One of my old acquaintances is now a band/instrument instructor. Free lancing I suppose.
He quitted from school teaching.
In a way, I kind of feel that's a very nice thing to do actually. And I wondered if I'd ever be put in any kind of position to quit my job and do some work involving music. In some way, I admire/envy him.
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Anyway, I am again plagued with rehearsal timing problems. Sincerely, I want things to work out. I need to work with people to rehearse pieces and others need people to help in the sectionals; I'm so tired of this bouncing problem. It's like you are trying your best to do something better and something keeps tugging you back to the same problem, as if it was I who CREATED the problem.
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There's something seriously wrong la. We are like picking pieces depending of availability. Whatever happened to the sourcing and planning of repertoire? It's like...
"Ok we need one more piece."
"ok let's see what we have in the cabinet."
"Ok this will do."
And we wait for the next performance and we go on another repertoire panic.
We have like a world-class conductor/composer, 2 tutors and none can generate something new!?!?!?
I tell you ah... cantonese say "MOH NGAN TAI" ah....
like sibei sian right?
I cannot understand it, and so I give up on it. It's like working with musicians who are not ready to INSPIRE/MOTIVATE the group members. It's that kind of mind set. - "Just do my job and whatever lah."
I just cannot stand the "get it done and over with" mentality.
While I am constantly sourcing for new stuff for Xpose, I simply comprehend why others cannot do the same. Aiya... talk also SAI HEI....
8 comments:
I guess that's the difference between doing it because you love it and doing it because you're paid to do it. Goes back to the whole notion of setting out roles and responsibilities. It's difficult for the committee because it changes every year and is all voluntary. It seems odd that CFA hasn't and wouldn't do so for long term paid positions though. At the very least that would set up something that you can hold them to.
I really envy your drive and energy. These days it feels like I can't seem to find anything to feel excited and happy about anymore. Might be a rough patch, but don't give it up.
Understand the feeling you are feeling. But I think you have forgotten something.
Yes, the group may be reusing old repertoire, but to MOST of the members - these are entirely NEW songs. Genus is (regardless of what CFA may hope to achieve), simply CCA, targeted at UNDERGRADUATES. Please do not forget that.
You and I (and others), after being around for so many years,may aspire to do more than just playing an old-repeated song like Io Che or Tango Pot Pouri, etc.. But that's just too bad. The thing is, the undergrads may like it. And isn't that precisely why Expose was set up?
As for having a world-class conductor/composer, 2 tutors, etc, yes - I will readily say, I am PAID to do a job (to teach/train during sectionals), and that's exactly what I intend to do.
To put it BLUNTLY - why should I (I cannot speak for the conductor and the other tutor) spend time arranging/writing new pieces for a group of undergrads who dont even bother to turn up REGULARLY and TIMELY for sectional practices?
I'd rather do it for Guitaresque, who'd appreciate my efforts and likely to do more justice to the song.
I guess it's the same for you with Expose.
In the end, it is a chicken and egg issue.
But I have no problems with things as they are. We just have to remember that Genus for what it is (and has always been) - a CCA for undergrads to enjoy themselves, and to put up regular performances to satisfy the bureacrats in CFA office.
Isn't it the same reason why I can't stand that you have 2 copies of Warcraft installed and refuse to uninstall the faulty one? Wheareas you can simply live with it because 'it still works'?
:)
No it's not the same Parang.
Whether or not, I have 300 copies of Warcraft installed, does not affect you and anyone else. We still game online.
If I run a LAN shop and I refuse to uninstall the faulty copy of warcraft, yes, then u are right.
Bear, ultimately, it comes down to this.
A group must expand its repertoire, so that recycling is reduced. (sounds very unfriendly to earth eh?)
We are also talking about audience here. Undergrads come in and out, perhaps so does the audience, but if we do not do something new, the audience will soon get tired of similar works as well.
What's more grave is that the entire repertoire of the club, becomes like one stagnant pool.
If I may frankly say it, this direction must come from the conductor or music director.
yo Owls,
I dont disagree with you on that for a club to flourish, it has to keep "renewing" itself.
Still, consider this:
On one hand, the club is being corporatised by its management, which decides to fire a passionate conductor, and hire a professional (but does as he is paid, nothing more) musician. That already sets the direction and tone for the club future.
Then, we have to face up to the reality that most undergrads these days arent as passionate (about guitar) and committed as before - hence the issue of lousy attendance. Of cos there are still some who are "ON" about guitar, but these minority tend to be assimilated in Expose quickly, leaving the less interested ones making up the Genus numbers.
Read my blog on 理想与现实.
Sigh, sometimes all that initial passion and 理想 gets bogged down by the realities in life.
good point. SO I guess most of the members of GENUS do not feel the pride nor responsibility of wearing the GENUS badge? Or is it a different interpretation of wearing that badge?
I don't think they realise GENUS is a lan shop. Maybe more like a game network in hostels.
I guess most people actually treat Genus as just another CCA to earn points, and boast to people that they perform infront of an audience before.
But the big difference between when I joined and now, is that now that is a overly big relliance on alumni. Last time, it's super rare to see an alumni in Genus, and now suddenly, Genus is relying on the alumni for almost everything.
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