About
Syahirah is a graduating BA (Hons) Arts Management student at LASALLE College of the Arts.
Her experience spans orchestral productions, pop projects and multicultural music. More recently, she has discovered a passion for working in classrooms, developing a love for arts experiences built around wonder. Working with young audiences through creative drama, storytelling and play has shaped her perspective on what the arts are really for: connection and curiosity—the kind of learning that sneaks up on you.
Outside of her studies, her background in experience and communication design continues to inform her approach, with a keen eye for how people move through and make meaning of the spaces around them. She is interested in how the arts can be a bridge between communities and generations, and thrives in spaces where no two days look the same.
Melentur Buluh Biarlah Dari Rebungnya: Malay Language maintenance, family practice, and the role of early childhood arts programming in Singapore
This dissertation examines how Malay-speaking parents in Singapore navigate mother-tongue maintenance with young children, and the potential role of early childhood arts and cultural programming in supporting this process. Grounded in interviews with 17 parents of preschool-aged children, the study focuses on the everyday practices, pressures and possibilities that shape Malay language maintenance before formal schooling begins.
At home, grandparents often provide the most consistent Malay-language environment a child encounters, while English quietly dominates in school, enrichment and peer settings. Parents described arts activities including songs, storytelling and group play as some of the few spaces where Malay could feel enjoyable and social, rather than something to be corrected or enforced.
The study argues that language maintenance depends not only on family practices at home, but also the existence of spaces beyond the home where language can feel normal, repeated and worth using. For arts organisations and cultural institutions, this has a practical implication: a programme can celebrate Malay heritage while doing very little for the language itself. The parents in this study highlighted a need for spaces designed for Malay to be spoken, not merely represented.
Professional practice
Syahirah's practice sits across arts education, cultural programming and communications.
At KidsSTOP, Science Centre Singapore, she facilitated and delivered science programmes and shows for children aged three to eight, using creative drama and hands-on approaches to make learning feel like play. It was during this time that her interest in how the arts can engage young audiences truly took shape.
She has also worked in the music sector with the Asian Cultural Symphony Orchestra, managing audience engagement, designing marketing materials and taking on stage management and emcee roles for live performances.
Her background in experience and communication design informs all aspects of her work, shaping her perspective on the way things look, feel and resonate with people.
Lionel Fong
Tan Ko Lin Colin
Muhammad Rashad
Iman Binte Mohamad Falmi
Katja Marie Kroonenberg
Chia Mun Yee Minerva
