Music makes the world go round

2012-02-12T00:24:00.000+08:00

Good days are coming by! I feel them! Embouchure is really gaining strength now! The next step will be to set the air in place also. Gotta get started on repertoire as well. Oh well, it's not just my playing that's keeping me lifted. I really don't know what I'd do without you. Nigh inseparable we are.

Oh well, time to get some rest. Long rehearsal tomorrow. Shall have history to accompany me while I'm inactive. Goodnight world!

2012-02-07T22:32:00.001+08:00

Blog's been neglected for a while. Been exactly one week since I last posted. Went through a rough night last Wednesday. Kinda suffered a mental breakdown for some reason which I still don't know. I'm grateful for the care I received and right now I'm back on track, motivated and driven. With all that motivation, it just dawned on me there's so much to do; among them 2 history papers. I'm glad I'll be done with SAS by this week, that'll give me another very valuable 2 hours on Thursdays. With all the repertoire to prepare (3 solo pieces and 15 excerpts), I'll need to make good use of whatever practice time I have. Although I wish I could spend more time outside school life, I don't think it can happen much within the next 2 weeks. Hopefully I keep my sanity! Goodnight world!

2012-01-31T00:52:00.001+08:00

My teacher just gave me the green light to learn tenor trombone! Should be fun! Hopefully I can start practising later after the orchestra concert. Need to be in decent shape on Wednesday for OMM! Alright, that's all for now. Lazy to type about anything else. Goodnight world!

2012-01-29T01:00:00.001+08:00

I actually witnessed how my day just turned 180 degrees from downright unmotivated and demoralising to feeling accomplished and great at the end of it. Had some great dessert and really warm and enjoyable company! But right now as I think about it, I am still actually lost in life. It's just that I'm still able to enjoy it. I may not be able to answer everything for what I do, but that shouldn't ever stop me from living the life I wanna live. I guess I should also learn how to let go, to take a step back and enjoy the greater picture. That does mean overcoming instinct but I guess it'll be worth it. Alright, finally can get to enjoy some well needed unrestricted sleep. Goodnight world!

2012-01-28T00:26:00.003+08:00

Orchestra was really disappointing just now. Totally collapsed as a unit at certain areas. I really really really hope it turns around. It all must start with the individual.

This week definitely has been one that I should learn from. Hasn't been really good and time to know what should be done to make the subsequent weeks better. Probably need a slight rethink of plans, schedules and goals. Speaking of schedule adjustments, I now have to accommodate teaching time on Fridays. Really looking forward to becoming a regular tutor. Although my ultimate goal is to educate well, along the way I should do my best to find what is "me"; what are my ways, thoughts and concepts of brass playing, music and life. Right now I kinda feel lost in everything. I'm guessing finding what is "me" will take me to the next level in whatever I do. I just need to embrace it. Alright, rest time. Goodnight world!

2012-01-26T21:52:00.005+08:00

Still haven't gotten back to planning my practice sessions!! Urgh! Cannot carry on like this! I did have some fundamental practice but without planning it's kinda less fulfilling. Practised the Brahms 1 excerpts too and along the way I (re)discovered a certain embouchure that improves efficiency, sound quality and evenness across the range, but at the expense of endurance and quite difficult to handle when articulation is put in. But it does seem something worthy of working on!

Mr. Hartung is back on the podium today for orchestra! Nice to see him again and I must say the music is taken to the next level with him at the helm. Of course Mr. Lim Yau has done a great job building up technical and teamwork aspects in the orchestra but to me, Mr. Hartung just turns it into music that means something. Gotta learn how to do that myself. Need to find my own musical voice! I guess time to collect more CDs of other instrumentalists. Alright, that's all for today. Goodbye!

2012-01-26T00:13:00.001+08:00

The two public holidays of CNY now over and it's back to school! And what a way to be greeted: dusty rooms because they repainted the studios. Seriously, all these works should be done during the holidays!! School administration is really making less and less sense! Ok enough ranting. Life goes on.

I find that I've been playing a lot of high range recently. I covered the euphonium part in band, playing tenor trombone excerpts for fun and so on. Gotta turn that around! Need to get better at what I'm supposed to be good at: low range! Urgh! Discipline man!

Also need discipline to stick to my practice plans! Haven't been singing my intervals in a while now! C'mon!!!!!!!!!! Stop all these nonsense!!

Ok...need to compose myself once again. Time to turn in. Goodnight world!

2012-01-23T12:07:00.000+08:00

Happy Lunar New Year everyone! Here's to wishing everyone good health and prosperity! Cheers!

Managed to get some cleaning up on my computer done. Arranged and organised my files and did a backup. Been long overdue! Soon enough, I'll need to organise my room as well. Oh well, now is a good time to review my practice plans and see what can be changed to further improve it. After that, get some practice done! Right, enjoy your new year everyone!

2012-01-22T00:41:00.000+08:00

Slide That! gig went well! Really enjoyed playing just now despite the sleepiness caused by the rain! Hahaha! A good concert by the Southern Cross Soloists after that! Some really beautiful music in their repertoire and really good players and ensemble work! Was a good day! Now to enjoy some time with relatives because it's one more day to CNY! Also need to get some practice done! Quite an extensive list of repertoire to cover; complete Sachse Concertino, Bozza Prelude et Allegro, Sarabande from Bach Cello Suite No. 5 and 15 excerpts. Yup, quite a lot of stuff to prepare. Oh well, shall plan out what and how I shall be practising and performing for the next 2+ months before exams arrive. Right, time to get some rest! Bye!

2012-01-21T00:49:00.003+08:00

Really can't find words to describe the week I've just gone through. Busy? Hectic? Tiring? Yeah, tiring should be the closest. I realise I haven't really planned a practice session this week and I'm not keeping my discipline of practising aural everyday. This just can't go on! I gotta take it to the next level! Now that there's a new system of studio bookings being tried out in school, it'll be interesting to find out if it's any good. Oh well, time to go sleep. Really tired. Gotta be fresh for Slide That!'s gig later. Goodnight world!

2012-01-18T00:21:00.002+08:00

As if by luck, or rather, the lack of it, there's another item to add to the to-break list for this year: my Cronkhite gig bag's strap. Really can't imagine how such a thing could happen to supposedly one of the best built gig bags that's only 7 months old! Grrr!! Just fired an email to Mr. Cronkhite about it. Hopefully he can do something about it! Now it makes me wonder once again, what's next?! Oh well, for now I'll have to make do with my Eastman case.

Concerto competition heats went mostly alright. Definitely not my best performance though. Oh well, results will be out later. Don't really have high hopes for it though.

Gotta move on!!! Urgh!!

2012-01-16T23:57:00.000+08:00

Quartet performance done, Concerto competition heats and more trombone ensemble to go for the week! Gonna get back into my exercise regime tomorrow. Finally can get on with it now that my left knee has recovered! Time to get fit! Alright, high time I go to bed, goodnight world!

2012-01-15T00:50:00.003+08:00

What a day, managed to get tired from not doing anything! I guess being bored makes you tired. Talk went well I guess. First SYO sectionals were kinda boring I must admit. Also attended the MTDC Graduation Concert, which had some good stuff!

Looking back, what I experienced on Monday was quite out of the norm. I'd never think, with all this joy of making music, doing what I love the most, that I'd not want to go home. I had some troubled times in my childhood. After all, I wasn't a really good kid. I was lazy (still am), didn't complete my homework in time, didn't pay attention in class sometimes, the lot. Of course that got me into trouble, teachers calling up my parents, not doing well for tests and so on. When I came to NAFA, I knew I will be studying what I love, music and trombone. It came true! I was on my way to becoming a professional musician. Because I love what I do so much, I wanted to do it as much as I can. Inevitably, that led to a busy schedule. I played 7 concerts within December alone in 2010. It was the most number of concerts I played in a month to date. And then one night, my mom came to my room and scolded me for taking up so many projects. Till today, I never understood why she did that. She gave me a long lecture about it but that's about all I could remember. It didn't make sense to me (hence I forgot the content). I cried a lot in bed that night. It was the first time a cried in a long while. So from that point in my life I had to ask her permission to take on projects. It just made me so worked up, having to ask someone who doesn't fully understand what I do and why I do it for permission to do what I love doing. Right now I have since managed to pass that stage. But that incident lowered my respect for her. She'd question me about everything, I was fine with it, but it came to the point when she'd forget, then she'll ask me again, and then I'd think she doesn't understand what I do, why does she want to ask so much? I just hated her questions, be impatient to answer them, and then she'll sense my impatience, she gets upset, and it gets worse. I just dreaded her company. The home became less of a place where I could feel happy. But all this is on me isn't it? I choose to make my own decisions in life and mostly expect my parents to support me. Inevitably some or most decisions I make upset my mom mostly. Mainly because I don't go around asking for advice, or asking for permission, the lot. Well asking for advice, learning from other's experiences as how she puts it, I totally agree it's good, but are these people living my life? She likes to think she always tries to live life without regretting (hence all the questions about everything I guess), be cautious about everything. To me that ends up being a kind of person who doesn't do a lot, doesn't take risks. I just can't be that way at the moment, it's just me. I trust myself in whatever I do and go for it. Doesn't work out, find a solution, move on. But slowly my life is getting more and more contained, or at least the containment just remains the same but my longing increases. Alright I know, all selfish thoughts isn't it? Not thinking about my parents, wanting to do what I want even though I'm still under their financial support, getting upset when they disapprove...all selfish thoughts. BUT HOW TO CHANGE?? Urgh, it's so sickening. Alright I guess I've said enough, maybe even too much. Need some solace, need to find some way to change this around....

2012-01-13T23:08:00.000+08:00

Just got home from a fantastic concert by the Australian Brass Quintet and the YST Conservatory Brass students! Really cool to be on the other side of the bell and hearing all that resonance, kinda like woodwind players in the orchestra (bassoonists and clarinetists in particular). Of course they don't usually take it the same way as brass players do. Most of them place some sort of device in between their ears and our bells like Plexiglass shields or earplugs. For us, we just enjoy all the rawness of it. Was some really cool repertoire that ABQ brought to the concert and it was really engaging! Really glad I attended the concert!

I just realised I'll be performing thrice next week. Just updated my upcoming performance section on the left. Besides the quartet performance, I'll be participating in NAFA's concerto competition and the heats are next Tuesday. Not sure if it's open to the public though. Then on Saturday, I'll be playing with Slide That! again but with different players at Artist Academy. Gonna be an interesting week before we break for Chinese New Year. Hopefully it'll be good!

I've got a new addition to my recordings library and it's Stefan Schulz's new CD, Around the World! Amazing stuff in it! Out of the world bass trombone playing (also saxophone, piano and orchestra playing!), fantastic new music written by Daniel Schnyder complemented by extraordinary musicianship from the musicians in the CD! Really a must get! Get it even if you're not a brass player! You'll not regret it!

Alright, another day to get through tomorrow. A talk for NAFA Open House, SYO sectionals and need to get some good practice done too! So till next time, bye!

2012-01-11T22:08:00.000+08:00

Long days aplenty this week! Glad today was cut shorter. Would really like the rest so that tomorrow's practice will be better. I also need more discipline when in the practice room! Urgh, have to tell myself not to start playing instead of practising. Really wastes time and energy that can be done improving my playing. Oh well, something else to take note about. By the way, I got a surprise at wind band rehearsal today:

I played this piece 5 years ago with Dunearn for SYF. Memories of the preparation and performance we did then just came back. It occurred to me that when I played it 5 years ago, I alternated between the bass part and the 2nd part. Also, at that time, I couldn't nail the melody that the tenor trombones play at bar 88. I remember being all so stressed about it till I actually cried one day. But still, till this day, I love this piece! I had lots of fun sight-reading this piece once more with the NAFA Wind Band. Well technically, I'm not sight-reading; I know how the piece goes. I hope the band will perform it! Will be really nice to perform it again!

2012-01-09T23:49:00.002+08:00

Long day passed. At the end of quartet rehearsal, going home was pretty much the last thing on my mind. I just wanted more time on the horn. I would have if I had it my way. Just got told yesterday not to treat the house like a hotel. Got asked to come back home by about 10pm. In all honesty, it doesn't matter what time I get home. I still do the same things. Get home, unpack laptop, phone charger and water bottle, use laptop, shower, set alarm, use laptop a bit more, sleep. That's about it. I do the same thing be it I get home at 8pm, 10pm, 11pm or midnight. Maybe I'll watch a bit of TV. So why the earlier time? Nobody in the home wants to do anything together, so why do you want to set curfews for me? I guess that's the downside of my usual logical thinking. I have a heart of stone towards such things. Never understood the worries of parenting an 18 year old. Such worries that bring forth the need to control the life of another. But oh well, ranting doesn't help much. Just need to find the right time to take action. Oh well, I guess it's me just being naive. Just need to keep my mouth shut. Life will work that way won't it? Haha, right....

2012-01-07T17:27:00.001+08:00

First week of school is over! It does feel good to be back actually. Nice to be up early in the morning to get some focused practice and afternoons can be spent doing other things. Really looking forward to ensemble rehearsals starting again, especially orchestra. With a new head of Orchestral Studies, the orchestral experience is going to be so different. I have this feeling he will not be the same conductor as he is at TPO. But oh well, that remains to be seen.

I just attended a masterclass yesterday by tuba virtuoso, Sergio Carolino. A fantastic musician indeed! I must say I was intimidated by his teaching. I haven't been out of my comfort zone in such a long time and yesterday I was really out of it. But his masterclass was a really good wake up call for me especially on my air usage. I realised I haven't been using the right air all these while and when I became conscious of it while practising today, my sound just became so much better! So definitely a worthwhile lesson from the master.

Something else I attended yesterday was OMM's performance of Mahler 5. I must say it was very brave of OMM to even choose the work. It is huge and requires high levels of technical ability from every musician. Nevertheless, they did pull through the 80-minute work with many fantastic and magical moments within. However, I really do hope they proceed with caution when thinking about doing more of such works as it is treading on dangerous ground when these works demand such high technical ability and coordination of phrase-passing. Too many lapses and the performance will just take a turn for the worst. I do have faith in the orchestra and hopefully many more interesting projects will come along in the future. This year is definitely full of them as they prepare to go on tour to London, Bratislava and Prague. Hopefully I'll be joining them on tour!

Alright, shall find other ways to kill time before tonight's SSO performance of Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique. Till next time, bye!

2012-01-04T23:50:00.000+08:00

What a start to 2012 so far. Gotten my leg and my horn dented in the first half of the week! I really wonder what else is gonna happen. What more do I have to deal with? Guess a good walk will help clear my mind of things so that's what I'll do tomorrow morning. Really hope things will start turning around and soon. My playing hasn't exactly been good as well this week, especially in front of an audience. Really have to start getting more out of myself. Less time in my comfort zone! Oh well, it's time for sleep. Hopefully my next post will be about something positive! Goodnight!

2012-01-04T00:16:00.000+08:00

Back to school! First day was quite good I must say! Accomplished quite a few things in practice and had a good PS. Brass class wasn't so good. Really didn't feel in control of my performance at all. Oh well, gained awareness, now time to work on it! 2 weeks to the concerto competition heats so lots of work to be done! Well, really looking forward to ensembles starting again. That shall happen next week. Right now I'm looking forward to the Sergio Carolino masterclass and OMM's Mahler 5 on Friday and SSO's Symphonie Fantastique on Saturday. Right, that's all, goodnight!

2012-01-01T11:21:00.000+08:00

Happy new year everyone! Was really a blast of a concert last night. Congratulations to TPO and maestro Lim! Music, friends and champagne; what a way to start the new year! Right now I'm pondering what I should do for today. Watching TV will be on the list because my place just got a nice new addition: A Hubstation HD! Time to watch Nat Geo and Discovery on HD. Oh and HBO too! Today will be pretty much one of the only days I can watch because school is starting on Tuesday! Really am looking forward to the new term. Changes in staff, timetable have mixed up things a bit. Time to plan what I can and just go with the flow. Should practice be on my to-do list today? It probably should. Need to start diving into my concerto and know it inside out including the piano part. Other than that, I should also start planning a practice routine that I'll stick to every week. Consistency is much needed. Oh well, that's enough for one day. I'm quite sure I'll take it easy today. Work starts full speed on Tuesday. For now, enjoy what's left of your holidays everyone!

2011-12-31T00:51:00.001+08:00

1 concert down, one more to go later. After that last chord of Pines of Rome, a new year will begin, with loads in store for everyone. 2011 has taught me to just go with the flow. Plans are good, but always leave that space for things to happen. But I still have many unconfirmed things for the year. Does seem cloudy at the moment. And looking back, it has gotten cloudier every year. We start with very simple lives when we're kids; just go to school, do homework, play. Life was really simple back then. As we get older, we want to have that freedom to do what we want. But all at a cost. Of course I'm still young, I still don't know enough. But is that reason for me to not try things out anyway? That question rang in my mind yesterday and it rang again as I type this. But alas, they are all futile rings. No matter what, I'm still not living on my own means. It just feels like I'm now in the transition stage between the freedom of youth and the freedom of living on my own means, and I don't know how to deal with it. Oh well, all these thinking has started my last day of 2011 in a rather somber way hasn't it? Really hope the day goes well. So that's it for now, have a good new year's eve everyone!

2011-12-28T00:46:00.001+08:00

Woo, haven't practised at this intensity for quite a while. At least that put bits of my playing back into shape. Thompson fixed air and scales fixed right arm technique. Needs to get better though! First TPO rehearsal just now was, interesting. Well I screwed up the ending of Rossini. Need to get that fixed later. Also need to practise my concerto later! Many many things to settle. Alright, gotta teach in the morning. Time to sleep!

2011-12-25T02:26:00.001+08:00

Firstly, a very Merry Christmas to everyone! I hope everyone has been having a fantastic week so far with lots of good food, drink, company and gifts! It has been for me so far!

I guess it's quite a good a good time to reflect upon the year that's about to end. Well 2011 has mostly been an enjoyable year for me. It has been a year of change I must say. Many events this year have changed me as a person. Now I shall do some recollection of 2011. Had an enjoyable holiday in Bintan to start the year off.

The beginning of the year seemed to go quite well. A good brass class with Damian, played some nice concerts, generally was going well. Suddenly I seemed to just hit this brick wall in my technical progress. Personal issues then got in the way. I really felt that my life just went south at that time.

Little things along the way did start to lift my life up again. Some interesting East Coast Park outings did help!

Yup those times really lifted me up. Then came the Hary Janos project with the NAFA Orchestra. That just gave me more motivation to improve. Eventually we did pull off decent performances of the suite so it did close the academic year on a positive note!

Exams came and to be honest I really forgot how I felt after the exams but before the results release. When my results came, it felt like this weight just came down on me. Was a dismal showing. That brought my life back down. I didn't have a very interesting holiday. Most of it was wasted not doing anything. At least there was Brass Explosion to keep me interested in playing. Heard some really good stuff during the festival from artists like Dave Childs, James Morrison, Scott Hartman, James Gourlay, etc. But honestly I felt I didn't gain an awful lot from the teachers during the festival. Or at least I'm not using their advice in my playing now.

Well in July, new things started to brighten my life. I got a new laptop, new case and just planned a trip to Italy. Also had a great project at the Singapore Saxophone Symposium. That project just lifted me up because I played with so many accomplished musicians, mostly alumni of NAFA. Sitting beside Aldwyn just gave me a boost as well. Even today, that guy is still an inspiration!

School started in August and quite a few things changed due to the new collaboration with RCM. After 2 weeks of school, I flew to Italy for a week-long summer camp where my concepts of music-making and trombone playing just took off. It was really a fantastic and worthwhile trip where I heard fantastic brass playing, took great lessons that really molded me into the musician I am today, and made lots of new connections with brass players from all over the world.

From that point on my life just kept going up. Played a wonderful orchestra concert, the last one with Mr. Hartung as our Head of Orchestra. I felt my playing just get more and more secure as the semester progressed. Another orchestra concert at the Esplanade Theatre passed and a good platform performance really motivated me. This motivation just kept going through my exams and it paid off with an A for PS.

Holidays arrived and rehearsals aplenty! I also had some teaching to do that earned me some income. Philwinds concert went well and like I posted before, I gained a lot from that project. Really excited to go back to school and start trying out new ideas and concepts that I've learnt from the project.

After a great gig with Slide That!, we've come back to the present.

This year has also given me some very special moments in my personal life and that really contributed to my well-being. I opened my heart, cared, supported and did all I could. Although it didn't last, I'm very very grateful for those moments, for they are precious, and opened my life to many new things.

2011 has been an extraordinary year for me. As I look back, I thought, life just took me on a ride with unexpected twists and turns. Should I expect the same for 2012? Just plan all I want, buckle up and let life take me wherever it wants me to go and hope my plans do influence my route. We shall see one year down the road.

So now comes the final week of 2011. Let us all enjoy this final week. Let go of grudges, open your heart, be positive, give all you can. Let's make this world a better place!

2011-12-23T00:32:00.000+08:00

Damn, playing was quite out of shape just now. And to have out of shape playing for Pines of Rome is really a crime. Need to start getting back to shape. Practise breathing, loud playing, intervals. Lots of stuff to cover. Oh well, a much needed wake up call. At least it was only sectionals and not in front of Maestro in rehearsal. Alright, that's all for now. Time to get some sleep!

2011-12-22T00:59:00.001+08:00

Slide That! gig done! Was well played although we cut our repertoire short due to time constraints. Great job brothers! Alright, time to get practising for TPO's concert. La Gazza Ladra on the repertoire list and I'm on the sole trombone part.

Had a good reunion party with my sec 4 classmates just now. Nice to see old friends again over good food and drinks!

Oh well, not much more to say. Next performance has been updated so take a look! Interested attendees please contact me for tickets!

2011-12-17T01:49:00.001+08:00

Woo just had a great day yesterday! Really loved it! Receiving results in the morning and being satisfied about it really kick-started my day! Really felt I had more energy even though I didn't sleep enough. Afternoon's rehearsal went alright and the concert was good in my opinion! I really admire all the hard work every musician I worked with put in to this project! After all the troubles in the beginning, last night's concert was really sounding good! I'm also very thankful for the many experiences and lessons I received while working in this project. Was really worth the tradeoff for my own practice time. Oh well, I still have 2 more projects to work on. Next one will be Slide That! performing at Marina Square next Wednesday at 8pm. It's free to catch so drop by and have a listen! We'll help you get into the Christmas mode! Hahaha! Alright, time to get some well needed rest!

2011-12-16T01:12:00.001+08:00

Had an illness scare during Wednesday's Philwinds rehearsal. Similar symptoms to what I had last month. Fortunately, I'm fine now and able to play for the concert! Lots of rest and some coffee before rehearsal helped. But I'm still feeling the effects of the caffeine and thus, I'm still pretty much wide awake. Good thing I don't have to wake up early later! Oh well, nothing else to say, so good night!

2011-12-14T01:12:00.000+08:00

Tiring day. Saved by coffee before rehearsal at night and it's probably still in effect. I guess I shall repeat for later. Woke up, ate breakfast and gave my horn a refreshing bath. Took me 4 hours to get it done! Really really tiring. I shall not touch the springs for a while because they're a pain to put back! At least now they're really clean. So now I have a fresh, clean and well-functioning horn to use for 4 upcoming concerts.

Playing in Slide That just now, I felt from my perspective, I've changed the way I play in an ensemble. I don't know if it's making it better, worse, or still the same but I can feel the change. I felt that I was caring much more about blend, balance and basically knowing my role on the go. Well they are all self-perception and it's only for others (or a recording device) to tell me how I'm actually doing from a different standpoint. It actually makes me excited to play in an ensemble again, the challenges it presents, the rewards we gain, the fun to have. All these just increase when we know we're all listening to each other at the highest level possible. It really becomes magical to me. All these are making me more and more eager to be on stage on Friday. It has been a great learning experience, this project with Philwinds. I shall find some way to make sure I remember it. I'll also want to share that experience with my schoolmates, especially the low brass players. We've all got so much to learn and I'm really looking forward to constantly working on ensemble skills in greater detail in addition to our fundamentals and solo works. Although my practice plans have simply fallen apart for the holidays, I felt I've gained more in other areas. I've been made aware, and now it's time to work on it. After all, that one seat in the orchestra is my ultimate goal.

Speaking of orchestra, NAFA has appointed a new Head of Orchestral Studies I believe and it's Maestro Lim Yau! Honestly, I am looking forward to this new era. No doubt the word going round says he is scary, but honestly, I prefer a music director who tells me I'm not doing the right thing and ensures I correct it. We're still in school anyway. No doubt we have to be as professional as possible but the fact remains that we're still students. We're all here to learn together. So I'm really looking forward to the first orchestra rehearsal which should be on the 4th. Right now, time to try and get some sleep!

2011-12-13T01:24:00.001+08:00

Really don't know how to start off this post. Oh well, I guess starting off saying I don't know how to start off works! Hahahaha! Ok enough. The week has been mostly good so far, lots of positive things I see happening! Got to play pool yesterday...like finally! Also I'm hearing progress in Philwinds so keep it up guys! Let's keep moving forward! By the way, I still have $8 tickets for the concert! I really encourage everyone to attend this concert!

Gonna give my instrument a bath when I wake up later. It looks so neglected! Feel so bad for not providing the best care I can...

Really need to adjust my body clock to be active later in the day. So many rehearsals and concerts at night! Alright that's all I shall write now. Till next time, bye peeps!

2011-12-07T14:26:00.001+08:00

After what has happened in a life-changing week so far, I often look back at what I can remember in 18 years of my life. I somehow feel lucky that this only happened now and not 1 month ago when school was still on. My fall was much softer but it still hurt. But through this I've come to understand life better. I start to appreciate nature more, the solace it provides, the peace it maintains. Yesterday, I just wanted to get away from civilisation. I wanted to be with myself, listening within, feeling everything. It was almost successful. I just wished nobody was there, nothing of civilisation can be heard. No drilling, nobody talking, no sounds of people. I wish I have this beautiful park I can just walk into anytime. This park will have nobody in it, no ships, no planes, no cars, no buildings, no benches, nothing to remind me of people. This park will always change every time I enter it, sometimes it'll be a forest, sometimes it will be a beach, a mountain; but it will always be natural. This is where I can truly be with myself. Places like this do exist in reality, but I can't be there anytime I want. For now, it remains a wish, a dream. But I'm not trying to get away forever. The things I hold, the things that make life comfortable, they are all made by people, innovated by people. I respect those who live to sincerely make the world a better place for others. But I realised I haven't given my full respect to the two most important people in my life. They were people I didn't understand. Till now I probably still don't understand them even well enough. I do feel ashamed of it. 18 years I've lived with them and I still barely scraped the surface. The worse is that I've not shown gratitude to all they've provided through my actions. I gotta get rid of this mask that makes me fake, and make myself more sincere. It's time for change.

2011-12-03T19:35:00.001+08:00

Man I'm really missing my Arban book. Wanting to do some studies out of it tonight but I guess I'll have to invent my own. Sounds like a great idea actually! I should start composing some of my own exercises and maybe string some together in different combinations to form my routine. I might want to get a notation software first. I guess that'll be something I can put my recent income to good use! Oh well, time to get practising.

2011-12-01T00:32:00.001+08:00

Rest proved to be better for me tonight. My chops managed to last the first half of the philwinds program. I also realised that as I practise the parts more, get familiar with them, especially the meters, I'm less tired than during the first few rehearsals. Also, with fellow musicians in the ensemble giving me comments about my playing, it really helps me focus more and know what needs to be done. To be honest, I did forget lots of important aspects of ensemble-playing and it was really unprofessional of me to bring less than 100% to every rehearsal. I really don't want to see myself typing this again but reality has taught me that I might let my guard slip in the future so I guess if I always keep that in mind, it might help make the impression stick.

By the way, I do have some $8 tickets for the philwinds concert. Please contact me ASAP if you want them! Time for some rest now. Low range practice continues later when I wake up!

2011-11-29T23:33:00.001+08:00

First day of holiday and I arrived in school at 7:30am to practice. Bravo! Oh well of course, there was another reason why I was in school so early and that's for the Faculty Studies interview with Dr. Kan. It went alright, she asked me questions about school and stuff, and I got back my history results. Not impressive but that's because most of my work was done last minute. Oops. Oh well, we'll see if that changes next year.

Had a good workout this afternoon with some cycling. Haven't cycled in a long time and actually I haven't exercised in a long time either! Good to feel the legs working hard again. Hope to do much more regular exercise during the holidays.

Philwinds rehearsal was alright. I felt there was more focus during this rehearsal, the 2nd with Maestro Bostock. Well, at least I'm almost settled in with the weird meters in the Hiten trilogy. Feels really great to be comfortable. Now to make the best sound when playing in ensembles! Can't forget that!

2011-11-28T19:48:00.001+08:00

Yay! Finally exams are over! Didn't go all perfectly but at least it went according to plan most of the time. Right now, time to focus on the philwinds stuff. Haven't really gotten them down cold yet. Yesterday's rehearsal with Maestro Bostock was really interesting. Lots of knowledge about the pieces coming from him and I felt that brought the ensemble's playing to the next level.

Also in my thoughts is what I didn't manage to do last year, and that's to record lots of etudes. Really want to make that happen this time. I also need to start practicing the Sachse Concertino, Bozza's Prelude and Allegro, Sarabande from Bach's Cello Suite No. 5 and lots of excerpts. I also want to start working on multiple tonguing and really work on low range too. Really need to have full control of my low range. I also should plan intensive aural practice as well. Oh well, lots of things on my plate for December. No time to waste!

2011-11-26T23:54:00.001+08:00

Seems like a really long time since I posted but 5 days isn't so bad. Audition just now went well I can safely say. Botched a few articulations but oh well, no biggie for me. Now just the exam on Monday to take care of. Also really need to own the philwinds parts. Gonna work it out when I wake up. Maestro Bostock is coming for rehearsal later so yup, gotta have the parts down cold.

I really don't know why I seem to be sleepy during dinner time recently. Even though I got enough sleep for the past 2 nights, I become sleepy during dinner time. It gets annoying when I want to practice at night but I can't because I'm just too tired and unfocused. Really hope it's just my body recovering from sleep debt and not something bad. But anyway, right now I'm keeping myself awake to adjust my body clock a bit to fit the many night rehearsals I'm gonna have over the next few weeks. Can't afford to be sleepy during rehearsals. Oh well that's all for now, bye!

2011-11-21T21:04:00.001+08:00

Philwinds yesterday was really not good. Totally not in shape and I couldn't sustain or play loud and not in control of my playing. Well at least today it was better. But still my Naulais etude is completely not performable and my minor scales are not still not down. Gotta get those down quickly and I also need to prepare the 1st movement of Sachse and the excerpts from Beethoven 9 and Hungarian March for my audition on Saturday. Lots of ground to cover this week. All uphill for me. Oh well, that's all for today. Really hoping for better days....

2011-11-15T15:58:00.001+08:00

Well, yesterday's visit to the doctor didn't yield good result. I'm advised not to play for 4 days. Apparently the doctor says my lungs and windpipe are under stress. 4 days without playing! That's a lot...

So today is the 2nd day of my layoff. Just came back from school after submitting my theory portfolio. Managed to finish the history assignment before I left in the morning. No more academic work to worry about for now. Now just need to get well quick and while I can't play, I should do some slide practice and revise my theory since there's a written paper. Once I can get back to playing, I really need to catch up on minor scales. No time to waste now...

2011-11-13T21:23:00.001+08:00

Argh, still haven't recovered. Only the Panadol making me feel better for a few hours at a time. Well, at least it allowed me to attend a great concert by the Ma'alot Quintett yesterday. Repertoire was nice, fantastic players and good ensemble work = good concert! Oh well, now I've got to get some more rest and I'm gonna see the doc tomorrow morning. Get some work done in the afternoon and hopefully I get back to playing by Tuesday. I really need to actually because I still haven't mastered my minor scales!!

2011-11-12T08:17:00.001+08:00

Oops, left my blog alone for quite some time already. Last day of lessons has past and the one week study break is coming up. Exams in 10 days time! No time to enjoy yet...

Wednesday's platform for me was mostly good, couple of memory lapses, a few split notes but otherwise I did play according to plan! I sincerely thank my accompanist, Xuan, for the hard work she put in to make this performance successful!

I just had a small scare of illness yesterday. Felt like a hangover but I haven't drunk alcohol for at least a month! Oh well, some panadol and lots of bed rest have put me back into shape this morning and I'm feeling almost back to normal, just the mildest of headaches and weird feelings in my throat. Oh well, that means back to practice today! Haha

2011-11-06T11:49:00.001+08:00

Have been waking up to lazy weekend mornings recently. Don't really feel as spirited as before. I do need some positive energy going through me!! Well, gonna do some practice before heading out for philwinds later. Really hope that it'll be a good rehearsal. But it all starts with me so..gotta practice my part! Count count count....

2011-11-05T23:26:00.001+08:00

Woo, didn't expect today to be long but it was. Somehow today was kind of do-things-I-haven't-done-in-a-long-time-and-feeling-good-about-it day. I did some Teele exercises and it really refreshed my pedal register. I also ate the Buona Vista duck rice with my dad which I haven't eaten in a long time and that was great too.

I actually got a bit lost in the Tiong Bahru estate while trying to find my way to Tiong Bahru MRT from Kim Seng Community Club. So I was walking around the old HDBs in the area and it was a really interesting experience because I've not seen such old HDBs in my life or at least in my memory. Really interesting. Well getting lost and climbing lots of stairs around the neighbourhood really tired me out so I guess I'll end here. Bye!

2011-10-31T23:16:00.002+08:00

First day of a rigorous practice regime went alright. Haven't practiced that hardcore in a while. At least I know I've done at least 4 hours of practice before mid day. Practicing stuff with Edmund was also good because I get comments on basic stuff like slurs and I'm able to more accurately pinpoint what to improve on. So there'll be at least 19 more days of such regime. Some days will be different due to classes but the core of preparing for the technical exam remains. I also have to remember to practice for my upcoming SNYO audition. Add to that I'm performing next Wednesday for platform. Many things to keep in mind while I'm putting more energy into practicing scales and arpeggios.

The Australian String Quartet's performance just now was fantastic! I mean, what energy and chemistry in their playing. And that cello sound, something so powerful and rich. Really one of the best concerts I've heard during my 1 3/4 years in NAFA. Bravo ASQ!

Oh well, time to sleep to wake up early tomorrow!

2011-10-28T00:19:00.002+08:00

I think my chops have taken a huge toll over the last 2 days at least and now they are pretty much useless. Much like a tired reed. Going to get them well rested at least for today. All I'm gonna do is slide practice with a metronome and I may do other things if my creative juices flow and come up with other things to practice. I'm also going for a mind and body reset so hopefully it'll be a rejuvenating day for me later when I get up. Take care world!

2011-10-23T22:27:00.000+08:00

My brain was literally fried after philwinds brass sectionals just now. The counting really was taxing on my mental strength. Thinking I have to keep doing it every week till the concert on 16 Dec really is daunting. Oh well, I don't have much to say right now because I really need the rest. Good night world!

2011-10-22T23:46:00.001+08:00

Argh, I totally didn't practice today even though I planned to. Need to avoid such procrastination from happening too often. Oh well, at least I thought through some of the things I've learnt over the past year and put them into words that I can refer to on my computer. Really need a good wakeup call here and there. It's through these recalling and reflecting that I start to feel this deeper sense of purpose and understanding about the music, about my teaching, my performance and life as a whole as well. It's really enlightening to feel that and now I've got to put it into action.

I've just updated my Upcoming Performance section on the right so check it out and do come for the concert! Gonna feature other brass students from NAFA and there will also be other non-brass instrumentalists performing as well. Tomorrow's gonna be another 2-rehearsal-day so need to get some good rest so that's all for now, good night!

2011-10-21T10:49:00.002+08:00

Alright, the end of Tuesday's concert signals the end of the first half of NAFA's performance season for its symphony orchestra and wind band. Concert went alright from our side of the hall but comments from the audience seem to suggest we're barely heard. Well, nevertheless, it was great to perform with my schoolmates as well as some good singers at my first appearance at the Esplanade Theatre. Now I'll be getting a break from a seemingly busy month of performances before my next one which is on 9 November. It's for NAFA's lunchtime concert and I'm planning to play two negro spirituals. Details are yet to be confirmed so I'll keep this page updated and once I get the slot, I'll update the details here. I'm free from school activities today and also on Monday so I'll be getting some more time to practice, read, listen to music and also, I'm back to teaching today! Really looking forward to seeing my students, or my juniors actually, later this afternoon. Well that's all for now, bye!

2011-10-18T08:44:00.000+08:00

Finally have some energy to post about yesterday. Well, it's pretty much the same as ChildAid 2010 but I would think there are more things to coordinate in this concert so it was slightly less organised. But it was a nice experience nonetheless. Hopefully the concert goes well tonight. Here are some shots from rehearsal.

This was my first time on stage in the Esplanade Theatre and it's also my 10th performance at the Esplanade! What a way to mark a milestone. Alright, time to kick ass in the concert!

2011-10-16T23:03:00.002+08:00

Alright, back from another 2-rehearsal-Sunday. I thought I wouldn't be able to attend philyouth rehearsal but I did. Quick dinner at Food Haven after rehearsal. I hope there will be more variety of food available around Goodman Arts Centre when rehearsals move there. Otherwise, it's back to buying breads for dinner. Philwinds rehearsal was interesting. Got some new scores today, basically the opening piece and the remaining 'movements' of a trilogy of pieces by Isao Matsushita. I must say the Japanese really know how to write interesting stuff. Here's a shot of some interesting things you don't usually see in wind band 3rd trombone scores:

Yup, these things keep my brain more active than usual during a rehearsal. Counting becomes more mentally tiring but these pieces are actually quite fun to play. Really looking forward to the months to come when the pieces start to take shape and we start rehearsals with maestro Bostock.

Tomorrow shall be one of the rare days I go to school so late but I mean, only having Commuter Concert at 5:30pm and then going to Esplanade for rehearsal at night, it makes sense to practice at home then head out. So I'll be getting some good sleep then! Good night!

2011-10-15T21:18:00.003+08:00

Today was rest day. I didn't do any practice. I woke up late, ate lunch then went to school to grab my horn and some scores for practicing. After that I went to Esplanade to get some Schumann recordings. Went home and basically rested my day away. Gotta get up reasonably early tomorrow, get some fundamental practice done before I attend my cousin's baby shower and rehearsal. Monday will have a long night, rehearsal in Esplanade all the way till 11. Hopefully that goes well and Tuesday will be fine. That's all for tonight then.

2011-10-14T22:19:00.000+08:00

Back from a tiring fun day. Did much less this year. Just some soccer, frisbee and that's it. Spent most of my time sitting under trees and passing time away chatting with friends. Emerald gave me a scare towards the end, good thing she's well now. Feeling really tired now and as I watch TV now, I'm just about to knock off. I guess I'll spend tomorrow doing some practice in school and Sunday will be spent attending my cousin's baby shower and Philwinds rehearsal. Time to get some rest then!

2011-10-14T00:42:00.001+08:00

I feel so refreshed and inspired by the brass pedagogy books I found in the library. I didn't even know they were there! How blur I must have been for the past year. Well, I've borrowed some of them and I tried out some of the techniques from them and it has worked! Now to make it habit!

Heading to Sentosa later for NAFA Funday. Not sure what I'm gonna do there because I have to take care of myself otherwise I won't be in the best condition to play for Tuesday's concert. Really excited to play for this concert, my first at the Esplanade Theatre! It will also be my 10th performance at the Esplanade! Many milestones to remember with the concert. Details are on the left and repertoire is mostly Chinese pop but there's also some jazz and songs like I Dreamed a Dream which is sung by a very talented young boy! Do come and support. Unfortunately I'm on a waiting list for complimentary tickets and I can't add on anymore so if you want to attend, please book your tickets through Sistic and support the National Cancer Society Singapore's patients!

2011-10-10T23:35:00.002+08:00

I don't really know how to describe today. Partly lazy but also kinda time-well-used day as well. Sure I didn't practice at all; just warm up and orchestra rehearsal. I was even too lazy to bring my bag to school. But having nothing to carry home after school allowed me to spend some time walking around the city and find some really quiet time. It was so much better than the airport. Natural breeze, the ripples on the water, no screaming children. It was really time well spent to get my mind off things and really rest. Well, now that I've settled myself, time to push my playing abilities!

2011-10-09T23:31:00.000+08:00

First long Sunday is over! If the current schedule remains unchanged, I'll have 9 more long Sundays! But oh well, repertoire is nice so it's good in a way.

I gave my instrument a bath this morning after finding out that my first valve had a buildup on it that caused it to slow down. Now the whole instrument is fresh, clean and well lubed.

My scores and CDs have finally arrived! Been waiting for such a long time. So if I interpret the NAFA syllabus for bass trombone correctly, my etudes are all on the first position! Of course it's very very highly unlikely. Going to have to check it out with Mr. Adams. The Goess edition for the Sachse Concertino also has some discrepancies with the copy Fredi gave me so I guess all this confusion has to be cleared up. Alright then, time to get some rest. A morning swim and orchestra rehearsal tomorrow!

2011-10-07T00:43:00.001+08:00

18th birthday went well! Another enjoyable birthday. Once again I thank all my friends and relatives for your well wishes and to my parents for the fantastic dinner at Brazil Churrasco! To all meat lovers, this is a must-try place!

Now, looking and thinking about what am I doing in my music-making, I haven't convinced myself that I want this sound, I want this voice etc. I just can't seem to process all the ideas I've taken in and blend them into my own voice. It's quite maddening. I myself think about so many ideas when I'm away from the horn but once I pick it up, it just doesn't get through. I always feel I'm fighting the instrument but I can't seem to get myself out of it yet. Right, so I'll take a step back in my mind and just churn out the simplest mechanics of playing over the next few days and see how that works. Slow, warm and relaxed air; stable chops; relaxed posture; STOP THINKING!!

Ok personal rant over. I've just updated the "Upcoming Performance" section on the right. I can get complimentary tickets for this concert but I don't know how many I can get so if you really want to come, please let me know at the earliest possibility. Till next time, bye!

RIP Steve Jobs

2011-10-05T00:56:00.001+08:00

Alright man, wind band concert over and I'm 18! Yeah! It felt as if it was just yesterday that I was replying wishes and listening to the wind band play happy birthday for me. It was such a wonderful day on my 17th. It really does feel quite amazing that one year has passed. Oh well I shall be living this day like any other day and only time will tell how it goes. Cheers to a good day ahead!

2011-10-01T23:15:00.000+08:00

Alright, I've joined the Twitter network. My username is tanjiewei so if you want to follow me please feel free to. Spent my day practicing because lesson this week went pretty bad and I don't want it to happen again. Oh well, lots of things I need to work on now that I've neglected so many of them, especially the basics. The good thing is, no more history assignments! No more time used on history that can be used on practicing for the rest of the semester. Now that's great! Alright then, that's all for now.

2011-09-26T00:30:00.001+08:00

Man, I'm unable to fall asleep. Probably a result of constantly sleeping late during the study break. Oh well, at least there's something useful I can do while I'm awake and that's to write a Concone piano part into Garage Band. I'm now gonna start using my Mac to play the accompaniment parts for my pieces and since the piano parts for Concone are easily accessible, I'll start with them. I'm really excited about it and I look forward to doing this for my concertos as well. Right, time to get to work so that's all for now.

2011-09-24T00:01:00.001+08:00

Alright, today was a busy day indeed. Did my practice, had aural test and Slide That rehearsal at night. The first two sections of the test didn't go so well, only scored a pass. The other sections were fine.

When it comes to practicing, one tends to forget what he has taught himself even though it is so useful. I practiced today with particular attention to my posture and it did make a lot of difference to my playing. I'm able to project more and my air support is much better. I really wonder why do I even forget about it. Anyway now I have to focus on the Naulais etude that I'm going to play for brass class. A nice cool piece and different from the standard repertoire.

I've also learned what we'll be playing for the pop concert that the NAFA Orchestra is involved in. Apparently, the event is called Rays of Hope and I believe it's about raising funds for cancer patients. Of all the 22 pieces the orchestra is accompanying, I have to play 21. I guess it's gonna be another concert that's hard on the chops. Oh well, I hope it's interesting and that we'll have fun doing it. Now time to catch up on rest!

2011-09-22T23:54:00.000+08:00

Today was really a rest day for me. I guess it'll be the last for a while. I'll be having test and rehearsal tomorrow and I'll spend my weekend practicing. Next week will be the start of term 2 at school. Wind band concert, NAFA Orchestra at the Esplanade Theatre, sounds exciting! Looking forward to the term.

Anyone who reads this and wants to lose weight quite badly, I suggest getting a copy of the Reader's Digest October edition. It has a very interesting article on weight loss and it's related to the Atkins diet. Oh well that's all for now.

2011-09-22T00:40:00.004+08:00

People, I am currently selling the trombone equipment that I don't need. Here's the list of what I'm selling:

Bass Trombone Mouthpieces
1. Schilke Symphony D6.0
2. Josef Klier 1AK
3. Yamaha 59L-GP

1. This mouthpiece has almost the same rim as the Schilke 60 (29mm) but it has a deeper cup and more open throat and backbore. This mouthpiece is not for beginners and should only be used by players who have strong embouchures. It provides a lot of space for vibrations of the lips and when used by advanced players, can open up the sound especially in the low register. I bought this 2nd hand and thus the mouthpiece looks like it has seen some years of usage.

2. This mouthpiece has a 28mm rim (somewhere between a Schilke 58 and 59 or a Bach 1.5G and 1.25G) with a 8mm throat. It is a German style mouthpiece that has a thick rim that is very comfortable on the chops. The AK size is the deepest cup and biggest throat and backbore but I don't think they are as big as the Schilke 60. Still this mouthpiece plays with a nice big and warm sound. In my opinion, this mouthpiece is great for advancing bass trombonists. This was bought brand new and is still in superb condition.

3. This was my first mouthpiece as a bass trombone student at NAFA. It has a 27.3mm rim and 7.25mm throat. Size-wise, it feels like a Bach 1.5G but has better weight distribution for that more stable sound. It has gold-plated rim, inner cup and inner shank. For me, a gold-plated mouthpiece stays warmer for a longer time and feels more comfortable on the chops. I find that these mouthpieces are stickier when dry and more slippery when wet compared to silver-plated mouthpieces. In my opinion, this is a great mouthpiece for beginners on the bass trombone.

Bass Trombone Cases (I'm only selling either one of these)
1. Eastman in black
2. Protec

1. This case was what I used before I changed to a gig bag. It is a hard case with a fibreglass shell. The case is secured shut by 5 latches and has a waterproof seal. 2 straps are provided with the case and they can be setup for backpack usage or over the shoulder. Interior is well padded and is lined with velour. A padded and reinforced board separates the slide from the bell. There is also an accessories compartment. This case will fit bells up to 10 inches and axial-flow valves, standard rotary valves, Greenhoe and similar sized valves. Trubore valves are a tight fit in this case. I've not tried the Lindberg valves in this case yet. It has many scratches on the shell but this case will provide sufficient protection.

2.This is the previous generation Protec Contoured case for bass trombone. Shell is wood and it is covered by Cordura. A single shoulder strap is provided with this case. There's an accessories compartment on the outside. Interior is lined with velour and is very roomy. There's an adjustable board to provide a snug fit for any bell length. This case will comfortably take 10.5 inch bells and large valves.

Please contact me for prices and if you have any queries, want pictures or more details. Contact me by email: tanjiewei@gmail.com

2011-09-21T01:31:00.001+08:00

Alright, another update coming in. I finally finished my history essay! Joy oh joy. I felt so liberated after hitting the submit button on iLearn. So I was so looking forward to practicing on my horn but when I picked it up, I realize I've lost much of the strength, flexibility and stamina I built up during the last term simply because I haven't practiced for 3 days. Really bad for my chops. So I did some Thompson, tried to do slurs and read some Bordogni etudes. The etudes didn't go so well; my sound wasn't good and even just playing in the written range tired me out very quickly. My chops couldn't even last one etude. So I gave up on that, had dinner and opened my excerpt book when I came back. After reading some excerpts, I packed up and hope for better playing today, starting with a practice plan and much more focus. Alright, that's all for now. Bye!

2011-09-19T02:23:00.000+08:00

My body clock has really set itself to the "sleep late" mode for the holidays. I wish it didn't do that. Oh wait, I'm doing that! Haha. Oh well, I've just went through my entire blog history from the very beginning when I was sec 3 till now. I've seen how I've changed through my writing and I'm reminded of many things that happened in my life for the last 3 years. I guess there's a good side to this as I'm reflecting. I've seen my less mature self when I first started the blog and realise how I've changed into the person I am right now.

I've just changed the look of my blog and I hope it's nicer and still easy to read. Alright, that's all for now. Till the next post, ciao!

2011-09-18T23:16:00.000+08:00

One weekend just went past like that. Oh well, at least it was time spent with my parents. Got to do a bit of my history essay, some practicing as well. Speaking of practicing, I'm gonna focus more on my fundamentals at least for the next few months. I really believe now that improving my fundamentals will accelerate my learning of repertoire and not having to deal with too much technical issues when I'm learning pieces or even playing etudes and studies. I realise I haven't been taking care of my horn as much over the past week, I guess I should stop that habit. No matter how I don't like certain aspects about my instrument, it has still served me pretty well for the past year. I still love most things about it, just that my playing has changed but the horn can't keep up with my changes. But still it's not a must to change my horn so I'll live with it for a few more years.

I just took a walk around the neighbourhood. I really like such walks; me alone, just walking as far away from rude noises as possible. I watch people, the surroundings and just try to get myself to be in a peaceful state and I usually succeed at it. It also gives me some exercise because I walk for about 2 hours non-stop. I should do it more often and I should also start regular vigourous exercise like running, swimming and doing push-ups, sit-ups, etc. Oh well, I'm beat from all the walking so time to turn in. Bye!

2011-09-15T23:16:00.002+08:00

Alright man, orchestra concert went well! I really am glad to have played for this concert because the musicians were just so focused on the task. Minor slips but hey, the music was incredible. I really liked what I heard and it was a nice closing concert for Mr. Hartung as music director. I wish him all the best for his future endeavors.

Right, piano test today was alright for me I guess. Was tested a piece that I just learnt this morning and chord progressions didn't go so well but yeah I guess it's a passable performance. Now to complete history essay and get practicing on articulations!

2011-09-11T22:06:00.001+08:00

Woo, Philwinds gig is over! Really tiring day, I'm so tired now. My chops were on the edge of giving up during the gig but they pulled through. Right then, limited playing tomorrow. Just warm up, rehearsal and then concert in the evening. Do come for this NAFA Orchestra concert. It's gonna be the last conducted by Volker Hartung in a while as he's resigned to take another job in Vienna. Alright then, I'm gonna get some good rest, bye!

2011-09-07T22:37:00.002+08:00

Today was a much better day than yesterday. The wind band performance was decent, not disastrous. Orchestra rehearsal was great in my opinion. I mean, everyone is actually active and following the conductor and intonation was better as well! But still I wished that the second half of the day be better. Firstly I once again remind myself that school is a cruel place. Politics are everywhere and one might have an impression of another person one day and the next, that impression just flips around. All through word of mouth. It really is bad to the extent that to survive, one must know how to play politics. Well, it's best to put that aside for now. Another thing I wished that didn't happen was the pain I felt in my wrist while practicing the Naulais etude. I guess I've been playing a lot today and that my left wrist couldn't take it anymore. I'll have to watch out for it for the next few days and see if the angle I align my bell against the slide has caused this discomfort. Oh well, here's to a better tomorrow! Cheers!

2011-09-06T19:45:00.003+08:00

Today was quite a bad day. Rehearsal was crap, playing at brass class was crap. I just feel so bad, so insecure, so useless in fact. All this venting at myself is all in the hope that I'll get better after writing this. But what I really need to find out soon is to find out what calms me, what makes me happier, what lifts me up in times like these. I realise I've been experiencing these kind of days more often. Have I become less happier? Or have I become more conscious about myself that I criticise myself till I reach demoralisation? I really can't think of any material object that will make me happier, perhaps not even money or even a job in an orchestra and I mean, with my playing like just now, how do I even win a job? That's how bad I really feel about myself. The most probable solution is a person, a friend who I can spend time with and move away from all this negativity. For 17 years I've lived without a sibling, without someone near my age at home that keeps me company and I never complained in those 17 years. Maybe for once like right now, I do.

2011-09-05T00:03:00.002+08:00

Alright, two performances went by this week. I guess another 2 more the coming week if NAFA wind band is playing for platform. Seriously under-rehearsed so I really don't know how it's gonna turn out. Slide That! performance went ok, Yellow River Concerto with NAFA Orchestra was quite good actually. Hopefully the orchestra will do well for the upcoming concert as well. Alright I'm lazy to write anymore after a tiring Philwinds rehearsal. Till next time, bye!

2011-08-31T00:53:00.002+08:00

Man, insomnia is setting again. Seriously, of all nights, it has to be tonight? And darn my spelling has gotten worse, just that spell checker has saved me. Not a good night so far. And a concert later at 8pm? Man, that seems like overkill. I realised I've just come back to the "lots of schoolwork to be completed" life. I mean, history essay, theory project and test and aural test all coming up within the next month? I gotta sort out my life once again man. Well, enough whining. I guess I'll go back to trying to sleep.

2011-08-27T20:39:00.002+08:00

Alright, finally I've found time to update this blog. Since I've arrived, I've been so busy with school and rehearsals. Touched down in Singapore and straight away we headed for school for wind band rehearsal. Since then I've been quite busy with schoolwork to catch up on and more rehearsals. Today I just spent my day at the Singapore Conference Hall playing for NAFA Convocation. So now I've found time to update. The flights back to Singapore were pretty stress free. We had friendly cabin crews unlike the first flight and we had no problems with our instruments. However I dropped my MacBook Air whilst in Rome and now it has a dent on one of the thin corners. Bugger! Oh well, at least the computer still works great, it just doesn't look as great anymore. Well I guess I've nothing much more to update except to tell you I'm playing with Slide That! for a concert this coming Wednesday (31st Aug). Details are updated on the left. Do check it out and do come down. Many great chamber groups to watch and it's free! See you there!

2011-08-21T23:17:00.002+08:00

Woo, one week of brass lessons and concerts just went by. It has been a fantastic week. First the one night in Rome, that was just great. The sights of the city was so beautiful. Although we didn't go to the famous and very well-known tourists spots, I'm sure we were at a tourist spot by coincidence. Our original intention was to find a Nespresso shop and we ended up getting a bit lost in a tourist spot. Luckily my phone's map was sufficient to find our way to the shop. After the few hours walking around Rome we were on the 3 hour bus journey to Santa Fiora. Santa Fiora is a medieval town 700m above sea level. It's really a beautiful place here with wonderful weather. The temperature in midday is about the same as Singapore but there's wind here! Buildings are old which adds to the very nice landscape. And the main event, Italian Brass Week, has been superb as well. I mean great music, great teachers and many talented brass players from all over the world. I've met trombonists from my age to one who has an Assistant Principal Trombone job in the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. The trombone teachers, especially Ian Bousfield, have been great as well. I've learnt so much from them and I've a wealth of recordings from lessons that I can listen to when I'm back. Now I've one more concert to listen to and Ian Bousfield is playing Blue Bells of Scotland. I hope there's many more great music to hear! Tomorrow morning I'll be leaving for Rome, maybe go sightseeing a bit and my flight for Dubai leaves at 1525. I probably can update while in Dubai so till then, bye!

2011-08-12T18:29:00.002+08:00

Woo, just got off a 7 hour flight to Dubai. Now waiting for the next flight to Rome. Pictures are up on my Facebook, do check it out. In about 7 hours time I'll be in Rome and hopefully I can get a faster connection and I also hope that Skype works there. Skype doesn't work on this WiFi I'm on at the moment. So far no issues with my instrument being onboard, hopefully the same goes for the flight to Rome. Oh well, that's all for now. Do check back for more updates!

2011-08-07T22:20:00.003+08:00

Weekend is over! I wanted to get some practice today but all I did was do some routines and 5th movement of Cameos. Wanted to get my scales done today but now I've fallen actually 2 days behind but I'll make up for both tomorrow. It'll be the nation's birthday on Tuesday so all the best to all performers of the NDP and of course the parades in the different schools!

I'm selling quite a few things from my inventory of music related items. I'm selling my JK and Yamaha mouthpieces as well as my Eastman case. Please do contact me for more details and to work out a deal.

2011-08-05T23:02:00.003+08:00

Phew first week of school has come to an end. I can already feel the loss of sleep catching up on me. Assignments are starting to come in fast and of course the biggest contributor still hasn't changed, history. Already there's a 1500 word essay in the bag due in September so we have one term to research and write it. Theory or Practical Musicianship as what it's called now, seems much more interesting! A lot more practical side to it as we are now starting to learn piano. I really need to catch up as I'm the person with the least finger usage on my instrument compared to everyone else. The iMacs are now moved to campus 1 so a further walk for those who need it. Thankfully I don't really need it because I have my own MacBook Air for my computing needs and it has really made my classes and lectures much more informative compared to last year. Really having all your notes from lecture, read-ups and what not all in one place is really useful and it's so easy to organise. I save paper, money and time by having all my notes and assignments to do in one machine and there's so little of it to carry around, as mentioned by Apple. I may not like iTunes but that's about the only thing I don't like about it. I really love everything else about my Mac. I don't think I'll ever stop going on about it. Oh well, time to catch up on some sleep so till next time, bye!

2011-07-31T23:10:00.002+08:00

Woo concert is over. It's great to be performing back at the Lee Foundation Theatre one more time. Well, school starts tomorrow with only a 5 minute audition to get through for the day. Other than that, I'll have to start intensive preparation for Italian Brass Week. It's 12 days to the start of my trip and I'm really looking forward to traveling to a destination so far from home without my parents (just 2 of my friends) and also spending one week learning from some of the greatest names in brass playing. I will do my best to keep this page as well as my facebook up to date while I'm there but it can be quite difficult as the hotel I'm staying in apparently doesn't have Internet. Fingers crossed about that. Alright, I shall finish up while I'm still on the bus so that I can go home and sleep quickly. Till next time, bye!

2011-07-31T01:05:00.003+08:00

Well, school is about to start. It starts tomorrow but there isn't actually a lesson tomorrow. Just the orchestra/wind band placement audition for 5 minutes and that's it for the day. Nevertheless, my days are going to become much busier so I can foresee that this will be my last post for quite a while. Well I've a concert to play later so I guess that can help bring me back to shape. Speaking of which, I just realised over the past rehearsals how much motivation I've gained from playing in a group and preparing for a concert. Hearing so many capable musicians just motivates me to push myself. I almost overdid it a few hours ago with my practice and I realised it and wisely (hopefully) cut the practice short in consideration of the concert I'm about to play. The groups of musicians I play with, be it Slide That or the Nanyang Festival Winds, NAFA's ensembles, the Philharmonic (Youth) Winds, OMM etc., they all contain fantastic musicians and I really hope I can somehow live off the motivation I get from listening to these players and hopefully one day, all that motivation to surpass them pays off. It's that desire in me to want to do things well.

I just had a thought: I keep this handwritten journal where I write many things I rather keep secret for the purpose of me recalling them as I grow older. I just realised it's so foolish. The idea is foolish and the writing in it is foolish. As soon as I can, I'll remove the pages and it'll once again become an empty sketchbook. Right now with my present state of mind I just can't stand reading words I wrote years ago at a time when I was much more foolish than I am now, or so I think. I just don't see the point of me trying to recall them anymore. I've decided that all the worthy memories shall be kept either in my own memory or in pictures and videos. Perhaps some of those memories can be kept in this blog too!

Right now I'm much more up-to-date about the news because I use RSS feeds now. But just reading the news it's so much more negative than positive. Natural disasters, terrorist attacks, political issues are the main headlines I see. Hardly anything is actually showing something really good. I mean, I saw that SMRT is buying 13 more LRT cars and that's great! Other than that, Singapore's win over Malaysia in football, that's great too! But everything else just seems so negative. The world seems to be near or at the bottom end now. Yes there's no recession going on, or so I think, but there's war, massacres, natural disasters, general unhappiness in the population towards the government, the lot and there's only one thing to blame it on: people. The question is why? Is it because more people are better educated hence there are more idealistic people in the world expecting a much better life than what they're experiencing now? I admit, I am idealistic. I'm an optimist most of the time and as long as I believe something can be done, it can be done. But have I, and also many others, pushed our idealism too far? So far to the point that we have brought negativity upon our world? It's something to think about.

I think for now that's it. It's time to get some good rest before the show and also for the start of hopefully a good term at school. Hopefully I can still remain active here and keep this blog updated. Till then, bye!

2011-07-30T01:29:00.002+08:00

Hi all, my first day with my new case went well! The only downside I've found so far is that I have to wipe off the dust and dirt from the leather after a bus ride and that's just annoying. Good thing I won't be taking it on buses everyday. But well, it fits the instrument well, there's plenty of space in the bell bag even with the bell with it so I can actually take my MacBook Air in it which is what I did today! No problems at all, I don't see how it can damage the horn because the folder fits just snuggly inside the bag.

Recently, lots of talk has been going around about decisions made by the government about public transport especially. That's a hot topic but I really hope more people can chime in on the education system here. I go back to Dunearn occasionally and I sometimes feel disappointed at the school. Teaching is a tough job, no denying that. But teachers need to know that when they sign for the job. Teachers deal with the future of the world and if they just treat it as a job without passion, it's just a pity for the students. I know there's lots of stress, demands and expectations in the job but aren't those what potential teachers are supposed to consider? Dunearn has some fabulous teachers and I've been taught by some of them. I just wished more of the big pool of teachers were like them. These teachers don't just impart knowledge into students. They change the student's character and that's the meaning I'm starting to embrace about the word "education". Good successful teachers are those who are really good at changing people for the better. In a recent letter by a 16 year-old girl from Nan Chiau High School, many of the loopholes in the system were pointed out by someone who is still in the system! Many of us find it easier to look at the primary/secondary education system once we're out of it but she's able to criticise it from within! That just shows how much she's able to think! I really will put my head to it when I can and really think hard about the system, the students, the teachers and what can be improved in a system that I believe did work in the past. But now is the present and changes have to be made.

I've updated some information about the concert on Sunday. Please do come and support the very first Singapore Saxophone Symposium. It has started a few hours ago and it culminates in a gala concert on Sunday, 8pm at NAFA's Lee Foundation Theatre. Tickets are $20 for the concert and I'll be performing with the Nanyang Festival Winds for that concert. Details on the left. Do check it out and I hope to see you there!

2011-07-28T15:42:00.002+08:00

Woohoo! I got my new case! Here are some pictures:

It's a Glenn Cronkhite two-piece gig bag in dark brown and british tan leather. It's really sleek, I'm glad I chose these colours. After testing it out, it fits my scores and my MacBook Air in it too! Really good. Now I just need to find a safe way to carry my water bottle and that's all I need for rehearsals!

2011-07-27T00:30:00.002+08:00

Here's some pictures of my new MacBook Air 13"

With the lid closed. (It's a hair thicker than my baton handle)

Here with the lid opened.

I'll say it again, I love this machine! Hasn't disappointed me so far except for one thing, it doesn't sync with my phone but that will probably be fixed in the near future. Not the absence of an optical drive (I remotely installed MS Office through my Acer without problem), not the small storage space (I am not near the limit yet), not the fact it has less software compatible with it (I don't use any of them). I looked at reviews of the Samsung Series 9 which is supposed to be the PC's answer to the MacBook Air and yes it's really cool. A hair thinner (1mm to be exact), a hair lighter, has an ethernet port, 128GB of SSD but it costs more than a 256GB MacBook Air!! I mean that just shows how more affordable the MacBook Air is now to those who want a capable mobile laptop. I don't think you can call this a netbook because it's more powerful than that. For the average user like me who really would like to carry a laptop with me almost everywhere I go, this laptop just fit the bill! I don't use any software that isn't supported on a Mac (except perhaps the Ovi Suite) and the Mac OS is so stable. If one app is having problems, it doesn't choke up the entire computer. I can leave it alone, do something else and get back to it when it has solved its problems. So really, I think this a laptop I will want to keep for many years.

I'll be getting my new case later. Really excited about it. Will post pictures when I get it. Other than that, gonna catch Harry Potter and then rehearsal for the sax symposium. Alright then, time to sleep. Bye!

2011-07-25T15:23:00.003+08:00

My new MacBook Air is here! It actually arrived last Friday afternoon but I sort of forgot to post about it because I've been busy turning it into my machine. I really love this computer. So far it's everything I need; portability and having reasonable performance. But really, this MacBook Air just outperforms my Acer in every way with just $400 more in price. It's super thin, light (1.3kg. My Acer was 2.6kg), and it's a Mac! The hardware on paper in my opinion don't tell the whole story. Yes the hardware is lower in numbers than even the 13" Pro but having a Solid-State Drive for storage really makes this computer really fast for opening apps, waking from sleep, file transfers and in some ways, multitasking. Add in some really cool features like iOS style gestures and multitouch on the very large and smooth trackpad, backlit keyboard, long battery life etc. and this machine is really worth the money. If anyone wants to find out more about it from a users perspective, do contact me! I'll give you my findings from the perspective of a brand new Mac user who switched over from Windows..hehe. Oh well that's all for now, time to go practice. Bye!

2011-07-21T21:05:00.003+08:00

Woohoo I'm a really lucky person this holiday! I'm getting a new case, a Cronkhite 2-piece in dark brown and british tan leather; a new MacBook Air 13" (the really new one with Lion)!! And I'm going to Italy in August! I really am a very lucky person. Gonna look forward to all these new stuff coming into my life. The Air arrives tomorrow! The case arrives before school starts and my Italy trip is in 3 weeks time. I shall start making full use of them and cherish the fact I am really lucky!

2011-07-18T02:49:00.002+08:00

Insomnia is really bugging me again. Happens every holiday. I guess I just haven't been using a lot of my energy during the holidays and I suffer at night. Well I'll get some exercise later to get my muscles working and also to use off some energy so that I don't lay in bed and roll around for hours unable to sleep. 2 more weeks to the start of school so yeah, time to gear up for it!

2011-07-11T23:16:00.002+08:00

Another post to keep this blog running. School is around the corner and I have already started lessons with Fredi. Not off to a great start for me. I haven't been practicing much and my playing has suffered. Time to start the hard work. Well at least in the coming week I'll start preparation for the Singapore Saxophone Symposium. I'm part of the wind band that'll be accompanying the professionals during the gala concert. Really should be fun. I recommend all to attend this symposium. Artists like Vince Gnojek, Claude Delangle, Shyen Lee and many others will be in town. More information here. Right now I'm really itching to get a MacBook Air 13 inch. On paper, it really looks like it can improve my computer experience. I can take it with me, it probably performs much better than my Acer and it's just so fun and cool to use. I really hope I can strike a deal with my parents. Hehe. Oh well, now time to get some rest and it'll be a day of practicing and getting my chops into shape tomorrow. Good night!

2011-06-07T21:47:00.002+08:00

Well, Beautiful Sunday is over. Now I've got no concerts to play till August. Perhaps now is the time to really brush up my skills on the horn. I feel I've been playing really badly recently. Need to up my game much more and prepare for the year to come. So till next time, bye!

2011-06-01T22:27:00.003+08:00

Brass Explosion was really a blast. Got to meet new friends and learnt so much from the faculty there. Even though it felt like so much fun, 4 days didn't really pass that quickly. I guess that's a good thing! Well now I have one more concert to play and after that I'm going to have pretty much an empty schedule with some teaching here and there. So till next time, bye!

2011-05-21T23:51:00.003+08:00

Ok SAS orchestra concert is over. Didn't feel so good about it. Definitely not a good performance from me. Have got to push my concentration and playing levels higher! Well, next performance for now will be the Brass Society Brass Band at Botanic Gardens, again. But this time the stage is shared with the Desford Colliery Band and a big band so it'll be interesting. It's free by the way so make it a point to come!

2011-05-12T00:08:00.002+08:00

Exams are over! Once again I finally have the time to start playing in other ensembles and practicing with the knowledge that I don't have academic work to do. Liberation feels good. I'll be playing for an orchestral concert with the Singapore American School Orchestra with string and woodwind players from their high school. Should be fun. Some details are up on the left in my 'Upcoming Performance' section. See you there!

2011-05-01T23:04:00.002+08:00

Just over one more week to my practical exam! Well at least the little recital the brass players held just now didn't go too badly. Quite a few things I can improve on but overall I'm a little, just a little bit surprised about my playing. Hearing a recording is so so much more different than hearing yourself on stage. Really puts you in perspective of the actual listener, especially sound-wise. Well one more week to work on my playing and to get through theory and aural exams. All the best to everyone!

2011-04-22T00:11:00.002+08:00

Woo I'm finally relieved from academic work. Now there's time to practice my playing and other things. Really time to catch up on many things because I haven't been very focused this semester. Well it's time to rev up!

2011-04-07T23:10:00.002+08:00

Orchestra concert is over! It was a good effort from everyone so well done! However, our season is not done because we still have to play for the RCM signing ceremony. I wish I could have the extra time though. Now I've downsized my exam repertoire to something quite manageable so I really need to make it work well. 1 month to do it! I've updated my 'Upcoming Performance' section so check it out and attend the concert!

2011-04-03T22:53:00.003+08:00

People, please do come for NAFA Orchestra's concert on Tuesday! Details are on the left. It'll be worth your time and it's free admission! So do come down!

I really feel like getting Thayer valves for my instrument. After playing the Getzen 3062 on Thursday, I really miss the evenness and openness that the valves can give. Well according to Fredi, Meinlschmidt is making a Thayer valve so hopefully it's in production soon and I can see if I want to get my instrument fitted with them. I want the even and open feel but I still want to keep the colour and flexibility that my instrument can provide.

Woohoo! I'm just a confirmation away from going to Italy for Italian Brass Week! Gonna be loads of fun and learning there!

2011-03-25T22:25:00.002+08:00

Some hissing/buzzing is present is in my sound and it's really bugging me. It could be an equipment issue, or it could be me double-buzzing or something I don't know of! It's not really terminal but it's noticeable! It's really audible in the lower registers like 2nd line B-flat and below. I'll probably record myself and ask members of the Trombone Forum for advice during the weekend. Now I need to get the momentum going for my exam pieces!

2011-03-23T21:55:00.009+08:00

Finally choir/band concert is over! I must say we did a good job especially the choir. Hidehiro once again shows his fantastic solo ability. Kudos to you, Hide!

Today I felt this...sort of anger tension in me. I can't find a reason for it but for that few hours I just felt like not doing anything and sometimes just feel like hitting something. I'm glad my classmates loosened me up and SAS lecture with Mr. Lim helped too!

I really need to start being productive!! It's so frustrating when I reflect on the day and realised I hadn't done nearly enough. My exam is on the 9th of May!! Just over a month left and so many things I need to clean up in my playing! I need to focus focus focus!!

I was hypnotised by beauty and lost lots of precious time. It shall not happen again.

2011-03-21T22:45:00.002+08:00

A snapshot of orchestra rehearsal today. Hary Janos is coming along and it's really fun to play it, but it'll be much more fun if we can get together and work to play together. I attended the YST brass chamber concert just now and it was fantastic! I mean, 1.5hrs of great brass music that includes a 10-member trombone choir with a contrabass trombone!! Awesome stuff. I would really love to hear them again. Well that's all for now so till next time, bye!

2011-03-18T23:08:00.003+08:00

One of the most hectic weeks is over pretty much. I managed to complete my presentation decently mostly in one night. My scores have finally arrived! Now I need to find a pianist to accompany me for my exam. Well on Wednesday the orchestra read Hary Janos Suite it was a decent attempt. I really hope we can all practice our parts well and pull it off because it'll be really rewarding. Well that concert is in less than 3 weeks time so not much rehearsals for us. I'm very sure we have the potential to pull it off so we need to realise it! But for now, I need to catch up on some sleep so goodbye!

2011-03-10T02:22:00.002+08:00

I seriously have lost too much focus in recent weeks. I just feel like my progress is either at a standstill or it's declining. Time to buck up!

I don't know why I just can't sleep now. Maybe I drank too much tea yesterday. Oh well, at least that gave me some quiet time to listen to music on my MP3 player which somehow I've not done so for quite a while.

Looking back, since the start of this year, I've learnt much more about life. Friends share their experiences with me and so on and they really gave me new perspectives about life as a whole. But I realised, as I think about these new perspectives, I somehow lost that more carefree side of me when I didn't think too much about all these things. Give and take I guess. Well I've to try and get back to sleep now..lesson at 10!

2011-03-05T23:51:00.004+08:00

Freaking pimple between my nose and lips is seriously an irritant when playing, especially in the high range! I really don't know if I gained anything out of practicing or playing today because I just didn't focus enough. Yesterday's practice session was rather fruitful, especially for excerpts. I really felt I have improved. Well, playing for my peers will tell me more.

Is it still worth it to hold on to this? Everyday I ask myself this question but there's always no answer...but I'm on the verge or maybe I've already let go...

2011-03-03T22:35:00.002+08:00

Alright! My bell flare is back to normal but there's still the "memory" of the crease on the lacquer. Not a big deal though. At least now it isn't so obvious. Valves are working great again too! Many thanks to George for that.

Brass band is now so much more fun because I'm playing in a section with other Singaporeans! Not that I didn't get along well with the previous section but this section brings so much entertainment! Anyway the music the band is playing now is still good so I guess it's worthy to join them for another project.

Looking back, I've been through quite a bit this week. I didn't get much practice time and I did lose focus and my aims and goals were blurred for a while. It's all part of life and I guess now I need to pick myself back up work really hard for the last term of year 1.

2011-02-26T21:39:00.005+08:00

I was about to finish up a review about me case and now I just can't. Because it creased my bell flare!! So irritated! Now I have to spend money that I shouldn't need to...haiz.

Well, to other things. I finished my history essay! I didn't think I could finish it so quickly; it was like one day at most. Well that's one less thing to do! I've nothing else to say really...still not over the fact that my bell has a crease.. :(

2011-02-10T22:07:00.002+08:00

Well since the last post, I can safely say I've become better in my playing. Since then I've realised a lot of things about embouchure, air usage, tongue placement and awareness of body muscles. All these things really attribute so much in our playing and I believe it's important that when we practice, we take note of these things, evaluate if there are any problems in those areas that are causing us to stop developing, or get worse. Practicing is not so much just thinking all about improving, it's trying out different ideas, using the ideas that work for you and also, add on to the idea and make it your own because every musician is different.

On the way home I listened to the Philwinds recordings for the pop concert on 5 Dec 2010. Everytime I listen to the recordings I just feel a sense of accomplishment and I just feel so happy listening to it. It may not be near-perfect technically and musically but it was really a concert that I believe all musicians on stage enjoyed. I myself enjoyed every moment. Full house by the looks of it, hyped-up audience, fantastic musicians and good music. The recordings have so much sentimental value to me and I hope I can keep making music like that. I'll be playing for Philwinds one more time for a private function in the Istana. I don't think it's public. I've also been asked to play for BHSO for their Dvorak concert. Hope it'll be great fun. Till next time, bye!