Today was a holy day. I ponteng-ed school, and it was entirely worth it! I get to skip Math quiz which I have absolutely no idea (I think) how to do. And also I got to practise nearly the entire day. My fingers feel solid, firm, and organized now - which is great.
Yesterday was Mr. Leon Fleisher's masterclass, I don't know where to begin but I'm sure everyone there was in awe and learnt alot. True, there weren't many things that were new, but coming from my teacher's teacher's mouth himself, truly inspiring.
End of post, because I have too many things in my head, but I don't have the time to write them all down.
So even Imba says my blogposts are getting harder to read, and Uncle Eric (a person whom I greatly respect) who said I looked thinner and I should eat more. I'm REALLY spamming food already!
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Monday, March 9, 2009
-start of stream of consciousness-
Hey peeps. A quick update from me, because I need to settle down quickly for the night and have a good rest before a new day tomorrow. Which is going to be equally long, but I'm promised that it's much more interesting compared to today.
Sunday was a great day, considering Arsenal's wonderful football and the subsequent comfortable win over Burnley. 3-0, adequate enough. I've recently been zoning out watching Arsenal play football, because the ball goes around aimlessly, but Sunday's game was just the opposite. Great runs, fantastic footwork, and engaging teamwork from both sides, but ultimately my favourites proved to me why they deserved to be my favourites, persevered, and took the game in their stride.
And then came today. Not a really stressful day, but a couple of miscommunications and understandings led to a little fright - some cock-up over my own recital and the Inspire 09 concerts. Ok so Clarence is performing.
Reminders about my upcoming concerts - Primarily Piano and Medan! I nearly forgot about Primarily Piano after I was invited to perform at a recital at the ArtsHouse next week (which I passed because I think I'm too busy for all these). Primarily Piano needs the Ravel Sonatine 3rd Movement while Medan needs all five of the Ettlingen repertoire back.
So here are some of the pieces that I would be performing before March ends.
Ravel Sonatine 3rd movement
Mozart K330 1st movement
Griffes Scherzo
Faure Impromptu in Fminor/major
Chopin Harp Etude
Liszt Sonetto del Petrarch
Gasp! Juries in May.
Beethoven Op 10 No.3
Liszt Mephisto Waltz. Or should I revert back to Valley d' Obermann. I think I should, I haven't gained enough stamina for Mephisto Waltz. But many people will be pushing me to play it.
Other than that Clarence taught me how to play Secret and told me of his many adventures of playing it on an upright piano back in secondary school, and how the girls would coo and sing along.
No thanks, I've had enough of guys doing that back in Secondary school. And playing a piece of music just to see people coo? Hell no, thanks very much. But seriously, thank you for teaching me. It sounded nice though.
Bryan Choong was being an exceptional bastard during lunch today by insulting everyone, and then not remembering that my mum had already expired, started telling me how ugly my mum was. [don't worry, he does that to everyone without even knowing how they look like.] The whole crowd at the table was staring at him with huge eyes and he was greeted with silence, until after a painfully long 10 seconds did he remember last year's events and apologising subsequently.
I couldn't do anything more than look at him in shock, but I don't think I'm the kind who would bother to raise my fork and stab him. Too tired already.
Speaking of which, yes, I need to go gym. I just SAY it, but whether I would execute it is an entirely different manner. After much persuasion I'm eating my meals regularly (gasp) and drinking bucketloads of water. But then I'm obviously lacking in stamina after playing through the first 3 pages of the Mephisto Waltz and PANTING.
But my 2.4 timing seems to have improved. Maybe it's just the thought of a PARTICULAR somebody beating me at 2.4 (or any other girls, as a matter of fact) that adds extra horsepower to my already failing engine.
Since we're at the topic of health and wealth, I might as well talk about the last time I ate homecook food (aside from a bowl of Maggi Mee). That was donkey years back, and it wasn't even at my own house. Thank you to Aunty for making my last homecook food memory so wonderful.
[damn. I really miss homecook food.]
Back to more musical matters in this stream of consciousness....I SHAKED HANDS WITH LEON FLEISHER. Couldn't be bothered to wash my hand after that, it's so precious. If we play the hand-shaking game again, I know Mr. Fleisher shook hands with Schnabel, who in turn shook hands with whatshisnameLeschtisvky. Who in turn with CZERNY himself. And of course, BEETHOVEN KISSED CZERNY on the forehead. Hopefully Czerny rubbed his hands on his forehead so he got some of the Beethoven DNA and passed it on.
-end of stream of consciousness-
Sunday was a great day, considering Arsenal's wonderful football and the subsequent comfortable win over Burnley. 3-0, adequate enough. I've recently been zoning out watching Arsenal play football, because the ball goes around aimlessly, but Sunday's game was just the opposite. Great runs, fantastic footwork, and engaging teamwork from both sides, but ultimately my favourites proved to me why they deserved to be my favourites, persevered, and took the game in their stride.
And then came today. Not a really stressful day, but a couple of miscommunications and understandings led to a little fright - some cock-up over my own recital and the Inspire 09 concerts. Ok so Clarence is performing.
Reminders about my upcoming concerts - Primarily Piano and Medan! I nearly forgot about Primarily Piano after I was invited to perform at a recital at the ArtsHouse next week (which I passed because I think I'm too busy for all these). Primarily Piano needs the Ravel Sonatine 3rd Movement while Medan needs all five of the Ettlingen repertoire back.
So here are some of the pieces that I would be performing before March ends.
Ravel Sonatine 3rd movement
Mozart K330 1st movement
Griffes Scherzo
Faure Impromptu in Fminor/major
Chopin Harp Etude
Liszt Sonetto del Petrarch
Gasp! Juries in May.
Beethoven Op 10 No.3
Liszt Mephisto Waltz. Or should I revert back to Valley d' Obermann. I think I should, I haven't gained enough stamina for Mephisto Waltz. But many people will be pushing me to play it.
Other than that Clarence taught me how to play Secret and told me of his many adventures of playing it on an upright piano back in secondary school, and how the girls would coo and sing along.
No thanks, I've had enough of guys doing that back in Secondary school. And playing a piece of music just to see people coo? Hell no, thanks very much. But seriously, thank you for teaching me. It sounded nice though.
Bryan Choong was being an exceptional bastard during lunch today by insulting everyone, and then not remembering that my mum had already expired, started telling me how ugly my mum was. [don't worry, he does that to everyone without even knowing how they look like.] The whole crowd at the table was staring at him with huge eyes and he was greeted with silence, until after a painfully long 10 seconds did he remember last year's events and apologising subsequently.
I couldn't do anything more than look at him in shock, but I don't think I'm the kind who would bother to raise my fork and stab him. Too tired already.
Speaking of which, yes, I need to go gym. I just SAY it, but whether I would execute it is an entirely different manner. After much persuasion I'm eating my meals regularly (gasp) and drinking bucketloads of water. But then I'm obviously lacking in stamina after playing through the first 3 pages of the Mephisto Waltz and PANTING.
But my 2.4 timing seems to have improved. Maybe it's just the thought of a PARTICULAR somebody beating me at 2.4 (or any other girls, as a matter of fact) that adds extra horsepower to my already failing engine.
Since we're at the topic of health and wealth, I might as well talk about the last time I ate homecook food (aside from a bowl of Maggi Mee). That was donkey years back, and it wasn't even at my own house. Thank you to Aunty for making my last homecook food memory so wonderful.
[damn. I really miss homecook food.]
Back to more musical matters in this stream of consciousness....I SHAKED HANDS WITH LEON FLEISHER. Couldn't be bothered to wash my hand after that, it's so precious. If we play the hand-shaking game again, I know Mr. Fleisher shook hands with Schnabel, who in turn shook hands with whatshisnameLeschtisvky. Who in turn with CZERNY himself. And of course, BEETHOVEN KISSED CZERNY on the forehead. Hopefully Czerny rubbed his hands on his forehead so he got some of the Beethoven DNA and passed it on.
-end of stream of consciousness-
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Out of Blog Titles.
I wake up at the atrocious time of 7am, leaving me just 40 mins to assembly. No alarm clock, just me clad in boxers, with one eye still scanning the sky and noting the blue tinge in it already. It's never good news.
Uniform on, jacket hastily put on, and I'm out of the house by 7.10am, while my dad clocks 7.05 to fetch the car from the carpark opposite. I basically don't do much to pack, everyday's a close duplicate of the last. But today's different. There's piano practical, and then audition later in the evening.
I worked it out as 2pm, instead of the correct 5pm, which meant I got some of my meeting timings really screwed up badly.
The car pulls into school by 7.38am, but that doesn't mean I miss my fair share of looking at accidents and jams and roadworks on my way to school. Really, cars can be driven anywhere. Into ditches, into trees, into poles.
[...Car accidents in Poland involving civilians..]
While you seemingly uncurl your toes from the grippingly corny line, I shall take my time to finish my biscuit dinner. Yee, small Marie biscuits with a cup of fresh milk.
First class period of the day was Music Practical with Dr Gooi. I played Ravel Sonatine on the Firewood Piano, 3rd movement. Slips were prevalent for the first few bars, but after that I went on cruise control (which is not recommended). Cruise controls means like, running through the motoric configurations because you've played the piece over and over again and your fingers have without doubt memorised the movements.
I've seen friends who play like that. But I've been guilty before, of not practising separate hands (enough) and slow (enough). Which meant that when I was suddenly pin-pointed to start on a random passage with only the left hand, I'm often left lurching, embarrased and bewildered. [used to.]
If only we were to dedicate more time to simply practising slow, 100% of the time, with the actual performance of it at original tempo. I'm sure I've sat beside many of them, telling them to play slow, but after playing slow for at most three times (with pedal - ah! another thing), I taste impatience in the air.
Unfortunately I fall victim myself to this, but rinse-repeat, rinse-repeat, and you're certain to fall less into this unfortunate trap. But why do we practise slow? I should dedicate another post to this subject matter. Next time then.
Practical ended with Evan's Rachmaninov. Sidenote: I've never played any solo Rachmaninov works before.
The lessons after Practical were a blur. This is what happens when you don't have your breakfast, and your dinner the day before. This is what happens when the last time you ate was 3.30pm the previous day. This is what happens when you're lazy.
Sat through Thomas's String Quartet 2nd movement, which he composed for leisure. Conventional sonata form, but loved it well enough. I just realised how messy my hand-writing was compared to other musicians. Db major, mmm..
"I thought composers had neat hand-writing!" - some random girl whose name I can't remember, because that phrase is stuck in this girly high-pitched voice in my head.
Met her for Jap lunch at Clementi at 3 with a throbbing headache and a heavy heart (man I'm starting to be like a woman. Not that women have heavy hearts but the throbbing headaches part...)By the time we finished talking my head felt like helium and my stomach? Full. 3.30pm. Cheers.
24 hours without substantial food (ok I did eat half a bagel from Sydney at 10). But my moods and spirits were maxed up.
Was late for the auditions though, by 2 minutes. Willette was already playing her Rachmaninov, Griffes wasn't touched for the past week, but a silent practice before entering ensured a confident and dynamic reading of the piece. Never felt so comfortable playing Griffes after Ibiza Finale. Cross my fingers!
Lady asked me if I played the cello, and unfortunately no I don't wish to pick up cello performance again. It's that having to lug this huge piece of wood around that puts me off totally. Around the school, around Singapore. Gosh, give me a break sial.
Wish I could deny the prophecy I made to Tuck Wai the previous day.
"I never get home earlier than 6."
"Wow, that's sad."
I got back home by 6.10 today. Yes, it's a fun and happening life. I can't wait to see what happens when my dad goes off during the March holidays.
Uniform on, jacket hastily put on, and I'm out of the house by 7.10am, while my dad clocks 7.05 to fetch the car from the carpark opposite. I basically don't do much to pack, everyday's a close duplicate of the last. But today's different. There's piano practical, and then audition later in the evening.
I worked it out as 2pm, instead of the correct 5pm, which meant I got some of my meeting timings really screwed up badly.
The car pulls into school by 7.38am, but that doesn't mean I miss my fair share of looking at accidents and jams and roadworks on my way to school. Really, cars can be driven anywhere. Into ditches, into trees, into poles.
[...Car accidents in Poland involving civilians..]
While you seemingly uncurl your toes from the grippingly corny line, I shall take my time to finish my biscuit dinner. Yee, small Marie biscuits with a cup of fresh milk.
First class period of the day was Music Practical with Dr Gooi. I played Ravel Sonatine on the Firewood Piano, 3rd movement. Slips were prevalent for the first few bars, but after that I went on cruise control (which is not recommended). Cruise controls means like, running through the motoric configurations because you've played the piece over and over again and your fingers have without doubt memorised the movements.
I've seen friends who play like that. But I've been guilty before, of not practising separate hands (enough) and slow (enough). Which meant that when I was suddenly pin-pointed to start on a random passage with only the left hand, I'm often left lurching, embarrased and bewildered. [used to.]
If only we were to dedicate more time to simply practising slow, 100% of the time, with the actual performance of it at original tempo. I'm sure I've sat beside many of them, telling them to play slow, but after playing slow for at most three times (with pedal - ah! another thing), I taste impatience in the air.
Unfortunately I fall victim myself to this, but rinse-repeat, rinse-repeat, and you're certain to fall less into this unfortunate trap. But why do we practise slow? I should dedicate another post to this subject matter. Next time then.
Practical ended with Evan's Rachmaninov. Sidenote: I've never played any solo Rachmaninov works before.
The lessons after Practical were a blur. This is what happens when you don't have your breakfast, and your dinner the day before. This is what happens when the last time you ate was 3.30pm the previous day. This is what happens when you're lazy.
Sat through Thomas's String Quartet 2nd movement, which he composed for leisure. Conventional sonata form, but loved it well enough. I just realised how messy my hand-writing was compared to other musicians. Db major, mmm..
"I thought composers had neat hand-writing!" - some random girl whose name I can't remember, because that phrase is stuck in this girly high-pitched voice in my head.
Met her for Jap lunch at Clementi at 3 with a throbbing headache and a heavy heart (man I'm starting to be like a woman. Not that women have heavy hearts but the throbbing headaches part...)By the time we finished talking my head felt like helium and my stomach? Full. 3.30pm. Cheers.
24 hours without substantial food (ok I did eat half a bagel from Sydney at 10). But my moods and spirits were maxed up.
Was late for the auditions though, by 2 minutes. Willette was already playing her Rachmaninov, Griffes wasn't touched for the past week, but a silent practice before entering ensured a confident and dynamic reading of the piece. Never felt so comfortable playing Griffes after Ibiza Finale. Cross my fingers!
Lady asked me if I played the cello, and unfortunately no I don't wish to pick up cello performance again. It's that having to lug this huge piece of wood around that puts me off totally. Around the school, around Singapore. Gosh, give me a break sial.
Wish I could deny the prophecy I made to Tuck Wai the previous day.
"I never get home earlier than 6."
"Wow, that's sad."
I got back home by 6.10 today. Yes, it's a fun and happening life. I can't wait to see what happens when my dad goes off during the March holidays.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Life Adventure
I'm surprised today is Tuesday.
A sudden thought while reading my own blogposts yesterday, that my life's turning out to be an adventure. It sure is. Auditions, band, concerts, compositions, homework, lessons, classes, competitions, festivals. I'm glad now there's someone (more than one of course) looking out for me at every turn, to pull me up when I slip and fall.
I still think I had to, but I wouldn't elaborate. Reaching the end of this sentence makes me think about what Fiona mentioned on my convulated and pseudo-cryptic words.
I admit - I can't concentrate on anything else when there's music around - pop, jazz, classical, funeral, whatever. I've known people who suffer from such a handicap (eg. Ben Low), which means when we do work and listen to music all we think about is:
"Right, C. A minor. F. G."
"No, next one would be an E minor. Just for that kick."
"Aww, shit, it was really an A minor."
"Ok cut here. What? No cut?"
Then we would end up not doing anything at all.
Just like how I feel like not doing anything at all now and watching Batman Begins on Channel 5.
For your eyes only, that I really bought the milk and would be drinking it for dinner/supper WITH biscuits. I had a super super heavy lunch at 3 (with 2 tons worth of vegetable), so I'm really full right now. No worries..!
After Batman Begins, time to read a little poetry and be inspired.
On a sidenote, I scored 6 goals today during a lop-sided soccer match played during PT/PE. Total score was 7-1. Logically speaking, we're the former. And Piano Ensemble took on a new meaning of watching RJ alumni talk about piano performance for 1 and a half hour.
-1 and a half hour later-
"Have I been doodling on?" [In a slow and mundane voice]
On my very ambitious list of composition:
an eight-hand two piano fantasy! (for Child's Play Piano Ensemble Concert 2009)
and another solo piano work for Music-Art collaboration
I need a piano concerto before I reach 20. I must. I have 3 more years left.
I'm surprised tomorrow is Wednesday. Track of time, seriously derailed.
A sudden thought while reading my own blogposts yesterday, that my life's turning out to be an adventure. It sure is. Auditions, band, concerts, compositions, homework, lessons, classes, competitions, festivals. I'm glad now there's someone (more than one of course) looking out for me at every turn, to pull me up when I slip and fall.
I still think I had to, but I wouldn't elaborate. Reaching the end of this sentence makes me think about what Fiona mentioned on my convulated and pseudo-cryptic words.
I admit - I can't concentrate on anything else when there's music around - pop, jazz, classical, funeral, whatever. I've known people who suffer from such a handicap (eg. Ben Low), which means when we do work and listen to music all we think about is:
"Right, C. A minor. F. G."
"No, next one would be an E minor. Just for that kick."
"Aww, shit, it was really an A minor."
"Ok cut here. What? No cut?"
Then we would end up not doing anything at all.
Just like how I feel like not doing anything at all now and watching Batman Begins on Channel 5.
For your eyes only, that I really bought the milk and would be drinking it for dinner/supper WITH biscuits. I had a super super heavy lunch at 3 (with 2 tons worth of vegetable), so I'm really full right now. No worries..!
After Batman Begins, time to read a little poetry and be inspired.
On a sidenote, I scored 6 goals today during a lop-sided soccer match played during PT/PE. Total score was 7-1. Logically speaking, we're the former. And Piano Ensemble took on a new meaning of watching RJ alumni talk about piano performance for 1 and a half hour.
-1 and a half hour later-
"Have I been doodling on?" [In a slow and mundane voice]
On my very ambitious list of composition:
an eight-hand two piano fantasy! (for Child's Play Piano Ensemble Concert 2009)
and another solo piano work for Music-Art collaboration
I need a piano concerto before I reach 20. I must. I have 3 more years left.
I'm surprised tomorrow is Wednesday. Track of time, seriously derailed.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
musicfest, birthday, exdee
Ok.
First and foremost, I survived this week. Obviously, or I wouldn't be posting here right? I hate how MusicFest was organized, but it's the brutal reality of it. They want entertainment, which was never in my head since I started writing the music for it. Which was 3 weeks before the actual thing. Believe it or not, the third and fourth movement was written on the day of performance itself.
And Dramafeste people! We finish LATER THAN YOU GUYS! Yes we really do, we finish work at around 10.30 and then I almost always have chicken rice dinner at S11. Ah, the yummy soup. Gosh I really want to eat it now. Speaking of which I just woke up at 4.15. Slept at 2 yesterday.
This whole week has been a kalabaloom week, with all the late-night rehearsals. And then the realization that other houses were doing much better than us (apparently). But I haven't lost my impromptu touch, to rush things out last minute and at least score some points.
At least we got 3rd prize, what a relief. The first movement was self-composed, a close imitation of a March, late Romantic. The second movement was composed last December for piano for her, and then I transcribed it for 2 cellos, 1 violin, 1 euphonium, and yangqin. And piano.
3rd movement called Potpourri, a medley consisting of 3 tunes (originally 4) - Bananas in PJs, Telletubies, and Elmo's World. The Bananas was an improvisation, and nothing was written down except the chords. Telletubies and Elmo's World was scored last minute.
4th movement was also never scored properly, just the sequencing. An ostinato of the Powerpuff Love tune, and then a fugal section when Bananas, Telletubies and Elmo's World was played (although not really obviously).
The characters marching out wasn't really a significant one in my head, simply because I managed the music and Mich and Willette did the choreography. Even that, I heard, was improvised, because we've never rehearsed with them before, and the masks were done in the PAC itself.
Wonder what other houses would think when they read this. Even I feel a little sad for them and their effort. Congrats to BB and MT! BB deserved it entirely (even though I've never heard them). MT...grr. Bad blood between MT and MR. :O Or maybe it's just me and Shawn Neo.
After MusicFest I had to run to the opposite Multi-Purpose Hall, where eXDee was due to perform 2 numbers and an encore. That was pretty alright, but not the best.
Saturday was definitely going to be another mad rush. Got my passport photo taken (because the old one was taken in 1996, and I still get stopped at EVERY immigration point I've been to. Ran though music at Daniel's house at 5, Baybeats top 30 auditions was due at 7.45pm. Performed 2 songs, did everything right.
And guess what! We got into TOP 15!!! I just got the message from Yisin at 10 (which meant after that I slept for a further 6 hours. Fantastic.
After that I ran over to Plaza Singapura to celebrate her birthday, and she was with the huge Pooh balloon(think about lugging it [ok no trying to hold it down] around Singapore). Aunty was there too, but sister wasn't, although 4 of us got down to celebrating it in the end.
Due to a freak accident the Breadtalk cake was erm. partly decimated, but Bengawan Solo cake prevailed ALL THE WAY from Thomson to Orchard to Boon Lay (omg.) Yeah we cheated on the last leg because we decided to cab back. And how I hate rainy weather. In the cab went the balloon and the 2 cakes and 2 carton of eggs Aunty got for a crazy 95 cents for a carton.
Photos, cake, blowing candles, play a little piano, done.
Back home by 2am.
And sleep till 4pm. Tomorow, a new week. New challenges.
First and foremost, I survived this week. Obviously, or I wouldn't be posting here right? I hate how MusicFest was organized, but it's the brutal reality of it. They want entertainment, which was never in my head since I started writing the music for it. Which was 3 weeks before the actual thing. Believe it or not, the third and fourth movement was written on the day of performance itself.
And Dramafeste people! We finish LATER THAN YOU GUYS! Yes we really do, we finish work at around 10.30 and then I almost always have chicken rice dinner at S11. Ah, the yummy soup. Gosh I really want to eat it now. Speaking of which I just woke up at 4.15. Slept at 2 yesterday.
This whole week has been a kalabaloom week, with all the late-night rehearsals. And then the realization that other houses were doing much better than us (apparently). But I haven't lost my impromptu touch, to rush things out last minute and at least score some points.
At least we got 3rd prize, what a relief. The first movement was self-composed, a close imitation of a March, late Romantic. The second movement was composed last December for piano for her, and then I transcribed it for 2 cellos, 1 violin, 1 euphonium, and yangqin. And piano.
3rd movement called Potpourri, a medley consisting of 3 tunes (originally 4) - Bananas in PJs, Telletubies, and Elmo's World. The Bananas was an improvisation, and nothing was written down except the chords. Telletubies and Elmo's World was scored last minute.
4th movement was also never scored properly, just the sequencing. An ostinato of the Powerpuff Love tune, and then a fugal section when Bananas, Telletubies and Elmo's World was played (although not really obviously).
The characters marching out wasn't really a significant one in my head, simply because I managed the music and Mich and Willette did the choreography. Even that, I heard, was improvised, because we've never rehearsed with them before, and the masks were done in the PAC itself.
Wonder what other houses would think when they read this. Even I feel a little sad for them and their effort. Congrats to BB and MT! BB deserved it entirely (even though I've never heard them). MT...grr. Bad blood between MT and MR. :O Or maybe it's just me and Shawn Neo.
After MusicFest I had to run to the opposite Multi-Purpose Hall, where eXDee was due to perform 2 numbers and an encore. That was pretty alright, but not the best.
Saturday was definitely going to be another mad rush. Got my passport photo taken (because the old one was taken in 1996, and I still get stopped at EVERY immigration point I've been to. Ran though music at Daniel's house at 5, Baybeats top 30 auditions was due at 7.45pm. Performed 2 songs, did everything right.
And guess what! We got into TOP 15!!! I just got the message from Yisin at 10 (which meant after that I slept for a further 6 hours. Fantastic.
After that I ran over to Plaza Singapura to celebrate her birthday, and she was with the huge Pooh balloon(think about lugging it [ok no trying to hold it down] around Singapore). Aunty was there too, but sister wasn't, although 4 of us got down to celebrating it in the end.
Due to a freak accident the Breadtalk cake was erm. partly decimated, but Bengawan Solo cake prevailed ALL THE WAY from Thomson to Orchard to Boon Lay (omg.) Yeah we cheated on the last leg because we decided to cab back. And how I hate rainy weather. In the cab went the balloon and the 2 cakes and 2 carton of eggs Aunty got for a crazy 95 cents for a carton.
Photos, cake, blowing candles, play a little piano, done.
Back home by 2am.
And sleep till 4pm. Tomorow, a new week. New challenges.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Such things cheer me up a little
I'm broken in spirit and in strength. Wit's end, call it whatever you want. Beansprout Suite, another one such aspiration down the drain? Not so fast. A few more hours before I close shop. Will be drinking Milo to sustain myself.
I feel so apologetic for letting my loved ones down when they get around to reading this.
It's not a case of being 'hero' or anything. It's so silly - doing things last minute, just the way I've done over a 100 times before. But it's this other thought which is really frightening. Like the way Shawn put it, that he's here simply "to own Jon Shin".
Spirit battered, half the battle probably lost. Hopefully that's not how the other houses/faculties think, because if the only reason is as stated above, fuck the whole thing.
But I know it wouldn't, because some houses really want to do music. Another fatal mistake? Writing 'Esplanade' kind of music. Apparently 'RJC' music consists of hearing familiar tunes and happy sing-a-longs.
Yeah, sing along with my navel. It might be even more in tune.
Piano is coming into the house BEFORE her birthday, so it certainly would be nice to have it as part of the birthday pressie package. I love the new piano (secondhand)! And I'm sure we could both agree on that, with a huge array of pianos to test on, but the single-mould cast (or was it single-cast mould) did a great deal for the sound to vibrate. Such things cheer me up a little.
To sit at a distance and watch her play scales and chords,
to hear the sounds reverberate around the white-walled rooms,
to see my dad talking at the corner of my eye to the dealer,
to blink at the shiny lights reflecting off the polished pianos.
Come Friday evening, then I could let down my hair and crowd-surf all I want.
To jump into the crowd and hear them scream.
I feel so apologetic for letting my loved ones down when they get around to reading this.
It's not a case of being 'hero' or anything. It's so silly - doing things last minute, just the way I've done over a 100 times before. But it's this other thought which is really frightening. Like the way Shawn put it, that he's here simply "to own Jon Shin".
Spirit battered, half the battle probably lost. Hopefully that's not how the other houses/faculties think, because if the only reason is as stated above, fuck the whole thing.
But I know it wouldn't, because some houses really want to do music. Another fatal mistake? Writing 'Esplanade' kind of music. Apparently 'RJC' music consists of hearing familiar tunes and happy sing-a-longs.
Yeah, sing along with my navel. It might be even more in tune.
Piano is coming into the house BEFORE her birthday, so it certainly would be nice to have it as part of the birthday pressie package. I love the new piano (secondhand)! And I'm sure we could both agree on that, with a huge array of pianos to test on, but the single-mould cast (or was it single-cast mould) did a great deal for the sound to vibrate. Such things cheer me up a little.
To sit at a distance and watch her play scales and chords,
to hear the sounds reverberate around the white-walled rooms,
to see my dad talking at the corner of my eye to the dealer,
to blink at the shiny lights reflecting off the polished pianos.
Come Friday evening, then I could let down my hair and crowd-surf all I want.
To jump into the crowd and hear them scream.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
This Week In Words.
I think I sang in my dreams. I remember singing loudly at one point, was some sort of gathering outside an old folks' home. Maybe my class? Couldn't see their faces.
Tech-run yesterday, was kinda disorganized because I was there in my impromptu fashion, saxophone haven't gotten his parts yet. So damn tired from the whole week! It's just editing and writing and editing, and Nigel insists I still have time to read History notes. Which I unfortunately don't have the luxury of, but I know I'll do well in RJC. Mygod, I've even started copying down notes!
Yesterday's History lesson was awkward but funny at the same time. Right imagine two adjacent classrooms, and two classes, backs to each other, both teachers trying to concentrate on their lesson. The partition in the centre couldn't be closed by our lanky security guard, so in the end he sort of left. Like, just walked off, never came back.
I was sitting at the back row (which meant that I, along with classmates in my row, were sitting closest to the other class) and it was tough, you know. Writing down notes and trying to listen to History teacher Miss Lim talk.
The other class was having Physics lesson. Which meant that in the midst of lesson (ahaha, in time and space!) I was hearing different stuff from different teachers. Got me confused so much that I thought I heard something like, "you'll lose marks for that." Apparently the Physics teacher on the other end said that, but I was busy taking down stuff.
I sounded so damn stupid, help me lord. "Mdm, what did you say about losing marks?"
"Huh? Losing marks? (over the din)"
"Yeah, losing marks. Doing what will make me lose marks?"
"What?"
"Wait, did you say something about losing marks?"
"No!? (looks at the other end) Maybe it's the other teacher?"
What a gaffe.
Speaking of nicer musical things both Samuel Cheah and I stayed back for an impromptu jam yesterday. Even better than the jam sessions I had with Nige and John Lee. As in, it was so complex! We were improvising jazz...I don't really know how to describe the experience. Sometimes we're just lost for words.
Later in the day, piano ensemble camp. [camp in the piano? (!)] And of course, YAP.
Tomorrow's eXDee rehearsal. Naice.
Tech-run yesterday, was kinda disorganized because I was there in my impromptu fashion, saxophone haven't gotten his parts yet. So damn tired from the whole week! It's just editing and writing and editing, and Nigel insists I still have time to read History notes. Which I unfortunately don't have the luxury of, but I know I'll do well in RJC. Mygod, I've even started copying down notes!
Yesterday's History lesson was awkward but funny at the same time. Right imagine two adjacent classrooms, and two classes, backs to each other, both teachers trying to concentrate on their lesson. The partition in the centre couldn't be closed by our lanky security guard, so in the end he sort of left. Like, just walked off, never came back.
I was sitting at the back row (which meant that I, along with classmates in my row, were sitting closest to the other class) and it was tough, you know. Writing down notes and trying to listen to History teacher Miss Lim talk.
The other class was having Physics lesson. Which meant that in the midst of lesson (ahaha, in time and space!) I was hearing different stuff from different teachers. Got me confused so much that I thought I heard something like, "you'll lose marks for that." Apparently the Physics teacher on the other end said that, but I was busy taking down stuff.
I sounded so damn stupid, help me lord. "Mdm, what did you say about losing marks?"
"Huh? Losing marks? (over the din)"
"Yeah, losing marks. Doing what will make me lose marks?"
"What?"
"Wait, did you say something about losing marks?"
"No!? (looks at the other end) Maybe it's the other teacher?"
What a gaffe.
Speaking of nicer musical things both Samuel Cheah and I stayed back for an impromptu jam yesterday. Even better than the jam sessions I had with Nige and John Lee. As in, it was so complex! We were improvising jazz...I don't really know how to describe the experience. Sometimes we're just lost for words.
Later in the day, piano ensemble camp. [camp in the piano? (!)] And of course, YAP.
Tomorrow's eXDee rehearsal. Naice.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
FInally.
A blogpost. Finally. A blogpost. And the first movement score to the Beansprout Suite. The rest are going to be easy, because they're already waiting to be written down, but this first movement was painstakenly composed in the whim, at canteens, in buses, at the back of class, in the toilet, by my bed, in my sleep. All of these but at the piano.
Just came back from Jurong Point where she helped me for my Chinese (the horror!) 4-character phrases, and then I was given tingxie. Out of several I didn't get 4. several being more than 10, which means I obviously pass. Quite a huge difference compared to 21/150 for the mock test. Kudos to her.
Have been enjoying JC life, with my NUS side going not so hot now, and I think I'm balancing both of them well.
And...2 hours later. I'm back, having done some re-editing. Yet to have showered, but glad I'm done. With the first movement. Second movement and third would be easy, but 4 is another huge one.
Premiere of the Beansprout Suite would be next Friday, at the RJC MusicFeste. 6pm. OMG freaking nervous. Fatty Lady (aka Dad's girlfriend) came to my house again today, and switched off the main power to the TV and the Starhub Cable Machine. I'm warning you, don't touch my stuff or the next thing you see is my foot up your ass, if I can find it beneath all the fats. Amen, I didn't mean to say that.
Err...Valentine's Day was as memorable as it could get, so that settles it, stop asking. Couple of fun classmates around, Dillon and Steph! Erika, Wai Teng, Jonathan Lee, Andrea, Natalie, Becca. Wah, fun man. Am enjoying every single subject now, including Chinese. A renewed interest in it after finding out that there's HOPE.
Why, hope for Jonathan Shin! Now that's something special. But 3/4 of the work has to be done by myself.
Shanghai has written some lyrics, off to set some music to it. Then Chinese journal. All at this earthly hour of 11.25pm. Why not? There's something called Milo.
Just came back from Jurong Point where she helped me for my Chinese (the horror!) 4-character phrases, and then I was given tingxie. Out of several I didn't get 4. several being more than 10, which means I obviously pass. Quite a huge difference compared to 21/150 for the mock test. Kudos to her.
Have been enjoying JC life, with my NUS side going not so hot now, and I think I'm balancing both of them well.
And...2 hours later. I'm back, having done some re-editing. Yet to have showered, but glad I'm done. With the first movement. Second movement and third would be easy, but 4 is another huge one.
Premiere of the Beansprout Suite would be next Friday, at the RJC MusicFeste. 6pm. OMG freaking nervous. Fatty Lady (aka Dad's girlfriend) came to my house again today, and switched off the main power to the TV and the Starhub Cable Machine. I'm warning you, don't touch my stuff or the next thing you see is my foot up your ass, if I can find it beneath all the fats. Amen, I didn't mean to say that.
Err...Valentine's Day was as memorable as it could get, so that settles it, stop asking. Couple of fun classmates around, Dillon and Steph! Erika, Wai Teng, Jonathan Lee, Andrea, Natalie, Becca. Wah, fun man. Am enjoying every single subject now, including Chinese. A renewed interest in it after finding out that there's HOPE.
Why, hope for Jonathan Shin! Now that's something special. But 3/4 of the work has to be done by myself.
Shanghai has written some lyrics, off to set some music to it. Then Chinese journal. All at this earthly hour of 11.25pm. Why not? There's something called Milo.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
In the dark
A blog post typed out in the dark.
Why, I might ask.
Then you would reply that you rather be picking/peeking your way at the keyboard than let the neighbours opposite catch you WITHOUT YOUR CLOTHES ON.
Of course your boxers are on, reason for this state is because the weather in Singapore is just too hot for anyone to practise properly without sweating. OK maybe you people practise in an air-conditioned room, or have a fan facing you directly, but I'm not that rich to be granted any of these privileges.
On a more encouraging note we went to check out some of the pianos at Yamaha Plaza Singapura last week to see which upright piano I should get. (the painful irony between paragraphs). We decided on the YM5! Or at least we short-listed it and it turned out to be my final decision.
Exam-model (in case I teach anyone), and above-average quality. Ok, good quality.
I'm getting a second-hand YM5 though, going to view it this Saturday morning at some house in Seng Kang. Second-hands are what I'm looking for anyway, I want the sound to be 'old', but hopefully the depth wouldn't be compromised. (Yes, I know, grand piano depths can't be compared with uprights)
Bought myself a pink file to put ALL my composition things in, and I realised it's so handy because I can now compose ANYWHERE, now that I have a hard board to place it on, and I can put my pencilbox inside it anyway. It's not really a 'file', it's actually more like a box. A rectangular box. Ah! Like those used to contain mah-jong tiles.
I'm constantly reminded that being able to compose without the keyboard is a gift. But well, the journey to attaining that skill was long - I started composing without the keyboard at around 11, but whenever it went to the piano it sounded utterly like shit.
But now, friends, IMPROVISING on the keyboard without the keyboard is a SKILL.
Hallelujah.
Have absolutely no idea what to call the up-and-coming work, but the recent days have been fun, fun, fun, although my sickness has cause for worry. As I have mentioned before, I've never been that pro-active in house activities, but the enthusiasm of other Morrisonians surprises me too. Great job guys.
REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO SATURDAY.
It's the day where I'll go check out the upright piano.
The day where I'll go for YA lesson at 11am.
The day where my Jazz Improvisation book is due.
The day where they put Saturday on in the calender.
haha loser! (sniggers)
Why, I might ask.
Then you would reply that you rather be picking/peeking your way at the keyboard than let the neighbours opposite catch you WITHOUT YOUR CLOTHES ON.
Of course your boxers are on, reason for this state is because the weather in Singapore is just too hot for anyone to practise properly without sweating. OK maybe you people practise in an air-conditioned room, or have a fan facing you directly, but I'm not that rich to be granted any of these privileges.
On a more encouraging note we went to check out some of the pianos at Yamaha Plaza Singapura last week to see which upright piano I should get. (the painful irony between paragraphs). We decided on the YM5! Or at least we short-listed it and it turned out to be my final decision.
Exam-model (in case I teach anyone), and above-average quality. Ok, good quality.
I'm getting a second-hand YM5 though, going to view it this Saturday morning at some house in Seng Kang. Second-hands are what I'm looking for anyway, I want the sound to be 'old', but hopefully the depth wouldn't be compromised. (Yes, I know, grand piano depths can't be compared with uprights)
Bought myself a pink file to put ALL my composition things in, and I realised it's so handy because I can now compose ANYWHERE, now that I have a hard board to place it on, and I can put my pencilbox inside it anyway. It's not really a 'file', it's actually more like a box. A rectangular box. Ah! Like those used to contain mah-jong tiles.
I'm constantly reminded that being able to compose without the keyboard is a gift. But well, the journey to attaining that skill was long - I started composing without the keyboard at around 11, but whenever it went to the piano it sounded utterly like shit.
But now, friends, IMPROVISING on the keyboard without the keyboard is a SKILL.
Hallelujah.
Have absolutely no idea what to call the up-and-coming work, but the recent days have been fun, fun, fun, although my sickness has cause for worry. As I have mentioned before, I've never been that pro-active in house activities, but the enthusiasm of other Morrisonians surprises me too. Great job guys.
REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO SATURDAY.
It's the day where I'll go check out the upright piano.
The day where I'll go for YA lesson at 11am.
The day where my Jazz Improvisation book is due.
The day where they put Saturday on in the calender.
haha loser! (sniggers)
Monday, February 9, 2009
Morrison-Richardson Music Fest
Another busy-looking week ahead. I'm surprised Morrison-Richardson managed to convince me to work so hard for them, but whenever musical matters come into view, I'll be there to do the best I can. And since I can, I will.
So here I am, busy drafting out a 4-movement Suite which would probably be one of the more outstanding works I've ever written. Weird right, doing composition just for kicks. Isn't that how famous composers become famous? Just writing for the sake of self-entertainment and 'expression'. Expressione. With a cup of teh and a pencil in hand, nothing could possibly go wrong, for every wrong note is an improvisation.
Nigel Chua is in my class, and JL also. Presented MadLibs to the class, probably made some people feel worse after seeing that I'm in their class (my quirky-ness has gone way out of hand these days, musical creativity oozes out when I'm in my quirkiest.) The hell's kind of excuse.
Had my worst lesson ever with Dr Hecht, so much so that the lesson was only 20 minutes long. This is what happens when you don't practice. However, this week will be different! Promise all of you guys. And then I can relax on Saturday.
Hopefully I can get this project done by Wednesday, and then maybe Morrison-Richardson has someone who knows how to engrave the music (I'm not doing that) and send the scores out to everyone. Rehearsals will be short, but definitely has to be effective, or else we will die.
I really want to see us win this one. And I'm relieved to hear that Austin can play horn. Need an instrument of that range currently...
So here I am, busy drafting out a 4-movement Suite which would probably be one of the more outstanding works I've ever written. Weird right, doing composition just for kicks. Isn't that how famous composers become famous? Just writing for the sake of self-entertainment and 'expression'. Expressione. With a cup of teh and a pencil in hand, nothing could possibly go wrong, for every wrong note is an improvisation.
Nigel Chua is in my class, and JL also. Presented MadLibs to the class, probably made some people feel worse after seeing that I'm in their class (my quirky-ness has gone way out of hand these days, musical creativity oozes out when I'm in my quirkiest.) The hell's kind of excuse.
Had my worst lesson ever with Dr Hecht, so much so that the lesson was only 20 minutes long. This is what happens when you don't practice. However, this week will be different! Promise all of you guys. And then I can relax on Saturday.
Hopefully I can get this project done by Wednesday, and then maybe Morrison-Richardson has someone who knows how to engrave the music (I'm not doing that) and send the scores out to everyone. Rehearsals will be short, but definitely has to be effective, or else we will die.
I really want to see us win this one. And I'm relieved to hear that Austin can play horn. Need an instrument of that range currently...
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Chi-ca-bang-bang, chi-ca-bang-bang
Open the door, rush to the toilet, pee, sigh.
Switch on the computer, read the emails coming through, sigh.
Think about some compositions and projects, sigh.
Realize my house has been intruded by my dad's 'girlfriend' and her daughter, scream.
I feel good and comfortable with my OG, and the organization by the J2s has been great thus far, really appreciate their effort put in. The only part that I never really enjoyed was the dance part. I can't dance for nuts, but I swear I can do waltz :) Really! Not kidding.
So I got back home (after Sin Teck fetched me back, thanks lots), looked at what's on top of the printer, and then start laughing. Not a genuine laughter, like some laughter that has sorta sealed my fate.
A floorplan of their house in Shanghai. Great, Jonathan Shin you're so damn soon going to be alone so you better start cleaning up on your cooking and your house management. Ok maybe not but I'm expecting myself to be carrying up almost all of the burdens soon enough. No more dad-fetching-you-to-school-in-the-morning assumptions, then again no more waking up to Dad calling you a cheebye because you cooked breakfast too early when he assumed you had no school today. :)
It's like, ok miscommunication, but isn't it not surprising that even if he heard wrongly it would still be my fault? Because he's the sole breadwinner and money-earner of the family. It's this alpha-male thing, and when clashes come, there's only one winner. Think harder, and maybe you could see through it.
Ok but nothing held against him, it's only normal (seriously, I'm not being sarcastic, it's just the way things work).
New ideas for composition coming along during the OG race around Singapore, I'm planning to continue on Sonatina. Much confident now after hearing a breath of fresh Prokofiev on Monday's studio class. Again I'm in doubt on whether it's possible to do composition without a composition teacher. Maybe it is, but then there definitely would be more things that one would try to confirm with, let's say, yeap, should I use this motive again? Will it sound fresh?
So damn mentally and physically tired yesterday.
After studio class (which ended at 9.15pm) I managed to catch a ride from ZAD's dad, reaching home at around 9.45pm. Same old shit haunting me, returning to an empty house, stuffy, lifeless. My grand piano is still there though.
Click some lights on, get the hot water running. Meanwhile I turn to cooking my dinner (for the first time with rice). Throw in some Japanese seaweed chicken, salad with thousand-island dressings, and steamed eggs.
First of all, it tasted REALLY good. Maybe it was because I cooked it myself, so there's this bias hanging around. Shortly after the chicken entered my stomach (Yeah I took out the feathers already. In bits lah!), that mayday-mayday-stomachache-coming-in-a-while alarm started ringing. Obviously wasn't cooked well enough, tsk.
With the whole thing done, I downed my first Yakult, talking with much discomfort on the phone. My second before I slept. Great that I didn't have any diarrhea.
Ok point is, I will be looking forward to more of these days. (sulks) Should stop complaining, because there are much brighter things in life to look forward to. Not this week, but well, at least next week. Or I hope this week.
Be satisfied with what you have. I'm glad, and I really want to thank someone for helping me reach the point where I can cook my own first dinner (with rice), albeit with a little stomachache.
Oh yeah, on a John Lennon listening spree now, hope you'll like the song I posted.
Switch on the computer, read the emails coming through, sigh.
Think about some compositions and projects, sigh.
Realize my house has been intruded by my dad's 'girlfriend' and her daughter, scream.
I feel good and comfortable with my OG, and the organization by the J2s has been great thus far, really appreciate their effort put in. The only part that I never really enjoyed was the dance part. I can't dance for nuts, but I swear I can do waltz :) Really! Not kidding.
So I got back home (after Sin Teck fetched me back, thanks lots), looked at what's on top of the printer, and then start laughing. Not a genuine laughter, like some laughter that has sorta sealed my fate.
A floorplan of their house in Shanghai. Great, Jonathan Shin you're so damn soon going to be alone so you better start cleaning up on your cooking and your house management. Ok maybe not but I'm expecting myself to be carrying up almost all of the burdens soon enough. No more dad-fetching-you-to-school-in-the-morning assumptions, then again no more waking up to Dad calling you a cheebye because you cooked breakfast too early when he assumed you had no school today. :)
It's like, ok miscommunication, but isn't it not surprising that even if he heard wrongly it would still be my fault? Because he's the sole breadwinner and money-earner of the family. It's this alpha-male thing, and when clashes come, there's only one winner. Think harder, and maybe you could see through it.
Ok but nothing held against him, it's only normal (seriously, I'm not being sarcastic, it's just the way things work).
New ideas for composition coming along during the OG race around Singapore, I'm planning to continue on Sonatina. Much confident now after hearing a breath of fresh Prokofiev on Monday's studio class. Again I'm in doubt on whether it's possible to do composition without a composition teacher. Maybe it is, but then there definitely would be more things that one would try to confirm with, let's say, yeap, should I use this motive again? Will it sound fresh?
So damn mentally and physically tired yesterday.
After studio class (which ended at 9.15pm) I managed to catch a ride from ZAD's dad, reaching home at around 9.45pm. Same old shit haunting me, returning to an empty house, stuffy, lifeless. My grand piano is still there though.
Click some lights on, get the hot water running. Meanwhile I turn to cooking my dinner (for the first time with rice). Throw in some Japanese seaweed chicken, salad with thousand-island dressings, and steamed eggs.
First of all, it tasted REALLY good. Maybe it was because I cooked it myself, so there's this bias hanging around. Shortly after the chicken entered my stomach (Yeah I took out the feathers already. In bits lah!), that mayday-mayday-stomachache-coming-in-a-while alarm started ringing. Obviously wasn't cooked well enough, tsk.
With the whole thing done, I downed my first Yakult, talking with much discomfort on the phone. My second before I slept. Great that I didn't have any diarrhea.
Ok point is, I will be looking forward to more of these days. (sulks) Should stop complaining, because there are much brighter things in life to look forward to. Not this week, but well, at least next week. Or I hope this week.
Be satisfied with what you have. I'm glad, and I really want to thank someone for helping me reach the point where I can cook my own first dinner (with rice), albeit with a little stomachache.
Oh yeah, on a John Lennon listening spree now, hope you'll like the song I posted.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Chinese New Year celebrations
Ok after a long hiatus I've decided to be back in business. It feels like a month since I last updated on Tuesday. Anyway huge family gathering yesterday at my house, let's talk about that first.
Had my usual Saturday theory class at 11, with Zhang Aidi finally making her appearance for the semester. In life there has got to be a time when you make a career-decisive decision, and I am guessing this would be it for her. Just guessing...but aiyah you still have to make your decisions at the end of the day.
After class I got back home, and then I met her at BPP (coincedentally finishing her lesson at Keat Hong around 1) where we shopped for finger foods, packet drinks, and snacks. Dabao-ed, got back home, showered, shelled the peanuts, done.
Then the first few guests start trickling in, my grandma, fifth and third aunt, my late second uncle's wife and daughter. Then I did some introductions. Cough.
We sat around waiting for them to come, and by 6 there were more than 20 people in the house. More introductions on my part, but approval from them later in the evening. Anyway whatever the food came soon enough, fried rice, curry (yum), finger foods. And then there was the laoyusheng part.
Basketball and soccer, apparently I've learnt some more fanciful skills in soccer, and I don't think it has turned rusty after a few weeks of not playing. Felt grateful though when I was still invited to play soccer with the YO guys yesterday evening. Thanks Adriel.
Dr Hecht, Miss Tan and ST came later in the evening, and we talked till around 12am. Apparently the auditions at YST have an extra component of self-study! Which basically means they give you half an hour to study a page of music, and following that you're supposed to play the piece. Nice, hopefully I get around to trying it someday.
Split decision between having to do a Fantasy or a Theme and Variations on this Db major melody I recently came up with.
Next week would be orientation week. I already have had a bad impression of RGS girls (hopefully it's a reciprocal feeling, I don't want to feel guilty for the next few days) but I think it would change as I get to know more people. I know people who want to have clean sheet when they enter their new junior colleges, but I guess it would be close to impossible for me.
And besides, if I haven't already mentioned, my only major CCA in RJC would be Piano Ensemble, because Jazz clashes with my piano major lesson. Will have to make do with it then. Glad I have finally played through Ravel Sonatine 3rd movement, so for this week's lesson I would have to bring it up to performance tempo, and have it memorised.
And get another composition done.
Recently I've also gotten hooked on some of Lennon's songs, which I would promptly post once I get the Internet hooked up again in the study room. (The part-time maid [seriously, not my dad] who would come around every Sunday is cleaning up that room so I can't use it yet.)
Had my usual Saturday theory class at 11, with Zhang Aidi finally making her appearance for the semester. In life there has got to be a time when you make a career-decisive decision, and I am guessing this would be it for her. Just guessing...but aiyah you still have to make your decisions at the end of the day.
After class I got back home, and then I met her at BPP (coincedentally finishing her lesson at Keat Hong around 1) where we shopped for finger foods, packet drinks, and snacks. Dabao-ed, got back home, showered, shelled the peanuts, done.
Then the first few guests start trickling in, my grandma, fifth and third aunt, my late second uncle's wife and daughter. Then I did some introductions. Cough.
We sat around waiting for them to come, and by 6 there were more than 20 people in the house. More introductions on my part, but approval from them later in the evening. Anyway whatever the food came soon enough, fried rice, curry (yum), finger foods. And then there was the laoyusheng part.
Basketball and soccer, apparently I've learnt some more fanciful skills in soccer, and I don't think it has turned rusty after a few weeks of not playing. Felt grateful though when I was still invited to play soccer with the YO guys yesterday evening. Thanks Adriel.
Dr Hecht, Miss Tan and ST came later in the evening, and we talked till around 12am. Apparently the auditions at YST have an extra component of self-study! Which basically means they give you half an hour to study a page of music, and following that you're supposed to play the piece. Nice, hopefully I get around to trying it someday.
Split decision between having to do a Fantasy or a Theme and Variations on this Db major melody I recently came up with.
Next week would be orientation week. I already have had a bad impression of RGS girls (hopefully it's a reciprocal feeling, I don't want to feel guilty for the next few days) but I think it would change as I get to know more people. I know people who want to have clean sheet when they enter their new junior colleges, but I guess it would be close to impossible for me.
And besides, if I haven't already mentioned, my only major CCA in RJC would be Piano Ensemble, because Jazz clashes with my piano major lesson. Will have to make do with it then. Glad I have finally played through Ravel Sonatine 3rd movement, so for this week's lesson I would have to bring it up to performance tempo, and have it memorised.
And get another composition done.
Recently I've also gotten hooked on some of Lennon's songs, which I would promptly post once I get the Internet hooked up again in the study room. (The part-time maid [seriously, not my dad] who would come around every Sunday is cleaning up that room so I can't use it yet.)
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
From David's Blog
- Pick your birth month.
- Strike out anything that doesn't apply to you.
- Bold the five-ten qualities that best apply to you.
- Copy to your own journal, with all twelve
August
Loves to joke. Attractive. Suave and caring. Brave and fearless. Firm and has leadership qualities. Knows how to console others. Too generous and egoistic. Takes high pride in oneself. Thirsty for praises. Extraordinary spirit. Easily angered. Angry when provoked. Easily jealous. Observant. Careful and cautious. Thinks quickly. Independent thoughts. Loves to lead and to be led. Loves to dream. Talented in the arts, music and defense. Sensitive but not petty. Poor resistance against illnesses. Learns to relax. Hasty and trusty. Romantic. Loving and caring. Loves to make friends.
I'll strike them out someday, because I really really really don't know how to do strike-outs in Blogger. You can help me strike them out if you want by tagging whatever you feel doesn't apply to me.
Ahaha! That's one for my grandma for those of you who couldn't find 'susceptible to acne attacks'.
- Strike out anything that doesn't apply to you.
- Bold the five-ten qualities that best apply to you.
- Copy to your own journal, with all twelve
August
Loves to joke. Attractive. Suave and caring. Brave and fearless. Firm and has leadership qualities. Knows how to console others. Too generous and egoistic. Takes high pride in oneself. Thirsty for praises. Extraordinary spirit. Easily angered. Angry when provoked. Easily jealous. Observant. Careful and cautious. Thinks quickly. Independent thoughts. Loves to lead and to be led. Loves to dream. Talented in the arts, music and defense. Sensitive but not petty. Poor resistance against illnesses. Learns to relax. Hasty and trusty. Romantic. Loving and caring. Loves to make friends.
I'll strike them out someday, because I really really really don't know how to do strike-outs in Blogger. You can help me strike them out if you want by tagging whatever you feel doesn't apply to me.
Ahaha! That's one for my grandma for those of you who couldn't find 'susceptible to acne attacks'.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Mosquitoland
www.i-talk-you-listen.blogspot.com
25th January 2009 – Blog post
Destination: Jalan Taman Molek, somewhere in Johor Bahru, close to the border
Ready to close for the night, sitting in front of the laptop with a cup of warm Milo (100% Milo powder, I usually go with 75% milk and 25% milo), and a plate of kueh neng kor. Kueh neng means chicken egg, while kor means cake, but it’s really just some kind of dough mixed with eggs to get this Chinese New Year ‘delicacy’. All shaped like fish, probably for the ‘yu’ part. Yum.
Upon deeper thinking I realize I’m the only guy in the house, because my dad went to watch Arsenal vs. Cardiff at the nearby coffeeshop. Was tempted to go and watch it with him, until he ordered me that before I could go I had to change into some outdoor clothing. Not surprisingly I was too lazy to do so, and am much content with my current state of sitting in front of the laptop typing.
I slept through the rainy weather a few hours back, waking up after 4 hours. My head propped against the pillow, my left arm drawn back underneath my head, and my right hand silently tapping the bed as I recalled one of my earlier drafts written before I started improvising. I still like it a lot, the distinct melody and the oscillating semiquavers. The dull weather and the tinted windows perfected the ambience, raindrops falling nonchalantly outside.
Time passes by slowly here, and the four females are mostly engrossed in cooking, cleaning, cooking and cleaning again. I don’t know where my grandmother gets her income from, but I believe they do stick addresses onto envelopes (by the thousands – all the envelopes containing advertisements) once every month, forming the bedrock of their income. The rest? Courtesy money from relatives I think. But they’re getting along very well here.
I’m surprised that my cousins do read my blog also, and this afternoon’s questioning yielded the (fact) that they were the ones who tagged as ‘anon’ and ‘gel’. How very factual, but it just goes to show that yes, they do get updated also. Another facet of me revealed :O
Mosquito bites are the norm in this place, but they aren’t killing me – yet. The Conservatory has once again entered my life, its ‘Semester 2 Concerts & Events’ booklet being used as a mouse pad. Apparently I brought along some of Conservatory stuff too, like Dr Makerome’s worksheets. Here are some of the modes I’ve recently learnt, for kicks. And yes, in case people like Zhu En stumble on my blog, he could learn a thing or two. Or too.
Ok modal scales can be identified by the intervals between each note and the next in the scale. And here’s the revelation:
The Ionian mode would be all the white key notes played starting from C.
The Dorian mode would be all the white key notes played starting from D.
The Phrygian mode would be all the white key notes played starting from E.
The Lydian mode would be all the white key notes played starting from F.
The Mixolydian mode – G.
The Aeolian mode – A.
The Locrian mode – B.
Essentially all the major scales we’ve been playing are based on the Ionian mode, which would be C major. To prove it, just count the semitones between each note played in the C major scale, then play B major and check whether the number of semitones corresponds. If it doesn’t I will gladly offer my right ring finger for sale. Gosh, Schumann was so stupid to try to strengthen his fourth finger. I realized that both the fourth and little finger used the same muscle, after failing my attempt to retract ONLY my little finger and keeping my ring finger outstretched. Forcing it only introduced more pain.
Alright that’s all for tonight. See you people tomorrow.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Off
YST Conservatory library, with two Thai seniors talking behind me while I try to type as softly as possible. Which is hardly possible, because you guys probably know about my typing speed and the level of attack I use, and the pedalling depth, and the...
Oh, hold on. Wrong topic.
Two days back on Thursday I attended Jazz workshop, where some unfortunate souls were sabo-ed to improvise (which I desperately failed at because our rhythms turned too complicated) while being watched by (the horrors!) 2 dozen people in pinafores.
Last I heard guys didn't wear pinafores so you people can figure.
You know, this sort of disgust isn't going to do/be any good when I go deep into the RIJC education system. But I don't know, is it just some kind of irrational fear? Yeah.
MRT trip to the Esplanade, Eroica, off.
So anyway I was sobbing when they said 2nd year students had to do harmonic minor and melodic minor scales in contrary motion. When they said we had to do it in 3rds, 6ths, and 10ths, I contemplated hari-kiri.
Melodic minor, seperated by 6ths (we usually do it in octaves), and done in contrary motion, is not a joke. Neither is not coming for class for 2 weeks consecutively and taking my fantasy worksheet with you a joke, ZAD. But I don't hold anything against her, and still wish her a happy Chinese New Year.
Yeah so lesson yesterday started with the G minor scales, which I probably tore apart after having to play its diminished seventh chord in broken scales, chromatic scale in G, and its harmonic and melodic minor modes, its appegios in different inversions. Ja, anything you can think of.
Following that was Ravel Sonatine Third Movement, which was ok, just like any other lesson, inspiring, but braincell-killing.
Waited for her lesson to end, and then all three of us went for a Munchie Monkey dinner, and then a round of pool with Akkra. Out of 3 games we played, I beat Akkra 2-1! The last game was thrown away by me after I knocked the 8-ball in, but we cheated by replacing the black ball with another cue ball so we could continue having fun.
Apparently we could be fined because of that, but we didn't bother anyway.
Going to Johor for the next few days, probably one, but I will be missing people of course, and the only thing I can pour my miseries on would be the manuscript books. Or maybe not.
A chat over teh, and then I'm off.
Oh, hold on. Wrong topic.
Two days back on Thursday I attended Jazz workshop, where some unfortunate souls were sabo-ed to improvise (which I desperately failed at because our rhythms turned too complicated) while being watched by (the horrors!) 2 dozen people in pinafores.
Last I heard guys didn't wear pinafores so you people can figure.
You know, this sort of disgust isn't going to do/be any good when I go deep into the RIJC education system. But I don't know, is it just some kind of irrational fear? Yeah.
MRT trip to the Esplanade, Eroica, off.
So anyway I was sobbing when they said 2nd year students had to do harmonic minor and melodic minor scales in contrary motion. When they said we had to do it in 3rds, 6ths, and 10ths, I contemplated hari-kiri.
Melodic minor, seperated by 6ths (we usually do it in octaves), and done in contrary motion, is not a joke. Neither is not coming for class for 2 weeks consecutively and taking my fantasy worksheet with you a joke, ZAD. But I don't hold anything against her, and still wish her a happy Chinese New Year.
Yeah so lesson yesterday started with the G minor scales, which I probably tore apart after having to play its diminished seventh chord in broken scales, chromatic scale in G, and its harmonic and melodic minor modes, its appegios in different inversions. Ja, anything you can think of.
Following that was Ravel Sonatine Third Movement, which was ok, just like any other lesson, inspiring, but braincell-killing.
Waited for her lesson to end, and then all three of us went for a Munchie Monkey dinner, and then a round of pool with Akkra. Out of 3 games we played, I beat Akkra 2-1! The last game was thrown away by me after I knocked the 8-ball in, but we cheated by replacing the black ball with another cue ball so we could continue having fun.
Apparently we could be fined because of that, but we didn't bother anyway.
Going to Johor for the next few days, probably one, but I will be missing people of course, and the only thing I can pour my miseries on would be the manuscript books. Or maybe not.
A chat over teh, and then I'm off.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Remember when...
A glaring sunset filling my study room with orange and red light, against the green paint. Half an hour later it is gone, the lights go on, and I get ready for the practice that would be happening tonight. But, indeed, an exceptional sunset.
That means getting my stomach filled, blog, check my emails, cleaning the dishes, and then keeping the laundry. All of which are already done except for blogging. I'm proud of myself :) Dinner was essentially breakfast x 2. Breakfast = 2 pancakes +3 eggs (to be scrambled). Ok go multiply that by two, except the number of eggs still remain the same.
6 eggs = dinner + diarrhoea.
Yeah but add a cup of warm milo and some cookies that we both baked...full lah.
Tiring but fun day, the tiring part comes from soccer with RI guys and some of my classmates back in RI. Fun...well improvising for my audition into Piano Ensemble is something that took me lots of courage to do, and I did it :) But I cheated and played a little Griffes, just in case the improvisation turned out shitty. Which I don't think it did...
A dedication article from my classmate Geoffrey in honor of me, thank you very much. Article can be found in RInspire, I don't really seem to know about things that revolve around me. Maybe CNA has played 2000 videos of me jumping around Singapore, and I don't even know about that. But no, I'm sure I wasn't at Obama's inauguration ceremony, so you wouldn't see me standing there.
It was great, 1am back at home, having just showered, settling on my dad's bed to catch the swearing-in live. It's the thrill of it, watching things live, let's say soccer, or any sort-of sports. You know, you get that "oh-so-I-know-what's-happening-currently" feel-good feeling. But this was absolutely different.
I was witnessing with my own eyes a historic moment - America's first black President, first black Commander-in-Chief. But there was a little stress at the back of my brain. Would he be assassinated? Touchwood touchwood.
Like, after saying, "So help me God."
Then everyone applauds, and then suddenly a huge roar, everyone dispersing, the camera shakes vigorously around, panning around (probably for the possibility of capturing the assasin on tape) before zooming back on the downed target. And then the anchor would be like, "President Barack Obama has been shot! President Barack Obama has been shot!" And there would be screaming and crying and lots of Secret Service people surrounding the podium.
(shivers) My gosh, if this ever happens, one of the things you'll would remember would hopefully be this. Or if it ever happens, I'll dig up this post again and put it as my latest post.
See, example of evil bastard, sitting right in front of the computer.
So God help me.
That means getting my stomach filled, blog, check my emails, cleaning the dishes, and then keeping the laundry. All of which are already done except for blogging. I'm proud of myself :) Dinner was essentially breakfast x 2. Breakfast = 2 pancakes +3 eggs (to be scrambled). Ok go multiply that by two, except the number of eggs still remain the same.
6 eggs = dinner + diarrhoea.
Yeah but add a cup of warm milo and some cookies that we both baked...full lah.
Tiring but fun day, the tiring part comes from soccer with RI guys and some of my classmates back in RI. Fun...well improvising for my audition into Piano Ensemble is something that took me lots of courage to do, and I did it :) But I cheated and played a little Griffes, just in case the improvisation turned out shitty. Which I don't think it did...
A dedication article from my classmate Geoffrey in honor of me, thank you very much. Article can be found in RInspire, I don't really seem to know about things that revolve around me. Maybe CNA has played 2000 videos of me jumping around Singapore, and I don't even know about that. But no, I'm sure I wasn't at Obama's inauguration ceremony, so you wouldn't see me standing there.
It was great, 1am back at home, having just showered, settling on my dad's bed to catch the swearing-in live. It's the thrill of it, watching things live, let's say soccer, or any sort-of sports. You know, you get that "oh-so-I-know-what's-happening-currently" feel-good feeling. But this was absolutely different.
I was witnessing with my own eyes a historic moment - America's first black President, first black Commander-in-Chief. But there was a little stress at the back of my brain. Would he be assassinated? Touchwood touchwood.
Like, after saying, "So help me God."
Then everyone applauds, and then suddenly a huge roar, everyone dispersing, the camera shakes vigorously around, panning around (probably for the possibility of capturing the assasin on tape) before zooming back on the downed target. And then the anchor would be like, "President Barack Obama has been shot! President Barack Obama has been shot!" And there would be screaming and crying and lots of Secret Service people surrounding the podium.
(shivers) My gosh, if this ever happens, one of the things you'll would remember would hopefully be this. Or if it ever happens, I'll dig up this post again and put it as my latest post.
See, example of evil bastard, sitting right in front of the computer.
So God help me.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Nonsense!
Eh...yes. I'm still in my own home, that's all that matters for now. I know all these seems rather out-dated due to the fast-moving pace of my life, but I still feel a kind of 'responsibility' towards my readers.
Long story short I'm going to blog about the yester-days. Friday lesson and masterclass were surprisingly smooth, except I nearly got that gag reflex again because of what Mr McLachlan told me to do, to hold down the pedal and create this 'dirty kind of tone'.
It's unfortunate that being allergic to alcohol (a whiff can knock me cold) isn't enough, I'm apparently sensitive also to harsh dissonances. Not that I haven't been creating enough in my improvisations, but harsh dissonances together with muddy pedalling can induce a gag reflex, and subsequently cause me to puke.
I'm not kidding. I might sound like I'm exagerrating but sigh. I'm not. Thankfully I have yet to vomit my guts out yet thanks to the beautiful sounds I have been hearing at the Conservatory and also at RJC. However being the subject of this weird experiment conducted on me during masterclass has left me dazed - much like after scratching the chalkboard or the wall for 2 hours continuously.
Torture.
Lesson before that was spent running through Griffes in preparation for the masterclass, and then of course the 3rd movement of Ravel's Sonatine, unsurprisingly presented slow and steady and (hopefully) organized. T'was a good lesson, and I'll make sure this week's lesson would also be as good.
I know it has already been posted, looks like I was too late. But yes Saturday's concert at the Conservatory by the same man who taught me during masterclass was...was. Due to the state of my mind currently I am unable to give you any of my thoughts or ideas or whatsoever.
After my business was done at RJC I walked over to RI to get to my bus. Met two teachers, both of whom said I had indeed grown thinner. Seems like someone has been starving or something, but no leh. I do eat alot...then again I was lucky [again, lucky bastard] because the second teacher, Miss Alicia Goh, told me that today was Testimonial Collection Day :O. Which I obviously wasn't really in the know about.
Testimonial, I'm proud to say, was stunningly true and clean of bullshit. But my future CEO so needed to know that I was a stagehand during SYF 2005, and that one of my aspirations was edited to being an accompanist. Hur.
1) Teacher
2) Composer
3) Performer
4) Conductor
5) Critic
Ah. The complete musician. The close reflection of Trevor Sze (although I've never seen his critiques or compositions)
Get it? Get it? No "accompanist". You might have as well told me to be a page-turner.
K other than that, I would be performing in Medan next month so I wouldn't be here for a while, and an opportunity to also go to Chethams, Manchester in August. Unfortunately I have concerts and performances in August too (on my birthday) so that means...nope. Chethams would have to wait. My birthday is more important. :)
I have this nagging feeling that I've been mentioning Medan for a thousand times already, but I don't care. It feels good, and anything that feels good is worth over-feeling.
what the hell.
Long story short I'm going to blog about the yester-days. Friday lesson and masterclass were surprisingly smooth, except I nearly got that gag reflex again because of what Mr McLachlan told me to do, to hold down the pedal and create this 'dirty kind of tone'.
It's unfortunate that being allergic to alcohol (a whiff can knock me cold) isn't enough, I'm apparently sensitive also to harsh dissonances. Not that I haven't been creating enough in my improvisations, but harsh dissonances together with muddy pedalling can induce a gag reflex, and subsequently cause me to puke.
I'm not kidding. I might sound like I'm exagerrating but sigh. I'm not. Thankfully I have yet to vomit my guts out yet thanks to the beautiful sounds I have been hearing at the Conservatory and also at RJC. However being the subject of this weird experiment conducted on me during masterclass has left me dazed - much like after scratching the chalkboard or the wall for 2 hours continuously.
Torture.
Lesson before that was spent running through Griffes in preparation for the masterclass, and then of course the 3rd movement of Ravel's Sonatine, unsurprisingly presented slow and steady and (hopefully) organized. T'was a good lesson, and I'll make sure this week's lesson would also be as good.
I know it has already been posted, looks like I was too late. But yes Saturday's concert at the Conservatory by the same man who taught me during masterclass was...was. Due to the state of my mind currently I am unable to give you any of my thoughts or ideas or whatsoever.
After my business was done at RJC I walked over to RI to get to my bus. Met two teachers, both of whom said I had indeed grown thinner. Seems like someone has been starving or something, but no leh. I do eat alot...then again I was lucky [again, lucky bastard] because the second teacher, Miss Alicia Goh, told me that today was Testimonial Collection Day :O. Which I obviously wasn't really in the know about.
Testimonial, I'm proud to say, was stunningly true and clean of bullshit. But my future CEO so needed to know that I was a stagehand during SYF 2005, and that one of my aspirations was edited to being an accompanist. Hur.
1) Teacher
2) Composer
3) Performer
4) Conductor
5) Critic
Ah. The complete musician. The close reflection of Trevor Sze (although I've never seen his critiques or compositions)
Get it? Get it? No "accompanist". You might have as well told me to be a page-turner.
K other than that, I would be performing in Medan next month so I wouldn't be here for a while, and an opportunity to also go to Chethams, Manchester in August. Unfortunately I have concerts and performances in August too (on my birthday) so that means...nope. Chethams would have to wait. My birthday is more important. :)
I have this nagging feeling that I've been mentioning Medan for a thousand times already, but I don't care. It feels good, and anything that feels good is worth over-feeling.
what the hell.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Questions hanging
Yeah, call it what you want. Exiled from my own home. Self-imposed. Real-time, me, yes. Not going back home because my potential step-mum and her daughter are in it, and no, I'm not going to enter a house that has strangers in it.
Can you replace a mum? No. And if I'm going to look to her as a kind of maid or a housekeeper, can you then imagine your own dad marrying the maid? No. Suddenly, in my life, a half-sister? No. can't imagine. Why should I be sharing my house with other people then? Other people whom I have no feeling for, whom I've never even met before, other people whom I don't love.
Let's bring it to yesterday - woke up with a splitting headache after sleeping super late the previous night. RJC open house. Anyway I still got there 1 hour earlier than many other Rafflesians of my cohort. The reason why I woke up so early was because I had to have breakfast with my 2 aunties, my cousin and my dad at Serangoon. Bopian, otherwise I have to take public transport, which isn't really a good deal, considering you get your food paid for (by my dad).
I have chosen to join Raffles Jazz and Piano Ensemble, Piano Ensemble because Thomas Ang is in it, and he's damn good, and it's fun to have sight-reading contests with him when you know that you would definitely lose.
Who the hell would want to compete with a guy who accompanies a hell lot of people and has to learn pieces in the shortest amount of time?
Maybe it's just me. I'm a glutton for losing. Speaking of losing I'm feeling like a loser now - practised for the past 3 hours and starving with nowhere to go, and in my RI PE shirt and Germany jacket. Keh.
So yes, I'll be waiting for Raffles Jazz auditions, and then I'm in already. Hopefully I'll pass, but sometimes in life you don't get everything you want, though it seems contrary to that now. After Open House went to Esplanade with Subway dinner in hand, reached Pan Pacific Hotel at around 7.25, then RAN all the way to the Esplanade. Thank you, we managed to get in, albeit I was panting like a dog.
Don't run next time.
PM Lee was the guest-of-honor today, special occasion being the SSO 30th Anniversary. They invited us to have a piece of cake when we left the concert hall later, so we could bring a piece of the SSO home (the hell?) Anyway they weren't lying, we were both given a small yellow nicely-done package with a piece of the cake inside. I'm doubting it, but maybe it was because the cake look so small when we were all the way up at the top, on the 3rd level.
Yes, they rolled the cake up on stage.
Beethoven's Symphony No. 1 was stylistically accurate (a great achievement considering the hundreds of recordings I have heard of it and none of them seemed to suit the period), rhythmically tight (after my own bad experience of playing it in VJC as a cellist) and musically sound. Nice one, SSO. As usual, I was listening and writing down composition/orchestration techniques. Some people beside me kinda made me think that I would be reading a review in a few days' time.
Old man on my right was looking sagely, but he cracked that image apart when he started bouncing to Bruch's Violin Concerto. Bravo, let the senility show!
I didn't stop him though, lest when old people rule the world I would be the first on his target list. But thinking about it now, dang, I should have nudged him a little. Hopefully he would get the drift.
Yeah anyway Bruch Concerto...was nothing out of the ordinary. Just usual solo playing, making it look difficult, and rushing from the part of the soloist, which I swear is inevitable, but assistant concertmistress was great though. Was thinking about Song Quan when I heard the Concerto, wondering how easily it would sound under those young yet astoundingly precise, graceful and strong fingers. And just 13-14. Or maybe younger. Brr. Wonderboy.
Intermission was spent eating Subway (YUM I feel like eating it for dinner today) and listening to some 40-50 year old guy sing at the atrium.
Beethoven's Symphony No. 5...Marc Rochester was right. It really isn't that creative compared to the 1st. Talking about modulations, tonicizations. The famous first 4 notes were played at a much faster tempo compared to the 7000 ones I've heard before (gosh have I attended so many concerts in my life? Maybe shopping centres and elevators and lobbies would be more fit.)
It was like, "Omg omg omg the first 4 notes are starting...(5 seconds later) Huh. Over already ah. Ok I don't know the rest of the piece, so I'll just sit back and relax, sleep. What, I paid 27 bucks just to listen to this, and now it's over. Dumb."
So we had Rochor beancurd for supper as usual along with my dad. Youtiao, butterfly. Mmm.
Piano lesson followed by masterclass, then piano departmental meeting, then don't know what. Tired. Confused. Sad. And probably for the first time, angst whilst lying on the bed. That chest pain. That...heart pain.
Do you even love her? For how long have you even met her? And if you spend the money on getting the flat, and then you'll divorce, what happens? Where does the money go to? And if it turns ugly, legal spat, can we pay for it? Is it worth it to go through all these trouble just to let her look good? Just to let people see that she has a flat to live in?
Is it just altruism on your part? Random act of kindness? A quick bounce-back after a death? Ever weighed the consequences if anything happens? Anything. Anything can happen.
I know I'll never be at peace should I share my house with an utter stranger, strangers. I will never practise the piano the same again, never be able to listen to music, eat my food the same way again. It's different. And I know because I've talked to people who've gone through this shit. And I've just added one more person to my list today, someone close to me (not my dad lah, my friend) Someone who knows music just as well, or even better than me (although he can't improvise that well hahahaha)
Couldn't say anything but I gave him a hug to console him.
Not being able to share a flat with some people means they cannot come over and stay in the house. My dad wants to stay with them in their new flat, which means if you haven't realised, I'll be living alone.
Yes, as in we're talking about living, means like months or years, alone. Something like boarding. But then in boarding they don't give you a grand piano, they don't give you a huge TV, a great blah blah. You get the idea. Well, maybe I can start thinking of myself living in a suite. But then again I am my own maid, my own butler. I do the cooking, laundry, housekeeping myself! And if my dad were to return probably once a month or more then his bedroom would have to be kept tidy.
And if it's on the agenda, I might start teaching regularly again for duh, income. I don't wish for any other kids to be like me, but I don't know whether it's taking things too far. I just realised I have A-levels, exams. But then I'll be expecting some food and green bean soup to be delivered hehheh :) right to my doorstep. Every Villian Is Lemon.
Then again what if I suddenly go into a seizure and die? Or get knocked down by a car (which accidently drove 22 storeys into the air and crash into my home? Accident lah. Anything can happen in accidents remember??) Yes, some things to ponder.
I'm having this thought that some of you reading this might think I'm joking or something, like just to get blog-hits. Hey, obsession with bloghits over! (checks counter) That's not counted. Anyway yeah it's true, see I got into RJC (as I have blogged), not faking. Keh, like that would increase bloghits.
I might be staying alone starting from late this year, but who cares. I'll survive.
Anyway yes so here I am at the Conservatory, typing this on a Mac. Hesitant of whether she will still be there when I get back home or not. Hopefully not, because I need to shower and revise my music for tomorrow's masterclass and lesson.
Some things are just plain incredulous.
Life has given me more than I've asked for, and I'll definitely treasure and cherish them. Thankfully, there's an inner joy still tucked somewhere in me, telling me to be contented with life and the people around you.
Sleep, Jonathan, sleep.
Can you replace a mum? No. And if I'm going to look to her as a kind of maid or a housekeeper, can you then imagine your own dad marrying the maid? No. Suddenly, in my life, a half-sister? No. can't imagine. Why should I be sharing my house with other people then? Other people whom I have no feeling for, whom I've never even met before, other people whom I don't love.
Let's bring it to yesterday - woke up with a splitting headache after sleeping super late the previous night. RJC open house. Anyway I still got there 1 hour earlier than many other Rafflesians of my cohort. The reason why I woke up so early was because I had to have breakfast with my 2 aunties, my cousin and my dad at Serangoon. Bopian, otherwise I have to take public transport, which isn't really a good deal, considering you get your food paid for (by my dad).
I have chosen to join Raffles Jazz and Piano Ensemble, Piano Ensemble because Thomas Ang is in it, and he's damn good, and it's fun to have sight-reading contests with him when you know that you would definitely lose.
Who the hell would want to compete with a guy who accompanies a hell lot of people and has to learn pieces in the shortest amount of time?
Maybe it's just me. I'm a glutton for losing. Speaking of losing I'm feeling like a loser now - practised for the past 3 hours and starving with nowhere to go, and in my RI PE shirt and Germany jacket. Keh.
So yes, I'll be waiting for Raffles Jazz auditions, and then I'm in already. Hopefully I'll pass, but sometimes in life you don't get everything you want, though it seems contrary to that now. After Open House went to Esplanade with Subway dinner in hand, reached Pan Pacific Hotel at around 7.25, then RAN all the way to the Esplanade. Thank you, we managed to get in, albeit I was panting like a dog.
Don't run next time.
PM Lee was the guest-of-honor today, special occasion being the SSO 30th Anniversary. They invited us to have a piece of cake when we left the concert hall later, so we could bring a piece of the SSO home (the hell?) Anyway they weren't lying, we were both given a small yellow nicely-done package with a piece of the cake inside. I'm doubting it, but maybe it was because the cake look so small when we were all the way up at the top, on the 3rd level.
Yes, they rolled the cake up on stage.
Beethoven's Symphony No. 1 was stylistically accurate (a great achievement considering the hundreds of recordings I have heard of it and none of them seemed to suit the period), rhythmically tight (after my own bad experience of playing it in VJC as a cellist) and musically sound. Nice one, SSO. As usual, I was listening and writing down composition/orchestration techniques. Some people beside me kinda made me think that I would be reading a review in a few days' time.
Old man on my right was looking sagely, but he cracked that image apart when he started bouncing to Bruch's Violin Concerto. Bravo, let the senility show!
I didn't stop him though, lest when old people rule the world I would be the first on his target list. But thinking about it now, dang, I should have nudged him a little. Hopefully he would get the drift.
Yeah anyway Bruch Concerto...was nothing out of the ordinary. Just usual solo playing, making it look difficult, and rushing from the part of the soloist, which I swear is inevitable, but assistant concertmistress was great though. Was thinking about Song Quan when I heard the Concerto, wondering how easily it would sound under those young yet astoundingly precise, graceful and strong fingers. And just 13-14. Or maybe younger. Brr. Wonderboy.
Intermission was spent eating Subway (YUM I feel like eating it for dinner today) and listening to some 40-50 year old guy sing at the atrium.
Beethoven's Symphony No. 5...Marc Rochester was right. It really isn't that creative compared to the 1st. Talking about modulations, tonicizations. The famous first 4 notes were played at a much faster tempo compared to the 7000 ones I've heard before (gosh have I attended so many concerts in my life? Maybe shopping centres and elevators and lobbies would be more fit.)
It was like, "Omg omg omg the first 4 notes are starting...(5 seconds later) Huh. Over already ah. Ok I don't know the rest of the piece, so I'll just sit back and relax, sleep. What, I paid 27 bucks just to listen to this, and now it's over. Dumb."
So we had Rochor beancurd for supper as usual along with my dad. Youtiao, butterfly. Mmm.
Piano lesson followed by masterclass, then piano departmental meeting, then don't know what. Tired. Confused. Sad. And probably for the first time, angst whilst lying on the bed. That chest pain. That...heart pain.
Do you even love her? For how long have you even met her? And if you spend the money on getting the flat, and then you'll divorce, what happens? Where does the money go to? And if it turns ugly, legal spat, can we pay for it? Is it worth it to go through all these trouble just to let her look good? Just to let people see that she has a flat to live in?
Is it just altruism on your part? Random act of kindness? A quick bounce-back after a death? Ever weighed the consequences if anything happens? Anything. Anything can happen.
I know I'll never be at peace should I share my house with an utter stranger, strangers. I will never practise the piano the same again, never be able to listen to music, eat my food the same way again. It's different. And I know because I've talked to people who've gone through this shit. And I've just added one more person to my list today, someone close to me (not my dad lah, my friend) Someone who knows music just as well, or even better than me (although he can't improvise that well hahahaha)
Couldn't say anything but I gave him a hug to console him.
Not being able to share a flat with some people means they cannot come over and stay in the house. My dad wants to stay with them in their new flat, which means if you haven't realised, I'll be living alone.
Yes, as in we're talking about living, means like months or years, alone. Something like boarding. But then in boarding they don't give you a grand piano, they don't give you a huge TV, a great blah blah. You get the idea. Well, maybe I can start thinking of myself living in a suite. But then again I am my own maid, my own butler. I do the cooking, laundry, housekeeping myself! And if my dad were to return probably once a month or more then his bedroom would have to be kept tidy.
And if it's on the agenda, I might start teaching regularly again for duh, income. I don't wish for any other kids to be like me, but I don't know whether it's taking things too far. I just realised I have A-levels, exams. But then I'll be expecting some food and green bean soup to be delivered hehheh :) right to my doorstep. Every Villian Is Lemon.
Then again what if I suddenly go into a seizure and die? Or get knocked down by a car (which accidently drove 22 storeys into the air and crash into my home? Accident lah. Anything can happen in accidents remember??) Yes, some things to ponder.
I'm having this thought that some of you reading this might think I'm joking or something, like just to get blog-hits. Hey, obsession with bloghits over! (checks counter) That's not counted. Anyway yeah it's true, see I got into RJC (as I have blogged), not faking. Keh, like that would increase bloghits.
I might be staying alone starting from late this year, but who cares. I'll survive.
Anyway yes so here I am at the Conservatory, typing this on a Mac. Hesitant of whether she will still be there when I get back home or not. Hopefully not, because I need to shower and revise my music for tomorrow's masterclass and lesson.
Some things are just plain incredulous.
Life has given me more than I've asked for, and I'll definitely treasure and cherish them. Thankfully, there's an inner joy still tucked somewhere in me, telling me to be contented with life and the people around you.
Sleep, Jonathan, sleep.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Bah-bah-bah
So today I got to cook up pancakes and scrambled eggs for breakfast. And then instant noodles for lunch. Dinner's outside. Practise the piano. Read a book. Getting a life.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
You're Tipping Me Over The Edge
A sleepover at Lennie's house, and a visit from the police. Story goes like this -you have 5 guys staying over in some huge semi-D which has a cool balcony and 3 storeys. With a front lawn and back lawn and side lawn and whatever.
Yisin and I decide to watch AC Milan versus Hamburger downstairs on the 1st floor, the game starts at 10.55. The game ends in penalties, which Milan win, and we decide to join the guys upstairs. The guys - Daniel and Lennie - seem to be practising guitars in their room, but they aren't.
They're in the balcony, performing for the whole wide world, under the moon. Both of them have the guitars sling over their shoulders, both of them strumming vigorously. The music they produce, well, sensible. Marcus and I join them, and soon we're engaging in some Nigel-Jonathan improvisation, lots of nonsense in it, the penultimate subject being love this time. And when such things happen, you sure know that everyone tries to shout at their top of their lungs. It's, just an expression.
We hear someone shout from down below, but it's at such a distance it's merely a whisper at the top.
First signs of trouble around late 1am, when we see a police car driving real slow across the gates. We stop in our tracks, and look at the police car.
Police: We stop in our tracks, and look at the balcony. Four boys, not older than 18, occupy the hallowed area. Two of them have acoustic guitars slinged over their shoulders, while the other two seem not to be doing anything. However their mouths open and close. They probably must be talking.
Us: "Holy shit. Are they looking for us? Just now some guy shouted, he probably must have called the police." Oh wait, look, they're moving again! Heng siah. Me: "Lol later they U-turn back, then I'll be the one laughing." Everyone laughs as we exaggerate them turning back around and stopping in front of the house.
Police: We pull out of the street. We might be back.
Us: We continue singing, this time quieter. 5 minutes later, the police patrol car freaking pulls RIGHT in front of the house.
Police: We U-turn back, wind down the windows, and stop the car outside the house. We then get out of the car. Those guys up there must be so scared they're pissing in their pants.
Us: We're pissing in our pants. Two policemen step out of the car, and one asks, "May the owner of the house please come down." No, more like a request. An order.
Lennie says, "It's me." And he looks pretty shaken, but since we were with him all the while, we walk down six flights of steps in total darkness, and reach the front door. Only Marcus and Lennie walk across the front yard to talk to the patrolmen, while Yisin, Daniel and I stick to the sofa in the living room. No, we weren't sissies, too many cooks spoil the broth. I'm serious! Anyway we would have walked out if the police called us - a band always stick together.
Lennie comes back to the living room with a relieved smile on his face. We go up inside the room to discuss what happened.
Turns out the policemen had no choice but to do some follow-up because some person complained, so that next time we made noise the police can assure the person they did check up on the details. Lennie tells them, "Happy New Year."
"Oh oh, sure, Happy New Year. Good night."
I love Singapore policemen.
Yes, the blog music you're now listening to would be one of the songs that Exdee has recorded (I'm in it) over the past 2 months. Title would be Tipping, Falling. Love song. Lyrics under:
I never knew if you had ever felt the same for me
I had to know if it was real or just sympathy
There has to be something more behind that smile
I wish I knew, I wish I knew
I remember the nights that we spent so long
Talking about things that would make a song
Do you remember the same things that I do,
The things that make up, me and you
But now, I’m never letting it go again,
I’m never making the same mistakes
I’ll have you know
I’m crying out, all my tears have dried
No im not alright, so perhaps i lied,
Don’t try to catch me when I fall
I want to fall in love with you/ I wanna fall
Now it seems that i have fallen for you
I know this sounds absurd, it surprises me too
The door is open so step in and take a ride
Let me take you, on this ride
I’ll take you past the tall neon sky scrapers
To the quiet beach where we’ll spend the night
Staring at the stars, with you in my arms,
I will be looking, in your eyes
But now, I’m never letting it go again,
I’m never making the same mistakes
I’ll have you know.
I’m crying out, all my tears have dried
No im not alright, so perhaps I lied,
Don’t try to catch me when I fall
I want to fall in love with you/ I wanna fall in love with you
You're tipping,
You're tipping me over the edge, over the edge.
You're tipping,
You're tipping me over the edge, over the edge.
You're tipping,
You're tipping me over the edge.
You're tipping,
You're tipping me over the edge.
I wanna fall...
I’m crying out, all my tears have dried
No im not alright, so perhaps I lied,
Don’t try to catch me when I fall
I want to fall in love with you/ I wanna fall in love with you (x2)
Yisin and I decide to watch AC Milan versus Hamburger downstairs on the 1st floor, the game starts at 10.55. The game ends in penalties, which Milan win, and we decide to join the guys upstairs. The guys - Daniel and Lennie - seem to be practising guitars in their room, but they aren't.
They're in the balcony, performing for the whole wide world, under the moon. Both of them have the guitars sling over their shoulders, both of them strumming vigorously. The music they produce, well, sensible. Marcus and I join them, and soon we're engaging in some Nigel-Jonathan improvisation, lots of nonsense in it, the penultimate subject being love this time. And when such things happen, you sure know that everyone tries to shout at their top of their lungs. It's, just an expression.
We hear someone shout from down below, but it's at such a distance it's merely a whisper at the top.
First signs of trouble around late 1am, when we see a police car driving real slow across the gates. We stop in our tracks, and look at the police car.
Police: We stop in our tracks, and look at the balcony. Four boys, not older than 18, occupy the hallowed area. Two of them have acoustic guitars slinged over their shoulders, while the other two seem not to be doing anything. However their mouths open and close. They probably must be talking.
Us: "Holy shit. Are they looking for us? Just now some guy shouted, he probably must have called the police." Oh wait, look, they're moving again! Heng siah. Me: "Lol later they U-turn back, then I'll be the one laughing." Everyone laughs as we exaggerate them turning back around and stopping in front of the house.
Police: We pull out of the street. We might be back.
Us: We continue singing, this time quieter. 5 minutes later, the police patrol car freaking pulls RIGHT in front of the house.
Police: We U-turn back, wind down the windows, and stop the car outside the house. We then get out of the car. Those guys up there must be so scared they're pissing in their pants.
Us: We're pissing in our pants. Two policemen step out of the car, and one asks, "May the owner of the house please come down." No, more like a request. An order.
Lennie says, "It's me." And he looks pretty shaken, but since we were with him all the while, we walk down six flights of steps in total darkness, and reach the front door. Only Marcus and Lennie walk across the front yard to talk to the patrolmen, while Yisin, Daniel and I stick to the sofa in the living room. No, we weren't sissies, too many cooks spoil the broth. I'm serious! Anyway we would have walked out if the police called us - a band always stick together.
Lennie comes back to the living room with a relieved smile on his face. We go up inside the room to discuss what happened.
Turns out the policemen had no choice but to do some follow-up because some person complained, so that next time we made noise the police can assure the person they did check up on the details. Lennie tells them, "Happy New Year."
"Oh oh, sure, Happy New Year. Good night."
I love Singapore policemen.
Yes, the blog music you're now listening to would be one of the songs that Exdee has recorded (I'm in it) over the past 2 months. Title would be Tipping, Falling. Love song. Lyrics under:
I never knew if you had ever felt the same for me
I had to know if it was real or just sympathy
There has to be something more behind that smile
I wish I knew, I wish I knew
I remember the nights that we spent so long
Talking about things that would make a song
Do you remember the same things that I do,
The things that make up, me and you
But now, I’m never letting it go again,
I’m never making the same mistakes
I’ll have you know
I’m crying out, all my tears have dried
No im not alright, so perhaps i lied,
Don’t try to catch me when I fall
I want to fall in love with you/ I wanna fall
Now it seems that i have fallen for you
I know this sounds absurd, it surprises me too
The door is open so step in and take a ride
Let me take you, on this ride
I’ll take you past the tall neon sky scrapers
To the quiet beach where we’ll spend the night
Staring at the stars, with you in my arms,
I will be looking, in your eyes
But now, I’m never letting it go again,
I’m never making the same mistakes
I’ll have you know.
I’m crying out, all my tears have dried
No im not alright, so perhaps I lied,
Don’t try to catch me when I fall
I want to fall in love with you/ I wanna fall in love with you
You're tipping,
You're tipping me over the edge, over the edge.
You're tipping,
You're tipping me over the edge, over the edge.
You're tipping,
You're tipping me over the edge.
You're tipping,
You're tipping me over the edge.
I wanna fall...
I’m crying out, all my tears have dried
No im not alright, so perhaps I lied,
Don’t try to catch me when I fall
I want to fall in love with you/ I wanna fall in love with you (x2)
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