Unveiling the Legacies and Musical Recipes Behind Uniquely Singaporean Traditional Drum Ensembles: A Look into the World of Nadi Singapura, Damaru Singapore, and Feng Drums

My intended study is to investigate how knowledge in performance is acquired, owned, and disseminated in and through three ensembles, Nadi Singapura, Damaru Singapore, and Feng Drums. This involves understanding the process of acquiring knowledge through research field trips and learning from master drummers by the members of both ensembles. The knowledge is then adapted to the Singaporean context and disseminated through drumming schools operated by the three ensembles’ leaders. This highlights the potential implications for shaping a Singaporean identity and knowledge ownership, which are the driving forces behind the development of unique Singaporean traditional drum ensembles. Secondly, this study seeks, through Nadi Singapura, Damaru Singapore, and Feng Drums, to examine growth and development patterns of a younger demographic population in Singapore that nurtures their life-long engagement with peers, which then grows towards them mentoring younger members and inculcating engagement through performances with the public-at-large. Thirdly, the study seeks to locate commonalities among Nadi Singapura, Damaru Singapore, and Feng Drums to let emerge unique performance practices of Singaporean drumming ensembles. Lastly, the study also aims to trace the historical antecedents and how the legacy of significant cultural figures, such as Syed Ibrahim and his One Heartbeat initiative, have influenced the development of Nadi Singapura, Damaru Singapore, and Feng Drums.

Important Note

We welcome you to have a conversation with Assistant Professor Gene Lai to discuss this PhD project further. You are strongly encouraged to reach out to him at least 3 months in advance of application deadline (i.e. 31 January 2025) as the process of confirming the supervision and preparing your proposal for application may take longer than you anticipate. 

Minimum Entry Requirement

A Bachelor’s degree with honours at least at Second Class Upper level, Master’s degree in the relevant areas and the ability to pursue research in the candidate’s proposed field of advanced study.

Shortlisted applicants will undergo an interview session as part of the selection process.

A valid GRE score is required for applicants who are not graduates of the Autonomous Universities in Singapore. See detailed requirements for English language on competency and GRE requirements here.