Tan, Leonard Yuh Chaur

INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND In Singapore, the Ministry of Education (MOE) emphasises the importance of developing 21CC through Co-Curricular Activities (CCA). For example, the Handbook for the Co-Curriculum states that there ought to be an “intentional design” of CCA activities such that they create “authentic opportunities” for students to “practise” the 21CC (MOE, 2014, p. 16). This includes the development of 21CC through music CCAs, such as the school band.
STATEMENT OF PROBLEMS Sentiments on the ground, however, suggest that many band directors see the development of these competencies already implicit in current practice. Furthermore, there is no research in Singapore that has empirically examined the assumption that 21CC can be developed through music CCAs. There appears a need for empirical data to determine if and how 21CC are being developed by school band programmes as currently practised. This would also render any form of formal intervention more organic, persuasive, and authentic.
PURPOSE OF STUDY The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the development of 21CC through the school band; it aims to render explicit what might already be implicit in current practice. To achieve these goals, two high performing school bands (one Primary and one Secondary) were examined over a period of one year.

Paul Hindemith's Symphony In B flat for Band (1951) and Vincent Persichetti's Symphony No. 6 for Band (1956) are two of the most important works written for the wind band. Though they are commonly performed, scholarly interest in both works are limited, largely restricted to writers from the band community. In particular, the neoclassical elements of both works are largely undiscussed. Although they do not strictly belong to the neoclassical tradition, there are several neoclassical traits present in both works. This dissertation compares and contrasts both works, noting the neoclassical aspects of both works in the process. A range of analytical techniques will be drawn upon, including harmonic, voice-leading, motivic and formal analysis. Various compositional parameters - harmony, melody, form, orchestration and texture - will be analysed in detail, and the relationships between each of these parameters discussed. This study reveals that though both composers looked back to the past, their eventual musical products were distinctively different. Essentially, their differences stem from the fact that whilst Hindemith's neoclassical aesthetic leaning was very much of the Germanic tradition, Persichetti's showed influences of French Neoclassicism.

In this essay, I examine the Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21) framework from a Confucian perspective. Given that this framework has attracted attention around the world, including Confucian-heritage societies, an analysis of how key ideas compare with Confucian values appears important and timely. As I shall show, although Confucian philosophy largely resonates with the "Learning and Innovation Skills" in the P21 framework, namely, critical thinking, communication, collaboration and creativity, it also provides fresh perspectives and nuances the framework. These insights include the notion that critical thinking is not a strictly cognitive endeavour but an affective one as well, a social construal of the self, and an ethical notion of creativity. This paper aims to redress the under-representation of Asian philosophy in the philosophy of education. It also hopes to initiate more philosophical dialogues between Asia and the West.

Practice, skill and competition are important aspects of participating in school bands and orchestras. However, writers have questioned their value. In this philosophical paper, I mine the writings of the American pragmatists–in particular, their theories of habit and experience–to construct a theory of action for instrumental music education, that is, a proposed framework of active musical doing in large instrumental ensembles. It comprises two facets: effortful practice and effortless performance, and serves as lenses to address issues with respect to practice, skill and competition in instrumental music. Central to this paper is the thesis that the active doing of music in bands and orchestras enables students to encounter the aesthetic peak experience.

Half a century ago, calls had already been made for instrumental ensemble directors to move beyond performance to include the teaching of musical concepts in the rehearsal hall. Relatively recent research, however, suggests that conceptual teaching remains relatively infrequent during rehearsals. Given the importance of teaching for long-term musical goals, revisiting this critical topic, backed by research and learning theories, is important and timely. Enriched by insights from my own teaching experience, the goal of this paper is to clarify the nature of conceptual teaching and encourage conceptual teaching in large instrumental ensembles by addressing the following questions: What is conceptual teaching? Why teach conceptually? How may musical concepts be taught through the rehearsal hall? I conclude this article with some thoughts toward the future.