MusICian

i feel i have accomplished quite a lot this holiday. musically, i have definitely improved quite a bit since WMC. ever since i picked up my instrument again after the exam, i have been working quite hard at my playing, and it’s paying off quite well. right now i only have to fix my embouchure and i’ll be on my way to a greater standard of playing (cos it’s the fundamentals). the piece which i never thought i could play is finally within reach too! if i continue working at the piece with the same amount of energy, i will definitely be able to play it for my exam.

this holiday has been quite an achievement for me, musically at least. a concert at the esplanade concert hall that went quite well, a gig at the esplanade library which the audience enjoyed. behind these performances, much hard work had been put in. learning how to play in tune with the rest is an ongoing learning process, tackling difficult rhythms, finding solace in good playing, learning to cope with difficult people; all part and parcel of ensemble playing. i learnt a lot! and i’m always always learning. one day i might teach music; before it happens, i wanna make sure i’m proficient in this field.

christmas has been unforgettable! so many pleasant memories for me to keep. a wonderful christmas eve dinner and a wonderful christmas date. life’s never been better! my smile is back, and better than ever before! because i’m genuinely happy, and the happiness comes from deep within myself. i don’t feel empty anymore, because i’m leading a fruitful life, pursuing my music and my higher education, while always on the quest for happiness.

a belated merry christmas to all, and i sincerely hope that your holidays have been as magical and as fulfilling as mine. and of course, a happy new year to all; may all your resolutions be fulfilled!

i’m stuck in band camp! ok, it’s not as if i’m not enjoying my stay here, and the accomodation’s good. i’ve got nothing much to complain about lah. oh, it’s supposed to be games now. i’d better get myself outta my room and head to the SRC before i miss out on the fun. haha. anyway, i haven’t had a camp where the members went to marina south for games and a buffet. this is fun stuff. although the games they planned didn’t eventually work out cos of the lousy turnout, we had some fun playing pool at marina. haha. and arcade too.

ok, gotta go. games!!!!

haha. let me explain the reason for the title slowly.

the up was the wonderful wonderful experience of holding our concert there! it was a great great experience indeed. the feeling of projecting my polished clarinet sound into the great hall, when it was empty and when it was packed with the wonderful audience, was indescribable! simply euphoric! i finally managed to fill the hall with the tone i have trained so hard to project. and it was indeed a pleasant experience! i’m glad that i was at my best yesterday. at my bestest form. there will be one day, one fine day, when i overcome all obstacles and stand proud at esplanade hall, giving the audience my best performance ever! let that be my goal.

and now for the down. was supposed to watch a concert with huili today at the esplanade concert hall, but guess what? i did the unthinkable… ok, it wasn’t that bad lah. but it was bad enough; i forgot to bring one ticket! i totally forgot that both the tickets are with me, and so i only brought one! thank god huili wasn’t angry with me at all. phew. in fact, i think i made her panic for a moment. oops. well, that’s $11 and an opportunity to watch a concert in the esplanade wasted! i learnt my lesson the hard way again.

my tuition kid will be going back to korea on thursday. i gave him a junior pictionary and he was so thrilled! haha. i’m going to continue teaching him when he comes back in late january. could feel the hospitality when i went over today! his mom even asked me what i wanted to drink. haha. i tried to choose something safe, but i ended up with lemonade, which i took only two sips of. oops. i can’t have lemonade lah. well, income will be cut by a good 2/3 for about 1 1/2 months. i better watch my spending!

ok, time to go grab some sleep

finally, my first ever performance at esplanade. it’s gonna be fantastic. i can just see it coming. even though i’ve never been to the concert hall. hahaha. imagine lah. imagination rules the world, ok? without imagination there won’t be any money, so don’t even think about arguing about that. hahaha.

first things first. i better recover by tomorrow. i don’t wish to be coughing most of the concert. and i hope my nose will stop running off and finally come back to me. argh. these days it’s been bad enough. i wanna sleep soon, actually, but i’ve still got stuff to do. and i kind of just finished dinner. can’t possibly sleep with a full stomach. sheesh.

surprisingly, i played well this morning. didn’t expect myself to get much of the ball since i’m still a little unwell, but unexpectedly, i managed most of the passes and even strung together a couple of assists and a lucky goal (the shot hit the post, hit the poor last man on his back and bounced into the goal). ha. am i lucky or what? what.

i know i should’ve just stayed at home when i’m sick. that’s the most basic thing anyone should know. if you’re sick, don’t attempt ippt. if you’re sick, don’t attend clarinet choir practice. if you’re sick, stay at home. you’ll save yourself a lot of uneccessary unpleasantries. unpleasantries that wouldn’t have happened if you’re tucked away in that comfy bed of yours and resting.

ippt was a disaster. talk about wasting time. i probably wasted so much time and money on the test. travelling was already bad enough. the 4 static stations were a breeze and i did them without much of a sweat. unfortunately, because i have a running nose, i cannot breathe properly and therefore 2.4 was a complete disaster. i just managed to scrape a pass. and to think i was even aiming for a silver. i kinda realised the moment i started running that i’m not going to make it for silver. i’m lucky to have still passed it. wasted attempt on the silver.

clarinet choir practice was quite disastruous too. i couldn’t concentrate because of my running nose and spent half the time trying to clear my nose. and my embouchure couldn’t last anymore and i was leaking air from the sides of my mouth.

what happened after that was beyond disastruous.

jealousy is a dangerous thing. a very very dangerous thing. and one should never lose his temper because of jealousy. NEVER. one feels the effects. right in the middle of the night. it’s 3:49am now by the way.

and yes, i do feel that couples who have broken up shouldn’t remain as friends when they know they’re not even compatible as friends. there’s nothing much to say about that. nothing can right the wrong i’ve been done. nothing can right the wrong i’ve done. not even friendship. so please do leave me alone.

i wish i could go to sleep peacefully, but i can’t. not now. not tonight.

i woke up feeling sick and wondering if i should go ahead with the ippt. actually, there’s nothing wrong if i don’t attempt it and it’ll just be considered a failed attempt and i can just reschedule another ippt. but i hate to drag things. wanna get this over and done with. without all these irritating ailments, though. now i have a neckache, a semi-blocked nose, a sore throat cos of the blocked nose and minor gastric pains. this is interesting. so healthy all along and suddenly, on ippt day, i fall sick. i think it’s Pre-IPPT Stress Syndrome. P.I.S.S.

anyway, i’ve got a whole lot of stuff to lug over to ippt too. i don’t think i have access to any lockers in maju camp. and i’ve gotta rush over to city hall after that. how? sigh. ask josh for help. i don’t think i wanna leave my clarinet and my file unattended in maju camp. too dangerous!

ok, better go eat something now. hopefully i’d feel better later. and i wonder if i can enter the camp with my hair colour. sheesh. wish me luck

alright, time for another musical holiday

don’t be mistaken, i’m not going overseas again (unless sentosa counts). it’s time for me to fill the entire holidays with music once more! this coming sunday is Mus’Art performance day! beautiful sunday series, esplanade concert hall, 3pm. free seating, first come first serve from 2:15pm onwards. first performance playing 1st clarinet for Mus’Art! i’ll continue to work hard with them, towards WMC 2009. performance with a clarinet choir on christmas eve at the esplanade library, short performance, wonderful experience. i forgot the timing, though! need to look at my bulletin post once more.

meanwhile, NUSWS practices are going on, and i’m also practising for my diploma next april. gonna be tough! i’ve been working on one of the pieces and i haven’t been able to play it properly yet. this one’s gotta be the toughest piece i’ve attempted so far. but i love the piece and i love the challenge it brings me.

Mus’Art is offering its musicians a chance to perform a concerto with the band. i’m keen to take on the offer. it’s always been my dream! but i’ll have to get my diploma in check first. maybe i’ll try one for the concert in july 2006

ok, i’d better start practising. gotta go give lessons later.

(oh, and yes mandy, i remember the confounding momo modules too. argh. thanks for your help again :D)