We highlight 5 milestones achieved by the first Singapore-based jazz charity as it celebrates its fifth anniversary this year
In the five years that the Jazz Association (Singapore) (Jass) has been around, the music industry has witnessed and felt its positive impacts to elevate the standard of the genre in the region. Outstanding budding jazz musicians have also been given the opportunity to further nurture their talents, while notable international jazz musicians have been invited to take the spotlight for Singapore-based audiences to enjoy.
Yet despite the adversities faced by the arts industry in the past year, the onset of the pandemic did not see the association falter in their objectives as they continually strived to support the jazz ecosystem through and through. During then, we saw an effort to bring the joy of jazz to folks in the comfort of their homes: the release of their first digital album Two's Company, which includes exuberant, and at times reflective tunes, featuring performances by Jass Music Director and Executive Director Jeremy Monteiro and Associate Music Director, Weixiang Tan. A slew of performances and concerts were streamed online as well that continued to showcase the best that jazz has to offer.
The young association has come a long way, and survived what has been an arduous year for many. Here, we highlight its top five milestones that have contributed to the growth of the local music scene:
1. They are home to two orchestras
The association currently has 36 musicians under their wing who make up two orchestras—the Jazz Association Singapore Orchestra (Jasso) and Jazz Association Singapore Youth Orchestra (Jassyo!). The former is the association's main orchestra, and comprises of 20 professional jazz musicians and a handful of members from its youth orchestra, while the latter was set up in hopes of engaging and developing the talents of jazz youth musicians below the age of 35.
(Related: This Jazz Association Is Making Waves In Singapore’s Music Scene)