live it up to music!

People. They are such weird man-like things, filled with such irony and so many surprises. There are always those few people you pass by at a glance in the past and a few years later, you meet again. I honestly wonder if there's such a thing as fate. Probably in the way as to how some people will end up returning and invading your tiny private space known as your life. But otherwise, you get to choose your own fate. I mean, maybe you were fated to meet this person at the cross junction at this date at this time. Unfortunately on that day, you were walking towards the cross junction and your shoelaces came loose. You kneel down to tie them and that person walks past you unknowingly. These are the things about fate that writers feed off in their books. Seems so surreal, yet it can be so real in the same time. People like living in fantasies and dreams. I do. But i can't. People shouldn't. If you've been there and got over it, you should understand why. To save yourself from future disappointments and to keep your heart crack-free.

A few days ago, I was walking home with my ear-phones in my ears. A car with bright lights drove past while i took a step up onto the pavement from the dusty road. At that moment, I was thankful for the fact that we have music in our lives. As such also, I have came to a conclusion that Music is probably the most important out of all the elements that make up Performing Arts as a whole. Well, basically because music is something that is closer to heart to everyone and appeals to everyone. It can be as simple as the sound that the fan makes or the noise boys make at the basketball court. Talk about music making the in the orchestra or the symphonic band world. It's almost universal where people across the globe (of different races and cultures) would play and deliver it the same way on how it's written.

There are so many items to promote music. Your handphones/ television/ ipods etc. Music is portable - that's why people love it. You can readily bring a guitar out and play it or use your voice to sing ANYWHERE (if you have a lovely singing voice) and people go weak on their knees and just becomes damn impressed with you. You don't need a stage. You don't need a canvas. I mean, you can't just possibly walk in the middle of the streets and start dancing, everyone will just stare at you like as if you're an alien. But if you sing, nobody really cares cos it's normal. You also can't draw while you're walking. So if you're a musician, be blessed to know that you're one.

Just these past few weeks, we've been talking about how we miss having to look forward to Viva La Musica. We talked about the last. The fun, sweat, tears, laughter and all sort of emotions preparing for concert as such. Times have definitely change. The dramatic phase we gone true. Shocked. Replacement of our former conductor. And thus, unknowingly, Viva La Musica 3 was indeed the last.

I've never really talked about this. 7 years or so in the band, I've practically grown up with music. At 13, I, like many, started out with knowing nuts bout reading music what more playing and performing. Nonetheless, I've grown to love it with a passion. Especially those 4 years in BNSS.

Was talking to Irah, Yaya, Nana, Shane & Shiying over lunch the other day- amazing how we can simply connect with that common topic- the stereotypical singaporean-schooled band persona, and that's because underneath all the interest, music preference and lifestyle differences there is something common among all of us- the band experience. Because it bonds. even if we were from different schools. Within that tiny band community, we would probably have shared similar instructors, similar instruments, similiar concert repertoire, similar band mates, been to the Singapore Conference Hall- THE SYF EXPERIENCE, and the SAME SYF SET PIECE THAT WE COULD ALL HUM TO.

At this point, you should have already guessed, im feeling really nostalgic.

 

 
SYF Experience- This is something I would not trade for anything in the world.
A grand affair in BN, because we're the so called pioneer batch to enter. and it was as if the weight of the entire world rested upon our shoulders. Who could forget practices everyday in Dec, lunches as a section in coronation, late-night sectionals, prep talks, 80-member strong (it's been too long ever since I felt the exhilaration of playing in one), motivational talks, camps and school exchange, rehearsal at SCH, speculating about the progress of other competition, being picked as 71st band to perform in the competition (not knowing the chances we stand), then the tuning room, the excitement and tense-ness in the air, the commentator announcing our choice and the set pieces, and then tons of friends and students filing into the hall for the results. Band number seventy one, Bedok North Secondary School: GOLD. Shocked beyond words, tears of joy which later evolved into something really overwhelming...in retrospect it was just an inter-school competition, but no, to us, it was a legacy, something we really wanted deep down in each and every hearts. and then We did it! Back at school, we have the principal and a group of cheerleaders welcoming us. The feeling...it's beyond words. We've come so far now, and I still speak as though I'm a part of it. Sometimes, I really wish I could describe to the present juniors how it was back then. and as much as I or we wanted them to up-keep those things we left, there's nothing much we can do at the state it is now. (quite depressing).

Where do I start about the feeling of playing as one? I can't; you have to experience it yourself. If only thats just what we all did everyday- harmonising, complementing, compromising, listening out, observing, the stage. Now if I could apply abit of this to my life...

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Now after saying so much I do not know how to conclude. So much things to blog about (and I'm waiting for pictures!). So much is going through my mind at this moment. We'll see what's in for the next post.

Love, N.