Pulse: Journal for Music and Interdisciplinary Practices

SOUTHEAST ASIAN EXPRESSIVE TRADITIONS: THEORIES, CONCEPTS, INNOVATIONS AND CONVERGENCES

Ramon Santos — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0700

A discussion of the theoretical and conceptual constructs which would include the linguistic and aesthetic distinctions, as well as changes, innovations, and convergences in pedagogy and practice.

Asia is a region that is made up of societies which possess their uniqueness in terms of cultures, sense of spirituality, and philosophy. In the throes of the colonial era, Asia has become an even more vigorous and dynamic region in the world. Nation-states have emerged, as colonial powers began to relinquish their hold from their possessions. From a wider historical perspective, the waning of the colonial age which had brought European civilisation to bear on peoples outside its geographic boundaries is setting a new scenario where new roles and strengths are being assumed or exchanged in the larger sphere of engagement between the world’s cultures as well as in local national arenas of cultural politics.

What makes the times now more challenging is the fact that while progress and modernity are upon us, we are at the same time faced with the challenges of reconstructing what may have been lost or what might have been eroded through time of disuse, omission, or neglect, or what may have emerged through the long process of acculturation and assimilation. And even as we try to unravel this cultural dispersion and diaspora, dichotomies that emerged several decades ago are no longer clear-cut and ideologically untenable. Issues of cultural duality such as authenticity and change, acculturation and enculturation, preservation and modernization, indigenous and contemporary, classical and popular, the superordinate and subordinate cultures, emic–etic and insider–outsider, are becoming mere references to new structural profiles within the larger framework of cultural evolution. Thus, there is a need to know what symbols, meaning, form, and text are inherently Southeast Asian, their cultural values, and their relevance to contemporary life.

In the national agendas of Southeast Asian nations today, one can find ethnicity as a source of strength rather than weakness, in that pre-colonial ethnic traditions are repositories of insights, notions, and humanistic valuation of things. Part of this general consideration is the fact that it is also in ethnicity that spirituality is concretised not only in belief systems relative to the metaphysical world, but also in the application of such ideation and philosophical thought in dealing with the materiality of human existence. In the field of the traditional arts, such ethnicities have been redefined as styles, some delegated as “national” and others relegated as “regional” or “local”, and other categories based on modern academic hierarchical taxonomy. More specifically, ethnicity is even more dramatically manifested in the expressive traditions in which all of the above-mentioned notions of spirituality, philosophical constructs, sense of equilibrium, and aesthetic judgement are finely delineated in their exercise and practice.

In Southeast Asia, traditional expressive practices are a concrete manifestation of the dynamics of culture and the changes that occur in society from the point of view of history, politics, economy, and religion. Partly because of their highly functional role in the most important facets of community life, the various repertoires such as epics, ballads, lullabies, poetic discourses and debates, occupational songs, life cycle music-making, as well as all the ceremonies, theatres, and popular performances, all serve as mirrors to a deeper understanding of societies in terms of their biocultural evolution, social history, language, social organisation, healing practices, and even technological knowledge vis-à-vis their metaphysical and spiritual worldview.

In the context of the social functionality of these performances, the individuality of the performers becomes subsumed into the entire communal act. A concept of collectivity in both musical and other expressive traditions provides the focal reference in the realisation of these modes of production. But more than what is literally heard and seen in the course of these performative expressions, the ultimate message resides in the principle of balance between nature, man, the spiritual dimension, and the act of production.

SOUNDBRIDGE FESTIVAL: FIELDWORK, PEDAGOGY, AND CROSS-CULTURAL ARTISTIC DIALOGUES IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

Kee Yong Chong — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Founded in Malaysia in 2013, the SoundBridge Music Festival is an independent, artist-led platform dedicated to contemporary music, interdisciplinary collaboration, and cross-cultural dialogue in Southeast Asia. Established with the support of the Society of Malaysian Contemporary Composers (SMCC) and co-founded with the authorís independent initiative, Studio C , SoundBridge emerged outside institutional frameworks as a response to structural limitations in funding, pedagogy, and audience development.

Rather than functioning solely as a performance-based event, SoundBridge has evolved over seven editions (2013ñ2025) into a sustained pedagogical and cultural initiative integrating artistic creation, education, and fieldwork. Drawing on the authorís dual role as composer, educator, and artistic director, this article examines SoundBridge as a practice-based model that foregrounds experiential learning, interdisciplinary collaboration, and regional artistic exchange. Particular attention is given to the festivalís fieldwork programmes in Indonesia and Malaysian Borneo, situated in dialogue with Southeast Asian pedagogical traditions, notably the legacy of JosÈ Maceda.

Through workshops, lecture concerts, cross-media performances, and immersive on-site experiences, the festival functions as a ìbridgeî between artists, students, traditions, and contemporary practices. In doing so, it offers an alternative framework for contemporary music education and cross-cultural artistic dialogue, contributing to the sustainable development of artistic ecosystems in Malaysia and the wider Asian region.

As this study draws in part on reflections from participating artists and students across multiple editions of the festival, some contributors are presented anonymously. This approach reflects the informal, process-oriented nature of many interactions within the festival context, where discussions often occur outside formal interview settings. Anonymity is therefore maintained where appropriate to respect the conversational and practice-based conditions under which these insights emerged.

LISTENING AS CONTINUITY: COMMUNITY-CENTERED APPROACHES TO SOUND HERITAGE IN SAGADA, NORTHERN PHILIPPINES.

Verne delaPeña — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This article examines the evolving role of the University of the Philippines Center for Ethnomusicology in the stewardship of archival sound recordings originating from community-based musical practices in the Philippines. While the Center was initially formed around the consolidation and preservation of the José Maceda Collection, its work has increasingly shifted toward forms of collaborative custodianship grounded in community engagement and shared decision-making. Using the Sagada Community Archives Initiative as a case example, the article discusses how the return and circulation of archival recordings can support cultural continuity when approached through practices of collective listening, open-ended dialogue, and respect for community authority. Rather than framing preservation as the stabilisation of cultural forms, the initiative emphasises the importance of relational presence, gradual pacing, and attention to the social contexts in which sound acquires meaning.

The study highlights the significance of acknowledging community-held knowledge alongside institutional archival expertise, supporting flexible and locally meaningful modes of cataloguing and access, and recognising that cultural heritage may include the right to limit circulation. The article argues that sustainable models of sound heritage work require forms of institutional participation that are adaptive, patient, and attentive to the dynamics of cultural life in situ. The Sagada case demonstrates that archival restoration may be understood not only as technical repair but as a process of accompaniment that honours both memory and ongoing cultural transformation. This essay hopes to contribute a relational framework for sound heritage by showing how collective listening and shared decision-making reconfigure institutional archival roles.

HIGHER MUSIC EDUCATION AND SOUTHEAST ASIA-REFLECTIONS FOR THE FUTURE

Ng Wei Jie Benedict — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Since gaining independence, Singaporeís economic transformation has drawn much attention globally and has been an important stakeholder in the Southeast Asian region. Singaporeís cultural landscape as a young nation has also undergone much development, of which music plays an integral role in shaping the cultural and national identity of Singapore. Moreover, Singaporeís cultural development not only has local but also regional implications on Southeast Asia. By tracing the development of arts, culture, and higher music education in Singapore, and reflecting on its regional impact and future possibilities, these reflections aim to deepen our appreciation that higher music education must meet the regionís unique contexts and geographies, and to affirm our responsibility as stewards to develop it in ways that uplift and benefit society. This paper thus investigates the trajectory of Higher Music Education in Singapore and towards the region in three views: its origin in national development, its contributions to Southeast Asia, and future possibilities. As a musician from Singapore, I hope to use this to reflect on my duties to Singapore, to the region, and to the world.

MAKING MUSIC FOR COMMUNITIES IN THE 21ST CENTURY: REAL-LIFE EXAMPLES AND PARTICIPATION FRAMEWORKS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

Suppabhorn Suwanpakdee — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This article examines participatory community music practices across Southeast Asia, highlighting how culturally embedded musical initiatives build bridges between diverse communities, generations, and identities. Drawing on a qualitative, practitioner-informed comparative case study of twelve initiatives across all ten ASEAN countries, this article situates contemporary community music practices within a 21st-century Southeast Asian socio-cultural landscape. Grounded in the authorís dual role as a scholar-practitioner, the study integrates perspectives from ethnomusicology, music education, and community development. A series of in-depth case studies, from creative placemaking in urban Bangkok to peacebuilding programmes in Thailandís conflict-affected southern provinces, and youth-led projects spanning Myanmar to Brunei, demonstrates how participatory music-making enriches intercultural dialogue, psychosocial healing, and social cohesion. Local pedagogies rooted in oral traditions and regional musical practices support adaptive learning and cultural continuity, positioning music as both a tool for heritage preservation and a catalyst for social innovation. A cross-case thematic analysis reveals shared principles and recurring challenges, offering insights into inclusive and sustainable community music models. Ultimately, the findings highlight the contribution to theorising a Southeast Asian framework of participatory music grounded in relationality, cultural continuity, and collective resilience.