Music

Department Goals:

To nurture adaptive and creative contributors to discover the best versions of themselves in and through musical experiences.

Key Programmes

• Instrument Fundamentals

• Performing Arts Based Learning (PABL)

• Music Technology and Arrangement

• Upper Secondary Music Programme

Lower Secondary Music Programme

Secondary One Curriculum

Instrument Fundamentals

The Lower Secondary Music (LSM) Programme aims to equip Yishunites with fundamental skills in at least two classroom instruments. They are taught instrument anatomy, good posture, tuning, as well as playing techniques such as strumming. Students are equipped with foundational techniques as they perform popular songs in class. They also learn how to interpret chord charts and utilise digital resources to learn collaboratively.

We firmly believe in encouraging students to engage in musicking beyond the classroom. This year, our Secondary One students performed a rendition of the traditional folk song Rasa Sayang for an Assembly programme commemorating International Friendship Day.

Performing Arts Based Learning (PABL)

Another core experience in Secondary 1 is the Performing Arts Based Learning (PABL) programme, Jointly developed and funded by the Ministry of Education (MOE) and National Arts Council (NAC), PABL provides every student with the opportunity to experience a live music performance in a professional arts and cultural venue. In 2025, we were privileged to be an audience to the Metropolitan Festival Orchestra (MFO), performing various arrangements of Singapore songs. As part of the pre-concert curriculum, our Secondary one students learned how to identify various orchestral instruments and performed as an ensemble using the GarageBand application on iPads.

Secondary Two Curriculum

In recent years, students are increasingly normalised to consuming and creating short-form media content through platforms such as TikTok, Youtube and Instagram. In recognition of this, the Secondary Two Music curriculum focuses on supporting them in arranging soundtracks to complement online multimedia.

Artist-in-School Scheme (AISS)

We are beneficiaries of the Artist-in-school scheme- an initiative by the National Arts Council (NAC) that supports partnership between Singapore artists and mainstream schools to co-design Arts curriculum. Since 2021, we have been privileged to work closely with a team of instructors, including James Lye, an educator and recording artist (Maker Records), as well as Eugene Soh, a songwriter and frontman-guitarist of the local band Bakers in Space, among others.

Music Arrangement Masterclass

Students who demonstrate exceptional passion for digital music-making are invited to participate in masterclasses to further hone their skills and creativity. Some of the best works by our students have been recognised at the national level through the SYF Youthstation platform.

Students in a masterclass session with Lead Instructor James Lye

“Like” by Tam Jing Xuan and Ahmad Tirmidzi
Special mention for SYF Youthstation-Open Category 2024

Upper Secondary Music programme

At the Upper Secondary level, Normal (Technical) Music offers a broad-based music education which enables students to further their interest in music. Our students enjoy authentic, practical learning experiences across a range of music genres, with music technology being an integral part of learning.

The Normal (Technical) Music syllabus aims to:

1. Develop musicianship in every student through the active triangulation of listening, performing and creating. This aims to kickstart a life-long engagement with the arts beyond the classroom

2. Equip students with a range of music technology skills and develop an awareness of real-world applications

3. Nurture resilient and creative problem-solvers who can make informed musical decisions.

4. Cultivate students’ appreciation of music in local and global cultures and their functions in society

At Secondary Three, our students perform at ASPIRE!, an annual concert organised by Arts Education Branch (AEB) for Normal Technical Music students to perform for the public. Rightly termed ASPIRE!, this showcase celebrates and affirms our students’ resilience and dreams to bring their music to a larger audience.

Some of the songs performed by Yishunites include Somewhere Only We Know (Keane), Love Someone (Lukas Graham) and Billie Jean (Michael Jackson) amongst others.

On top of regular lessons, we are committed to expose our students to industry-related experiences through enrichment programmes. Examples include

1. Recording Experience with Jack and Rai (2023)

2. Pop band Workshop@Tumbleweed studios (2024)
   

   

3. The YSS Recording Studio Experience (2025)

We regret to inform you that Music is not offered as an elective for Secondary Three students for academic years 2025 and 2026.