page_title: Music of Singapore
section_title: Chinese
hierarchical_section_title: Music of Singapore / Ethnic traditions / Chinese
caption_attribution_description: English: Nanyin performance during Guan Yin, Goddess of Mercy’s Birthday at Thian Hock Keng temple
context_page_description: The music of Singapore has reflected the diverse influences that have shaped the country. Its various communities have their own distinct musical traditions: the Chinese people form the largest ethnic group in Singapore, with Malays, Indians, and smaller number of other peoples of different ethnicity as well as Eurasians. The different people with their traditional forms of music, the various modern musical styles, and the fusion of different forms account for the musical diversity in the country.
  It has an urban musical scene, and is a center for pop, rock, punk and other genres in the region. The country has produced in the 1960s bands like The Crescendos and The Quests, right up to the new millennium with pop singers such as Stefanie Sun and JJ Lin. Folk music of Singapore includes the ethnic music traditions of the Chinese, Malay and Tamil communities. Singapore also has a lively Western classical music scene.
context_section_description: There are speakers of various dialects amongst the Chinese population, such as Hokkien, Hakka, Cantonese, and Teochew, and different dialect speakers may have their own clan associations which support their respective forms of opera.  Opera troupes were first formed by amateur music clubs; the earliest amateur music club in Singapore is the Er Woo Amateur Music & Dramatic Association (馀娱儒乐社) set up in 1912 by Teochew businessmen, initially to promote music of the Hakkas (Hanju opera and Handiao music), later also Teochew opera. A number of recordings of Hanju opera performed by Er Woo were made in the 1920s and 1930s.  Many professional and amateur opera troupes that performed in various dialects were later established. These opera troupes typically perform during festivals and national events, and may also hold regular small-scale performances, or large-scale ones annually or biannually. The professional troupes may also perform in opera theatres. During Chinese festivities there was also a minstrel tradition called zouchang (walk-sing), which involves walking performance by members of the operatic troupes. In the past, makeshift stages often appeared during festivities along the streets where operas may be performed. However, operas have declined as popular entertainment in the latter half of the 20th century; opera theatres closed, and street opera have mostly been replaced by getai where modern songs and comedy routines are performed, although street opera is still performed by professional and amateur opera troupes.
  There are many full-sized Chinese orchestras in Singapore. The first Chinese orchestra was formed in 1959 by the Thau Yong Amateur Musical Association (陶融儒乐社), which was established in 1931 by former members of Er Woo.  The Singapore Chinese Orchestra is the only professional Chinese orchestra in Singapore, however amateur Chinese orchestras formed by clan associations, community centres and schools are common.  There are also chamber ensembles such as those of the Nanguan tradition from Siong Leng Musical Association. Drumming performances which accompany the traditional Lion Dance are also popular.
caption: A Nanyin performance at Thian Hock Keng temple
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