Date of Award

8-16-2024

Document Type

Open Access Dissertation

Department

School of Music

First Advisor

Birgitta Johnson

Second Advisor

Claire Bryant

Abstract

Multiculturalism is prevalent in many countries around the world, including Singapore, and music is used as a way to reflect and represent cultural influences in societies worldwide. Singapore is a multicultural nation renowned for its diversity, and the fusion of influences from Asian heritages and Western cultures. This study echoes the heritage in Singapore, showing a brief history and development of the country, cultural integration, and representation of musical identity. The artistic tapestry of the country is achieved with endeavors from government initiatives and various music ensembles that contributed to the vibrant musical ecosystem in Singapore. This is represented through ethnographical fieldwork and interviews with musicians, a documentation of the efforts by composers, musicians, and music organizations.

Additionally, the goals of my research are to document the contemporary cello and chamber works with cello by Singaporean composers and demonstrate how fusion ensembles have become a part of the efforts to highlight the cultural and musical heritages of Singapore. The compendium also includes eighty-six compositions that include the cello by Singaporean composers that I have discovered in the process of this research. Though many of us know about Singapore, the local music and cultural heritage is not commonly discussed and represented. Ultimately, this research echoes the importance of heritage and the country’s ongoing quest for its national identity in music. By providing context to the history and cultural development through the inclusion of different heritages around the world, it offers valuable insights to the growth of music and identity in a multicultural “Little Red Dot.”

Rights

© 2024, Eunice Koh

Download

Included in

Music Commons

Share

COinS