又死死

The recordings for the concert were hopeless. I telling you, after so many years of UCC concerts, till date, I've come to the conclusion that it's a horrible hall for any music work.

Their way of miking at UCC is simple. Capture every single damn sound from the instrument and then pump it through the hall speakers. Seriusly it doesn't work well this way. When I tried listening to the overall sound while the guys played Kansalesa, I knew it was pointless trying to balance the sound. From where the sound engineer was sittig, it looked like the players weren't even producing sound acoustically, most of the bulk of sound was from the speakers(digitised).

Anyone who is a musician would know that eventually we want to hear and record what the audience hear. But UCC has a knack for delivering recordings based on what the mike captures. I mean, what the hell, do they have brains or what. The unprocessed sound captured on the mike, without the hall's reverberations, sound like shit.

又死死 is hopeless.

of Sheeps and Birds

I was surfing for some inspriation on "Sheep May Safely Graze" cantata 208 by Bach.
Came across this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=METdmiWZBcw

What the hell....

Leo once asked how a lousy concert band sounds like, well, there we are!

Anyway, this Harp version is not bad, except that it's improvised and rather short.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pWUSxJiQ_g&feature=related

And I bumped into this piece called "A bird came flying"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBrSypv7y_E&feature=related
Whoa, it's really nice. Mich should look for this piece, play it and called it "A Seagull came flying"!!!

好象是旧歌

人质(张惠妹)
================================
我和你啊 存在一种危险关系
彼此挟持 这另一部份的自己
本以为这完整了爱的定义
那就乖乖的守护着你

相爱变成 猜忌怀疑的烂游戏
规则是要 憋着呼吸越靠越近
但你的温柔是我唯一沉溺
你是爱我的就不怕有缝隙

在我心上用力的开一枪
让一切归零在这声巨响
如果爱是说什么都不能放
我不挣扎 反正我也没差

人质在这一刻得到释放
相爱的纯粹落得如此下场
你满意吗 我们都别说谎

==============================

挺有意思的歌.

不受欢迎的欢迎VANAKAM

昨天指挥时,心情异常的平静.
虽然人多,但却没有丝毫紧张的感觉.

可能是比较老炼了吧.

表演很成功. 虽然没有交响乐团的专业水准, 但我觉得我们又进步了.
我觉得越来越多团员变成了音乐家,而不是盲目自恋的吉他手.

很开心!

老人邀请我们加入他的演奏会. 曲目不是很合口味. 不知怎样婉拒.

今天不是DIVO

最近感觉有一点兴奋,紧张. 期待已久的演奏会就要来了.

我觉得大家都付出了很多,很感激,很开心,确实让我提醒自己不要让大家失望.
在学音乐的路途中,认识了这么多好友,真的是一种福气.
大家也给于我很多帮助,鼓励,支持;我也希望我能让大家在合奏的韵律中找到莫名的欢乐.

学习是无直径的. 不管是在指挥,演奏,编曲上, 我都希望能创新,突破.

但是还是按捺不住一丝的忧虑,毕竟我没有受过正式的训练,和ROBERT相比,何止是天渊之别.
可是大家还是很支持,没有嫌弃我这个半桶水.

其实,只是希望大家玩音乐玩得开心啦!

七弦魔剑

Only my guitar-crazy friends can come up with this.... ha ha ha

===================================================
More details as follows:

for body, pls use top-of-the-grade Brazilian rosewood for sides and back.
If possible, look into Church-door design for back. Also spruce for top
(as indicated by DIVO), however, use high quality ones like in
close-grinded, prefably have some bear claws would be nice.

As usual, ebony for finger board but use titanium metal for fretting coz
it might hurt DIVO fingers and the insurance will cry. Look at installing
RODGERs' tuners (with snake-wood), no imitation thank you. Body length of
650 mm would be ok.

Having a 20th fret is forthgone conclusion. Else why he buys a 7-string
other than to play and sound like an orchestra? Also, ask Yudi to
construct raised finger-board to facilitate the runs at the 15th to 20th
frets.

Lacquer-finish is acceptable.

He is still considering adding an arm-guard at side (ala arm-rest). Ask
Yudi to throw in guitar-support wrapped in premium leather as DIVO hates
the sit the classical way. Also, throw in life-time free-delivery of
7strings to DIVO residence would be critical in making DIVO commit.

5k is for planning purpose, other cost just add in accordingly. ^^

And for heaven-sake, make the guitar weigh like a M-16 at least.
=============================================

POLYCHORDS

Mich was saying stuff about her funny sounding piano parts in "Simple Gifts"(Section C) and that probed me to double check on my transcription and I also did a bit of reading. Well, I've looked through the scores again, I don't think there's a mistake with the notes though. Anyway....

It seems like Copland likes to use "polychords".
What are polychords? Well, basically they are just chords stacked one above another.
Hence, for example, if based on F, we could have a typical stack like this:

F - A - C - E - G - Bb

Looking at the way it is constructed, and also at Copland's scoring, he did not choose to extend his polychords this way. Actually most of the extensions are fine, but just perhaps, E - G - Bb and F - A - C isn't so great since it may sound quite cadential.

Instead, he constructs the stack in G - Bb - D - F - A - C, making it sound like a tonic expansion moving to and fro within chords I, II and IV, major and minor, spaced across the barline in a gallop rhythm.

and there we have COLOUR!

SUI SUI

1. Malaguena(Piano)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuQQxZ7TXaY&feature=related

Really good rendition, but still prefer the orchrestral version done by Berlin Phil Orch.

2. Totoro(Passage of wind)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmVqslsmV0M&feature=related

Very good inspiration for the melody players!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1EP9NuyHqY&feature=related

Cello version...

3. Princess Mononoke Suite(Orchestral)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRpFXTvMQw8&feature=related

Quite different from the Wind Band version, must say the central percussion section is very good! =)

4. Laputa
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sASc4wrJRWE&feature=related

Suite for Trumpet solo I guess. A little too regal to me.

How will I die?

How will I die? Your Result: You will die while having sex.   Your last moments in this life will be enjoyable indeed...hopefully. Do not fear sex. Try not to become celibate as a way of escaping death. You cannot run from destiny.
You will die in a car accident.
You will die in your sleep.
You will die while saving someone's life.
You will die in a nuclear holocaust.
You will die from a terminal illness.
You will die of boredom.
You will be murdered.
How will I die? Create a Quiz

驱魔序曲

No wonder they changed the name to Cairnhill Guitar Ensemble. If it remains as Singapore Niibori Guitar Ensemble, I think no future for guitar ensemble in Singapore already.

Wah piang ooi... like that also dare to perform, even with some professionals within. They sounded bad but that's besides the point. More importantly, about 30 to 50 people just heard what a guitar ensemble sounds like, and I do hope the first impressions don't last. Sheesh...

I think the ensemble leader is mad. Haven't they heard any ensemble or orchestra before? What the hell... timing wrong, chord wrong, close to zero cohesion also dare to perform. I almost didn't recognise Io Che! Their intro was absolutely horrifying. Needless to say, musicality is out of the door. Listen to this shit a few more times, and your mind with wilt in despair for music.

I expected something mediocre, not horrendous.

utterly....

Luckily I didn't go. or rather, luckily for them, I didn't go.
Perhaps I might just laugh out before Mel did, or pop them the question.

"Did you just perform an overture for exorcism?"

Simple Gifts

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qy8wjuXwOE

Start from 1:23 min

'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free,
'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.
When true simplicity is gain'd,
To bow and to bend we shan't be asham'd,
To turn, turn will be our delight,
Till by turning, turning we come round right.

'Tis the gift to be loved and that love to return,
'Tis the gift to be taught and a richer gift to learn,
And when we expect of o-thers what we try to live each day,
Then we'll all live together and we'll all learn to say,

'Tis the gift to have friends and a true friend to be,
'Tis the gift to think of others not to only think of "me",
And when we hear what others really think and really feel,
Then we'll all live together with a love that is real.

Here we go!

2008年1月13日
弦歌轻音
国大六弦琴乐队GENUS与子团GENUS Expose!

六弦琴乐队GENUS与其子团GENUS Expose!将为大家呈献一台曲风迥异的音乐会。演奏曲目包括已故探戈作曲家皮亚佐拉充满活力的《米开朗基罗70》、加朗的《兴致勃勃》，以及十分悦耳动听的电影动画片《埃及王子》的插曲。活泼跳跃的音符，将带给大家一个难忘的星期天下午。

13 Jan (Sun)
Potpourri on Strings
NUS Guitar Ensemble (GENUS) and Expose!

The guitar ensembles Expose! And GENUS are proud to present a diverse repertoire accessible to all such as Piazolla’s spirited Michelangelo 70, J. Garland’s In the Mood and entertaining music from animated feature The Prince of Egypt. Expose! and GENUS promise an enjoyable afternoon of music and an unforgettable experience.

谁记得,谁忘了

太爱了
所以我
没有哭
没有说

焉知非福

After work review, I left school in a rush to go begin my search for shoes again.

First it was Ngee Ann City, which the huge sports store "Stadium" informed me that the design I was looking is very old and may very well be non-existent already.

Then I went to Marina Square's Royal Sporting House, which was also a futile trip. I've spent a few days' afternoons on this and was rather disappointed and not hopeful of success. After some thought, I decided I'll try Suntec City and make a trip to Mustafa's and Macpherson's warehouse should the purchase be unsuccessful.

At Suntec, the design I wanted was not displayed. A clearance sale was going on and I decided that if I could find those boxed ones, I may find a few "undisplayed" gems. AND YES!!!! I found the design with a size 11!!!! how dreadful, I needed a size 12!!!! I continued scanning the boxes with high hopes, murmuring in my heart, the right design and the right size.
.....
and I finally found it!!!!!! stacked beneath about 12 shoes boxes, right at the bottom!!!

Yahoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This really made my day. HA HA

赛翁失马

我是个叛逆的老师.

我教书以个人原则及学生福利为首.

我对学校的方针政策,从不重视,也不加理会.

教书对我来说是一个非常个人的艺术.

教育的成功度是无法衡量的.

The MOE work review form appraises the level of competency of various intangible qualities. E.g. Nurturing the whole child, the possible levels are "not observed", "developing", "competent" and "exceeding". To me, these are bullshit.

Even my current principal was unable to prevent a student from dropping out of school despite multiple counselling sessions and close monitoring. Perhaps she should be graded "not observed" then.

In the end, I doesn't matter if I believe in the system or not. I am in the system. Hence, being a non-believer and non-conformist, I've been told I'm placed a D grade for this year, which essentially means no performance bonus for next year and if I manage to clinch consecutively another two D grades subsequently, I may be ask to leave the service.

And just last two weeks, my principal approached me and asked if I was interested to work as a Normal Techinical specialist next year. what a joke.

I wasn't really pissed about it, I think I somehow saw it coming. My colleagues said every year some of the teachers must get a D grade, it's a quota thing. So I joked with them that now that mine is confirmed, they'd be spared of the ordeal.

BUT, you know how things can turn around so quickly....

一鞋难求

I'm still surfing sites for shoes.... this particular model which 3v@d wanted. Youngsters these days are picky... but oh well... since it's a birthday gift, I'll try my best to get the right design. I found the design at Queensway, we went over to size but ended up they didn't have a size 12... so it was a darn pity. Looked around at Junction 8 yesterday, found a size 12 but a different design.

I'm gonna try looking around some more shops this afternoon, currently making a list of places to go. Mel's birthday is coming soon too, hmmm... wonder if she fancy skull slip-0ns too....

骷髅头鞋

Few days back, I went shopping for shoes(birthday present) for 3v@D and JH. The slip-ons look quite cool. With the skeletal designs. I surfed the net and quite liked one (black with yellowish gold skeletons), unfortunately did not find it at Queensway. Oh well, took some photos of the shoes and tried to send to them to see if they liked it, and realised that they don't have internet access hence can't accept picture messages. Ok lah... can show them when I meet them. Anyway, there're some really nice clothes there too. Will possibly update my wardrobe when I bring 3v@D there to get the shoes. =)

Here are some of the designs:

满

Family time!

I really think I don't look like my dad or my mum. Hmm...
Maybe I was really picked up from the rubbish bin afterall...

鬼马

Haha! It's seldom you catch Mr. Guay in action!!!

自立更生

I always hate it when the issue of sectionals somehow gets in my way of things. What the hell... some of the juniors don't even turn up regularly for sectionals, and they expect me or any senior to sit there and teach 1 or 2 alto juniors with irregular attendance?

If you want to have good sectionals, then make sure your members turn up lah. Those who NEED sectionals that is. Else, the proficient players turn up for what? From the way I see it, these days things are different. Last time, sectionals is used to spend time learning to play together. Now, sectionals is used to figure out notes and positions, or to correct grossly mistaken music interpretation and readings. Hence, the value of a sectional session has drastically decreased, more time on individual help rather than group dynamic.

When was the last time a section leader conducted a sectional, following the dynamics written on the page? And seriously, they should consider collapsing the sectionals to more efficient models. E.g. altos can play together in one room, Contra/Guitaron can join the Prime etc.

And what are the section leaders doing? How long do they expect to be hand-held? Goodness lah, you are an undergrad! Call your members, settle the attendance and make sure your section can play lah. Don't everything wait for SENIOR to do for you. Want me to change pampers for you or not?

Rise to the occasion man!