Singapore, 26 September 2014 – Music enthusiasts can now experience Singapore’s vibrant and diverse music heritage and culture at the National Library Board’s revitalised, one-stop music portal, MusicSG.
Today, MusicSG has over 13,000 tracks, lyrics, scores, biographies and research articles on Singapore’s music. Users can find familiar melodies, such as Semoga Bahagia, Xi Shui Chang Liu, Munneru Valiba and Home, along with a spread of early and contemporary pieces. The collection has also been refreshed with performance videos and infographics, as well as prized scores penned by Cultural Medallion recipients, including Iskandar Ismail, Leong Yoon Pin, Kam Kee Yong, Alex Abisheganaden and Kelly Tang.
To bring Singaporeans closer to our home-grown talent, the portal will also showcase 13 video profiles of local acts, such as Inch Chua, West Grand Boulevard, and Jack and Rai. These profiles – which consist of video interviews, recorded performances and track listings – will give fans a glimpse into the performers’ personalities, creative motivations and insights. In addition, MusicSG features a fresh collection of Indie music, which users can stream directly and share with other music lovers using social media.
MusicSG aggregates and curates creative local works from pre-independence music to today’s contemporary hits. Mrs Elaine Ng, Chief Executive Officer, National Library Board, said, “Local music contributes significantly in building an identity and sense of belonging for Singaporeans. Many people hold a special place for music in their hearts, especially songs they grew up with. By preserving and promoting Singapore’s rich music heritage, we hope to make Singapore music more accessible for people today and tomorrow.”
In efforts to document Singapore’s heritage, NLB has also published Singapore Soundscape: Musical Renaissance of a Global City. Written by a team of 19 experts, the book charts the nation’s history of traditional and popular music, and expounds on how Singapore’s music culture has evolved alongside the larger political and economic changes. From the street opera of Chinese wayang to Western classical symphony and choral music, Singaporeans can revisit many anecdotes and fond recollections from as early as 1866. Singapore Soundscape will be available in NLB’s libraries.
NLB partners The Composer and Authors Society of Singapore (COMPASS) to digitise and preserve local music. Earlier this year, MusicSG also collaborated with the National Art Council (NAC) and the Ministry of Education (MOE) to develop a series of resources for students and educators. This includes lists of references on Cultural Medallion recipients and a music resource kit for Singapore Teachers’ Academy for the Arts’ (STAR) Teaching Living Legends programme.
MusicSG is also strongly supported by the local music community, including music pioneers, local composers, artistes and institutions who have contributed their works to MusicSG’s collection. Donors include Mr Iskandar Ismail, Mr Leong Yoon Pin, Mr Alex Abisheganaden, Mr Kam Kee Yong, Dr Jeremy Monteiro, Dr Kelly Tang, Dr Ho Chee Kong, Mr Liu Bin, Mr Quek Yong Siu and Siong Leng Musical Association. NLB welcomes more music-related organisations and contributors to join MusicSG in reaching out to the community and piecing together a collective music heritage and culture.
In the spirit of celebrating local music, NLB will be organising MusicSG Reloaded, a night music concert, at The Plaza of the National Library Building on Friday, 26 September, 6.00pm to 8.30pm. All music lovers are welcomed!
MusicSG can be accessed at http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/music