Sunday, January 09, 2005

Hello!

Firstly, let me welcome wendy and JGR to my blog.

I might not have any idea to who you are but let me tell you this. I write what I feel and won't change them regardless of what people say, unless I really feel that they have a point. =)

So why did I complain so much?

Picture this: You go to the hawker centre and order a plate of chicken rice. It comes to you with the chicken still bloody and the rice undercooked. How would you feel?

This was the case. The music wasn't prepared. Never mind that it was out of tune. Never mind that some parts were too technically challenging.

It was clearly unprepared.

As a paying consumer, I expect my money to be well spent. Isn't it the same when you are saving up for a nice buffet dinner at a high-class restaurant? Ok, I was harsh, rude and bitchy. But I really expect more when a band puts up a fund-raising concert. It didn't seem to me that they were very sincere about raising funds.

Furthermore, it's a case for concern if they are really planning to bring this kind of standard over to the World Music Competition. National representation! For goodness' sake!

Compared this to the concert I went to last night, courtesy of dragging and pouting from the Natalie the Goat. But thanks! I totally didn't regret it! At least I made one new friend!

Of course the music standard wasn't world class; there isn't any world class band in Singapore.

It was, however, much more prepared.

The programme was a bit on the heavy side though.

The first half consisted of pieces like Don Juan, Carnival Overture and the Mastersingers by Richard Wagner. Anyway, for the better benefit of my Readers, the Richards in Richard Strauss and Wagner are pronounced as REE-CARD.

I really felt like walking out after the first half, not because that the music was bad, but rather that it was very tiring!

Sembawang Wind Orchestra
The Mastersingers
Weber Clarinet Concert 1 in F minor, Soloist: Chen Weiling
Don Juan
Carnival Overture

-interval-

Yio Chu Kang Secondary
Slavonic Dances

Dunman High
Mahler 3rd Symphony, 1st movement

Combined band of Dunman and Sembawang
The Magic Forest (literally translated), Soloist: Andrew Ng (Oboe)

Look at how heavy it was? The first half alone was more than 70 minutes! That can be the entire length of a concert already. I would rather have quality over quantity, thank you very much.

The soloists for the night were good. Andrew's intonation could have been much better for his Adagio. Well, don't use a Loree! Haha! (Loree users, please don't burn my oboe!)

Oh yes.

I want to address the claim that alleged I was in the opinion that my own playing standards were very high

No, I do not think that of myself and had never written so in a way suggesting that. In fact, I believe that I was lamenting recently that I'm lagging far behind among my peers. Please do your homework before pointing your finger at others.

One doesn't have to be a good cook to appreciate good food.

And what makes you think that the overseas standard would be better? A lot of Singaporeans still have the impression of "wonderful foreign talent". Just look at the Thai band concert I attended last year. It was so painfully dull and yet people were cheering them on. Please, not everything that comes from overseas is good.

If all the good players are heading overseas, Singapore will never grow.

I'm thankful for some of my friends who had seen in me beyond what I've written.

Thank you!

For those who still don't agree, especially those who don't know me, you are welcome to rebuff what I have to say, but please do it in a constructive way.

If you don't, please proceed to bang your head against the wall. (The Writer assumes no responsibility and/or liability to any physical and/or mental distress and/or injuries to any Reader from this blog.)

***

Anyway, HMV's having a clear-out sales!

Do check out the classical section if you are free, there's quite a good selection on the Eloquence Label and they are all going for $9.95 each!

I've gotten quite a few myself. 25 CDs in 5 days! Phew. Anyway if you are wondering, 16 of these 25 CDs were box sets, which means like $19.90 for 16 CDs!

GO!

***

One last thing.

I will be guest playing for Singapore Wind Symphony this coming Sunday, 16th Jan 2005. It's at Victoria Concert Hall at 5 p.m.

Tickets are available from me at $12 each. Call me at 9430 4990 if you want any!

The programme includes:

Lord of the Ring Symphony (Complete) (Johan de Meij)
Fantasy Variations
Fantasia for Saxophone, Clare Grundman

Out!
fjozn at 10:35 AM