There was always music in Jennifer Tham’s home. Growing up, the sonorous and diverse notes of Beethoven, Dvorak, Shirley Bassey, the Osmonds, and more shook the walls. Tham’s bones also vibrated, and she loved the way the songs made her feel—alive and aware.
She didn’t know it then, but this eclectic list of influences shaped her appreciation for different music. “There’s always something new to discover with new music, even with those songs that seem incomprehensible and inaccessible at first glance,” says Tham with a smile.
She has made music her life’s work. From singing in the choir during her school years to returning to Singapore to champion choral arts after living in Vancouver for some time, Tham has never strayed from music. Even when she first started working in the corporate world after graduating in 1985, she continued singing with the Singapore Youth Choir (SYC) after shutting down her office computer.
Her journey has led her to the conductorship of the SYC, several overseas competitions and festivals, and the Cultural Medallion, Singapore’s highest arts honour. But Tham isn’t done yet.
“There are always more roads to take. We continue to ask good questions: How can we invite the audience to contribute to making new music? How do we curate the space for diverse voices, for new music? We also continue to hold space for future generations of singers and conductors.”
Jennifer Tham reflects on growing the local musical landscape
Tham recognises the importance of staying relevant and admits that she constantly asks herself how she can do it. In 2004, at SYC’s 40th anniversary, it rebranded and became the SYC Ensemble Singers. The change was deliberate. While identifying themselves as adult musicians who focus on contemporary choral music, the group always had an essence of youth.
To Tham, that means being curious, experiencing adventure, and understanding its place in the world. However, relevance shouldn’t take precedence over purpose. She wants the group to expand beyond what is comfortable and known rather than just making 10-second snippets for TikTok and Instagram. Relevance, after all, isn’t just about social media attention.
The choir celebrates its 60th anniversary this year. In spite of this, it doesn’t act its age. In June, it will perform at the Victoria Concert Hall with Wayfarer Sinfonietta, a professional chamber group. The concert pays homage to Singapore and Tham shares that the audience can look forward to music composed by Leong Yoon Pin, Joyce Beetuan Koh, and Diana Soh.
“Their music is full of nostalgia and Singaporeanisms—the lilt of the Indian language, the detuned notes of Tibetan bowls and temple sounds, the homophones of the Chinese tongue twister, 四十四只石 狮子 (44 stone lions). This is our music, felt in our tongues against our teeth and deep in our bones.”
Additionally, there are several other performances, but music is best experienced, not read. Tham promises an immersive, interactive experience. It’s something she’s been working on for a while now. “We’re dreaming up projects that involve more audience interaction, perhaps co-creating a soundscape with us,” she says.
Renowned American musician and composer John Cage once said that the act of listening is actually an act of composing. Once we open our ears to the sounds around us, we are already arranging the notes in our heads and creating music, whatever it may be.
Tham’s ears have been opened for decades. The music continues to flow, even when it is silent. She’s alive and aware—and her bones are vibrating.
Art director: Ed Harland
Videographer: Alicia Chong
Photographer: Mun Kong
Photographer’s assistant: Hizuan Zailani
Hair: Aung Apichai using Kevin Murphy
Makeup: Keith Bryant Lee using Laura Mercier
