Planet Earth

I'm glad that I stayed on to play for the concert even though I met with a lot of objection from my family. The concert was simply fantastic to me as a player, and even though there were some hiccups, hey, if there were none, it wouldn't be considered as a live performance. We aren't robots, we are human and humans are not infallible.

For the first half, Crescent and Stars was really memorable (THANK YOU JIIN JOO!) and brought back the old school feel of the 1960's. Nice march tempo and plenty of spirit! yay NUSWS! and of course to Ian, for stepping up to the conductor's stand to take the piece.

English Folk Song Suite had lots of spirit too! and plenty of vigor. Thanks Martin for being an entertaining conductor (quoted from my friend) and everyone for playing the march with your hearts out.

Cartoons really became larger than life. Great solo from lizi and the percussion section for showcasing all the fantastic effects. Crystal, all my friends said that your drums were the best! Great feeling and great tempo. Simply the heart of the piece. ^^

After a really quick intermission, the 2nd half was the eagerly anticipated PLANET EARTH! I really felt that we did a really good job of premiering the piece! Kudos to the flutes, the clarinets, the saxophones, the bassoons, the trumpets, the trombones, the euphoniums, the tubas, the string bass, the cellos, the harp, and the piano sections! The audience was simply blown away by the transition of viewing our Earth through music from outer space and back again. ^^ We even got standing ovations! How cool is that? Even Mr Tan and some members of NUSWS teared during the performance of Planet Earth, showing how powerful this piece and this performance is and means to us.

I didn't tear even though I was deeply moved until all my hairs stood up (literally and metaphorically) and also, when we finished the piece, seeing jinxun giving that HUGE smile just made me smile back. haha.. it was a sense of immense satisfaction, knowing that we brought the audience to another plane of existance for the 50 minutes of the piece, and showed them how music can bring out the essence of one's soul.

I didn't bring my camera this time round as I didn't really feel like taking photos. I just wanted to savour every moment I can via my eyes and ears, because they would really stay with me for the rest of my life. And it did and it will always be. And even right now, recollecting last night's memory is bringing the tears that were delayed for so long to my eyes.

Special thanks to the Clarinet section of Ian, Zijun, Francis, Huikoon on 1sts; Xiu Yu, Cheng Huat, Ruixiang, Khee Nguen, Zi-xian on 2nds; Jinxun, Huili, Sharon, Jasmine, Kee Jun, Yuhang on 3rds; Cedric on the alto clarinet, Song Wee on the bass clarinet, Teng Wen for bravely stepping up to the contra alto (which he can play on one chair and not two like the rest of the section!) and Joel on the contra-bass (and for the vibrating effects given to me) for making the entire concert and all the rehearsals super memorable and fun for the past sem.

Now that it is over, I wonder what's going to be left for the rest of the semester. I'm feeling an emptiness now that the concert is over...

For now, the last thank yous must be credited to the following people:
Mr Leng, for your guidance in playing in hwachong really laid down a solid foundation to handle pieces like Planet Earth

and how can we forget,

Mr Leonard Tan, for giving us the opportunity to premiere Planet Earth, for teaching us so much, for showing us so much, for giving us so much without any qualms nor expecting anything in return. For his great heart and spirit, guidance and words that led this 102 strong band to where it is today in only 2 short years. For planning this fantastic repertoire, for being there for us not just musically, but also mentally, despite all his own troubles, which he never brought to us and solving all our problems and more. For without you, and the rest of NUSWS, I will have never felt such a deep regret and a sense of longing when the day comes that I will eventually have to leave. But for now, all I want to say is, Thank You. You really made my day and I hope that we made yours too.

15th March 2008 - InTempo 2008, featuring the premire of Johan De Meij's 3rd Symphony, Planet Earth in Singapore. What a night to remember, what a night to keep in one's heart for the rest of your life.

Concert

InTempo 2008 is coming up again.
15th March, 2008
5pm, UCC (as usual)
Part of the A+E NUS Arts Festival (NAF)

Repertoire:
Cartoons
English Folk Song Suite (Mvt 1)
Finlandia
Premiere of Planet Earth, Symphony No. 3 by Johan De Meij

Celebrating the 40th Birthday of NUSWS

Tickets available either from Gatecrash, or via SAM or me!
$12 + $1 (gatecrash fee)

2008

2007 is over and 2008 is here. so many things have happened in 2007, and I'm grateful for everything that has happened over the past year.
Being able to serve in the ex-co of nusws has been a great learning experience. playing for both concerts was a really nice feeling, even though i wanted to quit halfway through the year, and didn't really want to go to italy for fear on a drain on financial resources (which it was actually so i'm not intending to go for any trips that are not saved for by myself) elections wise wasn't that nice as things didn't go as i expected and i made quite an odd decision really.
its 2008 now and i dont know if i'm going to continue to play for planet earth even though i've practiced for it. supposed to submit the signup form for the concert the week after. really hesistant to spend that bit less time with family in exchange for the band. time wise, its not a problem, but sometimes, that tug to spend time for family is there rather than to spend time out with friends, even though they are really fantastic company like zijun, xinhui, khee nguen, ian, huili, ruixiang, teng wen, jin xun, song wee, joel, kee jun, tze ting, yoke khee, fairoz, edna, xiuyu, huikoon, cheng huat, wan ting, jasmine, sharon, fairoz, zheguang, cedric (both of you), and everyone else and of course, mr leonard tan for being so nice all the time and trying so hard to bring us all to the next level of music.
school wise, 2007 has been a year of ups and downs. i broke down in yr1sem2 and flunked my studies. y2sem1 was ok given 6 modules and i really enjoyed learning all my subjects even if i didn't do that well for some. great friends around, like ben, stephanie, cheryl, vengky.. even though i drifted away from some, i became closer with some others. makes me feel odd sometimes to see people that i was really close with in yr1sem1 drift so far away. missing the seniors that have graduated like charlene and i'm so going to miss qin yan the upcoming semester. i always looked forward to japanese classes even though we were next to each other in class to meet up for that lunch session and we could just talk nonsense. haha..
family wise, my family has stabilised over the past year. i still miss you, dad. things are a lot better now and will continue to do so. as they say, time heals all wounds? i'll find more time to go and visit now that its one module less (i hope) for this semester.
relationships wise, all in due time. Its in your hands my Lord. I'm sure you have it all mapped out for me and I'll follow you, with your words in my heart.

resolutions for the year, firstly, to lose some more weight. haha.. make more friends and strive for better grades. hopefully SEP goes through and I'll get to go around the world sightseeing. Looking around for tuition jobs still, and with luck it can be found. pay off my laptop loan by this year and get a new laptop next year along with a SLR. my clarinet wise.. i might sell off or just give it to jinxun or ruixiang should i stop playing. who knows?

everyone else, happy new year!!

concert

Da Capo 2007 is now over and this post is late by a good 3 weeks. >.< it was a really good concert and a night to remember and i have to thank the ex-co and the rest of the section and everyone in nusws who worked together to make the concert a success. even though the response from the audience is a mixed one, i guess what really matters is that we gave our all in the concert. truth be told, i think the rehearsal playings were a lot better than on concert day itself. the addition of people into the hall really warps our sound a lot. sigh.. didn't help that the recordings are so screwy!

anyway, had a good time after the concert with the section at crystal jade and at haagen daz. i still think that i bumped into something that night though i have no idea what. jinxun, if you read this, i apologize for making you giddy with that drive up the carpark. i'll drive a lot slower the next time. promise.

thanks for making the section a fun place khee nguen.
zijun, ian, lai yee, ruixiang, francis, thanks for taking time out of your schedules to play still. clarinets have the most alumni kaes! we are united past, present and future!
jinxun, sharon, jasmine, joel, cedric, thanks for playing as seniors!
song wee, hwee lee, cheng huat, thanks for playing as guest players.
xiuyu, huikoon, wan ting, kenny, thanks for being enthu yr 1s!
hope i didn't miss out anyone in the section.

most importantly, thank you jolie and lionel for being the emcees for the night even though you couldn't play in the concert, it is really appreciated. =)

everyone that has exams, jia you! for those working, may your jobs provide you with more satisfaction. for chenghuat, look forward to your day of ORD!

photos:

preparing for the concert

yr1 ladies

the year 1's + jinxun. yr1 as alumni counted too? haha

just the year 1's. chenghuat considered as one too!

our dear alumni. thanks!

well, xiuyu and huikoon, what more can i say? they are attached to each other!

all the alumni. =)

khee nguen and me

the skinny ones of the section

khee nguen and francis

zijun and me. the person that put the clarinet in my life ^^

natalie and me. we look alike?!

marketing '06 and marketing '07. lets take a better looking photo together next time

kee cai and me. grade 8 flute distinction! grats!

zoe tay and me! thanks zoe for arranging the rooms and other logistic matters. i'm not that scary la.. dont worry. =p

xx and yb. i think i'm quite extra in between them, but oh well.

well, this is just for fun. lol!

huikoon, dont play with ur food la! haha

section photo outside haagen daz. anyone has a better photo tt doesn't have keejun blocked, pls send me!

CNLWE Concert

went for the concert last night and was slightly disappointed in the first half by the tuning mistakes and the rather lacklustre of the music. eventually found out that it was colin's first time conducting and the hall also just had the air conditioning turned on right before the concert, so its rather acceptable that there were such mistakes. the temperature can sure wreak havoc on the tuning of the instruments.

had a nice surprise at the end, when colin proposed to kexin. hehe... kudos to him for having the bravery and its nice to see a sweet couple getting together in holy matrimony. kexin blushed like crazy during the encore piece! haha.. hope that she will join us for intempo next year.

Pastor Francis turned the night around i have to say. next time, have him as the emcee!!

on the sidenote... makes me appreciate mr leonard tan, ian lum, and mr darence leng a lot more.
thank you all for creating a space to enjoy music...