Western Music in A Singaporean Context

Dr Marc Rochester

THE COLONIAL LEGACY

THE GRADED PRACTICAL MUSIC

EXAMINATIONS SYSTEM

Englands legacy to music teachers at

home and across the Commonwealth
has become the bedrock on which a
whole industry has evolved in
Singapore
Western Music in A Singaporean Context

Dr Marc Rochester

THE COLONIAL LEGACY

THE GRADED PRACTICAL MUSIC

EXAMINATIONS SYSTEM

Devised by Trinity College London in

1874
First overseas examinations held in
South Africa in 1876
Currently music exams are held in 87
countries
Three major UK-based examinations
Western Music in A Singaporean Context

Dr Marc Rochester

THE COLONIAL LEGACY

THE GRADED PRACTICAL MUSIC
EXAMINATIONS SYSTEM IN SINGAPORE

Associated Board of the Royal Schools

of Music ABSRM (63,000 candidates
annually in Singapore)
London College of Music LCM (7,000
candidates)
Trinity College, London (5,000
candidates)
 Western Music in A Singaporean Context

Dr Marc Rochester

THE COLONIAL LEGACY

THE GRADED PRACTICAL MUSIC

EXAMINATIONS SYSTEM

Major player is Associated Board of the

Royal Schools of Music ABSRM
Founded in 1890 to promotethe
cultivation and dissemination of the art
of Music in the United Kingdom and
throughout the Dominions.
 Western Music in A Singaporean Context

Dr Marc Rochester
THE ABRSM

1892; The University of the Cape of

Good Hope invitedABRSM to conduct
examinations in the Cape Colony.
1895; Australia, New Zealand and
Canada were all receiving visits from
ABRSMs examiners.
1903; Malta
1907; West Indies
1948; India, Pakistan, Ceylon (now Sri
Lanka), Malta, Rhodesia (now
Zimbabwe), Cyprus, Singapore and
 Western Music in A Singaporean Context

Dr Marc Rochester

THE ABRSM

Examines 630,000 candidates worldwide

(2014 figures)
Figures not published, but estimated as
63,000 candidates annually in Singapore
Western Music in A Singaporean Context

Dr Marc Rochester

THE COLONIAL LEGACY

THE GRADED PRACTICAL MUSIC
EXAMINATIONS SYSTEM

Created to establish a common

standard for entry into the London
conservatories
Trinity College
London College of Music
Royal Academy of Music
Royal College of Music
 Western Music in A Singaporean Context

Dr Marc Rochester

THE COLONIAL LEGACY

THE GRADED PRACTICAL MUSIC
EXAMINATIONS SYSTEM

later expanded to encompass other

British institutions
Royal Manchester College of Music (now
the Royal Northern College of Music)
Royal Scottish Academy of Music and
Drama
Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama
(Birmingham Conservatory excluded)
 Western Music in A Singaporean Context

Dr Marc Rochester

THE COLONIAL LEGACY

THE GRADED PRACTICAL MUSIC
EXAMINATIONS SYSTEM

Candidates applying with no

understanding of the requirements
prompted the conservatories not only to
create a basic standard on which
applications would be admitted, but to
prepare the way by providing a
framework of basic requirements
expected at every stage of a students
 Western Music in A Singaporean Context

Dr Marc Rochester

THE COLONIAL LEGACY

THE GRADED PRACTICAL MUSIC EXAMINATIONS
SYSTEM

Instrumental teaching from beginner

level universally unregulated up to end
of 19th century.
No consistent standard
Instrumental (piano) teaching largely
imported into Commonwealth countries
by wives of diplomats/expats with little
or no training or experience.
 Western Music in A Singaporean Context

Dr Marc Rochester

THE COLONIAL LEGACY

THE GRADED PRACTICAL MUSIC
EXAMINATIONS SYSTEM

The British love of organisation and

categorisation calculated that it in
instrumental teaching takes 8 years from
complete beginner to a standard
considered adequate for admission to a
music conservatory.
Hence 8 grades
Western Music in A Singaporean Context

Dr Marc Rochester

THE COLONIAL LEGACY

THE GRADED PRACTICAL MUSIC

EXAMINATIONS SYSTEM

Six Key areas defined by ABRSM

1. Technical work (Scales/arpeggios)
2. Sight Reading
3. Ear (Aural) Tests
4. Three different historical musical
styles shown through playing of
specifically chosen pieces
Western Music in A Singaporean Context

Dr Marc Rochester

THE COLONIAL LEGACY

THE GRADED PRACTICAL MUSIC

EXAMINATIONS SYSTEM

Singapore statistics
1957 3000 candidates
1987 30,000 candidates
2014 75,000 candidates
 Western Music in A Singaporean Context

Dr Marc Rochester

THE COLONIAL LEGACY

THE GRADED PRACTICAL MUSIC

EXAMINATIONS SYSTEM

Why has the system been so fully

embraced by Singapore since the end of
British rule and even more so since
independence from Malaysia?
Western Music in A Singaporean Context

Dr Marc Rochester

THE COLONIAL LEGACY

THE GRADED PRACTICAL MUSIC
EXAMINATIONS SYSTEM

1. British legacy (already established in

the minds of music teachers and no
alternative on offer)
2. Chinese majority (passion for self-
improvement and opportunity for
commercial advancement)
3. Competitive culture
Western Music in A Singaporean Context

Dr Marc Rochester

THE COLONIAL LEGACY

THE GRADED PRACTICAL MUSIC EXAMINATIONS SYSTEM
The Singaporean Approach
1. Use of basic framework as a full
curriculum
2. Examination success seen as goal
rather than advance
3. Commercial and social benefit from
examination success
4. Disconnect between instrumental
teaching and music development
5. By being detached from the school
system, is seen as peripheral to
Western Music in A Singaporean Context

Dr Marc Rochester

THE COLONIAL LEGACY

THE GRADED PRACTICAL MUSIC EXAMINATIONS
SYSTEM
The Singaporean Approach

Graded examinations are exclusively

administered by private companies
ABSRM - Singapore Symphonia
London College of Music Lui Events
Trinity College London Roberts Pianos
Private schools vie to become
examination centres.
.
 Western Music in A Singaporean Context

Dr Marc Rochester

THE COLONIAL LEGACY

THE GRADED PRACTICAL MUSIC
EXAMINATIONS SYSTEM
The Singaporean Approach

1. Private teachers and music schools

use exam success as promotional
material to increase business
2. Graded music examinations seen as a
business venture rather than an
educational benefit
Western Music in A Singaporean Context

Dr Marc Rochester

THE COLONIAL LEGACY

THE GRADED PRACTICAL MUSIC
EXAMINATIONS SYSTEM
The Singaporean Approach
Examinations boards actively wooing
Singapore through various initiatives
such as;
Professional Development
Teacher Training and implied
Accreditation
High Scorers Concerts
Competitions (Battle of the Bands)
Western Music in A Singaporean Context

Dr Marc Rochester

THE COLONIAL LEGACY

THE GRADED PRACTICAL MUSIC

EXAMINATIONS SYSTEM
The Singaporean Approach
Refusal to promote Singaporean music
or musicians
Reluctance to employ Singaporean
examiners
Assumption of ignorance
Scale of fees