Several Jurong West<\/a> residents have complained about the sound of their neighbour\u2019s cello playing, describing it as \u201csawing wood\u201d, but the cellist insists that practising her instrument is necessary for her livelihood.<\/p>\n According to Shin Min Daily News, the residents in question were four tenants living in Block 683A Jurong West Central 1.<\/p>\n They said the sound seemed to come from all directions, as though they were surrounded by \u201cstereo\u201d, making it difficult for them to rest at home.<\/p>\n However, the woman responsible for the cello<\/a> playing insists that she only practises in the afternoon and believes that the tenants were making too much of the situation.<\/p>\n The four tenants \u2014 Wu (transliterated), a 31-year-old engineer who rents a unit on the 13th floor, and three Nanyang Technological University master\u2019s students, Li, 24, Wang, 22, and Ruan, 23 \u2014 told Shin Min that their neighbour plays the cello almost every day<\/p>\n They said the practice sessions usually begin at around 1pm and continue until 5pm on certain days, with some taking place at night as well.<\/p>\n Wu said he had previously asked his landlord to speak to the upstairs neighbour about the situation. After the discussion, the cellist reportedly agreed to lower the volume where possible, and the situation improved for a period.<\/p>\n However, Wu said the practice sessions have recently become longer again.<\/p>\n Li, who moved in last July, recalled the incident on National Day, when the the cello playing reportedly continued into the night.<\/p>\n She explained that she has classes at night and therefore requires rest during the day. She also occasionally attends online classes from home.<\/p>\n \u201cEven wearing headphones isn\u2019t enough to block out the sound of the cello. Sometimes, I can\u2019t even turn on my microphone to speak to people,\u201d said Li.<\/p>\n The four tenants compared the cello playing to \u201csomeone sawing wood\u201d, adding that the continuous, high-pitched sounds were difficult to tolerate.<\/p>\n Ruan shared that she would make it a point to avoid staying at home from the afternoon onwards, temporarily \u201cescaping\u201d to school or the library.<\/p>\n Li, the cellist in question, told Shin Min that she is a LASALLE College of the Arts student and music teacher, adding that the instrument is \u201cpart of her job\u201d.<\/p>\n The 25-year-old said that she usually starts practising at around 1pm or 2pm each day, with each session lasting about two hours.<\/p>\n \u201cMusic is my rice bowl. I need to practise,\u201d Lin stressed.<\/p>\n As for the tenants\u2019 complaints, Lin felt they were making a mountain out of a molehill, saying that she did not understand why they would complain despite her scheduling her practice sessions in the afternoon.<\/p>\n She added that she makes it a point to keep the doors and windows shut when practising and had not received any complaints in the 10-odd years she had been living there.<\/p>\n Shin Min also spoke to Lin\u2019s next-door neighbour, who said the volume of the cello playing was acceptable and did not consider it a noise problem<\/a>.<\/p>\n Wu said that after his landlord sought help on their behalf, the Community Mediation Centre (CMC) invited both parties to a meeting.<\/p>\n According to emails shown to Shin Min, Lin had declined to attend.<\/p>\n Now, the tenants are only left with the option of filing a case with the Community Disputes Resolution Tribunals (CDRT).<\/p>\n Explaining her decision, Lin said she did not believe she had done anything wrong and therefore saw no need to attend the mediation session. She also described the tenants\u2019 attitude as \u201caggressive\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cThe tenants downstairs keep changing. If a new group of tenants moves in, am I supposed to communicate with them all over again?\u201d she questioned.<\/p>\n Despite the situation, the tenants said they are unable to move as they are bound by their rental contracts. As such, they hope their neighbour could be more considerate.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re not saying she can\u2019t play the cello. We just hope she won\u2019t play for such long periods at a time, or perhaps put mats on the floor to improve the soundproofing,\u201d Li said.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Lin said people have frequently approached her to complain about her cello playing, and that the tenants even called the police on National Day<\/a>, leaving her exhausted from dealing with the situation.<\/p>\n \u201cIs it wrong to play the cello in my own home? If they want to study, they can go to the library,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Have something to say? Join in!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Explore more on these topics<\/p>\n<\/div>\n See something interesting? Contribute<\/a> your story to us.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nTenants claim cello playing last for hours almost every day<\/h2>\n
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<\/div>\n<\/div>\nNeighbour says playing cello is \u2018part of her job\u2019<\/h2>\n
Refuses CMC mediation<\/h2>\n
Tenants unable to move due to rental contracts<\/h2>\n
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