Sounds like ‘sawing wood’: Jurong West neighbours clash over frequent cello practice, Singapore News

Ruan, meanwhile, said she sometimes chooses to leave the flat when the practice starts, heading to school or the library instead.

Describing the sound as coming from all directions, the tenants likened it to “stereo surround sound”. At times, they said, the continuous music sounded like “someone sawing wood”.

Playing cello is neighbour’s livelihood 

When approached by the Shin Min Daily News, the upstairs neighbour who wished to be known only as Lin said she is a student at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts and works as a music teacher.

Lin said playing the cello is part of her job and that she typically practises from around 1pm or 2pm, with each session lasting up to two hours.

Lin said she did not understand why the tenants consider afternoon practice unreasonable, describing their complaints as “making a mountain out of a molehill”.

“Is it wrong to play the violin at home? If they want to study, they can go to the library,” she said. 

Lin added that she keeps her doors and windows closed while practising and has lived in the unit for more than a decade without receiving complaints. 

Failed mediation 

Wu told Shin Min Daily News that his landlord had also sought assistance from a community mediation centre, which invited both parties to meet.

However, Wu said Lin declined to attend, to which Lin responded that she did not believe she had done anything wrong and described the tenants’ approach as “aggressive”.

The tenants may now consider filing a complaint with the Community Disputes Resolution Tribunal, said Wu, adding that he is unable to move out as he is bound by his tenancy agreement.

Li said she and the other two tenants are enrolled in a one-year postgraduate programme, and with their lease still in place, finding alternative accommodation would be difficult.

“It’s not that we don’t want her to play, we just hope she doesn’t play for too long at a time, or we can put a mat on the floor to improve sound insulation,” said Lin. 

[[nid:744551]]

xingying.koh@asiaone.com