music

Programme Information

Duration: 3 Years

Award: Diploma in Music

This programme is contemporary in focus, teaching music that is relevant to today's culture. It is a hands-on programme that prepares you for entry into the current music industry in Singapore and the region. Over three years, the programme is structured to provide experience in performing, honing the technique on your instrument or voice, and teaching the building blocks of music through the study of music theory, sight-reading, and aural training.

A unique aspect of our programme is the emphasis on performance communication: the ability as a musician to have 'stage presence'— the look, attitude and ability to 'work the audience' are all crucial factors in becoming a successful performing musician. A typical week involves you rehearsing and performing in a number of different ensembles, receiving specialist lessons on your chosen instrument or voice; composing songs; learning about the history of music, and being mentored by some of the most experienced musicians and educators in the region. Springing from the roots of popular music in blues and jazz to rock, pop, electronic, and 'indie' music, the programme covers all the major styles through theory, history, and practice.

To prepare you to entry into the music industry, the syllabus and assessments are benchmarked with industry standards. Through a progressive structure of performance-based modules and assessments, you are taken through the building blocks of musicianship to become confident entertainment professionals.

Assessments: Assessment is an integral part of the learning process, and will be formative and diagnostic as well as summative and evaluative, providing feedback to students wherever appropriate. Read more about assessments here.

Placement learning is where students are offered opportunities to experience learning outside the classroom in real-life working environments or in approved partner institutions. Read more about placement learning here.

Modules

Level 1

Main Study 1
This module is delivered in a group class for the practical application of technique and repertoire on the given instrument or voice in which you are specialising.

Music Skills 1
This module comprises knowledge and understanding of music theory, aural skills, keyboard skills, and sight-reading.

Technical Skills Workshops for Studio Practice
This module gives you a context for all artistic expression and teaches the social and artistic reasons for its diversity and developments. The Performing & Visual Arts of various cultures are introduced along with key concepts, issues and theories of major historical movements in dance, music, and theatre in both Western and Asian traditions.

Performance Projects 1

• Ensembles – Placed in a small group (band) that introduces you to a broad cross section of 20th Century repertoire in popular styles of music, you will cover ensemble balance and interaction, collective music making, improvisation, and rehearsal strategies.
• Performance Practice – You will perform on a regular basis and receive critical feedback.
• Production Attachments – You will be given the opportunity to perform in your ensembles in public venues under the guidance of experienced tutors in music and performance.

Level 2

Main Study 2
This module is delivered in a group class comprising no more then four students who are focusing on the same instrument or voice. It develops and challenges you with repertoire whilst re-affirming the fundamentals and the development of techniques that are specific for each instrument.

Music Skills 2
The three components in this module are:

• Music Theory –investigates music theory and harmony from a jazz and popular music perspective.
• Aural – develops your ability to recognise and identify by ear essential components of musical language, such as intervals, rhythms, motifs, modes, metres, and qualities of sound such as timbre and different instruments.
• Introduction to Popular Composition and Arranging – introduces formal composition and arranging within the pop and jazz idioms. You will gain the ability to compose and arrange standard repertoire in addition to your own original works for small group performances.

Music History
This module introduces you to the major movements and composers in music and is a broad survey of styles from the Western classical tradition during the common period right through to the present day. Embedded within Music History are tutorials in academic writing that develop your ability to research and explore.

Performance Projects 2

• Ensembles – Placed in a small group (band) that introduces you to a broad cross section of 20th Century repertoire in popular styles of music, you will cover ensemble balance and interaction, collective music making, improvisation, and rehearsal strategies.
• Performance Practice – You will perform on a regular basis and receive critical feedback.
• Performance Communication 1 – In Level 2, you will be coached on your personal physical expression on stage, and are introduced to the concepts of self-awareness in relation to others on stage. This class is for all musicians and especially vocalists. It focuses on a deeper understanding of stage presence, movement, physical interaction, and awareness of performer and instrument and technology.
• Soundtrack – The soundtrack grows from the foundation in collaborative projects built in Performance Projects 1 through the theatre collaborations. You will engage with moving image in animation and film to create live and recorded live soundtracks. A range of soundtracks is created through students improvising to images in the moment. This is a collaboration with students in Media Arts, who will engage with you in their movie-making process. You will influence the film's outcomes through your spontaneously composed scores. This component enables you to collaborate with the creators of the films in a vital interactive environment that is exploratory, intuitive, and dynamic.

Level 3

Main Study 3
In Level 3, this module is delivered in a one-to-one lesson on your given specialist instrument or voice. It builds on the instrumental and vocal training you have acquired from Level 1 and Level 2.

Music Skills 3
The three components of this module are:

• Music Theory – consolidates and builds on the conceptual and technical foundation established in Level 1 and Level 2, and further investigates music theory and harmony from an advanced viewpoint in jazz and popular music.
• Aural – develops concepts that were introduced in Level 1 and Level 2, enabling you to understand and identify an ever increasing amount of detail and complexity found within popular music.
• Composition and Arranging – develops the key concepts of song writing and arranging for popular and jazz ensembles.

Music Entrepreneurship
You will be taught the basic principals of entrepreneurship in the music industry. Some of the skill sets covered include developing interpersonal skills, leadership and organisational skills, knowledge of marketing, publicity, product, professionalism, presentation, and networking.

Performance Projects 3
The three components of this module are:

• Ensembles – Placed in a small group (band) that introduces you to a broad cross section of 20th Century repertoire in popular styles of music. You will cover ensemble balance and interaction, collective music making, improvisation and rehearsal strategies.
• Performance Practice – Perform on a regular basis and receive critical feedback.
• Performance Communication 2 – In Level 3, you will build on the previous year's knowledge and be coached on your personal physical expression on stage, to further hone your self-awareness.

Community Engagement Programme
This is a project-based module that requires you to design short programmes that could have either interactive performance and/or educational outcomes for secondary school students. You will be assigned a secondary school to engage with, and with the help of the overseeing lecturer, deliver your programme as independently as possible.

Faculty Members

Head, School of Contemporary Music
Timothy O'Dwyer

Timothy O'Dwyer, is a saxophonist, composer, educator and the current Head of the School of Contemporary Music at LASALLE. Trained as a jazz musician at the Victorian College of the Arts graduating with a BA Music in 1993 he furthered his studies in 1995 with contemporary classical composer Richard Barrett in Amsterdam and visionary saxophonist/ improviser Evan Parker in London. He was a founding member of the seminal punk-jazz group bucketrider from Melbourne (1992) and has been a member of the Elision Contemporary Ensemble since 1994 with which he has performed and composed works that have premiered at arts festivals throughout Australia, Europe and Japan including the 2009 Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival. He formed the Tim O'Dwyer Trio in 2005, and with them has performed at important jazz festivals in Australia, South East Asia, Japan and Europe including the 2010 Montreux Jazz Festival. Timothy has been involved in over 30 cd releases 13 of which have featured his own compositions. He is currently a PhD candidate at Queensland University of Technology, Australia, researching the nexus between improvisation and composition.

Lecturer, Popular Music
Darren Moore

Darren Moore is a drummer, composer and electronic musician born in Edinburgh, Scotland. Having lived his formative years in Perth, Australia, he graduated from the Western Australian Conservation at Edith Cowan University with a Bachelor in Music (Jazz Performance) in 1997. He has since lived and worked professionally as a musician in Perth, London, Melbourne, Sydney and Singapore.

He is an active member of the Singapore musician scene and is regarded as one of the most creative voices in the scene, straddling jazz, experimental, popular, installation work and composing music for theatre and dance. He curates the CHOPPA experimental series and has recently released two solo albums on his own label, Caol Records. In addition, Darren tours internationally performing at major festivals and club circuits in Asia, Australia, Europe and the US. His most recent highlight was a performance with the Tim O' Dwyer Trio at the prestigious 2010 Montreaux Jazz Festival.

Darren has been a lecturer in Popular Music at LASALLE College of the Arts in Singapore since 2007. He is currently a Doctorate of Musical Arts candidate at Griffith University in Brisbane, Australia, his research looks at the adaptation of Carnatic Indian rhythms to the drum set.

Lecturer, Music Technology
Justin Hegburg

Having graduated with a Master of Music, Music Technology, New York University, New York, USA, Justin joined LASALLE College of the Arts in 2006. Working freelance and well-established studios in New York, Justin's audio production work can be heard on multiple commercial releases. With a Bachelor of Music Composition from The University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, his original music compositions have been performed in USA, Brazil, and Singapore. He received in Certificate in Audio Engineering from the Conservatory of Recording Arts and Science, in Tempe, Arizona, USA.

Lecturer, Music Technology
Brain O'Reilly

Brian O'Reilly works within the fields of electro-acoustic composition, moving images and noise music. Also he is a contrabassist focusing on uncovering the inaudible textures and hidden acoustic microsounds of his instrument through the integration of electronic treatments and extended playing techniques. He attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago on a scholarship for sculpture during which time he perused independent studies in improvisation and composition with members of Chicago's AACM. After which he relocated to Paris to research the composition methods of the composer Iannis Xenakis, receiving a appointment as Musical Assistant at Xenakis' studio. He pursued graduate studies in Electronic Music at the University of California Santa Barbara's Media Arts and Technology program, where his collaborations with Curtis Roads began with the project "Point Line Cloud" which won an Award of Distinction at Ars Electronica in 2002. As Operations Manager of Recombinant Media Labs in San Francisco He worked on many project for the Asphodel record label & recording studio, and has received several international residencies/commissions including invitations to work as a guest artist at the Zentrum für Kunst und Medientechnologie (ZKM) in Germany, the SH Festival in Shanghai and All Tomorrow Parties festival curated by Autechre in the UK. He has worked on projects with Eliane Radigue, Luc Ferrari, Curtis Roads, Zbigniew Karkowski, Otomo Yoshihide, Matmos, Maryanne Amacher, Zeitkratzer, Christian Marclay, William Basinski, Fe-Mail, Yasunao Tone, Francisco López, Garth Knox, Steina and Woody Vasulka, amongst others. Currently He is performing audio and visuals solo and in the groups Iron Egg & Black Zenith, and is a lecturer at LASALLE's School of Contemporary Music.

Lecturer
Belinda Foo

Belinda Foo is a Composer, Arranger and Orchestrator. She is also a lecturer in the LASALLE College of the Arts where she teaches Aural, Theory and Pop Composition.

Belinda has been in the music industry for the last 25 years involved with arranging and writing commercial music as well as working as a pianist, music director for various performances and musicals.

Her first love is writing: she has written and orchestrated music for the Singapore and Hongkong Arts Festivals and the Singapore Symphony Orchestra.

She has also written original music for the musicals, "Darkest Before Dawn", "The Other Wiseman" and "The Three Trees". Her most recent project is "JEREMIAH", a Symphonic Poem. Currently, she is working on a Symphonic Dance, "JOB", which she hopes to complete this August.

"Let the beauty we love be what we do" (Rumi) is her guiding principle. She seeks to draw out beauty from and through her music, the musicians she works with and from her students.

Lecturer,
Frank DeMeglio

Frank DeMeglio is a classical music teacher, lecturer and writer. He has taught part-time at LASALLE since 2003 and joined the faculty in 2009. Of particular interest to Frank is the efficient technical approach to the keyboard that aligns with sound biomechanical principals, especially with respect of injury prevention and cure. He studied piano at the University of Michigan and earned a Bachelor degree in performance. After graduating, he taught with Randy and Nancy Faber, authors of the best-selling Piano Adventures library of piano books. He returned to the University of Michigan for an MBA in marketing in 1992, and was hired by Steinway & Sons as their New York Institutional Sales Representative. While working for Steinway & Sons, part of his duties included managing the famed Steinway Selection Room of concert and studio grand pianos. In 2000, Frank DeMeglio moved to Singapore where he wrote the classical music reviews for the Business Times from 2001 to 2004. He continues to guest review (most recently for the 2007 Singapore International Piano Festival) and his interviews of international pedagogues and performers appear in print and on the web. Frank's modest performing career included recitals in Spain and Japan, where he recorded a special-release CD in honor of the 15th anniversary of the UNESCO chapter of Narita City, Japan.

Entry Requirements

Academic Requirements

• Recognised Singapore qualification: Singapore-Cambridge GCE 'O' Level: 5 subjects (including English) at C6 higher, or recognised equivalent.
• Recognised international qualifications: Please click here to view list.

Audition & Interview Requirements

You are invited to a live audition on the basis of the prescreening recording and meeting the minimum academic requirements.

Prescreening Recording: You are required to submit a music DVD according to the audition requirements. You are expected to demonstrative a strong knowledge of the music you are presenting, as well as a clear vision of your own musical future.

Live Audition: If selected, you are required to attend a live audition with the School of Contemporary Music, LASALLE in May.

A generalist programme covering a wide range of contemporary popular music styles that focuses on a thorough grounding in musicianship including performance, music theory and aural training that prepares students for entry into the music industry or further degree studies. Students from all music backgrounds can enter this programme with an audition of three contrasting pieces, one of which has to be an original composition by the candidate, if possible.

You are required to attend an interview with an audition component to demonstrate your creative potential. You are expected to demonstrate a strong knowledge of the music you are playing, as well as a clear vision for your own musical future.

Music Training Pre-requisites

Previous qualifications in Music Theory or Practical exams are preferred but not a requirement for entry into the Diploma programme. You will be judged solely on your ability to perform during the audition and interview process.

Audition Guidelines

• Theory / Aural / Academic: Complete a music theory, aural, and written test set by the School of Contemporary Music, LASALLE.
• Practical: Present 3 contrasting pieces, one of which has to be an original composition by the candidate, if possible. (Music Scores must be submitted to the audition panel):
• 2 contrasting pieces from any style of music.
• 1 original piece composed by the candidate, if possible. This piece does not have to be a polished or perfected work. It should, however, demonstrate your creativity.
• Choose pieces that show off your technical and musical abilities most effectively.

Programme Information

Duration: 3 Years

Award: Diploma in Music

This programme is contemporary in focus, teaching music that is relevant to today's culture. It is a hands-on programme that prepares you for entry into the current music industry in Singapore and the region. Over three years, the programme is structured to provide experience in performing, honing the technique on your instrument or voice, and teaching the building blocks of music through the study of music theory, sight-reading, and aural training.

A unique aspect of our programme is the emphasis on performance communication: the ability as a musician to have 'stage presence'— the look, attitude and ability to 'work the audience' are all crucial factors in becoming a successful performing musician. A typical week involves you rehearsing and performing in a number of different ensembles, receiving specialist lessons on your chosen instrument or voice; composing songs; learning about the history of music, and being mentored by some of the most experienced musicians and educators in the region. Springing from the roots of popular music in blues and jazz to rock, pop, electronic, and 'indie' music, the programme covers all the major styles through theory, history, and practice.

To prepare you to entry into the music industry, the syllabus and assessments are benchmarked with industry standards. Through a progressive structure of performance-based modules and assessments, you are taken through the building blocks of musicianship to become confident entertainment professionals.

Assessments: Assessment is an integral part of the learning process, and will be formative and diagnostic as well as summative and evaluative, providing feedback to students wherever appropriate. Read more about assessments here.

Placement learning is where students are offered opportunities to experience learning outside the classroom in real-life working environments or in approved partner institutions. Read more about placement learning here.

Modules

Level 1

Main Study 1
This module is delivered in a group class for the practical application of technique and repertoire on the given instrument or voice in which you are specialising.

Music Skills 1

This module comprises knowledge and understanding of music theory, aural skills, keyboard skills, and sight-reading.

Technical Skills Workshops for Studio Practice

This module gives you a context for all artistic expression and teaches the social and artistic reasons for its diversity and developments. The Performing & Visual Arts of various cultures are introduced along with key concepts, issues and theories of major historical movements in dance, music, and theatre in both Western and Asian traditions.

Performance Projects 1

• Ensembles – Placed in a small group (band) that introduces you to a broad cross section of 20th Century repertoire in popular styles of music, you will cover ensemble balance and interaction, collective music making, improvisation, and rehearsal strategies.
• Performance Practice – You will perform on a regular basis and receive critical feedback.
• Production Attachments – You will be given the opportunity to perform in your ensembles in public venues under the guidance of experienced tutors in music and performance.

Level 2

Main Study 2
This module is delivered in a group class comprising no more then four students who are focusing on the same instrument or voice. It develops and challenges you with repertoire whilst re-affirming the fundamentals and the development of techniques that are specific for each instrument.

Music Skills 2
The three components in this module are:

• Music Theory –investigates music theory and harmony from a jazz and popular music perspective.
• Aural – develops your ability to recognise and identify by ear essential components of musical language, such as intervals, rhythms, motifs, modes, metres, and qualities of sound such as timbre and different instruments.
• Introduction to Popular Composition and Arranging – introduces formal composition and arranging within the pop and jazz idioms. You will gain the ability to compose and arrange standard repertoire in addition to your own original works for small group performances.

Music History
This module introduces you to the major movements and composers in music and is a broad survey of styles from the Western classical tradition during the common period right through to the present day. Embedded within Music History are tutorials in academic writing that develop your ability to research and explore.

Performance Projects 2

• Ensembles – Placed in a small group (band) that introduces you to a broad cross section of 20th Century repertoire in popular styles of music, you will cover ensemble balance and interaction, collective music making, improvisation, and rehearsal strategies.
• Performance Practice – You will perform on a regular basis and receive critical feedback.
• Performance Communication 1 – In Level 2, you will be coached on your personal physical expression on stage, and are introduced to the concepts of self-awareness in relation to others on stage. This class is for all musicians and especially vocalists. It focuses on a deeper understanding of stage presence, movement, physical interaction, and awareness of performer and instrument and technology.
• Soundtrack – The soundtrack grows from the foundation in collaborative projects built in Performance Projects 1 through the theatre collaborations. You will engage with moving image in animation and film to create live and recorded live soundtracks. A range of soundtracks is created through students improvising to images in the moment. This is a collaboration with students in Media Arts, who will engage with you in their movie-making process. You will influence the film's outcomes through your spontaneously composed scores. This component enables you to collaborate with the creators of the films in a vital interactive environment that is exploratory, intuitive, and dynamic.

Level 3

Main Study 3
In Level 3, this module is delivered in a one-to-one lesson on your given specialist instrument or voice. It builds on the instrumental and vocal training you have acquired from Level 1 and Level 2.

Music Skills 3
The three components of this module are:

• Music Theory – consolidates and builds on the conceptual and technical foundation established in Level 1 and Level 2, and further investigates music theory and harmony from an advanced viewpoint in jazz and popular music.
• Aural – develops concepts that were introduced in Level 1 and Level 2, enabling you to understand and identify an ever increasing amount of detail and complexity found within popular music.
• Composition and Arranging – develops the key concepts of song writing and arranging for popular and jazz ensembles.

Music Entrepreneurship
You will be taught the basic principals of entrepreneurship in the music industry. Some of the skill sets covered include developing interpersonal skills, leadership and organisational skills, knowledge of marketing, publicity, product, professionalism, presentation, and networking.

Performance Projects 3
The three components of this module are:

• Ensembles – Placed in a small group (band) that introduces you to a broad cross section of 20th Century repertoire in popular styles of music. You will cover ensemble balance and interaction, collective music making, improvisation and rehearsal strategies.
• Performance Practice – Perform on a regular basis and receive critical feedback.
• Performance Communication 2 – In Level 3, you will build on the previous year's knowledge and be coached on your personal physical expression on stage, to further hone your self-awareness.

Community Engagement Programme
This is a project-based module that requires you to design short programmes that could have either interactive performance and/or educational outcomes for secondary school students. You will be assigned a secondary school to engage with, and with the help of the overseeing lecturer, deliver your programme as independently as possible.

Faculty Members

Head, School of Contemporary Music
Timothy O'Dwyer

Timothy O'Dwyer, is a saxophonist, composer, educator and the current Head of the School of Contemporary Music at LASALLE. Trained as a jazz musician at the Victorian College of the Arts graduating with a BA Music in 1993 he furthered his studies in 1995 with contemporary classical composer Richard Barrett in Amsterdam and visionary saxophonist/ improviser Evan Parker in London. He was a founding member of the seminal punk-jazz group bucketrider from Melbourne (1992) and has been a member of the Elision Contemporary Ensemble since 1994 with which he has performed and composed works that have premiered at arts festivals throughout Australia, Europe and Japan including the 2009 Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival. He formed the Tim O'Dwyer Trio in 2005, and with them has performed at important jazz festivals in Australia, South East Asia, Japan and Europe including the 2010 Montreux Jazz Festival. Timothy has been involved in over 30 cd releases 13 of which have featured his own compositions. He is currently a PhD candidate at Queensland University of Technology, Australia, researching the nexus between improvisation and composition.

Lecturer, Popular Music
Darren Moore

Darren Moore is a drummer, composer and electronic musician born in Edinburgh, Scotland. Having lived his formative years in Perth, Australia, he graduated from the Western Australian Conservation at Edith Cowan University with a Bachelor in Music (Jazz Performance) in 1997. He has since lived and worked professionally as a musician in Perth, London, Melbourne, Sydney and Singapore.

He is an active member of the Singapore musician scene and is regarded as one of the most creative voices in the scene, straddling jazz, experimental, popular, installation work and composing music for theatre and dance. He curates the CHOPPA experimental series and has recently released two solo albums on his own label, Caol Records. In addition, Darren tours internationally performing at major festivals and club circuits in Asia, Australia, Europe and the US. His most recent highlight was a performance with the Tim O' Dwyer Trio at the prestigious 2010 Montreaux Jazz Festival.

Darren has been a lecturer in Popular Music at LASALLE College of the Arts in Singapore since 2007. He is currently a Doctorate of Musical Arts candidate at Griffith University in Brisbane, Australia, his research looks at the adaptation of Carnatic Indian rhythms to the drum set.

Lecturer, Music Technology
Justin Hegburg

Having graduated with a Master of Music, Music Technology, New York University, New York, USA, Justin joined LASALLE College of the Arts in 2006. Working freelance and well-established studios in New York, Justin's audio production work can be heard on multiple commercial releases. With a Bachelor of Music Composition from The University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, his original music compositions have been performed in USA, Brazil, and Singapore. He received in Certificate in Audio Engineering from the Conservatory of Recording Arts and Science, in Tempe, Arizona, USA.

Lecturer, Music Technology
Brain O'Reilly

Brian O'Reilly works within the fields of electro-acoustic composition, moving images and noise music. Also he is a contrabassist focusing on uncovering the inaudible textures and hidden acoustic microsounds of his instrument through the integration of electronic treatments and extended playing techniques. He attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago on a scholarship for sculpture during which time he perused independent studies in improvisation and composition with members of Chicago's AACM. After which he relocated to Paris to research the composition methods of the composer Iannis Xenakis, receiving a appointment as Musical Assistant at Xenakis' studio. He pursued graduate studies in Electronic Music at the University of California Santa Barbara's Media Arts and Technology program, where his collaborations with Curtis Roads began with the project "Point Line Cloud" which won an Award of Distinction at Ars Electronica in 2002. As Operations Manager of Recombinant Media Labs in San Francisco He worked on many project for the Asphodel record label & recording studio, and has received several international residencies/commissions including invitations to work as a guest artist at the Zentrum für Kunst und Medientechnologie (ZKM) in Germany, the SH Festival in Shanghai and All Tomorrow Parties festival curated by Autechre in the UK. He has worked on projects with Eliane Radigue, Luc Ferrari, Curtis Roads, Zbigniew Karkowski, Otomo Yoshihide, Matmos, Maryanne Amacher, Zeitkratzer, Christian Marclay, William Basinski, Fe-Mail, Yasunao Tone, Francisco López, Garth Knox, Steina and Woody Vasulka, amongst others. Currently He is performing audio and visuals solo and in the groups Iron Egg & Black Zenith, and is a lecturer at LASALLE's School of Contemporary Music.

Lecturer
Belinda Foo

Belinda Foo is a Composer, Arranger and Orchestrator. She is also a lecturer in the LASALLE College of the Arts where she teaches Aural, Theory and Pop Composition.

Belinda has been in the music industry for the last 25 years involved with arranging and writing commercial music as well as working as a pianist, music director for various performances and musicals.

Her first love is writing: she has written and orchestrated music for the Singapore and Hongkong Arts Festivals and the Singapore Symphony Orchestra.

She has also written original music for the musicals, "Darkest Before Dawn", "The Other Wiseman" and "The Three Trees". Her most recent project is "JEREMIAH", a Symphonic Poem. Currently, she is working on a Symphonic Dance, "JOB", which she hopes to complete this August.

"Let the beauty we love be what we do" (Rumi) is her guiding principle. She seeks to draw out beauty from and through her music, the musicians she works with and from her students.

Lecturer,
Frank DeMeglio

Frank DeMeglio is a classical music teacher, lecturer and writer. He has taught part-time at LASALLE since 2003 and joined the faculty in 2009. Of particular interest to Frank is the efficient technical approach to the keyboard that aligns with sound biomechanical principals, especially with respect of injury prevention and cure. He studied piano at the University of Michigan and earned a Bachelor degree in performance. After graduating, he taught with Randy and Nancy Faber, authors of the best-selling Piano Adventures library of piano books. He returned to the University of Michigan for an MBA in marketing in 1992, and was hired by Steinway & Sons as their New York Institutional Sales Representative. While working for Steinway & Sons, part of his duties included managing the famed Steinway Selection Room of concert and studio grand pianos. In 2000, Frank DeMeglio moved to Singapore where he wrote the classical music reviews for the Business Times from 2001 to 2004. He continues to guest review (most recently for the 2007 Singapore International Piano Festival) and his interviews of international pedagogues and performers appear in print and on the web. Frank's modest performing career included recitals in Spain and Japan, where he recorded a special-release CD in honor of the 15th anniversary of the UNESCO chapter of Narita City, Japan.

Entry Requirements

Academic Requirements

• Recognised Singapore qualification: Singapore-Cambridge GCE 'O' Level: 5 subjects (including English) at C6 higher, or recognised equivalent.
• Recognised international qualifications: Please click here to view list.

Audition & Interview Requirements

You are invited to a live audition on the basis of the prescreening recording and meeting the minimum academic requirements.

Prescreening Recording: You are required to submit a music DVD according to the audition requirements. You are expected to demonstrative a strong knowledge of the music you are presenting, as well as a clear vision of your own musical future.

Live Audition: If selected, you are required to attend a live audition with the School of Contemporary Music, LASALLE in May.

A generalist programme covering a wide range of contemporary popular music styles that focuses on a thorough grounding in musicianship including performance, music theory and aural training that prepares students for entry into the music industry or further degree studies. Students from all music backgrounds can enter this programme with an audition of three contrasting pieces, one of which has to be an original composition by the candidate, if possible.

You are required to attend an interview with an audition component to demonstrate your creative potential. You are expected to demonstrate a strong knowledge of the music you are playing, as well as a clear vision for your own musical future.

Music Training Pre-requisites

Previous qualifications in Music Theory or Practical exams are preferred but not a requirement for entry into the Diploma programme. You will be judged solely on your ability to perform during the audition and interview process.

Audition Requirements

• Theory / Aural / Academic: Complete a music theory, aural, and written test set by the School of Contemporary Music, LASALLE.
• Practical: Present 3 contrasting pieces, one of which has to be an original composition by the candidate, if possible. (Music Scores must be submitted to the audition panel):

• 2 contrasting pieces from any style of music.
• 1 original piece composed by the candidate, if possible. This piece does not have to be a polished or perfected work. It should, however, demonstrate your creativity.
• Choose pieces that show off your technical and musical abilities most effectively.