By Joelle Kang (20S07A), Drama Section Leader, Tay Wan Lin (20S03A), Secretary, and Jagat Mok (20S06L), Songwriting Section Leader
Have you ever heard of CLDCS? Chances are, your answer is no. For one, CLDCS is a rather unnecessarily long and complicated name for a CCA that no one really knows what it stands for. Officially, CLDCS stands for Chinese Language Drama and Culture Society and no, we are not RI’s resident Chinese book club. In fact, we are a performing arts CCA with 2 unique sections—Drama and Songwriting.
If you do end up joining us you will be given the option to join either section, or both! Each section has one session per week, making joining both sections a totally viable option. So why choose when you can have the best of both worlds?
Drama
Once a week (or more) on Thursdays from 4.30pm to 6.30pm
Have you ever thought about winning the Oscars or becoming the next up-and-coming Hollywood star? You have come to the right place… or not. While we are taught ways to brush up on our acting skills, that is not the only aim we intend to achieve. From writing scripts to managing the stage, there are many aspects to drama (and life) that we can learn. Under the guidance of our highly experienced instructor, Mr David Wong (黄老师), everyone can unleash their inner acting potential and work together to put up quality productions. Our CCA even has the tradition of performing original plays written by our very own members! Everyone—and anyone—is given the chance to write their very own script and see it come to life under our instructor’s guidance.
Songwriting
Once a week on Tuesdays from 4.30pm to 6.30pm
Have you ever dreamt of being a songwriter, lyricist, singer, or an accompanist but don’t know where to start? Our professional songwriting instructor, Mr Keith Kwok, who has collaborated with Singapore Mandopop star JJ Lin, will share with you valuable insights on how to compose a catchy and unforgettable masterpiece. Using his magic wand—his pen—he can transform all of your ideas into something more spectacular. Yearly, our members will be given the opportunity to record their own songs into an album at Mr Keith’s recording studio (S.O.M.A – School of Music and the Arts). If you are always inspired to come up with lyrics, melodies, or simply just love singing, songwriting is the section for you! You may ask: do we need to have any experience or any qualifications to be in songwriting? The answer is no! Everyone is welcome to join regardless of your music background! Of course, if you are musically inclined and want to showcase your talent to bigger audience, we warmly welcome you to join the family.
CLDCS Annual Showcase: 翠谷回响
Every year, CLDCS organises a showcase that we all look forward to. Just like the harmonious mix of flavours in your Yuan Yang drink, both sections will come together to put up a breathtaking performance. The preparation of the concert provides both sections a platform to forge bonds through shared experiences.
During the concert, members from the songwriting section will perform songs they have composed while those from the drama section put up their very own production. Although this takes up much time and effort, we always do our best to ensure that the showcase is of high quality, and that the process is both enjoyable and memorable—this makes the showcase preparation the main highlight in the journeys of most CLDCS members.
Final Thoughts
CLDCS is a CCA that will make you feel like you’re at home. It is a place where you can be free to make mistakes, learn from them, and most importantly be yourself. We can assure you that you will not regret joining us! It may be the start of your Music/Drama journey, but it most certainly will never be the end.