Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
This book explores the cultural identities of contemporary musicians in Singapore and how they engage with the notion of 'tradition' in their discourse and music. It proposes a multidisciplinary approach, building on theories from anthropology, music theory, ethnomusicology and postcolonial studies. It explores the complex cultural, national and musical identities of young musicians engaged in redefining Asian musical traditions in varying ways, in order to shed light on the changing face of contemporary Singaporean society. While local musicians are attempting to position themselves in wider discourses and represent themselves on their own terms, the book looks at how they are negotiating these representations and redefining their identities and traditions from a multi-disciplinary approach which combines anthropology, ethnomusicology and musical analysis. The book also looks at different angles from which to apprehend the question of cultural and musical identities, and provides a dynamic polyvocal and prismatic viewpoint to understand the place of tradition in a globalised Singapore, performative identity, heritage and appropriation, creative processes and creative collaboration among local musicians. This book is a tool for understanding global discussions about cultural identities in a postcolonial setting and the place of tradition in a globalised world, from the viewpoint of artists as semionauts engaged in creative meaning-making.
Synopsis
Preface.- Introduction.- Chapter 1: On Tradition, Youth and Music in Contemporary Singapore.- Chapter 2: Where got Singapore Sound?.- Chapter 3: Collaborative Creativity: Perspectives from a Contemporary Instrumental Group in Singapore.- Chapter 4: Strategic authenticity and the 'new Malay': an ethnomusicological case study of NADI Singapura.- Chapter 5: Creative Processes and Musical Analysis.- Chapter 6: Music, Chineseness and the Quest for the Cool.- Chapter 7: Musings about Education and Professional Development.- Chapter 8: 'Identities' in Context of Ethnomusicology in the Singapore Music Scene.- Chapter 9: Perspectives on fieldwork in Singapore's music scene.- Chapter 10: Voice of the Musicians - Commentaries and Reflections.- Acknowledgements.
Synopsis
This book explores questions of identity, cultural change and creativity from the perspective of contemporary musicians currently engaged in redefining Asian musical traditions and notions of heritage in Singapore. Drawing on the fields of anthropology, cultural studies, and ethnomusicology,
Semionauts of Tradition focuses on emerging millennial musicians and explores the complex and interwoven cultural, national, musical, and personal identifications in their discourse and music practice. It shows how they create fluid, hybrid and counter-hegemonic forms of expression, representation and identity through their navigation of diverse cultural worlds, their incorporation of a myriad of elements into their own identities and music, and their contestations of preconceived notions of difference and tradition. The book exposes paradoxes within current thinking about 'multiracialism', 'racial harmony', the 'East/West divide' and 'tradition versus modernity, ' and proposes new ways of understanding identity, cultural change and creativity in a highly globalised, and diverse nation. This highly-original polyvocal account of a burgeoning music scene includes photos, musical scores and reaction pieces by musicians. It is a timely contribution to global discussions about 'multiculturalism from below, ' as well as musical, cultural and national identities in a postcolonial Southeast Asian setting, from the viewpoint of artists engaged in creative meaning-making.
This captivating book explores - with tremendous intellectual vitality - the dialectic relationships between the cultural, ethnic and national identities of Singapore's creative youth, and their creative practice. A compelling read
Dr Liora Bresler, Professor, University of Illinois
A well-researched and thoughtfully well-written book about the diverse forms of music in Singapore and the musicians who created it.
- Jeremy Monteiro, jazz pianist, singer, composer, and music educator
This wonderfully lucid and compelling book analyzes the musical and cultural creativity of young Singaporean musicians growing up in a multicultural and ethnically plural society, bringing Asian and Western musical cultures into creative dialogue.
- Dr Deborah Pacini Hernandez, Professor Emeritus, Tufts University
A thought provoking dialogue on contemporary Singaporean music
-Eric Watson, composer, conductor, music technologist and pedagogue