounted
on spindly bamboo sticks, and guides them gracefully through
the air as their shadows are projected on to a canvas screen.
For the past eight months, he has spent almost every Saturday
night learning the craft of wayang kulit or shadow puppetry in a
tiny, cluttered rehearsal studio in Yio Chu Kang Community Club.
And in this studio, approximately half the size of a classroom,
the NSman and his 12-man group practise up to three hours a
night for upcoming shows: they sing, play musical instruments
and manipulate puppets.
He belongs to a small group of young Singaporean artists
who are passionate about traditional performing arts. These

Mr Muhammad Aliff Azman,

22, (centre) is training to be a
dalang or puppet master.The
national serviceman started
learning wayang kulit after being
persuaded by his friends, Mr
Nurfaizal Jaafar, 31, (left) and
Mr Mohamed Norazam Hakub,
34, last year.

For Mr Aliff, his first foray into traditional arts was at the tender age of 13. He learnt to play the angklung in school, before
picking up dikir barat a Malay musical form that typically
involves two groups of 10 to 15 people singing competitively
on stage.

Last year, he was scouted by two acquaintances from the
dikir barat circuit, Mr Mohamed Norazam Hakub and Mr
Nurfaizal Jaafar, to join them in their efforts to revive the
wayang kulit scene here.
I didnt really know about wayang kulit before this, he said.
But I was interested and so I agreed to join them.
The group specialises in an indigenous form of shadow
puppetry originating from the northeastern Malaysian state
of Kelantan, known as wayang kulit Siam. They perform
under the name Ethnic Shadows, a traditional arts company
founded by Mr Norazam, 34, and Mr Nurfaizal, 31, last July.

56 | Meet the next generation of traditional artists

Meet the next generation of traditional artists | 57

Shadow puppetry performances are typically led by a dalang or

master puppeteer, which Mr Aliff is currently being groomed
to be. His teacher is a Kelantan puppeteer who makes regular
trips to Singapore every three months.

to their childs pursuit of an arts career. Some worry that the

heavy commitment required of artists may take a toll on their
childs studies.
Nanyin musician Lim Ming Yi, 18, recalled having spirited
arguments with her mother during her GCE O-level
examination period. Her mother feared she would neglect her
schoolwork due to the long hours she spent on her hobby.

Im still learning about the art form, said the trainee dalang.
Singing was tough at first because of the language barrier.
Wayang kulit Siam tells a localised version of the Ramayana,
a Hindu classic, and is presented in the Kelantanese dialect.
But with more practice, the words and expressions gradually
became more familiar to him.

Eventually, the two compromised and Miss Lim agreed to

take a three-month break from the association to focus on
her studies. She eventually did better than expected and
qualified for a psychology course at Ngee Ann Polytechnic
where she is studying now.

Seated cross-legged on the rehearsal studio floor during a

practice session last month, the multi-talented performer
wielded the intricate and colourful leather puppets with
confidence.
When portraying different characters, he switches effortlessly
from a high tenor to a low baritone while his group members
provide musical accompaniment on percussion, wind and
brass instruments in the background.
Despite being a young group, they have a handful of
performances under their belt, including the opening festival
of the Malay Heritage Centre last September. On top of
regular Saturday night rehearsals for these shows, Mr Aliff,
who books out of camp daily, attends optional practices on
Tuesday nights from time to time.
The long practice hours may come at the expense of spending
quality time with family and friends but Mr Aliff is nonchalant.
Having been in the arts scene since his teenage years, he is used
to making such sacrifices , he said with a light shrug.
________________________________
Managing parental objections
It helps that his family is supportive of his passion. But not all
parents share the same degree of understanding when it comes

Nanyin musician Lim MingYi, 18,

believes her art form is a dying
one. It takes time for people to
warm up to it because of the
language barrier, she said. Nanyin,
meaning music of the South, is
sung in the Hokkien dialect.
Photo: Lim MingYi

Ironically, it was her mother who enrolled her in nanyin music

classes at the age of 10. Upon hearing from her colleague
Madam Wang Pheck Geok, who is also the vice-chairman of
Siong Leng Musical Association, that they were recruiting
youths, she promptly sent her daughter for lessons.
For the first four years, I felt like I was being forced to come
for lessons, said Miss Lim. I couldnt go out on weekends
either. But after learning a few songs, she grew to appreciate
the melodies.

58 | Meet the next generation of traditional artists

Nanyin music is very slow and relaxing. It intrigues

me and when I play, I enter the performance, said the
multi-instrumentalist who has mastered the pipa, erxian
and sanxian, which are stringed instruments, as well as the
dongxiao, a flute.
With eight years of experience as a nanyin musician, she took
on an additional role at the association last year conducting
one-on-one lessons twice a week. All three of her students are
in their 20s.
Youthfulness can be a double-edged sword for a teacher. She
connects easily with her students and her bilingualism allows
for effective communication. However, some older students
lack respect for the younger teachers due to a perceived lack
of qualification.
While she is contented to perform and teach for now, Ms Lim
does not plan on building a career as an artist. Instead, she
intends to pursue a career in psychology.

Meet the next generation of traditional artists | 59

Like these two women, Mr Aliff does not believe a career in

the traditional arts can last. Its not very practical, he said.
Becoming a teacher, which he is currently considering, would
provide greater stability.
____________________________
Making a living in the arts:
then and now
These days, making a livelihood out of the traditional arts
seems like an elusive dream, especially when one is faced
with the soaring cost of living in Singapore. But one or two
generations ago, it was a very different scene.
Cantonese opera performer Choy Yien Chow was only 11
years old when he picked up the art form.
A teacher had taken a liking to him and accepted him as a
disciple. Mr Choy, now 66, recalled waking up at dawn to do
vocal warm-ups by the sea.

____________________

It was very tiring and I still had to go to school after that,

he said.

I can see myself being here for the next 10 years, until
Im old. Its my second home and I dont see myself
leaving. But its not a real job. Ive never thought of
doing this full time.

Back in the 1960s, young trainees were expected to be

all-rounders and he soon picked up Chinese martial arts,
acrobatics and calligraphy.

Miss Lim Ming Yi, nanyin musician

___________________
Turning professional is not an option for local nanyin
musicians as the market for their traditional tunes is limited.
Vice-chairman Wang Pheck Geok, 47, asked: Where can our
young performers go if they want to turn professional?

After completing his secondary school education, he worked

in different industries for years before deciding to focus on
performing and teaching traditional arts. In 1989, he set up
his own company, Choys Brothers Opera Troupe. These days,
the troupe is regularly invited to perform at corporate events.
Although some sceptics doubt that success stories like Mr
Choys can be repeated in Singapore today, two young artists
are determined to prove that a lifelong career in the traditional
arts is still viable.

60 | Meet the next generation of traditional artists

It may seem idealistic in a society where the norm is to hold

an office job with a steady income, but these young women,
who are in their 20s, are more than aware of the risks involved.
Should their plans go south, they will at least have their
academic qualifications to fall back on.
Still, for Ms Seema Harikuma, 28, convincing her family
members to support her decision was not easy. When she
chose to leave her job as a project manager at a multinational
corporation last March to become a professional dancer, her
parents were less than thrilled.
I always knew that I wanted to do this full time, said the
political science graduate from the National University of
Singapore (NUS) who attended her first dance class when
she was nine. But pragmatism kicked in and she settled for
a job in the corporate world after graduation. Even then, she
continued to juggle work and dance simultaneously.
After six years of corporate life, she called it quits and joined
Apsaras Arts, an Indian dance company, as a professional
dancer. The skilful performer is adept at both traditional
and contemporary Indian folk dances, including the classical
Indian dance Bharatanatyam, and the flamenco.
The job switch came with a 50 per cent pay cut. While many
of her peers would think twice about accepting the smaller
paycheck, Ms Harikumar simply copes by spending more
prudently. She has since put to rest her parents concerns of
her being able to making ends meet.
Planning ahead, she intends to complete a masters degree in
dance and become a lecturer in five to six years time. As an
educator, she will be able to share her appreciation of dance
and Indian culture with even more people.
Presently, she handles business development for Apsaras Arts
on weekdays and teaches classes on weekends. In addition, she

Meet the next generation of traditional artists | 61

performs overseas with the troupe monthly or bimonthly and

has travelled to Cambodia, Sri Lanka and Liverpool for shows.
____________________
Bharatanatyam dancers Ms Seema
Harikumar, 28, (left) and Ms Deva
Priya Appan, 29, performed at the
Sri SenpagaVinayagar Temple last
year. As a child, Ms Harikumar
was fascinated by the dancers
costumes and jewels, and learnt to
dance at the age of nine.

Now that Im no longer torn between work and dance,

Ive gained a lot more freedom.
Ms Seema Harikuma, Bharatanatyam dancer
___________________

62 | Meet the next generation of traditional artists

Meet the next generation of traditional artists | 63

Another traditional arts performer, Miss Syafiqah Adha

Mohamed Sallehin, has her sights set on a career in classical
Malay music.

that she continues to use today. Its just like playing the
keyboard vertically and I already knew how to play that.
Although Ms Syafiqahs music group may have achieved
moderate success in the wedding circuit, with bookings for
wedding shows up till next year, she is grounded by the gritty
reality of being in the local arts industry.

Currently a final-year undergraduate at the prestigious Yong

Siew Toh Conservatory of Music at NUS, she has been
performing at weddings with traditional Malay music group
Gendang Akustika for the past three years. Upon graduating,
she plans to join them full time.

Competition remains stiff, she said, and there is a constant

risk of being overtaken by other industry players.
Nonetheless, she is confident of her career path and has
dreams of her group setting up their own traditional Malay
music school someday.
Miss Syafiqah Adha Mohamed
Sallehin, 22, joined a Malay
traditional music group in 2009
with her fathers encouragement.
He bought me an accordion, even
though I didnt know how to play
one, she said, eventually teaching
herself to play it.

The 22-year-old majors in composition in school and as the

groups music director, she performs and arranges traditional
songs. Her original arrangements incorporate both traditional
and modern instruments such as the accordion, keyboard and
hand drums.
For Miss Syafiqah, her love affair with music started at home.
Growing up in a household of traditional music lovers, she
decided to join the Singapore Malay Youth Orchestra as a
keyboard player after secondary school.
Her father, who works in the public sector, bought her an
accordion at 17 and encouraged her to join a music group.
I learnt how to play it on my own, she said of the accordion

Although they may have their detractors, perhaps it is up to

ambitious young artists like Ms Syafiqah to determine the fate
of traditional arts in the coming decades.