General Lee/Speaking: Singaporeana

In an extension of our previous collaboration, I will be performing together with my good friends General Lee in General Lee/Speaking: Singaporeana on Thu, 24 March 2022 from 7pm to 8.30pm at the Esplanade’s Concourse.

This is a music and spoken word performance focused on telling Singapore stories and will feature General Lee’s original songs from their their eponymous debut album released in 2016, as well as poems written by me in response to their music.

This interdisciplinary collaboration brings together music and literary arts to imagine (or reimagine) Singaporeana – Singapore stories of our country’s history, myths and legends, and to tell (or retell) them through word and song.

General Lee will also be rearranging their music in collaboration with The Good Company to incorporate acoustic instruments integral to American folk music such as fiddle, banjo, mandolin and dobro, in what is likely to be the first performance of its kind in Singapore.

The Good Company – comprising Kailin Yong, Greg Tucker-Kellogg, Kelly Olafson and Mark James Garratt – is a collective of musicians well-versed in the acoustic instruments that define the sound of Americana, or American folk music. This includes country, bluegrass and old-time music of the Appalachian Mountains.

More information can be found on the Esplanade’s website here.

See you then!

(ST)²: Storytelling for Systems Thinkers (Run 2)

Poster of (ST)²: Storytelling for Systems Thinkers, a workshop for students from National University of Singapore Residential College 4.

Despite the recently-announced Covid-19 restrictions, the second run of (ST)²: Storytelling for Systems Thinkers was successfully completed.

A workshop on the art and science of crafting persuasive and convincing narratives, (ST)² was conducted once more for students from National University of Singapore Residential College 4.

Thanks to invaluable feedback from participants in the first run, this run was held over two days and covered three areas: Asking Good Questions, Listening for Good Answers and Telling Good Stories.

My thanks also go to the participants of Run 2 for their insights and adaptability as we discussed how best to shift the workshop online, while still meeting their learning needs effectively.

I’m looking forward to good stories – as well as stories for good – from them in due course!

Storytelling for Systems Thinkers

I had the pleasure and privilege of conducting a storytelling workshop for Residential College 4 last Friday (Feb 5, 2021) in NUS.

RC4 is one of four residential colleges in the university which offer a two-year residential programme, with the college’s focus being on systems thinking.

In the workshop, we looked at both the purpose and power of narrative in creating understanding of systems, as well as communicating that understanding clearly and effectively to stakeholders.

We also touched on interviewing and writing techniques as part of asking good questions in order to get good answers that clarify understanding.

It was a meaningful experience and, as always, a happy return to the alma mater.