1st concert with winds and brasses

I felt rather good about the performance. It's like some milestone, having playing in

1. a cello concerto

2. with a world class soloist

3. with me on the guitar (with winds, brasses, percussion, double bass)

Frankly, I felt like I was playing some solo in the work as well; when the overall timbre of the guitar was so different from the winds, and not to mention that at several concertino spots with the soloist.

A rather positive experience, as it has strengthened my love for music and the guitar.

Interestingly, this is also the first time I performed on Guitar at the Esplanade. (Usually I just waving my hands; I think all my guitars friends have performed there many more times!)

Hope many more of these chances drop by.

金银铜铁铅

误打误撞有幸观赏了三个荣誉金，一银， 一铜。

对华乐评分有了一点领悟。

中西合并?

那天去了青年节华乐团的比试，发觉有好几间学校的华乐团很不错。

论艺术表现的话，都比管乐团来的高，尤其打击及弹拨。身体语言和音乐表现结合相当顺畅，有韵味。

相形之下，管乐团看起来较紧，僵，不通畅。（可能太过于有规律）

融合的话， 也许是锦上添花。

What a sickness can teach you

For future record. In 2011,

1st April (Fri): after downing a Mac Heaven & Earth Green Tea(served by mistake from an Ice Lemon Tea order), something fishy at the throat already. After NIE Band, yes, I could feel the on set of a sore throat.

2nd April(Sat): Sore throat confirmed, and pulsations of fever started in the early afternoon, which eventually culminated into semi-flu in the evening. That caused me a lot of money. Because I usually use good food to drown the unpleasant feeling of sickness.(and celebrations for Jin were on-going.) Mahjong session ensues with no delay or hesitation; and yes, 自摸 十三幺! Lovely 九万！

3rd April(Sun): As predicted, more or less nearing the full bloom of the entire viral festival. Yes, flu is on set, feverish, topped with a phlemy cough. I just hope that the mucus doesn't trickle into my wind instruments... Thank heavens, everything was smooth!

4th April(Mon): Smack right in the middle of the cycle, which is a fever, nasty cough and occasional flu. Costly sickness, broke my perfect score in a music theory test for not inverting a diminished chord in the morning. *Drats* Prof. literally said: "Not as perfect as the last time." "I'm gonna sit you out!", I thought as I left school. And I sat through it at the conference hall while pseudo-judging the bands that played. =)

5th April(Tues): No more fever, mild cough, and just a nasal voice due to a stuck nose. I think I've won! and tomorrow I'll be free and virally stronger for the rest of the year! Muahahahahha!

After-thought: I only felt the fever return to me after I finished performing Satyagraha.

Verdict: Music is miraculous.

总统中学

第一次遇到奇怪的青年校友。

校友甲（女)：长笛功力跟南华中二生比，差不多。每周以一身中性打扮返回校园,"助教"长笛部.

除了和其中一位中二女生非一般亲密; 聊天, 散步, 上厕所就占了多数时间.

校友乙 (男): 一副没教养, 没礼貌, 又爱出头的胖子. 是校友甲因被我请到食堂而搬来的救兵.

擅长流氓式的逻辑思想, 例如:用身体挡路, 不断的重复一些词语, 不断的挑衅,不断的干扰和介入与他无关的对话. 虽比我年轻, 但坚持我是学校的"新人", 要尊重校友.

校风可想而知.

该校如果有新校长任职, 也该拜会拜会这一卦人马, 否则让人说不懂敬老尊贤.

黑天鹅的启发

突破自己。

无需畏惧他人。

野蛮的奔放。

完美的自制。

沉溺吧。

天冷就回来？

暂别的博客，虽天不冷，但我回来了。

当职业杀手，生活也改变了。往好的。

原先的业余杀人，手法无需太利落，随意而行。

现在还得花些心思去考虑要用什么凶器。不能再乱砍了。尽量别弄脏地板。

杀人的赏金也得想它一想。至少也得包车马费。

我想把职业和兴趣合二为一的代价， 就好像面包与爱情的结合吧。

我会用心经营的。

支持

我想出去走一走，哦妈妈+朋友点点头。

也许你当初做错了，

致，一个走到交叉路口，头上没两点头绪的普通人：

“也许还是值得挽回的。”

Hear and forget...

"I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand"

I have been for a few pedagogy workshops that like to quote this, some even brough up brain studies to support this. Is it really true? or just generally applicable?

My report card

Hmmmm... iPhone can't upload photos on blogger leh...
(picture)

The SCO concert on Saturday was good! Inspired to re-start 古筝 lessons.
Tempting tempting...

16th WMC

Arrived at Amsterdam after a 13 hour flight and took a 3 hour bus trip to reach our lodging area. Finally there's a BED to lie on!

Back to the same lodging 4 years ago, and the landlady still remembers me! Amazing!

This is the rehearsal place, called wielderhoes, provides us with most of the infrastructure, like practice and dining areas, and percussion instruments.
Rehearsals begun and it's a fair bit of work for me.

After concert reflections

Just back from the SYF presentation concert, must say AJC band gave me the best impression of all. NJC picked pieces which were more mature and advanced but didn't play as smoothly as AJC. Actually all the bands did pretty good(obviously...).

I think the kids I have are like light-years apart. Given their current attitude, which is very much inclined to sleeping and playing, it's going to be a long way.

Let's start with rhythm and intonation.

While resting my eyes...

From Mich's blog,

"But how is it possible that not a single teacher smokes, drinks, batters up his wife, or have mistress(es)?"

I found this rather interestingly morbid. Anyone who is depressed or has lost confidence in humanity will find this absolutely delicious to their waning soul.

I have several other options for them to choose from.

"But how is it possible that not a single violinist has molested a child before? "

"But how is it possible that not a single mother has sexually abused his/her child before? "

"But how is it possible that not a single principal has porn addiction?"

These questions spiral endlessly. The population of the world dictates the number of permutations we will have. Problem is, there is choice. Some people choose to go left, some to go right, some choose to wait and some don't want to choose.

Do not mix moral values with profession, do not mix personal life with professional career.

A male teacher who smokes openly may not set a very good role for his students but his vice is not his sole example he has to offer. He may be able teach very well and impart other virtues and values to his kids.

My dad smokes. I didn't learn that from him.

Why are we so insistent that students need role models? Com'on, NONE of my teachers were my role models. Some were cool, some were fun, some were weird. I didn't want to become ANY of them. But yeah, interestingly enough, I became ALL of them.

Ok, off to my games now!

Thanks to Mel !!!

Amazing, well, hahaha =) I feel so intrigued by the fact that there's someone out there who thinks alike as me(to transcibe this piece for guitar ensemble). Only that they changed the trumpet part to Bass, and though lower but the tone still cuts through. Interesting! I suspect they are using a Sopranino(can't see well, but the tone is even higher sounding than Soprano for sure.)

You should hear their Brandenburg No. 3(all movements somemore!), lagi better...

One thing's for sure, they play from memory! Which probably means that's tons of hours of practice dumped in.

I wonder that 1966 means that they are founded in 1966??? Hmmm... that's 15 years earlier than GENUS? We have 15 years to catch up to their standard!

Summary of the above!

Looks like:

1. More schools are starting up Guitar ensembles.
2. Adjudicators are guitarists or guitar-trained, standard of judging has gone up!
3. Distribution of medals seems more "normal" in 2009.
4. If you want your child to excel in a guitar CCA, anything that starts with Raffles works.(e.g. Wai, Shuhann... who else ah?)
5. Anything that starts with "Angl" seems to work just as well. (e.g. Adrian TKS?)
6. Don't ever go on stage with lousy sound or poor ensemble playing. COP is now officially POSSIBLE!
7. It seems like secondary schools are fairing better than JCs!

Anything else?

Good Tango

Whoosh... makes me wanna do the piece myself!

The Golden piece

Drop by this site: http://gemeridian.blogspot.com/

MJC Guitar ensemble website.

They won themselves a gold this round in SYF, scroll down on the first entry and you will suddenly see MASAK appearing. hahahah =)

Anyway, seems like any guitar ensemble who wants to get Gold, just need to play the winning formula.

Dance of Yao.

85 岁去世

您将于公元2062年06月07日去世！

您距离死亡还有： 53年 10月 26日 1时 21分 19秒
=====================================

如果真的知道有个这样的电池期限，会更努力生活吧！

A Beautiful Sunday on 12th April

12 April 2009 - SUNDAY

"Stars and Stripes"

BY
Singapore Wind Symphony

VENUE / TIME
Esplanade Concert Hall, 3PM

ADMISSION
Free

MUSIC DIRECTOR
Regan G. Wickman

REPERTOIRE
Cuban Overture / G. Gershwin
An Outdoor Overture / A. Copland
Stars and Stripes Forever / Sousa
A Symphonic Portrait For Concert Band / C. Porter

Cowboy Overture/J. Williams