Dr Eugene Dairianathan

In 1997, he was appointed Conference Secretariat to the Asian Music and Dance Conference in Education and later acted as editor for its publication in July 1999. In May 2000, he was invited by Gothenburg University, Sweden, as their Visiting Scholar. In August 2002, he was invited to make a presentation of musical practices in Singapore at a Music and Sociology Conference in Gothenburg. A little later, Eugene and collaborator Phan Ming Yen were awarded a National Arts Council Research Grant, A Narrative History of Music in Singapore; 1819 to the present. This resulted in a submission to the NAC in August 2004, and is currently awaiting further development.
He has also been active giving pre-concert talks for the SSO, writing programme notes for the new Esplanade concerts; writing for the former Esplanande Arts Magazine, making presentations on musical and acoustical aspects of Intonation for WASBE members. Eugene serves as Conference council member of WASBE (Singapore) Chapter facilitator with the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (UK), Cultural Affairs committee of the American Chamber of Commerce, Supervisory Board at the Singapore Armed Forces Music and Drama Company. Eugene currently heads the Music Department of the Visual and Performing Arts Academic Group, National Institute of Education.
The Band in Singapore : Presence & Practice 11th July 2005 (12:30pm to 1:30pm) What is this social and musical phenomenon we identify as and with the Band? When do we learn of its presence? Who supported it? What were the means of support and how was support given and sustained? Who were involved in its practice? What was the musical dimension of this practice? How did teaching and learning for it take place? Did the Band have an audience? Who was the audience? What was the role of the Band among communities in Singapore? This session offers, through primary sources and in-depth interviews, a musical, social and cultural perspective of the Band in Singapore.