Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Detention #2 (NO! A series about detention! It wasn't done on purpose!)

And of course, how could I have forgotten about the touch rugby game played by RJ girls for training in RI?

It was a combination of softball and rugby, where they had to pass the ball around and there was a girl who ran around the bases. And of course, the famous scene, when this pretty RJ girl in uniform (the only one in uniform) ran around the bases, and when she went for a touchdown at the final base, she dived, and lo and behold! her skirt flew over and I saw no evil.

Ok I didn't see any evil, because Norman saw it and told us. NORMAN SAW EVIL. He told me it was white. And when I looked there, obviously the girl had pulled back down her skirt, but she was covering her face in laughter. And all the girls around her collasped into laughter.

Damn. Evil comes only once in a while, and you hardly get to catch it until you're around 30.

Detention #1 (no series planned)

My plan backfired. It wasn't really a 'plan'. It was a I-need-to-eat-my-lunch-NOW case, and so I missed 20 mins of Assembly period to go eat my lunch at RJ. I managed to avoid the prefects doing their rounds at RJC, but when I got back to RI for the Assembly, I met into Miss Goh, and she referred me to Miss Jacqueline Sim, who made me go for detention, and then to Mr. Tan Wen Seng. Good thing was that they didn't shout in my ears, otherwise it would have been unbearable.

So I got one demerit point for truancy - one step to being John Lennon at 16. Or 15. Except I have yet to get laid (which I'm not planning to do so until I'm 30) So unfair really. I've never been to a detention my whole LIFE!

I wouldn't complain it's unfair or anything, because after I told my dad about the detention he said good that I ate my lunch and that I had to take care of my health.

Otherwise it would be Assembly wise Pound foolish. Had I not eaten, I would have FALLEN ILL! :O So for detention I had to write a reflection letter, and tomorrow I would be making a speech with 3 other guys during morning assembly about why one shouldn't pon assembly. Actually being in the process it really isn't meant to humialliate us, just to tell you guys that ponning really sucks. Because when I went for the last few parts of the Humanities quiz, it really was damn fun.

Moral of the story? Always have a heavy breakfast at 5am so you wouldn't have to look like an idiot at 12.30 and run off to RJ to quickly get your stomach filled.

Originally I could have gone home to practise piano at 3, but I got home at 6. I have juries this Saturday. And I have nothing to worry about already. I've gotten over it, and I need to work on my priorities. But yet, I have so limited time to practise. I only have tonight to practise, and none tomorrow before I go for my lessons. And string ensemble rehearsal on Friday is from 6.30 to 9.30. I get back home, practise till 12am. Entirely possible. And then 10am would be my juries. 6 hours to sleep, and 2 to practise, before taking a bus to the Conservatory.

Fine. Settled.

After this Saturday, I'm free. I can compose music. I can read lots of books. Play music with friends.

But concentrate, concentrate on Saturday.

Concentrate on my music.

Monday, April 28, 2008

Spiralling ribbons from the sky

I feel comfortable sitting here in this chair. Air-conditioned, although my legs are tired. Beautiful Prelude in D major. All the brilliant intricacies, intertwining harmonies, suddenly to regret and then to hope. Suddenly to Theophilus-talk.

Listening to Dr Hecht teach Bach is so soothing.

Math Error Analysis was ok. I can say maybe I can get 4/7. For Chemistry, I don't think that would be the case. I feel like drinking water now. Just pure refreshing water. Mountain water. Flowing from above.

Flying over an evergreen forest with snow and sleet. Beauty of nature.
Bach - language of humanity.

Spiralling ribbons from the sky.

I should stop writing like this - they may be to my viewers' displeasure, although it is my pleasure to write like this.

Sunday, April 27, 2008

Peace

One day a woman came to see the Buddha (the great spiritual teacher who lived several thousand years ago in India) with her dead child in her arms. Grief-stricken, she had wandered from place to place, asking people for medicine to restore him to life. As a last resort, she asked the Buddha if he could help her. "Yes, he said, "But you must first bring me some mustard seed from a house in which there has never been a death."

Filled with hope, the woman went from door to door inquiring, but no one could help her. Every house she entered had witnessed its share of deaths. By the time she reached the end of the village, she had awakened to the realization that sickness and death are inevitable. After burying her son, she returned to the Buddha for spiritual instruction. "Only one law in the universe never changes," he explained, "that all things change and all things are impermanent." Hearing this, the woman became a disciple and eventually, it is said, attained enlightenment.

All things change and all things are impermanent. I should start embracing both Christianity and Buddhism at once.

I'm at peace. And that is important, for only in mental peace can one achieve his fullest potential. I shall clear away all distractions, and work on my priorities. I shall stop using excuses not to do work, and I shall list all my current priorities.

1. Study for Chemistry CCT, even though it's too late, I shall do my best.
2. Practise Mathematics Differentiation, which I've been doing for the past few days, and I'm confident for tomorrow's quiz.
3. Practise for juries on Saturday. I shall work on my 2nd and 3rd movement of Mozart.
4. Type out my English summary for my speech

I'm still the normal Jonathan Shin, but with clearer priorities. This shall serve as a reminder for me to lead a balanced life. I shall go to church every Sunday, and I will harness the power of meditation to guide me through my toughest times. I would still talk to friends, for I'm not selfish, and I do not strive to better others, only myself.

I shall not let them down - I shall not let him down - I shall not let her down - I shall not let myself down.

Saturday, April 26, 2008

I realised I wrote

I shall eat a banana for lunch.

I realised I wrote a modern art-music piece called Tribal Dance for the Land of Hi. It's so damn coincedental that Clinton mentioned to me about him planning to write an abstract work called "Hi", and that we were working towards a musical at the end of the year for the Literature Comedy Project. And our project was supposed to revolve around Gulliver's Travels (I supposed). So if you did read the last book where he met the Yahoos and their tribal behavior, you would understand why the music was so coincedental.

The music itself is pretty awkward - an atonal piece that starts with a mere hint of G minor and alternating time signatures to signify gathering people and the pitterpattering of feet. There's the chief's entrance. Well it could have been inspired by Debussy's Island of Joy, when Clarence went on story-telling mode for the piece.

I shall have a banana for lunch.

Perhaps the banana might console me, and it looked like it could lah. Hopefully.

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Abstract

It's important to be both pragmatic yet briliantly optimistic for life. It's important to understand that the only thing that comes with a 100% guarantee in life would be death. Expecting a death is never easy!

I'll constantly remind myself to stay strong, and never let myself go astray...

My juries are next week, and yet I'm not ready for Mozart 2nd and 3rd movement.

Lit presentation on the Theatre of the Abstract was neat - an impromptu performance flows pretty naturally. Clinton and I were pretty organized, and Ms Chew apparently thought we gave a very good dramatization of Endgame. She wants us to put the presentation up on the LitWiki.

Which I've yet to locate :X

Other than that, I'm simply lost these days as to what to blog about. No wonder the lack of tags

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

What else.

I realised I start every post in nearly the same fashion, or at least I think I do. That's because I've a boring format!

We did the orchestration for the Introduction for Flame of Youth this RE period today. And Bryan and I played for 5 hours.

And...

My mum went back to hospital.

And what else. Hm.

Friday, April 18, 2008

Musical Fun

Jamming is so fun. Today I played for 3 hours with Graham, Joey, Glenn, and singer Yee Xiang. Graham rhythm, Glenn lead, Jonathan bass, Joey drums, YeeXiang singer. We tried Vindicated at first, but it didn't work out well as expected because of the range for Yeexiang. Anyway Daniel's band budged into the room and watched us play for a while - we got some hackles but they softened afterwhile when we really got down to the music.

Then we moved Vindicated two steps down so that we could let Yeexiang reach some of the high notes, but Campus Superstar contestant stepped in and helped us out a little bit. I sang a favourite song of mine - Somewhere only we know, but we didn't continue much of it. I guess Vindicated was the song of the day.

After that it started getting really cool, because we played some blues hillibilly, and walkingbass, and there were really awesome solos from Glenn and Graham. So we were just jumping around and singing/screaming our heads off, thanks to Glenn attempting some of the high notes. Really fantastic, the feel.

Anyway I was being 'sorried' and pitied because I only played oldschool music - I guess I can be a more useful bass player if I had learnt to adjust my ears to the insensitivities of contemporary music. Suddenly music wasn't simply about sensitivity, but all about feelings and emotions.

But suddenly it wasn't - I found out that the sensitivities needed in both contemporary and art music were the same, except only on a different volume scale. There was still a need to maintain how loud the bass was going to be, momentum towards the next phrase, previous harmonies that have to be cleared and evaporated from the environment before one can move on to the next notes - the upbeats that had to be clearly and carefully placed. It is perhaps, more subtle. More difficult to see.

And then there's the issue of code-switching. For me to be able to switch from contemporary and art music would be a skill - a technique to my musical wellbeing - something I can put to good use. But of course, being proficient in everything can mean not being an expert in one.

I still have to develop my piano playing, a never-ending process. And discover new things I can do with the bass, to provide the best sound that the audience would want to hear.

Last but not least, I would like to congratulate the RE team for completing our first phase - composition of piece. We would be working on orchestration, and move to our final phase, that is recording, in the few weeks to come.



Wanted: People who can sing and play an instrument at the same time, can harmonise, loves music from the 1950s - 1990s, all at the same time, in Raffles Institution.

Monday, April 14, 2008

Happy birthday to Mervyn!

Ok. I'm seriously going to get down to blogging.

Anyway today was Mervyn's birthday, and we were of course, celebrating his birthday. But it was SO SPECIAL! He played a Haydn Piano Concerto with Dr. Hecht, and he wrote his own cadenza! Now that's completely cool. I wouldn't want to say now that I could compose a cadenza as well as him, but I don't think it's impossible. For goodness sake, he's only ten, and I probably have five more years of musical experience compared to him.

Well, life's unfair, and I definitely hope all the best to him in his music endeavors!

Ok I'll update somemore.

Saturday, April 5, 2008

Mr. Gregory and an Accompaniment concert

Today rocked.

Ok anyway we started with Mr. Sean Gregory's workshop at 11, replacing Dr. Edward's normal theory class on Saturdays. It was pretty cool, since we were doing African rhythms and aesthetic exercises. We clapped in different rhythms, stamped our feet, hit our chests and thighs, and snapped our fingers.

And then we went on to improvisation, where we had different melodies for each section created by him.

Anyway last year he came to do a workshop with the freshmen, and I was totally fascinated by his African tunes and rhythms. We were taught on stage to do a rainsong for the audience last year, and it was beautiful, with all the rich harmonies of African tunes and complex rhythms.

I probably still can remember a little of the melody.

So today we did another song, this time a dinner song from Ghana. So there was the call-and-answer, something that went like - 'yeah, yeah, mo-ba-co ni-wco-shway'. Anyway it was damn funny that I accidently did the harmonization thing, because I actually forgot the starting note for the melody, and coincedentally sang a third higher -.- So much for trying so hard.

Anyway the harmonies were extremely beautiful. I still can remember it now! And I wish we could do it again..."yeah yeah, mo-ba-co ni-wco-shway"...(fades away)

Oh for the raindance thing last year, we had people pitterpattering with the fingers, and others doing different sounds like wind blowing and the singing. And then the haunting melodies and the rhythms and harmoines. Ok. African ROCKS.

After that we finished the workshop, and I went for lunch with Alan. So I ate Subway and he ate chilli-spammed wanton mee, which after finishing he was simply red and sweating like crap. Out came the tissue papers.

After that I went to the library to read on orchestra playing and the Beatles Anthologies, before taking a short nap in the library. I headed home after that. But there was more to come!

Clarence sms-ed me about a concert this evening - 'Everyone needs Accompanying'. Ok no words can describe the amount of fun I had there. Ok firstly Fiona came to watch also (clapclap) so I wasn't going to be soloing there and enjoying the music all by myself. Secondly, I realised my colleagues were so fun! Akkra was singing a lovesong! - Dream a little Dream. It was so funny watching him sing, because of his usual character. I mean, his usual character is quite nice and clean, but when he was singing it was simply terrific. And then Ying Han sang also! Simply cool. Beautiful.

And Debussy's Romance was my favourite classical piece for tonight. Simply because I'm writing one that sounds alike. Sh. Fiona's was Tchaikovsky's Waltz-Scherzo. Du Rui played it! I've seen him around, but he does say hi. Yay.

Then we headed back home, and now I'm here, starving. While some people get to eat fried things mixed together called ngoh hiang/wu xiang. AND fries.

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Chedule

Finally I can log on to Blogger. I've been offline so often (shouldn't it be online?) that when I signed in I found cobwebs on my display picture!

Now here's the punchline: Jonathan Shin finally gets caught by pangs of headaches and hopefully not fever! So I thought I was Superman and able to do loads of things at one time. Unfortunately not. Let's take a look at my schedule...

Monday (which has already passed)
-School (7am to 3.15pm)
-CCA (3.30 to 6.30pm)
-YST (7.30 to 9.30pm)
-Shower, Dinner, Composition (10pm to 12am) Oh, and add in Heroes.

Tuesday (which has already ended)
-School (7am to 1.30pm)
-YST (7-9pm)

Wednesday (which has yet to end)
-Schoool (7am to 3.15pm)
-YST (4.30pm to 9pm)

Thursday (which is tomorrow)
-School (7am to 1.30pm)
-MEP (2.15-5.15)
-YST (9 to 11pm)

Friday
-School (7am to 12.30pm)
-YST (2pm-5pm)
-CONCERT (7.30pm-10pm)

Saturday
-YST (11-1pm)

Ah. My schedule for the entire week. Enough to freak you and I and the entire human race. Gruelling but worth it. There's hardly anything worth to type out here anyway. Other than that I screwed up Philosophy and Mathematics. However I did well in English comprehension and Literature Dramatic Recitation. Yay! Full marks for Vocabulary, and in my fantasy world I get one extra mark for getting all correct.

And Dramatic Recitation - 18/20! Cheers to Byap and Norman.

Today's piano lesson was absolutely ZIBEI! After watching Zhang Aidi (who is only Secondary 2) play both Bach and Chopin, while I only played Chopin, I feel so ashamed to be in the room. Sian. Must practise hard but must keep healthy.

So NOW I know why Chopin died so young. Probably must have been practising too much!