Dancing in the womb

For Kira Lim, a Voice major at Yong Siew Toh (YST) Conservatory of Music, music has been a constant presence in her life since she was in the womb. “My mother told me that she would play different types of music when she was pregnant. Apparently, I responded most strongly to the pounding beats of rock and roll and a good guitar riff!” she shares with a laugh.

Growing up in a household of music lovers and passionate singers, Kira was always surrounded by the strains of opera or musicals and would be found grooving to music at the playground from the tender age of two. Today, the Year 4 Bachelor of Music student continues to move to a powerful beat in her exciting music endeavours.

The stage, my second home

Kira’s passion for classical singing began in her primary school days as a member of the choir, and continued to develop as she joined the Singapore Lyric Opera Children’s Chorus. In addition, as part of her craft as a well-rounded performer, dance and theatre are her other passions, as reflected in the Diploma in Performance she went on to attain at the LASALLE College of the Arts. Now as a soon-to-be graduate from YST’s Voice programme, Kira draws on her talents to engage and inspire audiences. “I connect and empathise easily with people and find it rewarding to transport myself into different characters, bringing them to life onstage.” the sociable soprano shares.

Diverse and distinct in culture

On the culture at YST, Kira shares that the Conservatory’s diverse and international community is warm and close-knit, with distinct identities and approaches to music-making. For prospective student interested in applying to YST, Kira shares: “Be open to new experiences – the arts are all about exploration. You are where you are right now because of what you have done so far. Let your voice be heard!”

Asked about key traits one should possess to thrive in YST, Kira believes humility, accountability, and drive are essential. She elaborates: “Humility is crucial for a musician because you have to work with a lot of people – be it the accompanist, choral members, the whole orchestra, or your professors. It is never a one-man show. Similarly, you have to be accountable to the whole ensemble, to the music, and ultimately to yourself. To round it off, all excellent musicians must possess drive and passion.”

A rich artistic journey

For Kira, Professor Alan Bennett, Head of Vocal Studies at YST has been an important mentor and a solid pillar of support for Voice Majors. “Professor Bennett is really dedicated, generous in sharing his knowledge, and always looking out for his students. He often offers extra lessons outside of classes to fully equip us, especially before a big competition or performance,” she shares. Aside from learning from Conservatory faculty, students also benefit from masterclasses and coachings with top-notch visiting artists, who have included Caitlin Hulcup, Miah Persson, conductor Masaaki Suzuki and collaborative pianist Roger Vignoles.

Kira also lauds the excellent performance opportunities at the Conservatory. “YST provides a very collaborative environment where students across majors work together to present impactful productions. For example, for our 20th anniversary in 2023, our orchestra and Voice majors came together to perform Haydn’s The Creation – a huge masterwork.”

Outside of school, Kira constantly strives to challenge herself, participating actively in productions such as In Our Manner of Speaking with The Opera People; Come, Ye Sons of Art, Away! with the Red Dot Baroque and YST; as well as CabaRED with New Opera Singapore.

Wider vistas, further horizons

Overseas exchanges and global exposure opportunities formed some of the greatest highlights of Kira’s YST education, including summer programmes at the Vienna Opera Academy (Austria) and Rider University’s CoOPERAtive Program (United States), as well as a six-month Student Exchange Programme (SEP) at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Massachusetts.

For Kira, life in Massachusetts was an exciting rite of passage as a young adult — living in an apartment just outside of Boston together with two American and Taiwanese housemates and a tabby cat. “The community was very welcoming. In fact, we often have studio parties where we would bake cakes and pies together as every exchange student was a foodie,” she recounts fondly.

Of course, plugging into the vibrant cultural and music scene was de rigueur. “While in New York, I caught the musical Chicago, attended concerts, watched the opera Turandot at the Metropolitan Opera, and enjoyed fusion jazz performances at the Berklee College of Music!” she gushes. Her academic immersion was equally rigorous, as she took elective modules on German, Italian, and Spanish music repertoires. She elaborates: “Each class, we would be assigned certain pieces of music. We would then listen to the music of the composer, engage in class discussions about the composer’s works and political and cultural history, and then perform their pieces for feedback.”

Evolving perspectives

Kira holds a motto firmly: hold on tightly, let go lightly — while working at your craft, do so with pride and dedication, but when there is a need to change approaches and methods, recognise it clearly and make the change decisively. She reflects, “it’s all about being adaptable and not dogmatically sticking to one thing or perspective.” When asked if there are any misconceptions about her profession that she wishes to dispel, Kira points to the idea that opera is “inaccessible and niche”. While people may shy away from opera, citing its dramatic nature and language barriers as alienating, Kira begs to differ. Arguing for a different take, she opines: “The themes portrayed in operas are often universal to mankind – death, betrayal, and unrequited love. While we may be seeing these themes manifested on the stage in a particular musical style, these emotions are nonetheless common to us all and can still resonate powerfully.”

Music for the young

To bring music to diverse audiences, YST initiates outreach programmes such as MUA2163: Leading and Guiding Through Music, a mandatory course on community engagement where students work in teams to create musical outreach projects. As part of the course, Kira and her teammates formed The Animus, a group which fused theatre and opera into an imaginative animal tale for children staged at The Esplanade.

Even after completing the course, The Animus continued its outreach efforts, engaging families at Our Tampines Hub. “I found it meaningful and fulfilling to share music and stories, witness the children’s enthusiasm, and see the sparkle in their eyes.” Kira muses.

Shaping the future

After graduation, Kira’s sights are set overseas, where she looks to pursue a master’s in vocal performance in the United States or Europe, as well as to expand her perspectives.

On how she hopes to sculpt the opera landscape in Singapore, Kira shares that one of her wishes is to make music accessible to all. “During COVID-19, I worked on Move For?ward (Unseen: Inside Out), a project at National Gallery Singapore that fostered conversations about perspectives and assumptions regarding disability, together with a former LASALLE classmate and visually impaired performing artist Claire Teo. We began by conducting Zoom sessions and over time transitioned to in-person workshops, culminating in a live installation at the Gallery during the Light to Night Festival! I hope to continue my contributions by creating accessible opera and interdisciplinary productions that connect with and speak to people from all walks of life,” Kira shares.