Hello all!
Just here to promote a concert where my second work for wind band will be premiered!
OP.2009
"10th Anniversary Concert: The Next Lap"
Date | 19th June 2009, Friday
Time | 1900 hrs
Venue | Yong Siew Toh Conservatory Concert Hall (National University of Singapore)
Admission Charges | SDG$10.00
Clarence Tan | Music Director
Nathaniel Tan | Bassoon
Programme:
Orchid Park Wind Orchestra
Singaporean Folk Song Suite | Zechariah Goh Toh Chai
Dreamscapes (World Premiere) | Terrence Wong
Symphony No. 2: II. Dreams Under A New Moon/III. Apollo Unleashed | Frank Ticheli
OP'us Alumni Winds
March "Wind For Winds" | Shin'ya Takahashi
Old Churches | Michael Colgrass
Bassoon Concerto in Bb Major K191 | Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
The Merry Widow Selections | Franz Lehar
Interval
Combined Wind Orchestra
First Suite In Eb | Gustav Holst
El Camino Real "A Latin Fantasy" | Alfred Reed
1812 Overture | Piotr Illyich Tchaikovsky
FOR TICKETS and directions ask me directly or approach Yue Feng! :D
P.S. good luck for Elegance al Esplanade!
Tuesday, 9 June 2009
Saturday, 6 June 2009
Instrument Fixing
Due to unforseen circumstances, the windworks people will only be coming down on the next friday, in the morning.
So during the next week, please try to write an account for your instrument, if your instrument is not working well.
e.g. Eb Key is not moving, dented at blah blah blah.
-Thanks
So during the next week, please try to write an account for your instrument, if your instrument is not working well.
e.g. Eb Key is not moving, dented at blah blah blah.
-Thanks
Wednesday, 3 June 2009
Attention all sec 4 band members
There would be band practice for the sec four band members on this Thursday and Friday. Practice next week would be on Monday, Thursday and Friday. There would be a break for your prelims following that week. Practice would then resume on 26th June, Friday.
Saturday, 30 May 2009
Holiday Practice schedule
This is basically the schedule for every week of the holidays.
- Mondays- 1pm to 6 pm (sectional for sec 2s and 3s)
(combine for sec 1s)
- Thursday- 8am to 12 pm (junior band)
1pm to 6pm (combine)
- Friday- 8am to 12 pm (junior band)
1pm to 6pm (combine)
On 25th June, Thursday, there would be a full day exchange with St Patricks from 8 am to 5 pm.
Sunday, 17 May 2009
Secondary 4 Band members........
I do hope that this blog is still surviving...
This is a notice to remind [ALL Secondary 4 Band Members] that they [Are to] perform for the [Esplanade Showcase].
Rehearsals will be [Limited] Only to the [First Week of June].
If there are any issues regarding the above, kindly look for the Leaders (any), or the various Teachers-In-Charge.
thanks. X)
Lawliet,
This is a notice to remind [ALL Secondary 4 Band Members] that they [Are to] perform for the [Esplanade Showcase].
Rehearsals will be [Limited] Only to the [First Week of June].
If there are any issues regarding the above, kindly look for the Leaders (any), or the various Teachers-In-Charge.
thanks. X)
Lawliet,
Sunday, 3 May 2009
Pandemonium and Chaos......
Hey band,
No more lame arguments alright?
At least have musical ones.
Dont need someone (especially your band leaders) to bring order okay, just be matured and take care of yourselves.
Such trivial matters are really not worth going on about.............
Sec 1's, 2's and 3's.......
It's your examination period..........
Study hard and persevere.
I wish you all the best in your respective exams. X)
Sec 4's...........
Study. Do Homework. Revise. Go for your remedials lol.
yupp, pretty much it.
your exams arent that far off.........
O levels arent exactly the most fun thing to prepare for... but yea...... you dont want to have those tears of regret at the final day.
I'm missing band and my Instrument already....
haha....... X)
Hope you guys are doing alright.
Mr glosz too. ^^
Cheers.......
buhbye! X)
Lawliet was online on 3/5/2009 at 12:05pm.
No more lame arguments alright?
At least have musical ones.
Dont need someone (especially your band leaders) to bring order okay, just be matured and take care of yourselves.
Such trivial matters are really not worth going on about.............
Sec 1's, 2's and 3's.......
It's your examination period..........
Study hard and persevere.
I wish you all the best in your respective exams. X)
Sec 4's...........
Study. Do Homework. Revise. Go for your remedials lol.
yupp, pretty much it.
your exams arent that far off.........
O levels arent exactly the most fun thing to prepare for... but yea...... you dont want to have those tears of regret at the final day.
I'm missing band and my Instrument already....
haha....... X)
Hope you guys are doing alright.
Mr glosz too. ^^
Cheers.......
buhbye! X)
Lawliet was online on 3/5/2009 at 12:05pm.
Thursday, 23 April 2009
A source of Insipration
I am sure many of you have seen this.
Susan Boyle, 47, "country bumpkin, dazzled the crowd and the judges during the auditions for "Britain's Got Talent 2009"
She sang "I dreamed a dream" (Don't ask me about the grammar) from Les Miserables (sounds familiar Secondary 4s?). At first, they laughed at her. "Cyanical" was the word, but after she sang, they weren't laughing anymore.
How could they, when all of their mouths were agape?
I hope that this video will never cease to be a source of inspiration to you, because it has been mine...(at least for the past few days)
Watch Susan Boyle, hd in Entertainment | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com
Susan Boyle, 47, "country bumpkin, dazzled the crowd and the judges during the auditions for "Britain's Got Talent 2009"
She sang "I dreamed a dream" (Don't ask me about the grammar) from Les Miserables (sounds familiar Secondary 4s?). At first, they laughed at her. "Cyanical" was the word, but after she sang, they weren't laughing anymore.
How could they, when all of their mouths were agape?
I hope that this video will never cease to be a source of inspiration to you, because it has been mine...(at least for the past few days)
Watch Susan Boyle, hd in Entertainment | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com
Wednesday, 15 April 2009
Our Deepest Gratitudes.
Hey people!
On the behalf of the whole CHSSB, I would like to extend our deepest gratitudes to all our teachers, alumnis and tutors for their hardwork and their unwavering support to us during the most arduous part of our journey towards our GOAL. (not gold w/hon)
I would also like to take this oppoturnity to thank all the people who gave us their congratulations after SYF for what we have achieved.
(Thanks Mr Leonard Tan!)
Last but not least, though I know this is kind of late, but I want to thank all CHSSB members for not giving up, and perservering on together as a band towards our GOAL during the SYF period. I want to thank every single one of YOU who toiled, struggled, played, and cheered side by side with me, and the rest of the band.
Those memories will really stay with me forever. (Especially how crazy we went after everything..)
And I am sure they will stay with you too.
On the behalf of the whole CHSSB, I would like to extend our deepest gratitudes to all our teachers, alumnis and tutors for their hardwork and their unwavering support to us during the most arduous part of our journey towards our GOAL. (not gold w/hon)
I would also like to take this oppoturnity to thank all the people who gave us their congratulations after SYF for what we have achieved.
(Thanks Mr Leonard Tan!)
Last but not least, though I know this is kind of late, but I want to thank all CHSSB members for not giving up, and perservering on together as a band towards our GOAL during the SYF period. I want to thank every single one of YOU who toiled, struggled, played, and cheered side by side with me, and the rest of the band.
Those memories will really stay with me forever. (Especially how crazy we went after everything..)
And I am sure they will stay with you too.
Sunday, 5 April 2009
Revisionist perspectives of the SYF. Or band for the matter
Continuing from my posts on the Band Blog Tagboard.
I've left the school for 2 years now. But while I don't remember what the school taught me for Physics (I'm an Arts student now) or how many times I was late for school, it's the experiences I've had in Band that I still remember to this very day.
Like, how we played sunrise at sunrise.
Or, how the band screamed their guts out for Jericho (2005 SYF/WMC)
Or perhaps, the evil playing and whacking of timbales, or other instruments for the matter, for Incantation and Dance. (I'm sure some of you guys remember the rhythm)
Or maybe whatever dance moves or choreography we showed at VCH or the Esplanade whenever it was aesthetique.
The ecstasy of hearing the results that we got GWH for 2005 and the heartbreak when we got Silver 2 years later.
And maybe, some of the more unpleasant experiences along the way.
But that's life.
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.
I'm sure you've heard of that somewhere.
Because many years later, while you might have forgotten your subject content in school (that's why the USA produced Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader... when some of its applicants are Ivy League College Grads), or even how to play your instrument to the standard you are now, it's those memories that you'll remember for life. It's the experiences that brought you along to that final result that you'll keep in your memories.
And speaking of Jericho and Incantation and Dance, I can still play my parts for the pieces. I bet same goes for Yiyong and Junwei.
I've left the school for 2 years now. But while I don't remember what the school taught me for Physics (I'm an Arts student now) or how many times I was late for school, it's the experiences I've had in Band that I still remember to this very day.
Like, how we played sunrise at sunrise.
Or, how the band screamed their guts out for Jericho (2005 SYF/WMC)
Or perhaps, the evil playing and whacking of timbales, or other instruments for the matter, for Incantation and Dance. (I'm sure some of you guys remember the rhythm)
Or maybe whatever dance moves or choreography we showed at VCH or the Esplanade whenever it was aesthetique.
The ecstasy of hearing the results that we got GWH for 2005 and the heartbreak when we got Silver 2 years later.
And maybe, some of the more unpleasant experiences along the way.
But that's life.
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.
I'm sure you've heard of that somewhere.
Because many years later, while you might have forgotten your subject content in school (that's why the USA produced Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader... when some of its applicants are Ivy League College Grads), or even how to play your instrument to the standard you are now, it's those memories that you'll remember for life. It's the experiences that brought you along to that final result that you'll keep in your memories.
And speaking of Jericho and Incantation and Dance, I can still play my parts for the pieces. I bet same goes for Yiyong and Junwei.
Saturday, 4 April 2009
CHSSB - Our SYF 2009
Hey guys!
Before I start to write anything, I would firstly like to APOLOGISE for the outdated-ness (if there is such a word) of the band web. TO all the "fans" of CHSSB and its web page out there, I AM SO SORRY! (My excuse: Was really busy with SYF and the numerous tests from my teachers) Please forgive me! T_T
You would probably have read all the inspiring posts from Quintus, Louis, Luke etc etc etc. (No Jun Yao?)
Blah Blah Blah. Ok, we have reached what we have desired for since god-knows-when. We have got our GWH. We have got back our pride, our honour, our past glory.But, So what? Like what some of the posts said:" We must keep up with our reputation."
Saw what some of you all wrote on the tagboard: So many bands got GWH, 8 gwh in 4 days,so maybe ours "worthless and useless".
Basically, after all the shouting and screaming and cheering (and hollering at CO and Choir), I had that same thought. If so many bands got GWH, what makes our GWH then?
Then almost immediately, the answer dawned on me.
Let me use an example (specifically Zhen Xi's one):
Let's imagine, in the whole cohort of Secondary 4s (or 3s or 2s or 1s), everyone got at least 85 marks and above for Physics. If I have that initial mentality, I would be thinking :" What the H**L? Everyone got almost the same mark as me? Sian diao la..then like that I might as well get Zero!"
But, for me (only), I would be thinking :" YES YES YES YES YES YES YES! Finally I score in Physics! After so much hard work and mugging...I improved by SO MUCH!"
Yes seriously. I am not being hypocritical. (FYI, my physics is very lousy)
It's the same for our band. From a silver to a GWH is a quantum leap.
Furthermore, to me...
GWH is just GWH.
It's just a certificate.
It's just an award.
It's just 7-8 CCA points (or whatever).
It's just a name.
It may give you (or us for that matter) a momentarily outburst of pride and spontaneous joy, but it is short-lived. Don't you agree? After 20 years, you will worrying about something else instead of remembering what was the date of the SYF year in which we got back GWH.
What comes after SYF and GWH is the cold, hard, cruel reality. Who in the world cares abotu your SYF? Get your A1s, sustain your standards, continue to improve etc etc etc.
But maybe I am mistaken. Maybe the award really is worthless after so many bands got it. Maybe I am wrong. Really, it all depends on what your definition of that award is.
MY definition (after much thoughts) is :GWH is the journey.
I admit that SYF 2009 left me great memories. SO great, I will never ever forget them. And you know what's great about them?
It's not the award.
It's not the my not-screwing-anything part.
It's not "getting back our glory" part.
It's the journey. The numerous practices. The tiring and arduous hours. The hard work we put in to impress and to not disppoint. The nerves that everyone gets right before our performance. The brilliance of our performance. The friendship and bonds between band mates that were strengthened. And the relief that finally, it's all over.
That was what MY GWH is all about. They always say that it is the journey that counts, not the result. I always remained skeptical of that statement, up until now.
So do I think that our award is useless after so many band got the same award?
No.
A blatant no.
Why? Simple.
Because I think our band is unique, not in a way that it is better than others.
But, in a way that, CHSSB has experienced and achieved so many things, before and after SYF, that NO bands anywhere could ever have possibly done so!
I know that this is a very bias statement, and I am sure that not everyone agrees with me. But I don't care. And I know I can't brainwash all of you with this as well.
Because this is my definition of SYF, and of GWH. This is my interpretation of what CHSSB has achieved in April 2009.
I don;t care what pther people got. Because I will never ever (ever x100) forget what I had been through with all my brothers, and what we had experienced and achieved together on-stage and off-stage.
"Unforgettable" is truly the word.
Before I start to write anything, I would firstly like to APOLOGISE for the outdated-ness (if there is such a word) of the band web. TO all the "fans" of CHSSB and its web page out there, I AM SO SORRY! (My excuse: Was really busy with SYF and the numerous tests from my teachers) Please forgive me! T_T
You would probably have read all the inspiring posts from Quintus, Louis, Luke etc etc etc. (No Jun Yao?)
Blah Blah Blah. Ok, we have reached what we have desired for since god-knows-when. We have got our GWH. We have got back our pride, our honour, our past glory.But, So what? Like what some of the posts said:" We must keep up with our reputation."
Saw what some of you all wrote on the tagboard: So many bands got GWH, 8 gwh in 4 days,so maybe ours "worthless and useless".
Basically, after all the shouting and screaming and cheering (and hollering at CO and Choir), I had that same thought. If so many bands got GWH, what makes our GWH then?
Then almost immediately, the answer dawned on me.
Let me use an example (specifically Zhen Xi's one):
Let's imagine, in the whole cohort of Secondary 4s (or 3s or 2s or 1s), everyone got at least 85 marks and above for Physics. If I have that initial mentality, I would be thinking :" What the H**L? Everyone got almost the same mark as me? Sian diao la..then like that I might as well get Zero!"
But, for me (only), I would be thinking :" YES YES YES YES YES YES YES! Finally I score in Physics! After so much hard work and mugging...I improved by SO MUCH!"
Yes seriously. I am not being hypocritical. (FYI, my physics is very lousy)
It's the same for our band. From a silver to a GWH is a quantum leap.
Furthermore, to me...
GWH is just GWH.
It's just a certificate.
It's just an award.
It's just 7-8 CCA points (or whatever).
It's just a name.
It may give you (or us for that matter) a momentarily outburst of pride and spontaneous joy, but it is short-lived. Don't you agree? After 20 years, you will worrying about something else instead of remembering what was the date of the SYF year in which we got back GWH.
What comes after SYF and GWH is the cold, hard, cruel reality. Who in the world cares abotu your SYF? Get your A1s, sustain your standards, continue to improve etc etc etc.
But maybe I am mistaken. Maybe the award really is worthless after so many bands got it. Maybe I am wrong. Really, it all depends on what your definition of that award is.
MY definition (after much thoughts) is :GWH is the journey.
I admit that SYF 2009 left me great memories. SO great, I will never ever forget them. And you know what's great about them?
It's not the award.
It's not the my not-screwing-anything part.
It's not "getting back our glory" part.
It's the journey. The numerous practices. The tiring and arduous hours. The hard work we put in to impress and to not disppoint. The nerves that everyone gets right before our performance. The brilliance of our performance. The friendship and bonds between band mates that were strengthened. And the relief that finally, it's all over.
That was what MY GWH is all about. They always say that it is the journey that counts, not the result. I always remained skeptical of that statement, up until now.
So do I think that our award is useless after so many band got the same award?
No.
A blatant no.
Why? Simple.
Because I think our band is unique, not in a way that it is better than others.
But, in a way that, CHSSB has experienced and achieved so many things, before and after SYF, that NO bands anywhere could ever have possibly done so!
I know that this is a very bias statement, and I am sure that not everyone agrees with me. But I don't care. And I know I can't brainwash all of you with this as well.
Because this is my definition of SYF, and of GWH. This is my interpretation of what CHSSB has achieved in April 2009.
I don;t care what pther people got. Because I will never ever (ever x100) forget what I had been through with all my brothers, and what we had experienced and achieved together on-stage and off-stage.
"Unforgettable" is truly the word.
Thursday, 2 April 2009
Leonard Tan's congratulations!
On Facebook...
"Leonard Tan congratulates Catholic High School Symphony Band! One band, one sound, one brotherhood! Bravo gentlemen! "
and so do i. great job, men and boys of Chssb.
Just to let you all know...after i sent him the news that CHSSB had won GWH, he sent me back...
"YAAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Great to hear abt this absolutely FANTASTIC NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I actually stayed up to listen to the band LIVE via the telephone......I was so proud of your juniors!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have SO MANY LOVELY memories of the band!!!! CONGRATULATIONS TO CHSSB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
I actually teared when i saw this and am still tearing as i type this. Where in the world can you find such a man who will stay up till 3am just to hear his former band play? Go figure.
"Leonard Tan congratulates Catholic High School Symphony Band! One band, one sound, one brotherhood! Bravo gentlemen! "
and so do i. great job, men and boys of Chssb.
Just to let you all know...after i sent him the news that CHSSB had won GWH, he sent me back...
"YAAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Great to hear abt this absolutely FANTASTIC NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I actually stayed up to listen to the band LIVE via the telephone......I was so proud of your juniors!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have SO MANY LOVELY memories of the band!!!! CONGRATULATIONS TO CHSSB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
I actually teared when i saw this and am still tearing as i type this. Where in the world can you find such a man who will stay up till 3am just to hear his former band play? Go figure.
Wednesday, 1 April 2009
The Value of GWH
Hey all. Can't really sleep after all the excitement and chong pang nonsense so I'll just post a little on my thoughts.
SYF hasn't been a very eventful journey, but if you think deep it is. Here's how it goes for me: initially, I was a medal-obssessed beast. I don't deny it. I was HUNGRY for Gold with Honours! Then came new thoughts about lots of things; like our musicality fading and other stuff. I started thinking, were we just looking at the medal that we wanted (sorry, certificate) and not really focusing on what really mattered? Thankfully, Fei Yang's talk seemed to have a positive effect on everyone and we all (while still HUNGRY for gold with honours) started to strive to get our musicality into the pieces.
Alright, enough repeated stuff that you all have heard for a million times. After today, after going crazy and screaming our voices till there's no voice left and band-cheering about 7 times or more, I realised one thing: that Gold with Honours might be redemption, but it is a very little bit of it. It's hardly worth mentioning if you have redemption in mind. Gold with Honours is recognition for putting on a good performance, of course. But best of all, I really love the happiness coursing through everyone when we attained it. It was bloody addictive! Damn! I really wish I could go back in time and listen to the results get announced and jump up screaming again.
And even better is how some people whose hearts were never really in the band seemed to change after the screamfest. That's really fantastic. Join the train ride man.
This is a day I'll never forget!
SYF hasn't been a very eventful journey, but if you think deep it is. Here's how it goes for me: initially, I was a medal-obssessed beast. I don't deny it. I was HUNGRY for Gold with Honours! Then came new thoughts about lots of things; like our musicality fading and other stuff. I started thinking, were we just looking at the medal that we wanted (sorry, certificate) and not really focusing on what really mattered? Thankfully, Fei Yang's talk seemed to have a positive effect on everyone and we all (while still HUNGRY for gold with honours) started to strive to get our musicality into the pieces.
Alright, enough repeated stuff that you all have heard for a million times. After today, after going crazy and screaming our voices till there's no voice left and band-cheering about 7 times or more, I realised one thing: that Gold with Honours might be redemption, but it is a very little bit of it. It's hardly worth mentioning if you have redemption in mind. Gold with Honours is recognition for putting on a good performance, of course. But best of all, I really love the happiness coursing through everyone when we attained it. It was bloody addictive! Damn! I really wish I could go back in time and listen to the results get announced and jump up screaming again.
And even better is how some people whose hearts were never really in the band seemed to change after the screamfest. That's really fantastic. Join the train ride man.
This is a day I'll never forget!
Tuesday, 31 March 2009
The First of April, Twenty Zero-Nine
"....Cat high band has so much potential!......."
alright....... We have reeallyyyyyyy heard that alot of times.......
Tomorrow, the first of april.........
Yupp SYF........ Band number 53........
We show everyone just how much potential we have alright? X)
Sec 4's...... you know how much this means to us........
What I call " One Last Shot. ".........
I ask you not to be complacent, but to believe.
Personally, I dont want All our senior's efforts in supporting to go to waste. I'm sure many of you will feel the same way.
We have so many supporting us.
Remember our conductors?
Ms Tan? Mr Tan? Mr Glosz?...... I've been around for 4 years in band, and these are the conductors that have come and gone... always bringing our standard up...
They have been always putting their hearts and efforts into the entire process of me growing as a band member.
I know my batch mates have been through this journey too!
It all comes to tomorrow, the First of April......
Remember our teachers?
Mr Heng, Mr Tey, Ms Wong, Ms Khoo....... X)
Band Practice....... Band Camp...... dinners?
They have always been there to support us.... To really bring the best out in us...... To keep things as they should be.
They'll be there for our SYF alright!
Remember our seniors and alumni? X)
Yes..... all those wonderful moments with them, the laughter, the joy, the tears......
How they would teach and correct us, in the hope that we would succeed them.....
They would be the ones who would be next to us, to play that note, to tell us to soften down where necessary.
They will support us in their hearts even if they cant be there for our Syf.
We look so far, but do we look next to us?
The friends, we have journeyed with.....
well, for me, it has been 4 years......
I have no regrets in joining Band. X)
Our friends, the camaraderie........ They have always been there with you for the ups and downs.
The happy smiles that will touch your heart when you look back.....
We will finish this, together, a Band of Brothers, bonded with a common goal.
Its a combined effort, and the only way.... is to encourage each other on, never giving up.
We can draw this strength in the close bonds of our brothers.
Its just a short while away.
One performance. The performance.
where we share our music, Catholic High School Symphony Band's music, with everyone there!
yea.... think about it...................
Remember........... the result may be important, but it is Never Everything.
In each of your hearts, spirits within, know that we have come a long way. Let us really focus for that 15 minutes. Play our hearts and souls out, not by blasting, but by feeling.
This understanding we have for each other in our band, described as " mo qi ".....
Show that we have what it takes to make the music that is truely trencendental.
Every note........
Play it with emotions, supported by your mastery of your instrument.
Every phrase..........
Bring out the true character of it.......
Technicality, Musicality.
The 2 pieces........ Enjoy it with all your emotions. X)
Alright...... Think about what I've said okay? X)
haha..... I dont want to continue tiring your eyes out haha......
I'll end it...... by leaving you with......
Mr L Tan: All the best, CHSSB! I have faith in all of you!'
Everyone will be proud of you guys tomorrow, alright! X)
Rest well ChsSB........!
Bring Full Attire ( Black leather Shoe, Black Socks and Black Tie! ) and $16 too!
and.....
We put our trust in God.............
Amen.
Good Night...... X)
Louis, X)
alright....... We have reeallyyyyyyy heard that alot of times.......
Tomorrow, the first of april.........
Yupp SYF........ Band number 53........
We show everyone just how much potential we have alright? X)
Sec 4's...... you know how much this means to us........
What I call " One Last Shot. ".........
I ask you not to be complacent, but to believe.
Personally, I dont want All our senior's efforts in supporting to go to waste. I'm sure many of you will feel the same way.
We have so many supporting us.
Remember our conductors?
Ms Tan? Mr Tan? Mr Glosz?...... I've been around for 4 years in band, and these are the conductors that have come and gone... always bringing our standard up...
They have been always putting their hearts and efforts into the entire process of me growing as a band member.
I know my batch mates have been through this journey too!
It all comes to tomorrow, the First of April......
Remember our teachers?
Mr Heng, Mr Tey, Ms Wong, Ms Khoo....... X)
Band Practice....... Band Camp...... dinners?
They have always been there to support us.... To really bring the best out in us...... To keep things as they should be.
They'll be there for our SYF alright!
Remember our seniors and alumni? X)
Yes..... all those wonderful moments with them, the laughter, the joy, the tears......
How they would teach and correct us, in the hope that we would succeed them.....
They would be the ones who would be next to us, to play that note, to tell us to soften down where necessary.
They will support us in their hearts even if they cant be there for our Syf.
We look so far, but do we look next to us?
The friends, we have journeyed with.....
well, for me, it has been 4 years......
I have no regrets in joining Band. X)
Our friends, the camaraderie........ They have always been there with you for the ups and downs.
The happy smiles that will touch your heart when you look back.....
We will finish this, together, a Band of Brothers, bonded with a common goal.
Its a combined effort, and the only way.... is to encourage each other on, never giving up.
We can draw this strength in the close bonds of our brothers.
Its just a short while away.
One performance. The performance.
where we share our music, Catholic High School Symphony Band's music, with everyone there!
yea.... think about it...................
Remember........... the result may be important, but it is Never Everything.
In each of your hearts, spirits within, know that we have come a long way. Let us really focus for that 15 minutes. Play our hearts and souls out, not by blasting, but by feeling.
This understanding we have for each other in our band, described as " mo qi ".....
Show that we have what it takes to make the music that is truely trencendental.
Every note........
Play it with emotions, supported by your mastery of your instrument.
Every phrase..........
Bring out the true character of it.......
Technicality, Musicality.
The 2 pieces........ Enjoy it with all your emotions. X)
Alright...... Think about what I've said okay? X)
haha..... I dont want to continue tiring your eyes out haha......
I'll end it...... by leaving you with......
Mr L Tan: All the best, CHSSB! I have faith in all of you!'
Everyone will be proud of you guys tomorrow, alright! X)
Rest well ChsSB........!
Bring Full Attire ( Black leather Shoe, Black Socks and Black Tie! ) and $16 too!
and.....
We put our trust in God.............
Amen.
Good Night...... X)
Louis, X)
Saturday, 14 March 2009
Upcoming Band practices ( Junior + Intermediate Band)
Hey people!
The following are the dates to note for for Secondary 1s & 2s :
The following are the dates to note for for Secondary 1s & 2s :
- Monday -> 11am to 3pm
- Thursday -> 11am to 3pm
- Friday -> 11am to 3pm
Section leaders and senior members, do inform ur juniors about this if they don't know.
Sec 2s or 1s, please spread this information to your peers as soon as possible.
If there are any wrong information, please do correct me via sms, handphone or email.
~ Thanks!
Sunday, 8 March 2009
Leaders-Competant?
taken from TIME Feb. 11, 2009 (http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1878358,00.html)
Competence: Is Your Boss Faking It?
Bosses may be an overbearing breed, but more often than not, you've got to admire their business chops. Wouldn't you love to have that same sense of competence and confidence, that ability to assess tough problems and reach smart solutions on the fly? Guess what? So would they. If you have ever suspected that your boss isn't actually good enough at what he or she does to deserve the job in the first place, a new study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology suggests that you might be right.
Social psychologists know that one way to be viewed as a leader in any group is simply to act like one. Speak up, speak well and offer lots of ideas, and before long, people will begin doing what you say. This works well when leaders know what they're talking about, but what if they don't? If someone acts like a boss but thinks like a boob, is that still enough to stay on top? To determine just how easily an all-hat-no-cattle leader can take control of employees, researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, devised a pair of tests. Cameron Anderson, an associate professor of organizational behavior and industrial relations, along with doctoral candidate Gavin Kilduff, recruited a group of 68 graduate students and divided them into four-person teams. To eliminate the wild card of gender, the teams were either all-male or all-female. Each group was given the task of organizing an imaginary nonprofit environmental organization; the group that did best — as determined by the researchers — would win a $400 prize. While the prize was real, the purported goal wasn't. What Anderson and Kilduff really wanted to see was how the alpha group members would emerge.
After the teams performed their work for a fixed amount of time, the members of each group rated one another on both their level of influence on the group and, more important, their level of competence. The work sessions were videotaped, and a group of independent observers performed the same evaluations, as did Anderson and Kilduff. All three sets of judges reached the same conclusions. Consistently, the group members who spoke up the most were rated the highest for such qualities as "general intelligence" and "dependable and self-disciplined." The ones who didn't speak as much tended to score higher for less desirable traits, including "conventional and uncreative."
"More-dominant individuals achieved influence in their groups in part because they were seen as more competent by fellow group members," Anderson and Kilduff write.
But so what? Maybe they were more competent. Isn't it possible that people who talk more do so because they simply have more to contribute? To test that, Anderson and Kilduff ran a second study with a new team of volunteers in which the skill being tested was a lot more quantifiable than forming a nonprofit green group. This time it was math.
Once again, the volunteers were divided into fours in competition for a $400 prize, but now their assigned task was to work as teams to solve computational problems from previous versions of the Graduate Management Aptitude Test (GMAT). Before the work began, the participants informed the researchers — but not their team members — of their real-world scores on the math portion of the SAT. When the work was finished, the people who spoke up more were again likelier to be described by peers as leaders and likelier to be rated as math whizzes. What's more, any speaking up at all seemed to do. Participants earned recognition for being the first to call out an answer, but also for being the second or third — even if all they did was agree with what someone else had said. Merely providing some scrap of information relevant to solving the problem counted too, as long as they did so often enough and confidently enough.
When Anderson and Kilduff checked the participants' work, however, a lot of pretenders were exposed. Repeatedly, the ones who emerged as leaders and were rated the highest in competence were not the ones who offered the greatest number of correct answers. Nor were they the ones whose SAT scores suggested they'd even be able to. What they did do was offer the most answers — period.
"Dominant individuals behaved in ways that made them appear competent," the researchers write, "above and beyond their actual competence." Troublingly, group members seemed only too willing to follow these underqualified bosses. An overwhelming 94% of the time, the teams used the first answer anyone shouted out — often giving only perfunctory consideration to others that were offered.
None of this comes as much of a shock — at least if you've been watching the news. You don't have to be a former homeowner burned by the housing fiasco or a blue-state voter screaming "I told you so" to agree that the way we pick our leaders is often based on something other than merit. That's not entirely bad, since no matter how competent bosses are, they still have to have the charisma and confidence to persuade people to follow them. Whether they're leading from the Oval Office or the corner office, it's up to the rest of us to watch them closely and make sure they know what they're doing and where they're going.
Competence: Is Your Boss Faking It?
Bosses may be an overbearing breed, but more often than not, you've got to admire their business chops. Wouldn't you love to have that same sense of competence and confidence, that ability to assess tough problems and reach smart solutions on the fly? Guess what? So would they. If you have ever suspected that your boss isn't actually good enough at what he or she does to deserve the job in the first place, a new study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology suggests that you might be right.
Social psychologists know that one way to be viewed as a leader in any group is simply to act like one. Speak up, speak well and offer lots of ideas, and before long, people will begin doing what you say. This works well when leaders know what they're talking about, but what if they don't? If someone acts like a boss but thinks like a boob, is that still enough to stay on top? To determine just how easily an all-hat-no-cattle leader can take control of employees, researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, devised a pair of tests. Cameron Anderson, an associate professor of organizational behavior and industrial relations, along with doctoral candidate Gavin Kilduff, recruited a group of 68 graduate students and divided them into four-person teams. To eliminate the wild card of gender, the teams were either all-male or all-female. Each group was given the task of organizing an imaginary nonprofit environmental organization; the group that did best — as determined by the researchers — would win a $400 prize. While the prize was real, the purported goal wasn't. What Anderson and Kilduff really wanted to see was how the alpha group members would emerge.
After the teams performed their work for a fixed amount of time, the members of each group rated one another on both their level of influence on the group and, more important, their level of competence. The work sessions were videotaped, and a group of independent observers performed the same evaluations, as did Anderson and Kilduff. All three sets of judges reached the same conclusions. Consistently, the group members who spoke up the most were rated the highest for such qualities as "general intelligence" and "dependable and self-disciplined." The ones who didn't speak as much tended to score higher for less desirable traits, including "conventional and uncreative."
"More-dominant individuals achieved influence in their groups in part because they were seen as more competent by fellow group members," Anderson and Kilduff write.
But so what? Maybe they were more competent. Isn't it possible that people who talk more do so because they simply have more to contribute? To test that, Anderson and Kilduff ran a second study with a new team of volunteers in which the skill being tested was a lot more quantifiable than forming a nonprofit green group. This time it was math.
Once again, the volunteers were divided into fours in competition for a $400 prize, but now their assigned task was to work as teams to solve computational problems from previous versions of the Graduate Management Aptitude Test (GMAT). Before the work began, the participants informed the researchers — but not their team members — of their real-world scores on the math portion of the SAT. When the work was finished, the people who spoke up more were again likelier to be described by peers as leaders and likelier to be rated as math whizzes. What's more, any speaking up at all seemed to do. Participants earned recognition for being the first to call out an answer, but also for being the second or third — even if all they did was agree with what someone else had said. Merely providing some scrap of information relevant to solving the problem counted too, as long as they did so often enough and confidently enough.
When Anderson and Kilduff checked the participants' work, however, a lot of pretenders were exposed. Repeatedly, the ones who emerged as leaders and were rated the highest in competence were not the ones who offered the greatest number of correct answers. Nor were they the ones whose SAT scores suggested they'd even be able to. What they did do was offer the most answers — period.
"Dominant individuals behaved in ways that made them appear competent," the researchers write, "above and beyond their actual competence." Troublingly, group members seemed only too willing to follow these underqualified bosses. An overwhelming 94% of the time, the teams used the first answer anyone shouted out — often giving only perfunctory consideration to others that were offered.
None of this comes as much of a shock — at least if you've been watching the news. You don't have to be a former homeowner burned by the housing fiasco or a blue-state voter screaming "I told you so" to agree that the way we pick our leaders is often based on something other than merit. That's not entirely bad, since no matter how competent bosses are, they still have to have the charisma and confidence to persuade people to follow them. Whether they're leading from the Oval Office or the corner office, it's up to the rest of us to watch them closely and make sure they know what they're doing and where they're going.
Friday, 6 March 2009
Anyone?
Hello.Er sec2 and 1,anyone wanna go for self practice(sec2 sectionals+combined?,if any sec1's go,your sec2 seniors will teach yall some stuff).Anyone?Sec2s strongly encouraged,KL trip is nearing and everyone of us would want to present ourselves nicely?
Like what Mr Glosz said,challenge ourselves!Coming for 'self practice',which I would not call self practice cause we are supposed to have band on Monday,is already a challenge to some of you guys!Anyone??Its good:P
Like what Mr Glosz said,challenge ourselves!Coming for 'self practice',which I would not call self practice cause we are supposed to have band on Monday,is already a challenge to some of you guys!Anyone??Its good:P
Thursday, 26 February 2009
Okay people, Its game time.........
Yupp....
your exams are over as of tomorrow...
which is 27/2/09.
and.... YES!
There is [ Band Practice ] Tomorrow !
Come.
Band Room.
Friday.
2.30pm.
Punctual.
Period.
Exams may be over for now, but SYF isnt.
In fact......
SYF is in 30days..........
We are down to the the last month, everyone.........
I've been telling you about how this remaining time is either.... we Make it, or Break it.
Show me that we, CHSSB, can do it!
we know we are capable of it......
Lets set our minds and hearts to it then!
SYF 2009.......
today....
31 days and counting.....
ah haha....
I've got to study too lol......
Sec 4's... Prelim 1 may be over tomorrow........
but the 2nd and 3rd, and O levels arent........
Dont neglect your studies alright....
All the best to everyone in their exams tomorrow.......
bye.......
"The Only Place where [Success] comes Before [Work]...... is in the Dictionary."
now if you dont believe me... go flip open a dictionary and check.
you might want to consider dropping EL too lol.
rawr....! X)
L was online erm..... just now.
your exams are over as of tomorrow...
which is 27/2/09.
and.... YES!
There is [ Band Practice ] Tomorrow !
Come.
Band Room.
Friday.
2.30pm.
Punctual.
Period.
Exams may be over for now, but SYF isnt.
In fact......
SYF is in 30days..........
We are down to the the last month, everyone.........
I've been telling you about how this remaining time is either.... we Make it, or Break it.
Show me that we, CHSSB, can do it!
we know we are capable of it......
Lets set our minds and hearts to it then!
SYF 2009.......
today....
31 days and counting.....
ah haha....
I've got to study too lol......
Sec 4's... Prelim 1 may be over tomorrow........
but the 2nd and 3rd, and O levels arent........
Dont neglect your studies alright....
All the best to everyone in their exams tomorrow.......
bye.......
"The Only Place where [Success] comes Before [Work]...... is in the Dictionary."
now if you dont believe me... go flip open a dictionary and check.
you might want to consider dropping EL too lol.
rawr....! X)
L was online erm..... just now.
Saturday, 21 February 2009
ACJC Concert Ad
Hey band! Check out this concert:
ACJC Band Concert
31st March 2009
Esplanade Concert Hall
7.30pm
20 and 25 bucks, Student Rate 15 bucks. If there are 20 or more orders then you can pay by edusave, but er I think cash is better.
Repertoire: First Suite in Eb, El Camino Real, Turandot, Harrison's Dream, Pinocchio, West Side Story and much more!
If you like Springsfield, please go support him. If not, go and watch for the exposure. ACJC's a good band.
Please contact me at 92356756 for any details or orders. Book now ASAP.
ACJC Band Concert
31st March 2009
Esplanade Concert Hall
7.30pm
20 and 25 bucks, Student Rate 15 bucks. If there are 20 or more orders then you can pay by edusave, but er I think cash is better.
Repertoire: First Suite in Eb, El Camino Real, Turandot, Harrison's Dream, Pinocchio, West Side Story and much more!
If you like Springsfield, please go support him. If not, go and watch for the exposure. ACJC's a good band.
Please contact me at 92356756 for any details or orders. Book now ASAP.
Tuesday, 27 January 2009
Apologies and Misconceptions.
First and foremost, I offer my deepest apologies regarding my insensitive and ‘flaming’ remark that was made on the tagboard as ‘…’recently; I meant it in a matter-of-fact tone but I do know I have no talent in speaking nicely to people at many times. Once again, sorry to whoever I have offended and I hope it will not be taken to heart.
Still, I would personally like to correct some of the gross errors made by ‘Toreador’ who has a post right below this. Some of these misconceptions can be fatal. Please do note that it is perfectly fine if you, the reader, does not agree with my views, but the views below are also partly factual and partly generally accepted opinion.
1. ‘CONDUCTORS DON’T MAKE ANY SOUNDS’
Contrary to that belief, many conductors DO make a hell lot of noises on the podium, even during performances. Perhaps the conductors whom you readers have experienced do not make sounds, and you definitely do not hear it on most professional videos. For example, SCO conductor Tsung Yeh makes a little grunt in his throat every time he conducts a strong beat (which is really rather often actually) and is usually audible to the performers and the unfortunate row of people that sits right up front. My orchestral conductor makes a soft hissing sound throughout the entire performance, often blending into the tone of the string players and actually helping to give them more drive in their performance.
There have been countless cases where conductors who are so used to making noises on the podium end up wasting much precious time in the recording studio. (Mind you, renting a recording studio for an orchestra/band and hiring all the audio crew is really EXPENSIVE.) The conductors often do not realise it and are often embarrassed when audio engineers claim that there is some sort of foreign noise affecting the recording. Foot-tapping, batons hitting the music stand, and even jumping conductors help to contribute to the available force of the percussion section.
2. The disclaimer that ‘Toreador’ talks about ‘conducting an orchestra/ensemble of COMPETANT musicians who do not need to practice articulation/intonation/tone/rhythm or other mundane aspects.’
Competent musicians are not competent without a tedious daily practice routine. Orchestra rehearsals take up a few hours of a day’s time at most. Such little ‘mundane’ aspects are what makes up the professional player’s ‘appetisers’, if one is to compare the daily life of a musician to a good meal. Usually, performers spend up to six hours a day practising (albeit with tact), and a quarter to half of this time is spent on ‘mundane’ aspects, and in the process of trying to improve themselves, the performer never stops practising these basics even for a single day. As aspiring musicians yourselves, you should also take these as great examples and practice as much as your schedule permits.
3. The difference between an Instructor and Conductor
A Conductor has many titles; they may be, ‘Music Director’, ‘Resident Conductor’, and even ‘Instructor’. Of these titles, we often look down upon the one of ‘Instructor’, because he is usually one that goes around teaching school bands rather than honing his skills on a professional orchestra. But when one ponders about it, is it not obvious that the job of a good Instructor is a lot more difficult than a Conductor, and deserves a lot more respect? A conductor of lets say, the SSO, faces a competent orchestra that will play well regardless of whether the conductor conducts well. (Of course, a good conductor will be able to help the orchestra play better than their individual standards.) However, an instructor has to educate the students in theoretical, practical and musical aspects, has to sensitise the students to his conducting gestures, AND still be able to help the students perform as best as they can!
Some spelling errors found are:
‘Conducters’ – Conductors
‘Maent’ – Meant
‘Competant’ – Competent
For further posts by me on conducting and performance, follow the links below:
http://chssband.blogspot.com/2008/09/skills-of-modern-conductor.html
http://chssband.blogspot.com/2008/09/tips-for-aspiring-and-even-professional.html
http://chssband.blogspot.com/2008/10/recorded-and-live-performances.html
http://chssband.blogspot.com/2008/07/little-on-conducting.html
Still, I DO agree that conductors are supposed to make the players’ eyes shine—albeit inspire them to play better than they think they can! That is a wonderful point there, ‘Toreador’, and I wish all of you a Happy Lunar Niu Year!
P.S. Hope the Istana performance went well :D
Still, I would personally like to correct some of the gross errors made by ‘Toreador’ who has a post right below this. Some of these misconceptions can be fatal. Please do note that it is perfectly fine if you, the reader, does not agree with my views, but the views below are also partly factual and partly generally accepted opinion.
1. ‘CONDUCTORS DON’T MAKE ANY SOUNDS’
Contrary to that belief, many conductors DO make a hell lot of noises on the podium, even during performances. Perhaps the conductors whom you readers have experienced do not make sounds, and you definitely do not hear it on most professional videos. For example, SCO conductor Tsung Yeh makes a little grunt in his throat every time he conducts a strong beat (which is really rather often actually) and is usually audible to the performers and the unfortunate row of people that sits right up front. My orchestral conductor makes a soft hissing sound throughout the entire performance, often blending into the tone of the string players and actually helping to give them more drive in their performance.
There have been countless cases where conductors who are so used to making noises on the podium end up wasting much precious time in the recording studio. (Mind you, renting a recording studio for an orchestra/band and hiring all the audio crew is really EXPENSIVE.) The conductors often do not realise it and are often embarrassed when audio engineers claim that there is some sort of foreign noise affecting the recording. Foot-tapping, batons hitting the music stand, and even jumping conductors help to contribute to the available force of the percussion section.
2. The disclaimer that ‘Toreador’ talks about ‘conducting an orchestra/ensemble of COMPETANT musicians who do not need to practice articulation/intonation/tone/rhythm or other mundane aspects.’
Competent musicians are not competent without a tedious daily practice routine. Orchestra rehearsals take up a few hours of a day’s time at most. Such little ‘mundane’ aspects are what makes up the professional player’s ‘appetisers’, if one is to compare the daily life of a musician to a good meal. Usually, performers spend up to six hours a day practising (albeit with tact), and a quarter to half of this time is spent on ‘mundane’ aspects, and in the process of trying to improve themselves, the performer never stops practising these basics even for a single day. As aspiring musicians yourselves, you should also take these as great examples and practice as much as your schedule permits.
3. The difference between an Instructor and Conductor
A Conductor has many titles; they may be, ‘Music Director’, ‘Resident Conductor’, and even ‘Instructor’. Of these titles, we often look down upon the one of ‘Instructor’, because he is usually one that goes around teaching school bands rather than honing his skills on a professional orchestra. But when one ponders about it, is it not obvious that the job of a good Instructor is a lot more difficult than a Conductor, and deserves a lot more respect? A conductor of lets say, the SSO, faces a competent orchestra that will play well regardless of whether the conductor conducts well. (Of course, a good conductor will be able to help the orchestra play better than their individual standards.) However, an instructor has to educate the students in theoretical, practical and musical aspects, has to sensitise the students to his conducting gestures, AND still be able to help the students perform as best as they can!
Some spelling errors found are:
‘Conducters’ – Conductors
‘Maent’ – Meant
‘Competant’ – Competent
For further posts by me on conducting and performance, follow the links below:
http://chssband.blogspot.com/2008/09/skills-of-modern-conductor.html
http://chssband.blogspot.com/2008/09/tips-for-aspiring-and-even-professional.html
http://chssband.blogspot.com/2008/10/recorded-and-live-performances.html
http://chssband.blogspot.com/2008/07/little-on-conducting.html
Still, I DO agree that conductors are supposed to make the players’ eyes shine—albeit inspire them to play better than they think they can! That is a wonderful point there, ‘Toreador’, and I wish all of you a Happy Lunar Niu Year!
P.S. Hope the Istana performance went well :D
Monday, 26 January 2009
Shining Eyes
I was musing over the conducting techniques of various conducters i have seen when i was hit by a revelation.
CONDUCTERS DON'T MAKE ANY SOUNDS
this may seem an obvious point, but it is something most people overlook. conducters make no sounds, play no instruments, nor add to the overall sonority. then i realised something:
CONDUCTERS ARE SUPPOSED TO MAKE THE PLAYERS' EYES SHINE
what does that mean? conducters are maent to, through waving and various motions, bring a sparkle to the players. the players must feel the emotional turmoil that the conducter goes through in directing a piece of music. if the players only make sound (even great sounds) and not be "online" with the conducter, then the conducter has failed. if the conducter is unable to inspire his musicians to bring out all the slight and delicate little movements of the music, then he has also failed.
I will leave you to your thoughts.
(Disclaimer: I am talking about conducting an orchestra/ensemble of COMPETANT musicians who do not need to practice articulation/intonation/tone/rhythm or other mundane aspects. what we have in the band is an Instructor, not strictly a Conducter. instructors preprogram the players, conducters are a bit (**much**) more sophisticated, spontaneous, and flexible.)
That's enough.
CONDUCTERS DON'T MAKE ANY SOUNDS
this may seem an obvious point, but it is something most people overlook. conducters make no sounds, play no instruments, nor add to the overall sonority. then i realised something:
CONDUCTERS ARE SUPPOSED TO MAKE THE PLAYERS' EYES SHINE
what does that mean? conducters are maent to, through waving and various motions, bring a sparkle to the players. the players must feel the emotional turmoil that the conducter goes through in directing a piece of music. if the players only make sound (even great sounds) and not be "online" with the conducter, then the conducter has failed. if the conducter is unable to inspire his musicians to bring out all the slight and delicate little movements of the music, then he has also failed.
I will leave you to your thoughts.
(Disclaimer: I am talking about conducting an orchestra/ensemble of COMPETANT musicians who do not need to practice articulation/intonation/tone/rhythm or other mundane aspects. what we have in the band is an Instructor, not strictly a Conducter. instructors preprogram the players, conducters are a bit (**much**) more sophisticated, spontaneous, and flexible.)
That's enough.
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