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FAST
SINGAPORE: A guitar riff plays, harmonising with the beat of a snare drum. Then a saxophone joins in, playful and bright. Within seconds, The Lawn at New Bahru is alive — but not with a band.
These are strangers who have never rehearsed together.
“Initially, I thought it was just a live band,” said Nur Taqinah Kamsari, an onlooker at the session last month in the communal space at the former Nan Chiau Girls’ High School.
“I didn’t know it was an interactive thing where we could ‘hijack’ the instruments.”
This is Ann Siang Sounds, a street jam movement where anyone can pick up an instrument, join in mid-song and be part of the music. Here, professional musicians play alongside beginners, and no one seems to mind who leads.
“I was so surprised, but in the best way,” said Stacey Woo, 26, another audience member. “Even little kids sang together, and then we all joined (in).”
Participants riffing on their instruments at the New Bahru jam session.
These jam sessions have grown in recent months, turning some of Singapore’s public spaces into open, inclusive stages, not only for creating music but for building connections between people.
“Everyone is so busy with the rat race … (sessions like) this is where we really get to socialise,” said Taqinah, 33. “Here, … we all come together as one, in the name of music.”
But this community’s culture of spontaneity has also started to surface potential challenges — like the legality of the sessions — for its future.
The movement began almost by accident. In March, co-founders Oliver Ow, Jeremiah Lim and Lara Tay were jamming indoors at Ann Siang Hill, as they had done countless times with friends. This time, the weather was too good to ignore.
A few members of Ann Siang Sounds jamming in Ann Siang Hill.
“It was a nice sunny day, and we said, ‘Let’s (go) outside,’” recalled Lara, 30, who works in advertising. “And we did call a couple of friends, a couple of students (to also) swing by.”
Jeremiah, 37, a UX designer and adjunct lecturer who also plays gigs at night, added: “We played, but we didn’t expect people would come and start listening.”
That was when the trio first had the idea of organising more jam sessions in public.
For his part, Oliver, 35, a full-time musician and music teacher, had always wanted students to gain something that could not be taught in a classroom: the experience of playing live with others — learning to listen, keep time, improvise and take cues from others in the moment.
Some members of Ann Siang Sounds with its founders, Jeremiah Lim (third from left), Lara Tay and Oliver (far right).
“When you practise on your own, it’s (about) perfecting the technique,” said Jeremiah. “When you play with another player, you learn to approach the instrument in their way.”
The first session they organised had eight people joining in; with passers-by, the crowd swelled to 30. To capture the moment, the trio set up an Instagram account, @annsiangsounds.
Messages soon started pouring in from strangers asking if they could take part in the next one. “That’s when we were like, ‘Okay, just join in,’” said Jeremiah.
From then on, the three friends have been organising monthly sessions — not only at Ann Siang Hill Park, but also at communal spaces like New Bahru — with a collective decision to keep the sessions fully open.
Jeremiah playing his guitar and singing along with a participant at the New Bahru jam session on Aug 16.
Other jam formats already exist in Singapore, Lara said, but some are ticketed shows where musicians are expected to perform to a certain standard, while others are private circles of friends who play together. Ann Siang Sounds, however, runs differently.
“There are open jams that … only cater for (certain) genres or styles,” said Oliver. “But … we do basically anything that’s PG.”
Genres can shift mid-song, from reggae to rock to jazz, and instruments change hands freely.
“We love that we can have people … stumble upon our jam and join us,” Lara said. “It’s important to have a space where people of all ages, (from) all backgrounds, can show up and decide if they want to participate.”
For less experienced players, however, it can be overwhelming. “So many things are happening (musically) they might … not be able to focus,” said Oliver. That is when the music risks sliding into “chaos”.
Oliver helping a participant with the lyrics.
His role is to bring players back in sync. “I’ll tell them what the chords are,” he said. “And if they’re lost in terms of the timing of the song, I usually count (beats) … for them to come in together with the (others).”
Sometimes he asks drummers to tone it down or cues a hesitant soloist to step forward.
Those cues were crucial for his guitar student Prasad Sivaparagasam, who was encouraged by Oliver to attend the jam sessions and gain live playing experience.
At first, the 23-year-old was “a bit uncomfortable” playing in public. “I was afraid of failure,” he said. “Say I play something, and I mess up, (it’d be) damn bad, you know?”
Prasad Sivaparagasam (centre) playing the electric guitar while Oliver helps another student participant.
But the warmth within the playing circle eased his nerves. “It’s a very welcoming environment,” he said and shared that one of the regular jammers often helped him find the right chords.
The sessions have helped the budding musician especially now that he is studying contemporary music at the Lasalle College of the Arts and must perform weekly in front of his class.
“Because I went (to the jam sessions) first, I’m not (so) nervous. And when things mess up, you kind of know what’s going on,” he said.
For fintech professional Benjamin Neo, 31, who has drummed for 19 years, Ann Siang Sounds was unlike anything he had tried. “It’s organically … switcheroos all the time, which is really interesting,” he said.
Benjamin Neo singing his heart out in the crowd after finishing his turn on the drums.
He contrasted it with the office jams he organises for his colleagues. “We pre-prepare songs — we come up with a list,” he said. “It’s still very free-flowing, but then it’s a lot more rehearsed in a way.”
By comparison, Ann Siang Sounds keeps him on his toes. “Because … you need to tap into what everyone else is playing,” he said. “That’s when you also feel most connected to each other.
“You can always play … by yourself to a backing track, to the music you love. But there’s nothing like … vibing off of everyone else in the circle.”
The circle has also become a stage for families like the Huangs, who often play together at home and were at last month’s New Bahru jam session.
About 200 people gathered for the New Bahru jam session, including 50 players swapping places to jam.
Vincent Huang, who plays bass and electric guitar, brought along Isaac, nine, and Sarah, seven — both of whom play bass and drums — as he saw it as chance to bond and to help his children grow as young musicians.
While both children were “half excited, half nervous,” about many people watching them, Sarah said she felt “proud” and “happy” by the end of the session. Isaac also beamed: “I got to play in front of everyone.”
For Vincent, it was an unforgettable experience. “It’s a proud moment … to see my kids play music together with strangers and adults who share the same interests,” he said. “Everybody was very accommodating and nice.
“Being able to play in front of a crowd would also help them to gain that confidence.”
Sarah on the drums.
Since its inaugural session in March, Ann Siang Sounds has grown in both size and diversity, with musicians bringing not only guitars or drums, but also trumpets, melodicas, harmonicas and even a full horn section once.
The numbers are “way more than we expected”, said Oliver, who highlighted that a single session could involve dozens of participants, while crowds could swell to 100 or more. But with that growth came a snag.
“The main challenge … right now is permits,” he said, adding that the group does not neatly fit into any existing category. “We’re not buskers because we don’t take any money. And we’re not performers either. … It’s a whole community activity.”
From the beginning, the founders have taken measures to minimise noise levels, such as using small amplifiers and stopping by 8pm to avoid disturbing nearby residents. Still, legal issues like the definition of unlawful assembly began to concern the trio.
Members of Ann Siang Sounds jamming and catching the eye of passers-by at Ann Siang Hill.
They have approached authorities to clarify how the growing jam sessions can continue sustainably. In the meantime, they have paused gatherings at Ann Siang Hill.
While discussions continue, community support has kept the music going. Offers to host Ann Siang Sounds have rolled in via Instagram and email, which heartened the founders.
Each venue has shaped the experience in different ways. At the Sundown Festival, the vibe was indie pop; at New Bahru, a live karaoke session ensued as vocalists stepped up and the crowd sang along.
For Jeremiah, the highlights remain the unplanned moments. “When you have random walk-ins,” he said, “the real magic happens.”
Audience members singing along during the New Bahru jam session.
And the magic is not only in the music, but in the way Ann Siang Sounds carves out space for creativity and community in public — outside of polished stages and institutions — one chord at a time, however unscripted and messy.
That is why, in the long term, its founders hope to see jam sessions thriving in public spaces with the right support.
“Venues (might) close … due to increased rents and so on,” said Jeremiah. “But the public spaces never go away.”
Open jam sessions like theirs, said Lara, “give meaning to places that maybe were never associated with the arts”.
“There’s so much unknown and untapped creativity in us that if we’re not given a platform to express (it), … we’d never know about it,” she added.
“When we see all these people show up, it tells us … there’s that want and need to be a part of something bigger.”
Coming together as a community, sharing a love of music.
Oliver also hopes that more people would be inspired to play music, that these jam sessions can give them “the confidence to start somewhere”.
For him, one of the joys of running Ann Siang Sounds, which he hopes will also be a lasting memory for participants, is the “love that was shared during each jam, (and the) support that people gave to strangers just because they stepped up”.
Source: CNA/dp
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FAST
SINGAPORE: A guitar riff plays, harmonising with the beat of a snare drum. Then a saxophone joins in, playful and bright. Within seconds, The Lawn at New Bahru is alive — but not with a band.
These are strangers who have never rehearsed together.
“Initially, I thought it was just a live band,” said Nur Taqinah Kamsari, an onlooker at the session last month in the communal space at the former Nan Chiau Girls’ High School.
“I didn’t know it was an interactive thing where we could ‘hijack’ the instruments.”
This is Ann Siang Sounds, a street jam movement where anyone can pick up an instrument, join in mid-song and be part of the music. Here, professional musicians play alongside beginners, and no one seems to mind who leads.
“I was so surprised, but in the best way,” said Stacey Woo, 26, another audience member. “Even little kids sang together, and then we all joined (in).”
Participants riffing on their instruments at the New Bahru jam session.
These jam sessions have grown in recent months, turning some of Singapore’s public spaces into open, inclusive stages, not only for creating music but for building connections between people.
“Everyone is so busy with the rat race … (sessions like) this is where we really get to socialise,” said Taqinah, 33. “Here, … we all come together as one, in the name of music.”
But this community’s culture of spontaneity has also started to surface potential challenges — like the legality of the sessions — for its future.
IT BEGAN ON A BRIGHT SUNSHINY DAY
The movement began almost by accident. In March, co-founders Oliver Ow, Jeremiah Lim and Lara Tay were jamming indoors at Ann Siang Hill, as they had done countless times with friends. This time, the weather was too good to ignore.
A few members of Ann Siang Sounds jamming in Ann Siang Hill.
“It was a nice sunny day, and we said, ‘Let’s (go) outside,’” recalled Lara, 30, who works in advertising. “And we did call a couple of friends, a couple of students (to also) swing by.”
Jeremiah, 37, a UX designer and adjunct lecturer who also plays gigs at night, added: “We played, but we didn’t expect people would come and start listening.”
That was when the trio first had the idea of organising more jam sessions in public.
For his part, Oliver, 35, a full-time musician and music teacher, had always wanted students to gain something that could not be taught in a classroom: the experience of playing live with others — learning to listen, keep time, improvise and take cues from others in the moment.
Some members of Ann Siang Sounds with its founders, Jeremiah Lim (third from left), Lara Tay and Oliver (far right).
“When you practise on your own, it’s (about) perfecting the technique,” said Jeremiah. “When you play with another player, you learn to approach the instrument in their way.”
The first session they organised had eight people joining in; with passers-by, the crowd swelled to 30. To capture the moment, the trio set up an Instagram account, @annsiangsounds.
Messages soon started pouring in from strangers asking if they could take part in the next one. “That’s when we were like, ‘Okay, just join in,’” said Jeremiah.
From then on, the three friends have been organising monthly sessions — not only at Ann Siang Hill Park, but also at communal spaces like New Bahru — with a collective decision to keep the sessions fully open.
Jeremiah playing his guitar and singing along with a participant at the New Bahru jam session on Aug 16.
Other jam formats already exist in Singapore, Lara said, but some are ticketed shows where musicians are expected to perform to a certain standard, while others are private circles of friends who play together. Ann Siang Sounds, however, runs differently.
“There are open jams that … only cater for (certain) genres or styles,” said Oliver. “But … we do basically anything that’s PG.”
Genres can shift mid-song, from reggae to rock to jazz, and instruments change hands freely.
“We love that we can have people … stumble upon our jam and join us,” Lara said. “It’s important to have a space where people of all ages, (from) all backgrounds, can show up and decide if they want to participate.”
AVERTING CHAOS, BUILDING CONFIDENCE
For less experienced players, however, it can be overwhelming. “So many things are happening (musically) they might … not be able to focus,” said Oliver. That is when the music risks sliding into “chaos”.
Oliver helping a participant with the lyrics.
His role is to bring players back in sync. “I’ll tell them what the chords are,” he said. “And if they’re lost in terms of the timing of the song, I usually count (beats) … for them to come in together with the (others).”
Sometimes he asks drummers to tone it down or cues a hesitant soloist to step forward.
Those cues were crucial for his guitar student Prasad Sivaparagasam, who was encouraged by Oliver to attend the jam sessions and gain live playing experience.
At first, the 23-year-old was “a bit uncomfortable” playing in public. “I was afraid of failure,” he said. “Say I play something, and I mess up, (it’d be) damn bad, you know?”
Prasad Sivaparagasam (centre) playing the electric guitar while Oliver helps another student participant.
But the warmth within the playing circle eased his nerves. “It’s a very welcoming environment,” he said and shared that one of the regular jammers often helped him find the right chords.
The sessions have helped the budding musician especially now that he is studying contemporary music at the Lasalle College of the Arts and must perform weekly in front of his class.
“Because I went (to the jam sessions) first, I’m not (so) nervous. And when things mess up, you kind of know what’s going on,” he said.
For fintech professional Benjamin Neo, 31, who has drummed for 19 years, Ann Siang Sounds was unlike anything he had tried. “It’s organically … switcheroos all the time, which is really interesting,” he said.
Benjamin Neo singing his heart out in the crowd after finishing his turn on the drums.
He contrasted it with the office jams he organises for his colleagues. “We pre-prepare songs — we come up with a list,” he said. “It’s still very free-flowing, but then it’s a lot more rehearsed in a way.”
By comparison, Ann Siang Sounds keeps him on his toes. “Because … you need to tap into what everyone else is playing,” he said. “That’s when you also feel most connected to each other.
“You can always play … by yourself to a backing track, to the music you love. But there’s nothing like … vibing off of everyone else in the circle.”
The circle has also become a stage for families like the Huangs, who often play together at home and were at last month’s New Bahru jam session.
About 200 people gathered for the New Bahru jam session, including 50 players swapping places to jam.
Vincent Huang, who plays bass and electric guitar, brought along Isaac, nine, and Sarah, seven — both of whom play bass and drums — as he saw it as chance to bond and to help his children grow as young musicians.
While both children were “half excited, half nervous,” about many people watching them, Sarah said she felt “proud” and “happy” by the end of the session. Isaac also beamed: “I got to play in front of everyone.”
For Vincent, it was an unforgettable experience. “It’s a proud moment … to see my kids play music together with strangers and adults who share the same interests,” he said. “Everybody was very accommodating and nice.
“Being able to play in front of a crowd would also help them to gain that confidence.”
Sarah on the drums.
PERMISSION TO PLAY?
Since its inaugural session in March, Ann Siang Sounds has grown in both size and diversity, with musicians bringing not only guitars or drums, but also trumpets, melodicas, harmonicas and even a full horn section once.
The numbers are “way more than we expected”, said Oliver, who highlighted that a single session could involve dozens of participants, while crowds could swell to 100 or more. But with that growth came a snag.
“The main challenge … right now is permits,” he said, adding that the group does not neatly fit into any existing category. “We’re not buskers because we don’t take any money. And we’re not performers either. … It’s a whole community activity.”
From the beginning, the founders have taken measures to minimise noise levels, such as using small amplifiers and stopping by 8pm to avoid disturbing nearby residents. Still, legal issues like the definition of unlawful assembly began to concern the trio.
Members of Ann Siang Sounds jamming and catching the eye of passers-by at Ann Siang Hill.
They have approached authorities to clarify how the growing jam sessions can continue sustainably. In the meantime, they have paused gatherings at Ann Siang Hill.
While discussions continue, community support has kept the music going. Offers to host Ann Siang Sounds have rolled in via Instagram and email, which heartened the founders.
Each venue has shaped the experience in different ways. At the Sundown Festival, the vibe was indie pop; at New Bahru, a live karaoke session ensued as vocalists stepped up and the crowd sang along.
For Jeremiah, the highlights remain the unplanned moments. “When you have random walk-ins,” he said, “the real magic happens.”
Audience members singing along during the New Bahru jam session.
And the magic is not only in the music, but in the way Ann Siang Sounds carves out space for creativity and community in public — outside of polished stages and institutions — one chord at a time, however unscripted and messy.
That is why, in the long term, its founders hope to see jam sessions thriving in public spaces with the right support.
“Venues (might) close … due to increased rents and so on,” said Jeremiah. “But the public spaces never go away.”
Open jam sessions like theirs, said Lara, “give meaning to places that maybe were never associated with the arts”.
“There’s so much unknown and untapped creativity in us that if we’re not given a platform to express (it), … we’d never know about it,” she added.
“When we see all these people show up, it tells us … there’s that want and need to be a part of something bigger.”
Coming together as a community, sharing a love of music.
Oliver also hopes that more people would be inspired to play music, that these jam sessions can give them “the confidence to start somewhere”.
For him, one of the joys of running Ann Siang Sounds, which he hopes will also be a lasting memory for participants, is the “love that was shared during each jam, (and the) support that people gave to strangers just because they stepped up”.
Source: CNA/dp
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CNA's best current affairs documentaries with a deeper look at issues affecting Asia, sent to your inbox weekly.
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Stay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best stories
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Join our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat app
Join here
Continue reading...