Reflections and Goals - a cliched post

After a little dish of rice, meat, and fried egg with prawn, I decided to have a look around the blogs of my friends. No doubt as the end of the 2007 year draws closer, some of us would start reflecting about the major bulls and bears, ups and downs of the year.

While I know you guys have seen these reflections so many times already, I have decided to post one just to do away with that guilty conscience that I have not done my own reflections.

On matters of the piano - 2007 has been an especially important year for me, with my leaving of NAFA to join YST and my swansong concert (the days preceding it turned me into a nervous freak) at NAFA. My successful audition into YST also was another turning point in my life, because it really (ok this is not some yada yada, it's true!) opened a new chapter of my relationship with the piano.

I also started writing more and more compositions, one of which was performed by the composer at YST.

Moving on to matters of RISE - there was the unforgettable New York trip, which was another huge milestone for our CCA. And then there was the yearly elections, where I handed the semi-EXCO position of Student Conductor (probably my first dream job before hitting 18)

Of course, I did improve on my soccer.

On matters of studying, I continue to neglect it as much as possible to concentrate on controlling and perfecting my control over the black music-making machine in my living room. That's bad, but I know that I have to just survive in RI while improving myself when it comes to music.

I do not, however, regret not joining the NPVC 2007, because I know my limitations and my ability to handle ever-increasing (add in a touch of emo) stress on myself. Well, I simply wasn't good enough, because I did not have any pieces at hand that were capable of putting up a fight at the Competetion. I would also like to say that my preperations were hindered by my LRSM, which in the end payed off with a Distinction. (yay)

I am pretty satisfied also with my ability to play melodic scales contrary-wise (ascending and descending melodic scales are different) and use it in Around the Keyboard in 8 minutes. However with the inclusion of it and a little editing and expanding around, it has turned out to be exactly 15 minutes long. Not a bad start to a practice session!

Just before the end of the year though I feel glad that I managed to pick up and produce a single sound from the oboe! Following some practice on it yesterday night, I woke up this morning eating my chee cheong fun with a little swollen inner cheeks, but by now (10pm) it has nearly disappeared.

Meanwhile, some goals to set in 2008. I would continue on the never-ending journey of expanding my piano technique and perfecting it. To me technique is like an arsenal of skills that you would have to use when playing the piano. When you face a problem, you choose a skill that you can use and apply it on the problem. Perfecting a skill includes making sure you use it properly, and maximising its use while not hurting your wrist, shoulders, backbone etc. To guys out there, it's simply like a Dota hero levelling his skills and using them.

Not forgetting my biggest group project of the year, which would be creating a National Day song and submitting it to Sing Singapore. My dad told me, "It's not what you know, it's who you know." Well from that it would seem a less difficult step to capture the coverage of our song. In any case Hongrui, Ben Low, Bryan and me would be working very hard to create a song that would reach out to you younger generation, and older generations. Much easier said than done, of course. But we will do our best!

With that, I end my reflections of 2007 and goals of 2008.