不好笑啦!

This goes out to my dear friend Hiong Gai Gai:

Kinda notice that the below expression is the "IN" thing these days eh?

"Stop laughing, it's not funny."

Hmm... maybe the juniors are "confused", time to send them to Sabah???

Anyway, have fun slogging out in ICT!!! Hahahahha =)

"Stop laughing, it's not funny."

趣文

Excerpt from a blog "Madguitarist":
"I went to the GENUS concert today at LT13.They work magic. Seriously. They only practised for barely two weeks and every note that sounded was purely musical euphoria. I loved the Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 - Allegro by J.S. Bach, because I jolly well know that Bach's pieces are super insane to play on the guitar ( memories from the SYF back in SR *shudders* ) But they were so perfect! The running notes sounded clear, despite being played at the speed of the buzzing bee.Don't get me started on the Carmen Suite No. 1. It was like guitar music at it's peak. The Spanish strumming, the percussions, and the high pitched notes of the soprano guitar weave a melody that I've missed for very long. It's so nice. Nice is an understatement.YES PEOPLE! Go get the GENUS concert tickets! It's definitely worth your money.I loved it a lot. I think Fuzzy did too. We both bought tickets to catch their actual large scale concert with the full powered Ensemble."

Yet another excerpt:
"This evening attended Exxonmobil's Campus Concert again. This time round it's GENUS (NUS's Guitar Ensemble). If all you know about guitar is strumming and then singing a tune with it, you probably know very little about it - like me. The guitars were amazing! Never thought a guitar ensemble could sound so... sweet, pretty, tingling, exquisite, tiny, huge, loud... The only time before I heard a guitar ensemble was in AJ I think, and I don't exactly remember them.This man sat beside me in the concert. I was wondering if he'd start talking to me because he has that aura around him that whispers "I am a very vocal person and I will talk to you". True enough, he started talking to me, a little chat before the concert starts. I'm not very good at small talk, but he told me that he used to teach at SMU (he was a professor/lecturer) but don't anymore because it's very tiring, the class too large. He also said that he's there to watch because his son is in the ensemble and was the ex-president of it. So everytime he plays, they'll make an effort to attend his concerts. I thought that was really sweet .By the way, GENUS is made up of mainly alumni members and have only 3 undergraduates. They're also having their annual concert sometime in March and tickets cost only $9 or $11. There's also a 20% early bird discount if you get a ticket before 31st January. You might want to keep a lookout for it. Can't remember the date, sorry. Interested maybe can just tell me? I'll check it out for you.So if you haven't heard a guitar ensemble before, you might want to give it a shot!"

And from ACS(I) Guitar Orchestra:
Year2 to Year 6 (inclusive) Guitar Orch members are to note that we will be attending a GENUS (Guitar Ensemble of NUS) performance on Wednesday evening.Meet in Music Room 2 at 1815 hrs on 24th January 2007.Wear smart-casual home clothes or full school uniform (excluding tie).No need to bring anything.Should end around 2130 or 2200, transport back to school provided.Attendance will be taken.

来者不善

皮箱人再次回到我们的生活了.

也许劲爆的事项就要发生了吧.

疯狂的联想着存有的阴谋:
1. 把指挥推翻(指挥不会弹六弦琴)
2. 逐步自封第三位教练
3. 偷乐谱
4. 找女朋友
5. 为了硕士学位而需要拜托指挥
6. 巴结指挥,从中谋利
7. 卖琴

很烂吧!哈哈哈!也只是拿来当笑柄而已!

无论如何都希望他用正当的手法和良心去处事, 别搞得天怒人怨.

雾里看花

After reading Yen's entry on the case of the "inverted" bars, here's my take:

We sometimes fail to see the other positive aspects of the comm. I think the comm faces a different scenario from what we had last time. I mean, who was the oldest in the group? Renjie? or Karmun? In extremely low numbers and they are only year 6 then. I think the ratio of seniors and juniors can significantly change the under-workings of a committee.

With our experience and relevant years in the ensemble, it's not difficult to be irritated about certain things which we take as the "norm" and for granted. And we tend to think we've done a good job previously because we're no longer doing the job now. This "been there done that" feel. I'm pretty sure Ruby will find it bothersome to stick scores for the ensemble now; that's a few hundred bars we are talking about. yeah, it's an easy job, but not exactly a very motivational one though.

On a “musical” note, Pris probably should have re-printed the score, at least for archival sake.

It's always easy for the by-standers to throw in comments and stuff but who is willing to make the individual effort to change something? We could assume they are in the comm, and they would assume we are year 8, 9, 10 seniors; who has more social responsibility to make the ensemble a better group?

Even Hiong Gai Gai can tell me 3 weeks before concert that he's not playing because he can't reach the venue on time. (mind you, he drives.) So how can I ever assume and expect that a year 2 comm member is going to pour every ounce of blood and soul into his/her comm work???

I prefer to think and reconcile that we all have some differences and we'll work our way through these issues with some patience and negotiation. I’m glad that GENUS is still moving on musically under the baton of Robert, and there are some very impressive committed members amongst our committee as well. For instance, Derek has always been helpful and supportive in helping Expose get venues for rehearsals and sectionals. The PMs also came to help with the stores during our concert. Daren also helped with the collation of the feedback forms. Such generous acts should not be taken for granted and we should be thankful for the presence of these gracious juniors.

P.S. Be careful when you speak to Pris now. You make get electronically insulted over email by some lunatic in case you say something inappropriate.

精彩

I'm still rather elated about the concert the night before. A full concert repertoire with the theatre almost full!!! Much thanks to those who came to support !!!

I've always wanted a concert like this; quite similar to orchestra/wind symphonies, where most of the pieces is done by the entire group, instead of having large movements for entrances and exits for small groups and such.

Lots of thanks goes out to my friends in the small ensemble Expose! They have made music making such a pleasant and rich experience for me. I've always liked big sounds in music groups and this unique group has been able to provide that dynamic colour and tone variation in many ways. Not just the resounding fortissimo, the subtle piano and delicate handling of notes were such sweet moments in the process of making music!

To see all of you playing and grooving to Gelato, interpreting Mozart, romanticising Bizet, really inspires me. In that a music performance can be such a wonderful culmination of the efforts by various musicians of different strengths, to learn and understand what to play, where to play, and how to play, altogether. Synergy. It really reminds of the possibility of attaining the Tsu ensemble standard.

Fact is, it's highly unlikely that within this life, the group will ever get to Niibori's standard, simply by virtue that we are not professionals in the art. But, music practice and performance is not all about being world class standard; it really emcompasses a long and ardious journey of learning which must be savoured and enjoyed with patience, encouragement and PASSION.

And passionate we were, on 24th Jan 2007.

老来无依

Moving as a group

I'm not so particularly worried about stagnation. I believe that music takes time to develop and the progress sometimes cannot be measured with a definite time scale. I see much improvement in many of the members, which is something really great to me. If there's any stagnation, it may be a growing phase which a musician has to pass through. I'm not talented in music, hence I know how annoying it is to plough through the pieces, studies, practices and not see any fruits until maybe about half a year later.

It always boils down to attitude.

I've always emphasised the importance of "musical input" to my players, be it in shaping a phrase, articulating explicitly and clearly, group cohesion, balance etc. This is something I find in need of more awakening. This mode of playing music requires practice, and the rehearsals are there to give time to such matters; on the assumption that we need not spend time on correcting melodic and rhythmic discrepancies.

The other essence which needs work is the ability to play the part of an instrument work as it was intended. Most of us love haunting melodies and upbeat rhythms, but if everyone's doing that, then who's giving the basic necessities of the music work? I firmly believe that the supporting cast has a much more important role to play in a piece of work, more often that not.

Take for instance, GENUS. Compared to years back, we've come quite a long way and many of the previous pieces we're playing now are of a higher standard, in terms of interpretation and presentation. Much of it is due to the presence of our new conductor and the alumni who have also developed much over the years of playing. Any group that retains a fairly large number of experienced players is going to be more successful in the long run. And we all know that experience is closely related to effort and time.

EXPOSE never started out as a professional body and there's much chance it will never be, given that we don't have any full-time players around. We're just generally better in technique than the main group, more experienced but there's still much to learn for every single one of us. If we start thinking that we are of another league or expecting that we should be high up there on performance standards, I don't think there will be much to progress as a group. Expectations should be used positively to inspire and not to bind.

no chinese language support

nice!

Stylo

I am bogging this entry using a stylus pen on my new HP tablet. cool, Generally, the character recognition is good, considering 2m actually scribbling on the pad. Some minor mistakes though. Wonder if they have character recognition for Chinese characters ? Fantastic isn't it?

I also get to scribble Chinese words on the Windows journal. prints wonderfully too.

And just in time for my Fujitsu to retire at home!

Zalera

闻泪声入林 寻梨花白 只得一行 青苔

天在山之外 雨落花台

我等你来

(Zalera is a alphabetical re-shuffling of Azrael, angel of Death)

加快节奏

电话换了新的,好开心. 哈哈, 非常顺心顺手.

今年的班级还不错, 不用教吉他了! 和国大的初班生比, 中学生实在是一项超大的挑战.

校方分配新的电脑, HP TABLET, 真是妙! 我这台FUJITSU, 就可以在家休息了. 可能是时候签个宽频网路什么的.

真是感谢"晋"帮我接下了和CFA 的PRODUCTION MEETING. 近日每天好象都在奔波, 回家倒床就睡. 没时间啊! 好象编完合奏的曲子, 但真是有些懊恼.

最近自己在炒杰伦风, 连"千里之外" 都想编一编.

看来真的要逼自己加快脚步了.

bits and pieces

Guay is the best lah! He even managed an annual report on our MJ sessions!
I will strive hard to show you the upward trend!!!! for my column of course!

============================
Do you guys find that Barber Lee like blows up more often? Well, one example is that I merely asked him to ask more questions during the game at SH's place and he said I said those words with some "attitude".

Is it?!?!?!

I thought I've become more patient leh. Attitude? Aiyo, where got???

Ok lah, maybe it's just that I'm good at triggering his mutant powers.
============================
"那薄如蝉翼的未来,经不起谁来拆."
真的到了那天, 我又会怎么样?
===========================

埋伏

刚看了 Parkinson Tan 借我的"十面埋伏", 果然是一贯张艺谋的风格, 色彩华丽夺目, 情节浅短.
飞刀战是挺好的, 但可惜没什么大场面. 结局似乎有些仓促, 使整体感觉非常不完整. 缺陷美吗?