Singapore has become the first Asian country where students can take a music PhD that combines artistic practice with academic research as universities seek to support cultural ambitions.
The National University of Singapore’s Yong Siew?Toh?Conservatory of Music will offer the degree, after identifying a “clear gap in the region’s postgraduate landscape”, said Peter?Tornquist,?its dean.
“Most music doctorates focus either on research or on performance,” he told?糖心Vlog.
“We wanted to design a programme where artistic practice and scholarly enquiry are not just combined but in constant dialogue?– where the act of creation becomes a mode of research itself.”
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Tornquist said the PhD was conceived “to bring artistic practice into closer dialogue with academic research in music education, offering an integrated, cross-disciplinary approach that reflects the evolving landscape of music and higher education in Asia”.
Unlike many practice-based doctorates in Europe or Australia, YST’s model requires both a written thesis and an artistic output that inform each other.
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Candidates might submit performances, compositions or multimedia projects, provided these are critically embedded in their research questions.
Doctoral candidates are also being encouraged to cross disciplinary boundaries and can take courses or form collaborations with departments such as computer science, business, public health or social sciences.
“A composer might experiment with artificial intelligence in composition while exploring its ethical implications, or a performer could investigate cultural policy through community-based work,” Tornquist?explained.
“We’re seeing increasing interest in how creative work intersects with technology, society and the environment?– and?Singapore is well placed to lead that conversation.”
Ho?Chee Kong, YST’s vice-dean for academic affairs, said the programme “combines the rigour of a research doctorate with the innovation of a conservatoire environment”.
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He added that while the programme is self-funded, YST will offer a limited number of scholarships for outstanding candidates.
The first cohort is expected to be small and highly selective, with applications open until 31 October.
Singapore has been increasing its state support for the creative sector:?government statistics show that funding for arts and heritage rose from S$420 million (?243 million) in 2016 to S$502 million in 2022, signalling a renewed policy emphasis on cultural investment.
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Tornquist?said he hopes the initiative will influence postgraduate music education more broadly across Asia.
“As the music scene in Singapore and the region matures,?this programme can help push the boundaries of what music research can be,” he said.
“It aligns with Singapore’s vision for a dynamic arts ecosystem and spotlights South-east Asian perspectives in global music scholarship.”
Graduates, he added, would be equipped for roles across academia, arts education, policy and management?– fields “where creative insight and scholarly depth need to work hand in hand”.
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“We see this as a pipeline for future thought leaders who can bridge performance, scholarship and public engagement,” he said.
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