The Methodist School of Music (MSM) was set up by the Methodist Church in Singapore (MCS) as a private school, registered with the Ministry of Education. Its original twin mission was to provide quality music education in Singapore and to equip the body of Christ in the area of worship and music.

In 2023-2024, the Management Committee together with the senior staff members, in re-envisioning for the school and with extensive consultation with various stakeholders, were convinced for MSM to broaden its scope of work, in particular to do more social good.

Milestones

1997:

• MSM, as an MOE-registered private school, commenced operations at Mt Sophia on 2 January.
• First MSM Hymn Festival

2001:

• Relocation of the school to Upper Bukit Timah
• MSM Choir was formed (2001-2009), conducted by the founding principal Ms Mary Gan

2002:

• MSM became a public examination centre for the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM)
  2004
• The Singapore chapter for the American Guild of Organists (AGO) was headquartered at MSM

2006:

• First Worship Symposium
• With the Trinity Theological College, jointly offered the Master of Theological Studies in Church Music and Worship/Liturgy degree programme (2006-2011)

2007:

• MSM Children’s Choir was formed (2007-2012)
• MSM Ringers was formed
• MSM published and performed 10 new anthems by Asian Methodist composers on Wesleyan text to commemorate the 300th Anniversary of the birth of Charles Wesley
• MSM Ministry and Scholarship Fund was created

2008:

• MSM Worship Symposium went international

2011:

• Co-organised with Centre for the Study of Christianity in Asia (CSCA) an Asian Hymn Festival and the Asian Composers’ Forum

2013:

• The Methodist Festival Choir was formed
• The Certificate in Christian Worship was launched

2015:

• Collaborated with CSCA and Trinity Theological College to publish an Asian hymnal, Let the Asian Church Rejoice
• Presented a series of special SG50 student concerts culminating with a grand finale at the Esplanade Recital Studio

2016:

• The Methodist Festival Orchestra was formally set up
• MSM started designing 2 memorial services a year for the Garden of Remembrance, Christian Columbarium Pte Ltd
• MSM started a YouTube channel for the General Music and Dance department

2020:

• MSM successfully pivoted into online teaching and conducting training via webinars during the Covid lock-down period
• Worship liturgies for the Covid period were created
• WorshipAvenue@MSM channel was added to YouTube
• The Faith We Sing series was inaugurated

2021:

• The WorshipAvenue@MSM resource portal was set up

2022:

• The “Children in Worship” programme was started

2023:

• MSM enhanced its social media presence through Facebook, Instagram and Telegram (adding WhatsApp channel in 2025)

2024:

• MSM’s refreshed Vision and Mission were announced