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Activity Guides

Performing Arts: The Main Options

A reference of the main music, dance and drama options for a child aged 9–12 in Singapore: school, national programmes, community clubs, or private lessons.

Prepared by The Editorial Team

Updated 28 September 2026

Details checked September 2026. Programmes change, so confirm with the school or provider.

In the table, CCA means co-curricular activity: a group run by a school. Some means at least one school’s own page confirms it; a note in brackets says where the page doesn’t say which age group or style. A dash means not covered here, not that the option doesn’t exist.

Activity MOE school CCA Int’l school CCA National programme Community club course Private lessons
Choir Yes — Yes — —
Concert band Yes Some — — —
Orchestral instruments (strings, winds, brass) Some Some (age not stated) Yes — —
Chinese orchestra, guzheng and pipa Guzheng; orchestra at some — Yes Yes —
Handbells and handchimes Some — — — —
Chinese, Indian and Malay dance Yes — — — —
Modern and contemporary dance Yes Some (style not specified) — — —
Ballet — — — Yes Yes
Drama and speech and drama Yes Some — Yes Yes
Piano, guitar and drums Guitar, at some — — Piano Yes
Angklung and other traditional ensembles Some Some (gamelan; age not stated) — — —

School-based (CCA): MOE schools

In MOE schools, these sit under the Visual and Performing Arts group. The performing arts CCAs found across Singapore primary schools:

  • Choir
  • Concert band
  • Guzheng ensemble
  • Chinese dance
  • Indian dance
  • Malay dance
  • Modern and contemporary dance
  • Drama and speech and drama

Some schools also run Chinese orchestras, string ensembles, guitar groups, handbell and handchime ensembles, and angklung ensembles. Availability varies by school, and each school offers its own selection.

Many school CCA groups perform at the Singapore Youth Festival Arts Presentation. In 2026, MOE said it featured over 22,800 students and 808 performances across 22 performing arts categories. The same year, MOE added a drama category for primary schools; it said the category would enable more than 1,600 students from 60 primary schools to perform.

Most MOE schools also bring in outside artists and arts groups through the National Arts Council’s Arts Education Programme, in performances, workshops and excursions.

School-based (CCA): international schools

International schools set their own programmes, and they change: one large international school’s own page says its activities change regularly, with new ones added and old ones retired. Between them, the pages of three international schools list primary-school brass ensembles, string orchestras, gamelan ensembles, dance, drama, and songwriting and composing. Some of what they list is for older students, such as choirs, orchestras and rock and pop groups in one school’s Upper School. Several pages don’t say which age groups take part. At least one school also offers individual instrumental lessons during the school day. Check directly with your child’s school what is running this term.

National programmes (outside any single school)

Singapore National Youth Orchestra: for orchestral instruments (strings, woodwinds, brass, harp and percussion), entered by audition. The orchestra says it is a National Project of Excellence, recognised by MOE as an official co-curricular activity. Auditions are open to ages 10 to 18.

Singapore National Youth Chinese Orchestra: the orchestra says it is also organised under MOE’s National Project of Excellence. Members are selected by audition. The 2026/27 auditions were open to Singaporeans, Singapore Permanent Residents and long-term pass holders in Singapore, aged 10 to 26.

Singapore Symphony Children’s Choir: entered by audition. The 2026 auditions are for children aged 8 to 14, with or without a music background. Auditionees aged 11 and above need at least Grade 3 in music theory or performance, in a graded music exam or equivalent.

Community clubs

People’s Association community clubs list children’s courses run by outside providers on the OnePA portal. Courses listed there have included ballet, speech and drama, piano, and Chinese instrument courses such as pipa, which the course description says can lead to joining a community Chinese orchestra.

Private lessons

Available from music schools, dance schools and independent teachers: instrumental lessons, dance classes such as ballet, and speech and drama classes.

Not covered here

Visual arts, including art clubs, will be in a planned Visual Arts guide, and debate and public speaking in a planned Debate guide. Classes in traditional Chinese, Indian and Malay dance and music outside school, graded music exams, and cultural performance groups such as lion dance aren’t covered here.

This page doesn’t say whether any activity is offered as a Direct School Admission talent area. Each secondary school sets its own talent areas for each year’s exercise, so check the school’s own DSA page and MOE’s DSA-Sec information.

Sources