Honouring past generations of the SPF Band and carrying on their tradition of musical excellence!
By: Amanda Wong
On a Saturday afternoon in September 2023, Harmony Hall at the Home Team Academy was filled with chatter and delighted laughter. Four generations of band members had come together to relive memories and rekindle old friendships at the first ever Singapore Police Force (SPF) Band mega-gathering.
And as I spoke to several of the 115 former band members who were in attendance, I learnt how their dedication to musical excellence continues into the present day.
A First-Generation Bandsman Story
Mr Mohamed Salleh Bin Kandar joined the SPF Band as a 17-year-old in 1951. He served for 34 years as a clarinet and saxophone musician before retiring in January 1985.
“When the Band was just starting out, most band members hadn’t had much formal training,” Mr Salleh said. “But even though our knowledge of music theory may have been limited, we had practical experience with instruments and an undying passion for music.”
Musical performances during the Band’s early years were often challenging. “I recall the first National Day Parade at the Padang in 1966,” said Mr Salleh. “It was raining heavily all morning while we performed, and we still had to prepare for an evening performance at the Istana after the Parade ended. However, all our tiredness seemed to melt away when then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew came to give us words of encouragement. It felt like all our hard work and dedication were recognised!”
Life as a young band member was filled with adventure, musical and otherwise. Mr Salleh recalled a performance on Pulau Blakang Mati Island (renamed “Sentosa” in 1970) when the Band had to play in total darkness at the jetty. “It was so dark that one of my fellow band members fell into the cold sea, and we had to help pull him out from the sea!” he recalled.
Mr Salleh also witnessed how, over the decades, the SPF Band took strides musically as band members underwent mandatory practical and theory examinations and secured better training facilities. “The challenges we went through during the Band’s early years make me more appreciative of its achievements today,” said Mr Salleh.
Carrying on a Family Tradition
To Mr Salleh’s surprise, a few weeks after his retirement, his son, Mr Zaini Bin Mohamed Salleh, decided to join the SPF Band. “I didn’t encourage him to follow in my footsteps, but I’m proud that he chose to pursue his passion for music,” said Mr Salleh.
For Mr Zaini, 63, joining the SPF Band was a natural decision. “My family lived around the Old Police Academy, where the SPF Band had practised,” he said. “I grew up hearing and seeing the Band in action and was always in awe of their music. I wanted to carry on contributing to the Band.”
Mr Zaini frequently shared his Band encounters with his father, who compared them with his own experiences. These exchanges were a way for the father-son duo to bond. “My time as a bandsman taught me to appreciate music and life,” said Mr Zaini. “This gathering reminds me of the SPF Band’s commitment to maintain relationships with its former musicians.”
Echoing this sentiment, Mr Salleh said, “Even though I’m nearing my 90s, my love for the Band and my passion for music remain unchanged. I feel proud to be a senior SPF band member.”
Evolving Ways
Superintendent of Police (Supt) (Ret) Amri Bin Amin was the third Director of Music for the SPF Band, taking on this important role from 2004 to 2019. He led the Band in numerous local and international performances and pioneered its evolution from a military band to a performance band.
Reflecting on his time as Director of Music, 62-year-old Supt (Ret) Amri praised the band members for their dedication: “We’re Police officers first, then musicians. Not everyone can balance both responsibilities, but our band members do so with excellence.”
Supt (Ret) Amri also offered his perspective on how band members can perform at their best: “Our officers are an expression of ourselves; happy officers play good music! So it was important for me to look out for the band members’ welfare as this has an impact on our music.”
Marching towards the Future
Taking over as the fourth Director of Music in 2019, Supt Sulaiman Abdul Wahab now oversees the SPF Band’s musical direction and development.
49-year-old Supt Sulaiman regards his role as a fourth-generation bandsman as a privilege. “I’m filled with a deep sense of responsibility and honour to be able to uphold the rich legacy of the SPF Band, which has been nurtured by past generations of band members,” he said.
The journey has not been all smooth sailing, with the COVID-19 pandemic bringing unexpected new challenges. “We had to suspend our live performances, which are vital for our community engagement,” Supt Sulaiman explained. “So we adapted by transitioning to virtual performances and music videos.”
With the end of COVID-19 measures in 2022, the SPF Band has rapidly found its stride. With an increasingly busy schedule of public performances, Supt Sulaiman hopes that the Band can continue its tradition of musical excellence and find new audiences. “Through our music, we want to keep building trust and good relations with the community,” he said.
Honouring the Past, Celebrating the Present
As the mega-gathering drew to a close, the Band performed popular musical selections drawn from previous decades. This stirring performance was accompanied by a touching poem penned by Mdm Zaharah Jantan, the wife of the late Supt (Ret) Idris Bin Mohamed Yusoff, the SPF Band’s second Director of Music, which serves as a tribute to past and present band members.
“You are my heroes, Zealously fighting, Not with arms and ammunitions, But by the tune of call to battle” - Mdm Zaharah Jantan
A moving declaration of the invaluable contributions of SPF Band members, Mdm Zaharah’s words brought tears to the eyes of the senior musicians in attendance. And as the closing performance echoed through Harmony Hall, band members past and present knew that the Band’s persevering spirit would be carried on through generations to come.
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