Dr Steven Baxter

Founding Director of Singapore's Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music (YSTCM), Dr Steven Baxter, passed away on 5 July 2010.

According to a tribute on the National University of Singapore's website:

'News of his passing was received with great sadness by those who knew Dr Baxter and who had worked with him at NUS. Building a conservatory from scratch in a country with no extensive history of classical music was a mammoth task and Dr Baxter came highly recommended as the man who could do the job. Under his leadership, the Conservatory grew dramatically from its first intake of over 70 students to a full school with 185 students in just a span of a few years. Operating initially from a two-storey interim building with no performance facilities of its own, the Singapore Conservatory of Music, which was renamed as the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music in 2003, came to have its own iconic building on the NUS campus, complete with state-of-the-art facilities for teaching and performing music.'

Dr Baxter was YSTCM’s Director from 2002 to 2005, having previously been Dean of the Peabody Conservatory of Music, John Hopkins University. He was also one of the Board of Directors of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (2003 to 2004), member of the NUS Council (2002 to 2005) and member of Arts Education Council (2002-2005).

Sydney Conservatorium of Music

The success of UK music teaching scheme Musical Futures has spread to Australia where Dr Michael Webb of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music has introduced the scheme into the Conservatorium's initial teacher training programme. 

Musical Futures is being developed in Australia with part-funding from NAMM in California and education departments in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia.

Download Dr Webb's report outlining the trial implementation of the Musical Futures' programme here.

According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) which represents around 1,400 major and independent record companies worldwide, Recording Industry Singapore Pte Ltd (RIPS) is reminding retailers across Singapore that the sale of counterfeit CDs parallel imported from China is an offence.

The warning follows a series of police raids on retailers and a warehouse containing counterfeit CDs. The raids were prompted by a complaint lodged by RIPS.

'We have noted that some retailers have become increasingly bold in openly selling pirated music CDs originating from China as parallel imports, in spite of warnings by RIPS," says Richard Lim, Chairman of RIPS and Managing Director of Warner Music Singapore Pte Ltd.

Counterfeit CDs bear many tell-tale signs that they are infringing, such as typographical errors, track listings that do not correspond with the original album release and incorrect music publishing details.

'The police raids were certainly necessary to underscore the need for retailers to ensure they source legitimate CDs and also served to protect consumers by ensuring they are being sold genuine products,' adds Barbara Wong, General Manager of RIPS.

The CDs were, in many instances, being sold at prices comparable to legitimate albums and some customers may have been duped into believing they were buying genuine product.

The raids were undertaken by officers from the Intellectual Property Rights branch of the Criminal Investigation Department on 14 April 2010 in an island-wide sweep, covering retailers in Chinatown, Toa Payoh Central and Clementi. A warehouse was also raided and more than 3,000 pirate CDs were seized in total.

Retailers found guilty of selling infringing music can face a prison sentence of up to five years and a fine of up to $10,000 for each counterfeit CD under Singapore’s Copyright Act.

Richard Lim adds: "The music industry in Singapore has seen a tremendous amount of consolidation in recent years as music labels and major retailers have been challenged by piracy, both online and also from the sale of pirated products. Criminal enforcement is necessary in Singapore to combat these piracy problems.

“We applaud the Singapore Police in having taken action and we hope to continue to work with the authorities to keep music piracy in check, so we can ensure a vibrant environment for the music industry to once again thrive in Singapore."

Peter Moser

Following the success of The Long Walk community music project in the UK and Hong Kong earlier in the year, renowned British composer, performer, teacher, producer and Artistic Director of More Music, Peter Moser, has begun a two-week tour of China and Hong Kong in which he plans to develop a major new project to coincide with Shanghai's EXPO 2010.

'Music is for Everyone' comprises a series of creative music-making activities tailored for teachers and students which introduce techniques that have been developing in the UK community music scene over the last 20 years. These techniques focus on the inclusive activity that allows everyone to have a part in the creative process and is becoming part of mainstream music delivery in UK schools.

Following 10 days in Shanghai, Peter will travel to Shantou to deliver a lecture and workshop at the Arts Education Centre at Shantou University before going to Hong Kong and Macau where he will deliver seminars and workshops for the British Council and other local organisations.

Peter's visit is funded by the British Council and is being hosted by Fringe Shanghai. Check out his blog here.