MCP Capstone: Mea(r)t Paradox

Mea(r)t Paradox is a capstone concert production presented at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, National University of Singapore. Through five original works, the performance reflects on the varied roles animals occupy in our lives and the ways these relationships shape everyday experience.

Across cultures and contexts, animals are companions, symbols, sources of livelihood, and members of shared environments. These overlapping roles are often navigated intuitively, shaped by habit, upbringing, and social norms. Mea(r)t Paradox considers how such patterns of thought and feeling develop, and how they exist within our ordinary lives.

Drawing on research in animal ethics, cognitive psychology, and artivism (artistic activism), the concert translates these themes into musical forms. Through sounds, speech, and staging, abstract questions become perceptible experiences, allowing audiences to encounter complexity through listening rather than debate. The performance does not advocate specific positions; instead, it creates space for attentive reflection and personal interpretation.

Accessible to audiences of all backgrounds, the concert integrates spoken framing and thematic guidance, inviting listeners to engage thoughtfully with questions that are both intimate and societal. At its core, Mea(r)t Paradox offers an opportunity to pause, listen, and reconsider the subtle ways our relationships with animals shape the world we inhabit together.