T. P. Kurian | kuriantp@yahoo.co.uk
the ridge transmedia
A NUSSU Publication

Ken Follett has carved out quite a name for himself penning great espionage thrillers; the rare kind of airport novel that are a notch above the rest and worth re-reading. The mass paperback market is the territory of such personages as Robert Ludlum, John Grisham, Tom Clancy and Danielle Steele. Follett’s inclusion in this list would not merit surprise. But future times will not remember Follett’s Eye of the Needle or The Key to Rebecca as much as they remember his historical epic The Pillars of the Earth. Vast in scope and populated with tremendous characters who encompassed every vice and virtue known to man, Pillars of the Earth transformed Follett from a purveyor of cheap thrills into a mature writer who could craft a thousand page epic that was as riveting as any of the paperback thrillers he wrote.

Eighteen years have passed since Follett’s magnum opus; years he spent writing fiction, which, while good, would be forgotten in a generation. World Without End, however is a different kettle of fish. I felt it inferior to Pillars of the Earth, but that is in no way a criticism, considering how good that book was. The book can almost be considered a sequel of sorts to Pillars of the Earth; it takes place in the same village and the descendants of the former book’s protagonists feature prominently. The priory of Kingsbridge is home once again to the evil machinations and virtuous enterprise of rich and diverse characters.

Our hero Merthin, is an architect nursing grand ambition, great ingenuity and a seemingly hopeless love for the plucky and spirited Caris. Caris is an absolute rebel and flouts almost every societal rule espoused by fourteenth century England. She is a woman before her time, torn by her desire for independence and her love for architect boy. She also dabbles in medicine, despises authority and her religious beliefs are heretical to the point of atheism. Our villains include Ralph, Merthin’s headstrong, bullying brother whose primary passions are fighting and philandering, Godwyn the stubborn prior whose purpose it is to thwart any and all plans with a semblance of sensibility and Philemon, his sycophantic lieutenant who’s got a severe case of kleptomania. There are a lot more peripheral characters, but Follett does them justice by fleshing them out, giving them significant roles and making sure they contribute to the overall plot.

Against the backdrop of the Black Death and the Hundred Years War, Follett does a masterful job of crafting a vast story spanning many decades. As with most epics, one expects that good will triumph and the gallivanting hero will land the woman of his dreams; but the author manages to keep the element of suspense alive. Mostly, Merthin’s and Caris’ plans are frustrated by mere pigheaded authority, obstinacy, and the superstitions of those in power. Independently, they manage to make enemies of almost everybody who has a say in the running of Kingsbridge and only reason, and their popularity among the more sensible locals will help them in their causes. This book has it all: politics, dark secrets, conspiracies, steamy scenes aplenty, undiluted evil and virtue pure as the driven snow. It was a time when men were real men, women were real women and let us say nothing of Alpha Centuari.

Ultimately, World Without End is pure escapist pleasure; a rich tapestry of enormous proportions woven together by an author at the top of his game. He gives you characters that you can identify with and feel strongly about and forces them into crunch situations that bring out the best and the worst in them. In some ways, both Pillars of the Earth and World Without End are an allegory of the eternal fight between reason and ignorance in a world that seems to elect its leaders based on the Dilbert Principle.

Contributors for the NUS Arts Survey: Denise Chen, Hurrairah bin Sohail, Lee Meixian, Lee Wanyu, Leong Su Zhen, Sanah Akhtar, Shahirah Bte Mohamed Ansari, Siti Nor Farah,Sowmya Gopi, Tarani Palani, Wong Pei Yee

Editor of the NUS Arts Survey: Wong Pei Yee

the ridge transmedia
A NUSSU Publication

With the conclusion of the NUS Arts Festival 2008 (NAF) which married the disciplines of medicine and the arts last month, the ridge transmedia takes a closer look at what has been offered to measure the arts health of NUS this academic year. Surveying the various facets of the arts from dance to drama, we do a temperature check to find out if things are pitch perfect.

Centre for the Arts

Centre for the Arts (CFA) is the biggest arts provider here on campus. The recent NUS Arts Festival, an annual arts extravaganza, is one such example. The objectives of the festival are two-fold. Firstly, to provide the 22 student groups consisting of over 1800 students under the management of CFA a platform to perform and showcase, as well as to measure themselves against real, industry standards. Secondly, to promote the arts within the student body.

NAF 2008 was considered an exceptional success with 30 ticketed performances. 12 were sold-out performances and six performances approached fullhouse capacity (>70%). Publicity for the month-long event began as early as December with NAF 2008 posters outside the University Cultural Centre and plastered on shuttle buses. In all, CFA spent around $70,000 on publicity for NAF 2008.

A significant arm of CFA is the ExxonMobil Campus Concerts (EMCC) Crew. Established in 1984, the EMCC Crew has 75-80 student members who receive training from professionals and hands-on experience in front-of-house management and technical backstage training. The perfect starting point for the novice performer, EMCC hosts seven to eight shows a month per academic year that ranges from rock festivals to poetry recitals. EMCC’s presence reflects a holistic commitment to the campus community, all within arm’s reach.

Barometer: 9.5 out of 10 stars

Music

From classical to rock, the music scene in NUS is multi-faceted and multitudinous. From RadioPulze’s Live Lounge Series to NUS RockFest to classical concerts by the NUS Symphony Orchestra (NUSSO) and Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, there is much to be heard. Going by gig figures alone, the music scene as an entirety is indeed thriving. However, how much of it is quality? Taking two ends of the musical spectrum, we compare NUSSO, NUS Jazz Band and NUS rock bands.

NUSSO held three concerts this academic year, one of which was a sold-out performance at NAF 2008. Held in the Conservatory Music Hall, Chan Kai Qin, NUSSO Vice President felt that there was good audience response but was wary of claiming that it correlates with the level of interest in classical music on campus.

NUSSO
Picture Credit: NUSSO

Similarly, the NUS Jazz Band held two concerts this year not including external gigs. The band president, Tan Eng Kwang says that with careful arrangement and choreography, audiences will find performances more appealing. However, Eng Kwang pointed out the surprising fact that audiences who are new to jazz seem to be under the impression that jazz is ‘high-end music’, due to limited exposure it has in the music scene in Singapore.

NUSSO Picture Credit: NUSSO

Both Kai Qin and Eng Kwang believe that an appreciation for the arts has already been nurtured in Singapore as students are regularly exposed to such events. However, the attitude and level of activity of students differ generally. With the help of CFA, who has been actively marketing the brand of “NUS art”, they believe that the arts scene in NUS will most definitely grow holistically. On the other hand, NUS rock bands who are considered the mainstream contenders here are heard at earsplitting volumes at almost every other bazaar held in the Central Forum and yield little applause. Quantity, little quality. What gives? We are inclined to feel that there is quantity, but quality is not quite there.

Barometer: 5.5 out of 10

Drama

Drama on campus (the staged kind), is far from dead. With a little digging, the ridge uncovers the following NUS based drama groups you may or may not have heard of including the better known Thespis, the newly-formed NUS Stage, the CFA-affiliated Chinese Drama and Malay-English varsity theatre group DOWNSTAGELEFT.

Students on campus are definitely spoilt for choice when it comes to theatre productions on campus, with groups operating on different languages and varying interests.While most of these groups are not very visible on the radar of student activities, theatre practitioners we spoke to are confident that the arts scene in NUS is thriving. Just how is this so? We interview members of Thespis and DOWNSTAGELEFT to get an inside look at drama in NUS as well their take on the campus arts scene.While the two groups interviewed do bear certain similarities, each bring to the theatre scene their own distinct character.

Describing themselves as simply people who want to “have excessive amounts of fun”, DOWNSTAGELEFT says “we wanted … [to] create an alternative form of theatre movement. We lack the hierarchy and the basic misconceptions that come with the pretensions that are commonly associated with theatre”.

DOWNSTAGELEFT, melayu.com.sg
Picture Credit: Flickr.com

Ideally, while exploring the boundaries of anything is usually good, there remains the need to hone good theatre practices. In this case, the Theatre Studies Department affiliated Thespis is no less ambitious. Jean Zhuang (Year 4, FASS) their President says that, “We focus mainly on giving budding theatre enthusiasts an avenue to showcase their talents while…honing their existing skills and acquiring more theoretical and practical skills.”

NUS Thespis
Picture Credit: Thespis

While the two groups are seemingly incongruous, it might surprise you to know that they do share several similarities.

Combining staged productions with hands-on workshops appears to be a strategic move for both groups to straddle two main agendas: expressing their creative voice while raising awareness of the theatre and what it has to offer. Definitely not an issue foreign to the realm of theatre. However, truly encouraging is the response both groups report to their various activities, whether productions, workshops or cast and crew calls.

Jocelyn Chng (Year 4, FASS) of Thespis relates, “as for workshops, we were surprised to have a healthy attendance despite minimal publicity. So yes, it has been very encouraging.” DOWNSTAGELEFT as well indicates a resounding “Superb” when queried about the reception to their cast and crew calls.

Additionally, both groups have a healthy and promising relationship with acclaimed stage practitioners and noted individuals from the local drama scene. Thespis enjoys a significant level of exposure to members of the local theatre community such as Haresh Sharma, very likely as a result of its association to the Theatre Studies department.

DOWNSTAGELEFT shares a similar synergy with the local Malay theatre community. In their own words: “We have strong support from the local Malay theatre companies and artists…we have collaborated with noted individuals in the industry, Alfian Sa’at and Rafaat Hamzah.” Local theatre company Teater Ekamatra also extends significant support to the group by allowing them use of their Black Box at Telok Ayer Performing Arts Centre.

DOWNSTAGELEFT
Picture Credit: Flickr.com

Nevertheless, despite the warm reception to their productions so far, both groups share similar financial difficulties. DOWNSTAGELEFT admits that “We have not been given the support in the form of financial or otherwise.” Likewise, Jocelyn also says, “As an interest group, rather than an official society, Thespis faces several challenges at the very basic level of trying to stage productions - including the difficulty in accumulating funds and inability to properly reward members’ efforts.”

And what about going official then? This remains one of the best ways to deal with monetary woes as both groups do not currently fall under either of official umbrellas of NUSSU or CFA.

On one end, DOWNSTAGELEFT is hesitant to join with CFA. This, they say, is partly “due to our vision not to restrict our creative ingenuity to individuals within the NUS varsity only.” True to their non-conformist approach, the group consists of members ranging from the other tertiary institutions such as SMU and the like. However, they are quick to add that “[this] is not to say that we are opposed to being under their [CFA’s] flagship.”

On the other end, Thespis, is currently negotiating with NUSSU to register as an official society. Jocelyn is upbeat that official status will hopefully change things. “It is our hope that as an official society, funding will be less of a problem. Additionally, it will likely be easier to raise general awareness of the group and its activities.”

NUS Thespis, Walking into Doors
Picture Credit: Thespis

Raising children, as they say, is always expensive business. For these theatre groups, it is evident that financing their productions has always been an issue, official status or not. Says Jocelyn, “it is no secret that theatre can be an extremely expensive undertaking, that, naturally, some see as unjustified.”

Perhaps, what interested readers might want to know most is what our own theatre practitioners think about the Arts Scene itself. Effusing a positive tone, Thespis exudes the confidence of a group that is recognized for their talent (and perhaps being affiliated to the Theatre Studies department allows for an additional level of security).

When asked whether there exists an arts scene on campus, Jean confidently replies, “Definitely”. Citing the recent NUS Arts Fest as example, Jean says that successful advertising efforts by the CFA as well as numerous theatre groups and hall productions attest to the strength of the arts scene here.

On the other hand though, DOWNSTAGELEFT is less optimistic in their reply. Admitting that there is an arts scene on campus, they nevertheless believe this to be “extremely limited” and that while “the scene is not weak [it is] not holistic enough.”

Indeed, the writers are more inclined to agree with DOWNSTAGELEFT. Though the arts scene is growing, much of the theatre scene is still dominated by the ubiquitous hall play, which has received at best only mixed reviews. Quantity above quality seems a likely issue facing the arts scene on campus faces.

We suspect that theatre’s reputation of being avant-garde and impractical has definitely had a hand in shaping student response. “This is likely”, says Jocelyn, “not only because the general population may see theatre as irrelevant to their lives and/or too avant-garde, but these assumptions are exacerbated by the relatively high ticket prices on average.”

Certainly, the audience base remains unsurprisingly dominated by students from the Arts Faculty. Says Jocelyn, “the audiences tend to consist of friends and family of the production members, NUS students, and lecturers from the Department of English Language and Literature.” Likewise, for DOWNSTAGLEFT, audience means an “eclectic mix of theatre enthusiasts, students and the general public”, which we suspect boils down to a similar crowd.

Indeed, when queried about what they would like to do for the Arts Scene on campus, both groups came up with answers that while different, were all the same heartening to hear. Says Anjana (Year 3, FASS) , “We want to be seen as a platform for budding talents to learn, experiment, grow and develop their skills.” DOWNSTAGELEFT’s reply while not completely dissimilar, adds that the theatre scene “should be engaging. It should be relevant. But most of all it must be fun.” Quoting Kuo Pao Kun, Jocelyn says, “Play’s chief function is not to produce goods but extend the inner and outer reaches of the human consciousness . . . there is everything to gain and nothing to lose in promoting a culture of inquiry and debate, of experimentation and creativity.”

Likewise, our sentiments exactly. Viva le théâtre!

Barometer: 6.5 out 10 stars

Dance

Do NUS dance troupes view themselves as just one of the many performing groups in NUS, or do they aim to be more than that? Are NUS students really interested in dance or do they merely attend performances to support their friends? Are classical forms of dance slowly evolving, to be replaced by Western and fusion dances? We speak to the Presidents of six different dance groups in NUS to find out.

Presidents of dance groups NUS Dance Synergy, NUS Dance Ensemble and NUS Dance Blast! agreed that while they view their groups as members of the NUS Centre for the Arts (CFA), there is definitely potential to turn professional, through external performances and exposure to noted choreographers and instructors. It certainly helps that some groups already employ external professionals like Mrs Santha Bhaskar, a Cultural Medallion winner from Nrityalaya Aesthetics Society, who teaches Bharathanatyam to NUS Indian Dance.

President of NUS Dance Ensemble Koustav Basu Mallick, a Year 2 student of FASS, said, “Under the direction of our Resident Choreographer Zaini Mohd Tahir, we have over the years produced quality performances that have attracted audiences beyond the NUS student body. We have performed overseas in Cambodia and Indonesia and definitely produce work of a credible standard, while continuing to grow humbly under the guidance of CFA.” President of NUS Dance Blast! Huang Yingying, a Year 2 Engineering student agreed. “We are becoming more well-known by the public through participating in various national dance competitions, organising our own concerts and performing for external organisations.” Neo Shi Qin of NUS Dance Synergy, a Year 2 Economics major, added that the dancers’ attitude and maturity play a part in whether the group could go beyond the platform of the university.

All Presidents admitted that the audiences who attend their performances are mainly made up of friends or family of the performers, although genuine interest is developed when they are exposed to the high quality of dance exhibited. However, it was noted that the respective ticketed performances of these dance groups were almost sold out, and even their Courtyard performances drew good crowds. Irdawati quipped that if there were students who were truly interested in dance for its sake, they would be the ones performing on stage, and not the ones watching from afar. Shi Qin added that Dance Synergy views it as a challenge to constantly try to make their work relevant to their audience.

NUS Dance Synergy
Picture Credit: Marcus Tan

As to whether classical forms of dance, like Bharathanatyam and Inang, are inexorably evolving, Irdawati of Ilsa Tari and Sukriti of Indian Dance had similar views. While both agreed that fusions with modern and Western dance added spice to choreography and allowed more room for experimentation and expression of individuality, classical dance will continue to play an important role in society. “Classical dance forms will never completely fade away as they are part of the foundation of a country’s culture and heritage”, said Sukriti. Irdawati had a suggestion for dancers of today – “traditional dance should be valued and contemporary should be explored.”

NUS Indian Dance
Picture Credit: NUS Indian Dance

From this quick survey of the NUS dance scene, it is safe to say that there is hope for the groups in broadening their experience and eventually turning professional. Their passion for their respective dance groups was evident from their interview responses. So dance enthusiasts should take heart that there are aspiring professional dance groups amongst us. Notwithstanding, more has to be done to create or increase awareness of these dance groups through more rigorous advertising on campus media.

Barometer: 6.5 out of 10 stars

Film Screenings

In the words of famous film critic, Roger Ebert: “Every great film should seem new everytime you see it.” Certainly, films are a readily accessible art form. The world of cinema is greatly expanding bringing films which caters to people with an interest in the mainstream as well as independent films. Inevitably, films serve to entertain and to provide an avenue for viewers to experience a different realm of life through its fictious nature. Christine Khor of Centre for the Arts (CFA), a former film critic herself, expressed how films enable viewers to sit back and absorb the narrative involved.

In NUS, CFA and nuSTUDIOS are the main provider of art films. Over the years, they have made avant-garde films more available for the people. Thus far, these films have succesfully met with an overwhelming turn-outs.

nuSTUDIOS is a student-run production house which aims is to promote the culture of film appreciation and film-making within the NUS community. They have been organizing film-related activities in NUS such as film screenings and basic filmmaking workshops. Most importantly, they have breed aspiring and talented filmmakers. Judging from their recent and past film screenings, it is a notable achievement for them.

NUS Indian Dance
Picture Credit: nuSTUDIOS

At last month’s NUS Arts Festival, nuSTUDIOS showcased a selection of short films produced and written by its members that adhered to the festival’s medical theme. According to Alvin Lim, Vice-President (Programme) of the student-run production house, the screening saw more than a hundred people in attendance, including guest-of-honour Professor Tan Chorh Chuan, senior deputy president of NUS. Audience were particularly impressed by one of the short films, a documentary called “In Our Own Words” which highlighted another angle to the lives of kidney patients. Audience were also very engaging during the panel discussion which follows after the film screenings and their ability to critic and appreciate showed their knowledge on films.

Besides nuSTUDIOS, CFA has been showcasing a variety of films every year during the NUS Arts Festival. This year, they have sought assistance from the Embassy Support of Mexico, Israel, Spain and Holland to recommend films that are contemporary and relevant to the youth. The diverse choice of films has definitely draw in more response from the NUS population. Attendance during film screenings has been consistent during recent years for both CFA and nuSTUDIOS and this explained their greater interest and appreciation to such films.

“We are steadily seeing an increase in the number of people coming for our screenings. Our previous screenings, Fetish 2006 and Joy Ride 2007, were both held at UCC Green Room and were full houses,” said Lim.

The screenings provide the students an opportunity to delve into more unconventional films which encompasses creative vision and liberal topics. Carissa Chui, a Year 2 Psychology major mentioned how she is drawn to these film screenings because it allows her to watch films she has never heard before.

NUS Indian Dance
Picture Credit: nuSTUDIOS

Besides the mainstream Hollywood fare, it is therefore apparent that the NUS population are beginning to pursue more avant garde films. Film appreciation is flourishing and it will continue with its consistent form as long as exposure on film-related activities are prevalent here in NUS.

While this is a heartening news, Alvin Lim believed that there’s still a lot more that can be done. There is indeed a lack of exposure in film production here in NUS due to limited resources. He hopes that they can bridge the gap between production and film appreciation to truly value the whole aspect of film art.

Barometer: 7.5 out of 10 stars

Literary Scene

Literary Society or Litsoc for short has been around since 1961 and is considered the mover and shaker of the NUS literary scene. Two key programmes that Litsoc organizes are the Creative Writing Competition and Evening of Poetry and Music. The latter which was held in March this year at *scape Youth Centre is an annual event which has seen growing attendance from the general schooling population as well as prominent figures of the local literary scene such as writers Jeffrey Lim Tan and Yong Shu Hoong. Koh Xin Tian, President of Litsoc is of the opinion that the NUS literary scene has been “steadily growing” over the years. Showing us a copy of their first edition of Argot, a magazine distributed in NUS and local bookstores, Xin Tian says, “Hopefully Argot will raise the profile of Litsoc and collect good writing from contributors from Singapore and abroad.”

Other facets of the literary scene include NUS Writers Connect Sessions organized by Laremy Lee, Year 4 English Literature major where budding writers and poets can share their work and receive feedback at a casual sharing session.

Barometer: 6.5 our of 10 stars

Our final verdict: Not exactly pitch perfect. But the heat is on.

ZL & Hurrairah bin Sohail | hurrairah@gmail.com
the ridge transmedia
A NUSSU Publication

With the conclusion of Rockfest 2008, we here at the ridge decided to dissect and evaluate the NUS Rock Scene and what the participants have to say about it.

The KNEES

Musical Influences: System of a Down, My Chemical Romance, Radiohead, Incubus

Artists covered: Muse, Beatles, Back-On, FIR, Back-On, Guns n Roses

Profile: The Knees led by Marcus Law (Business Year 3) is an active hall band comprising of students living in King Edward VII Hall and some from the nearby Prince George’s Park Residences. Having differing interests in music, the band caters mostly to hall residents, while also occasionally performing in venues outside campus.

What they have to say: There’s no particular rock scene in NUS as there isn’t a significant following, mainly due to the small population (compared with other universities in the world) of our university and the diverse attractions available. Says Marcus – “Gigs outside campus are, of course, very expensive so bands can only work within the overcrowded NUS scene for arts.”

Sheares Hall Band

Musical Influences: Led Zeppelin, Queen, Classic Rock

Artists covered: Evanescence, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Matchbox Twenty, The Beatles

Profile: Sheares has always been prominent in the NUS rock scene organizing Rockfest and KRaSH along with playing regularly for bazaars and gigs. The Sheares Hall Band is one of the more active bands in NUS.

Edmund Khoo of SH band rehearses

What they have to say: The band believes that the attitude towards rock is openly unsupportive on campus. From their experiences at gigs staged at other venues, SMU or NTU crowds, in their opinion have a better appreciation for the genre.
Furthermore, the band believes that the NUS audience expects radio/studio quality sound at all concerts, which is an impossible expectation to meet. Their drummer Edmund Khoo (Engineering, Year 2) elaborates: “People do not understand that the difference in quality during a live performance cannot be helped. Even EIC (a local Singaporean band) sounds different when they play live.”

KR Rockers

Musical Influences: An eclectic mix

Artists covered: Aretha Franklin, Velvet Revolver, Mr. Big, Maroon 5, Red Hot Chili Peppers, acoustic songs.

Profile: The KR Rockers, resident band for Kent Ridge Hall, have managed to become a comparatively active musical group. The K.R. Rockers comprises of about 20 members and line ups vary from performance to performance

What they have to say: They don’t believe that there exists a rock scene within NUS due to the lack of a fixed identity amongst the various bands. But a bigger problem is the awkward fixed timings (two hours between 12pm-2pm allocated to bands in Central Forum for concerts). They feel the time slot (and lack of booze!) greatly restricts the atmosphere of their performance.

However, according to the KR Rockers, the biggest problem for rock bands in NUS is a financial one due to the costs of publicizing, logistics, equipment and recording. They rely on a D.I.Y ethic for their publicity, a burden they feel that should be borne more by event organizers.

Raffles Hall Band

Musical Influences: Brit Rock and an aversion to American music.

Artists covered: The Strokes, Franz Ferdinand, The Cure, Ok Go, Coldplay, White Stripes, Mayday.

Profile: Raffles Hall Band consists of two distinct bands from Raffles. They play primarily for hall celebration events and at times, at NTU. They will be playing for their hall’s annual cultural exhibition Phoenix Fest later this year.

What they have to say: Band head, Calista Lee in Year 2, Engineering, states that “the general taste of the masses tends towards commercial pop. Response, despite this, is good in Raffles Hall, probably because we try to pick songs which are audience-friendly.”
Her band further feels that rock performances should not be piggy-backed onto other events anymore. Making a rock act a part of an overall event containing different performances dilutes its effect. Perhaps band competitions could also be organized to raise the profile of bands in NUS, such as the upcoming Stardust organized by NUS Bizad club, CFA and the NUS Business School.

Second Nature

Second Nature perform at the Cambodia Heartbeat Charity Concert in 2006

Musical Influences: Soft rock, Alternate Rock, others

Artists Covered: The Cranberries, Santana, The Killers,
Snow Patrol

Profile: Second Nature is one of the five bands from Eusoff Hall and is particularly active throughout the year playing the same circuit as the other hall bands. The band was formed two years ago and its sound and musical direction is constantly evolving.

What they have to say: Hall bands need funding, to afford better equipment and to be able to practice more easily. They think musicians need new instruments and need better organized events and platforms to gain exposure.

“I think PGP needs proper band rooms, as there are a lot of musically inclined people living there” says Harsonal Sachar (Business, Year 2) lead singer of the band. That will increase the pool of musicians in NUS as it is the biggest residence.

Finally, they think bands should be given more CCA Points, as a lot of them live on campus and work really hard for staying in residences. They feel that commitment to their bands would increase if they didn’t have to worry about other CCAs along with band practice so as to get a room for next semester.

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Many of the bands we visited practice at least one night every week. While they do possess talented musicians, they do not all cut the grade. The KR Rockers seemed to be playing at the highest calibre while the bands in Eusoff have, at various times, garnered substantial popularity.

In fact there is ample evidence that the musicians from NUS are able and talented enough to make their mark on the local music circuit. Reverie, Dubious Brothers and Goodfellas have all had members who were ex-KR Rockers. Edmund from Sheares Hall Band is also a member of Peepshow, a five-piece rock band. KEVII Band recently performed at Bugis Junction while Second Nature also frequently plays external concerts.

Mark Sczto and Marcus Law of The Knees perform at Rockfest 2008

On March 15, the Hall bands performed for Rockfest 2008. For 4 hours, once a year, the bands united and presented themselves but they were largely overshadowed by the NUS Open House which took place in adjunction. Also, the audience comprised largely of their fellow hall residents due to a poor advertising effort by CFA and Sheares Hall. The quality of the performances was also sporadic with some bands excelling while others just barely managed to put up a show.

For the NUS Rock Scene to grow and flourish, both the bands and the university will have to make an effort. Closer cohesion between bands and the self-initiative to organize and publicize performances will lead to increased awareness which will benefit the musicians. At the same time, NUS has to provide the platform for these students to fully realize their potential. Only time will tell if NUS will have a rock scene comparable to that in other universities around the world.

Ho Yi Jian | rockjianrock@gmail.com
the ridge transmedia
A NUSSU Publication

• Laremy Lee’s The Last Political Animal found censorship problems with MDA and CFA
• Incredible potential wasted
• Dramafest producers saddened that play cannot be staged

“The Last Political Animal is my favourite play by far, it was the main reason why I signed up to be a producer here at Dramafest,” remarked Chethan Anil, executive producer of Dramafest 2008.

In an interview with the four producers of Dramafest 2008, the producers – Chethan Anil (Engineering, Year 1), Danielle Woong (Business, Year 2), Eva Pillai (Bioengineering, Year 2) and Musaddaq Raibin (Civil Engineering, Year 2) – together with playwright Laremy Lee (English Literature, Year 4) and director Desiree Choo (Psychology, Year 2), expressed their disappointment over the effective censorship of The Last Political Animal.

Four producers, a playwright and a director.
(Top from left to right): Laremy Lee, Chethan Anil and Mussadaq Raibin. Bottom: Danielle Woong, Eva Pillai, and Desiree Choo

Photo Credits: Ho Yi Jian

Laremy’s The Last Political Animal was slated to be part of the six plays at Dramafest, a collaborative drama event staged by three halls of residence on campus – Eusoff Hall, Kent Ridge Hall and King Edward VIII Hall.

Even though the Media Development Authority (MDA) finally gave the play permission to be staged after suggestion numerous changes to the script, the go-ahead only came four days before the production.

For the producers, that was several days too late – the decision had already been made to replace The Last Political Animal with I Fake It In Bed, also written by Desiree Choo, a resident of Eusoff Hall.

Limits of Political Sensitivity

When quizzed on why the play might have been axed, Eva Pillai, a producer from Eusoff Hall, explained that the MDA’s main grouse with the play had been with the name of one of the characters, Harry.

Because the name was deemed to carry certain political connotations, the play was ascertained to have crossed certain limits of political sensitivity.

Eva explained that the assistant director of NUS Centre for the Arts (CFA) initially told them that the play was approved, except that the names ought to be changed because it was too obvious.

“As the play went on to the higher levels, they got back to us… they told us it might be ‘politically sensitive’,” she explained.

Laremy, an English Literature honours student from Kent Ridge Hall, said about his play, “It’s about a family travelling in a car, dysfunctional as they be, and they knock down an animal. Suddenly, a wildlife officer/crocodile hunter appears and tells them that they’ve killed the last political animal.”

In response to his opinion on the censorship, Laremy merely shrugged and exclaimed, “I’m an artist. I have no political agenda. I just want to write and I write what I see.”

Musaddaq, one of the producers from King Edward VII Hall, told us, “When I got the message from Danielle that it got cut, I went, ‘What! What is going on?’ And this was after the priest scene got cut too.”

The priest scene was a modification to another play, The Night Before, changing a priest to an advice hotline. They were asked to change it out of religious sensitivities.

“The Last Political Animal” was replaced by “I Fake It In Bed”, which also garnered a good response from the crowd.
Photo Credits: EH Eusoffworks

Incredible Chemistry

All four of the producers were extremely confident of The Last Political Animal and what it could have been. Laremy’s scripts were among the few that kept the producers excited and motivated through out.

Passionately, Chethan defended the play. “The play is very short, but every single bit had a lot of detail. On the surface it seems like such a short simple play, but there’s so much meaning in it.”

Danielle, a producer from Kent Ridge Hall, who was directing The Last Political Animal until the censorship issues cropped up, said that the actors cast in the roles had incredibly chemistry together.

“When we actually did the rehearsals, [the actors] really worked well together. Every time we rehearsed, there were new ideas coming out. It was really sad that everything got taken out in the end,” Danielle remarked.

The Consolation Is Coolness

Despite the disappointment, there was a small consolation: Laremy noted that people were more inclined to find out what his play was about.

“Now people who normally do not want to even watch a play are interested in reading my script,” said Laremy.

Danielle added, “It definitely ups the coolness factor.”

Dramafest is a collaborative event jointly organised by Eusoff Hall (EH), King Edward VII Hall (KE7) and Kent Ridge Hall (KRH). It features six short plays and is usually held after Semester Two’s mid-term break. This year, it was titled “Six: Confessions”, following last year’s title, “Six: Colours”. Although it was a free event, it had an M18 rating.

Hoang Thi Minh Ngoc | hoang_thi_minh_ngoc@nus.edu.sg
the ridge news
A NUSSU Publication
April. 19, 2008

Story highlights:

• Annual seminar on inflation held by the DSC
• The implications and issues of inflation
• The role of Government in times of inflation
• Advice for students to prepare themselves for the increasing tendency of inflation

On March 25, the Democratic Socialist Club (DSC) held their annual seminar on the issue of Inflation – Against a Backdrop of Growth.

The three guest speakers aimed to help the audience seek, explore and understand the relation of inflation to Singapore’s growth and how it is affecting us.

The Q&A Session	Prof. Sam Ouliaris explains the cause of inflation
(Photos by Chea Singkong)

According to Professor Sam Ouliaris, deputy head of the Department of Business Policy at the School of Business, consumer prices in Singapore have taken a step up owing to its booming economy in the context of rising commodity prices including oil, food and metals.

He also noticed that the current CPI (Consumer Price Index) inflation of Singapore is around 7 percent while the core inflation is around 5 percent

This figure is comparatively high compared with US and other Asian countries.

Leong Sze Hian, who served as the President of the Society of Financial Service Professionals, implied that inflation led to the rise in cost of healthcare, transportation, tax, electricity and housing.

He added that the Government should have some fundamental policies to compensate for this tendency especially the home ownership policy.

“As I am Singaporean, I do not worry much about accommodation fee; however, the thing relating to inflation that matters to me is university fee,” said Alicia Tan, a student of Temasek Junior College.

Josephine Teo, Assistant Secretary General of NTUC – ARU, talked about the role of the Government in times of inflation.

She said that the Government should use the Central Provident Fund for retiring citizens as it is cheaper compared with using the money from the market.

According to Ms Teo, the Government should also consider promoting home ownership, diversifying good sources, controlling prices, managing exchange rates as well as improving wage growth.

Jonathan Chionh, a second-year student of School of Business as well as the financial secretary of DSC, raised the question of the tendency of inflation rate in the future.

Both Teo and Leong predicted that the inflation rate would continue to increase owing to the current huge and fast growing economy.

Finally, Ms Teo implied that the core matter is how to prepare ourselves for the effects of inflation.

She emphasized that students should never satisfy in investment in education. A budget-to-budget solution is the best way to prepare for the future.

Lynette Lim | lynette_lim@nus.edu.sg
the ridge news
A NUSSU Publication
April. 11, 2008

Story Highlights:

National University of Singapore (NUS) undergraduates from Singapore and Malaysia in need of financial aid now have another reason to cheer.

In a new initiative to provide financial support for deserving students in NUS, Great Eastern presented a gift of $500,000 to NUS in honour of the late Mr. Howe Yoon Chong, Chairman of Great Eastern from 1992 to 2000.

L-R: Professor Tan (right) and Mr Wong signing the agreement; Professor Tan and Mr Wong (left) exchanging agreements
(Photos by Lynette Lim)

On Apr. 10, Mr. Michael Wong Pakshong, Chairman of Great Eastern Holdings presented a cheque of $500,000 to Professor Tan Eng Chye, NUS Deputy President (Academic Affairs) and Provost, establishing the Great Eastern-Howe Yoon Chong Bursary.

Wong presented the cheque at a simple ceremony graced by Guest of Honour, Mrs Howe Yoon Chong after a signing of the bursary agreement.

(Mr Wong (left) presenting the cheque of $500,000 to Professor Tan)
(Photo by Great Eastern)

Mr. Howe was an alumnus of the University of Malaya, the predecessor of NUS, and was a strong advocate of educational support for students from poor or disadvantaged families.

He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Economics in 1953 and was conferred the Honorary Doctor of Letters from the University.

The gift also forms part of Great Eastern’s corporate social responsibility, by which companies give back to society.

“Great Eastern turns 100 this year. We wish to share our joy with the less privileged in our society,” said Wong.

“We hope that our contribution will help to make a difference in the lives of these financially needy students to further their education with no worries,” he added.

Great Eastern will award the first ten bursaries in the next academic year 2008/2009 as part of their centennial celebrations.

The $500,000 gift, matched dollar for dollar by the Ministry of Education, will allow the awarding of 20 bursaries from 2010 onwards.

Singaporeans, Permanent Residents and Malaysians are all eligible for the bursary.

As Great Eastern is a market leader in Malaysia as well, Malaysian students at NUS will receive 20 percent of the bursaries.

The bursary will support recipients from their first year to the year of graduation as long as they meet the financial means testing in subsequent years.

According to Professor Tan, the means testing calculates the per capita family income, and the typical monthly income eligible for a bursary is $1,200.

At the ceremony, Professor Tan thanked Great Eastern for this gift, which is Great Eastern’s first such substantial gift to NUS.

“In honouring its late Chairman Mr Howe Yoon Chong, whose strong belief that nothing other than personal ability should determine one’s access to education rings true with NUS’ one commitment, Great Eastern has expanded the opportunities that a great education can bring,” he said.

Stacey Wong | h.y.w@nus.edu.sg
the ridge news
A NUSSU Publication

Story Highlights:

How would you like a free copy of Microsoft Visual Studio 2008? How about the entire Microsoft Expression Studio or the ability to turn your dream game into reality with XNA Game Studio 2.0?

These commercial level developer and design tools will now be available to current National University of Singapore (NUS) students at no charge.

NUS Deputy President Mr. Joseph P Mullinix (extreme left) and NTU Associate Provost Professor Er Meng Hwa (extreme right) inking the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) Centre: Barney Lau, Managing Director of Microsoft Singapore

To spark the dreams of young talented minds, Microsoft is offering a bundle of cutting-edge professional level design and development software to aid and empower students in their school assignments, project works or purely for experimentation purposes.

NUS is one of the first two institutions in Southeast Asia and one of the foremost in the Asia-Pacific to partner Microsoft to launch Microsoft DreamSpark, a completely free initiative to drive technological innovation worldwide.

NUS Deputy President Mr. Joseph P Mullinix and NTU Associate Provost Professor Er Meng Hwa inked the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the Microsoft Centre on Thursday, April 10.

Mr. Mullinix said, “ We are happy to be part of this global DreamSpark programme, it is a great initiative to make sure students have the tools they need to test the boundaries of how technology can change peoples’ lives as well as their own.”

Microsoft’s Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Kevin Turner who witnessed the signing ceremony affirmed, “Microsoft believes in the power of technology to transform education, we believe this will go a long way in improving learning outcomes for local students.”

By the end of 2008, the DreamSpark programme will potentially reach 120,000 tertiary students in Singapore.

The DreamSpark programme will be rolled out locally in three phrases, offering the same fully loaded Microsoft software that professionals pay a sizable sum to get.

The first phrase of rollout, due for completion in June 2008, will see students of NUS and NTU accessing the plethora of cutting-edge tools and technology.

In other words, NUS students can only achieve “verified” student status and start downloading the professional level software from June this year.

Microsoft is currently working to set in place the necessary local student identity-verification technology infrastructure to provide students with access to DreamSpark.

One such technology is available at STA Travel, located at the Science Co-op beneath LT 27, in the form of an International Student Identity Card (ISIC).

The ID number available on the card, which will cost 15 dollars, will serve as proof of verification of one’s student status and permit any active NUS student to sign up online at https://downloads.channel8.msdn.com/ to access, download and use the different software immediately.

Microsoft’s new offer not only allows students to unlock their creativity but more importantly, allow students to gain a head start in their careers.

VIPs: Various heads of local tertiary institutions and polytechnics in a group shot after the signing

Barney Lau, Managing Director of Microsoft Singapore said, “Students are gaining access to professional commercial grade development and designer tools. These are not theoretical programmes but software that are actually implemented in the commercial world.”

Final year Computer Engineering student Wilson Loo, a student partner of Microsoft said, “This is a very interesting initiative. With this launch, anyone can use the tools today and that really bridges the boundary.”

“It really helps students to jumpstart their careers, it’s not just about what we learnt in class per se but applying that in the practical context,” added Loo.

However, Microsoft stresses that design and gaming tools accessible under the DreamSpark initiative are only for academic purposes.

Students are encouraged to develop applications by leveraging on these free-access tools and share them freely with their friends.

Microsoft has in place a separate set of programmes for start-ups to develop applications that could potentially be used for commercial development.

Lau said, “The purpose of this programme is really to help students gain access to technology for assignments and research.”

“We believe that this initiative would be landscape changing as there are no constraints. It fosters innovation, promotes experimentation and is going to create a lot of opportunities for students.”

“At the end of the day, it is the students and universities that gain,” Lau added.

As part of the program, students can access Visual Studio 2005 Professional Edition, Visual Studio 2008 Professional Edition and the entire suite of designer tools in the Expression Studio, including Expression Web, Expression Blend, Expression Design and Expression Media.

Microsoft is also making XNA Game Studio 2.0, SQL Server Developer Edition and Windows Server Standard Edition available.

Students are eligible for a free 12-month academic membership in the XNA Creators Club.

More FAQs can be found at https://downloads.channel8.msdn.com/FAQ/Students.aspx