>_<

:O BEN PLAGIARISED!!!

--Ben's Reply: Oops bad habit. You should go look at my RE report one day. =)

I lost count.

Yeah, this is the most active RIMB section blog =)

Q: What happens to Brian's clothes?
Answer will be revealed later.

Arrrgh Yuchen's not coming. Lets cut him. No lets ignite his fats. Ewww...
Timpani! As a wise sage once said to me: the three important things needed to master the timpani are practice, practice and practice. Monday is an off-day, meaning more time to practice. But Tuesday is labour day! Will the band room be open on Tuesday? Or Monday? What about tommorow? Someone please open... =(
SYF's over, but this year is far from it. We can make it to the end together: there's still the Malaysia trip and the July Concert to prove our mettle. This year is going to be hectic. Whee~!

A: They get brainwashed! *chuckles and laughter*

-1

Someone didn't do 0 *ahem ahem* =)

Frankly speaking, I am relieved that we got our Gold. It didn't come easy. Looking back, we changed choice piece TWICE (and very late too), didn't work hard much and almost got pulled out of SYF. The Gold reflects a little miracle. We've exceeded Mr Oura's expectations.

However, after getting that Gold, I'm sure everyone has a tinge of disappointment. The failure to obtain the Honours. Not like it was going to be easy anyway. All bands have performed; 3 got GwH. Given our effort and time invested, we'd probably thank the judges for being biased, should we get the GwH. But as Brian has said, the history of that of RI (and RIMB), is to do your best, aim for GwH, I mean, Top Band. Rizal said we could do it. And yes, we really could have. That minor error there, this thing that shouldn't have been done... yes we should be disappointed for not obtaining GwH, but be grateful for getting the Gold.

Screw the medals. For those of us who played our hearts out, dedicating the music to Mr Oura (or some other person), will be the ones who will be feeling satisfied, knowing they've achieved their goal. Those who've done a lot, I am very sure it has paid off well.

*hold on, need to reply to Jerald who's calling me a leewser xD*

Well... I believe the performance I put up was the best ever (ignoring the crash cymbal dropout). For some reason. Maybe it's due to the pressure of SYF. Maybe the bow complemented the glock really well. And I loved it. Every single moment of it. I was, during the rest periods of 12-17 sunrise and 119+ ocean, enjoying our stage time. Feeling the pride of playing, not playing a solo, but playing as a band, producing good music... together. We united in the 10+ minutes we had. That was an awesome feeling. Why don't I remember feeling like that in Prometheum last year? (too busy contemplating on how to tackle Fossiles?)

Okay, Ben & Jerry free cone dayyh and SYF may be over this year, but we'll have many more to come.

Our tradition of excellence

It must be very pressurising, knowing that RIMB has a tally of sixteen consecutive SYF Gold awards.

It's a tradition of excellence that all of you must believe you are continuing. Strive for anything less, and you'll stumble. Whether or not the band gets the Honours, all of you must give your best. Aim for the best. If you don't think you'll get the Honours, then you won't. Don't let it be a pleasant, added surprise if you get it.

I know it must be confusing with all these different and seemingly contradictory messages from different people about what you should really do, whether to enjoy your music, to aim to beat the other bands or what have you.

I believe that, first and foremost, a band should always be making good music. Once you've achieved that, you will know that you deserve the Honours.

I'm beginning to sound a little abstract ><. I have no doubts at all that all of you will play well tomorrow! All of you sounded very good together the last time I heard. Remember that you're giving a performance, not competing. Play with pride, not nervousness. Always tell yourselves that you've practised for months; you won't screw up. You won't screw up. Look confident, sound confident. Be confident. You're a performer. You're performing to entertain the judges and audience. You're performing because all of you have put in so much time and effort, and you don't want to let any of your bandmates down. You're performing to show Mr Oura that the band cares about making music. You're performing to tell us, your seniors, that you've built on everything we taught you.

And at the end of your performance, give yourself a little smile (like what Mr Oura does sometimes at the end of a piece), because you've played well.

Do us proud!

Love,
Brian

1

This is it.

100,000s of litres of tears, sweat and blood shed.
-10,000s of scoldings, remarks, and lessons learnt.
--1,000s of hours spent worrying about this day.
----100s of hard, hard practices.
-----10+ minutes: the time taken to play both pieces.
------1 SYF. It all comes down to this.

But whether we clinch the pivotal GwH or not, we don't care. For it is not our main priority. As Aaron has once said to me: it's not about the medal. It's about enjoying your stage time. Because we enjoy making music, because we want to pass this joy on to the audience. To show the time and effort we have put in. Like RGS, our goal is to be happy with what we have played, not to aim for the Gold.

This is it.

2

less than 48 hours away.

to ben and i it's our only SYF with RIMB.

i think it's about time i got over the nerves, and start focusing on what i should really do, what we should really do.

Singapore YOUTH FESTIVAL. it's a festival, it's our festival. it's not a blood-sucking, muscle-tearing, limb-shredding competition. It's a celebration! a celebration of music! so we are gonna enjoy it.

what say you?

3

Quote time.

"Ok on to more serious stuff... The band got "lectured" by Rizal, an old boy, a percussionist from the batch of 88. He had come in the morning and watched us all the way to when we fell out. He started off with saying how he had been disagreeable to the band changing its name from "Military Band" to something else. But after examining today's band prac, he thinks that we are not fit to carry that name. The name of the band which has won 15 consecutive SYF golds. Then he went on to talk about our lack of discipline and our lousy playing. Jonathan thinks we're at Gold standard but Rizal said we're still at Silver.

It was really quite a blow to hear him say that his section, percussion, played terribly. I guess he formed his first impression from sectionals, which he observed quietly. We were, of course, not very serious, as usual... Concert with Mervyn conducting was not very good at all. Perhaps he noticed my playing of the timpani, which was initially off-tune... He was, after all, right behind me when I was playing. Perhaps he noticed Faizin's disastrous crashing for Vogelhandler. Perhaps he just noticed the general attitude of the percussionists. And the other sections. We're not very serious at all. Which is bad in a way, I guess...

I don't think he has a very good impression of us, watching only one practice. I mean, would anyone in the band actually think the clarinetists are a well-disciplined bunch? But even though he might not have an accurate impression, I have to say Rizal is mostly right. We are not fit to carry the name "Raffles Institution Military Band" if we don't uphold the standards. We aren't focused enough.

Obviously, I myself am (is that gramatically correct?) not that committed to the band, but... we have to buck up..." --quoted from http://maeglin.blogspot.com, as requested by the writer for me to do so =)


He strikes again today, coming in the late morning and not departing till prac ended. I'm quite touched by how he's still visiting us even though he graduated like almost 20 years ago. Of course we were expecting trouble from him. Our standard has considerably dropped since '05 and '06, and for the first time Mr Oura is expecting a silver.

But no. Rizal actually had a few praises for us. He said that we had potential to obtain the GwH, or at least the Gold. He just said that we lacked focus, which is seriously imparing the whole band. As Mr Oura said, we lack discipline, and because of that, we have no hope. Devestating but true. Such discipline includes fidgetting during band, and not having the right posture. Small little things make a big difference. Hmm doesn't that sound familiar?

Extended prac today. First half we struck with full force (well, everyone was present). I guess we were lacking the spirit to play, such that by the time we reached Sunrise (later half of prac), we got a hell of a time with Mr Oura. Second half was better though, way better. By the end of prac, I was feeling happy. A feeling I've haven't felt for the past months of pracs. At least Yuchen stayed for some time before going home in the afternoon, along with James and Ferdian. It's pretty sad to see only me, Kinchun, Jerald and Si Kai left standing at the end of the day though. To Dhruv, Ferdian, Yuchen and James... hopefully you can justify why your afternoon activity was more important than the second last prac before SYF, your only SYF.

We should, we must, we can, we will. Haven't heard anyone mention this, but hopefully we can keep our band motto in vision during these 40+ hours left. Rizal said we had the potential, and I believe we do have it, if we only try.

If we only try.

4

marquee skills +0

last few days left. we don't have much time left and i think we all know how we are doing. the important thing is to stare at mr oura all the time. like what he said stare until he can become apu neh neh.

and sikai, stop spasticating with the susp and look at him pls. and stop saying i know all the time, it gets irritating. u still should get ur peaking right, and don't forget what mr oura says.

ok i have juz moved from fear to kanchiongness.

5

Marquee skills +4!

We definitely have improved after today's intensive concert. Finally it's a concert that's actually intensive.

Too bad Ah Pui x2 missed concert. Okay Jamie came in halfway through donning a red shirt (defecting, by any chance?), but our Ah Pui #2 is absent for an anonymous reason. Dear Ah Pui #2, we aren't going to force you to come for band; we'll just tell you that you have missed a good opportunity to polish your skills, and you were the only sec 2 that was not present today.

Miracles. They occur with a stroke of luck. Eg. Ben getting into RI was a Miracle. But Miracles can also occur with skill. Not just plain old skill, but lots of skill, refined and polished up over time. Thats one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind. Every little effort by each and everyone will produce a great result, only known as the Miracle. We CAN do it.

So what if the current standing is 1 GwH and 7 GoldNoHonours out of 63? So what if Mr Oura said that we should be aiming for Silver? We can do better, wayyyy better.

If only we try.

6

ok we all know this syf's insane.

but since we are already mentally insane, our job's halfdone. let's just channel the insanity from our brain to our limbs which will then translate into insanity in music which will in turn result in perfectly coordinated sound.

comprende? comprendo.

from tmr onwards it's gonna be hardcore rehearsal, let's do everyone proud. we only have that one chance, make good use of it.

7

Marquee skills +1!

Quote David Lee: "It is now exactly one week before our SYF, correct to the day, hour, minute, second." And it sure is. 4 more concert pracs to touchup... (excluding SYF day)

Another quote, or rather a fact: that two GWH bands got silver this year. Even if it is going to be a trend, we shall be the exception. Hope I scream on SYF day. And the next day. And the day after. Scream for us getting Gold, then GWH, then Presentation, then top band! Lots of you will be like, you're nuts, but anything is possible. We have a whole week left. Anything can happen. Oh and by the way pardon me for the bad pun.

Arrgh I need to know how loud my chimes are! Everyone keeps saying ocean is too "noisy", but too soft and no one can hear!

But lets cool down. Stress leads to illness and unwanted pressure ontopof schoolwork. Like how Mr Oura tells me to "relag" while playing Fossiles. The only person who should not be relaxing is Yuchen *ahen ahen sffz hint*.

I shall close this post before the telepathic freak starts chasing me with a bowgun, shouting at me to submit my post. xD

8

rawr 8 days left.

i'm getting sleepless, i'm already feeling nervous!!! AHHHHHHHHH.

*takes the bowgun and shoots ben XD*

1 sectional left to clean up every little detail

5 concerts/rehearsals left

ADD OIL!!!

9

Why do I always get the odd numbers -.-

Quote some guy: RIMB percs are gonna make an ocean during SYF, literally.

Yeah the above quote sounds silly, but well, lets do it.

We're gonna play with such wrath and power. kinchun's cymbal is going to spoil the timpani.

And Yuchen will damage the bass drum.

That's what we'll do. The might and power of RIMB.

Three squared more days. It's never too late.

Never too late to realise that you are following an identical paragraphing style as that of Jerald.

ROCK ON!!

10

10 more days and the stage is ours.

let's own it!

but first let's work on all the crescendos :D

let's clean up every speck of dust!

let's eat up some sodium chloride to taste the sea :)

let's flood the SCH

go RIMB!!!

*ben u're doing 9 juz like investiture XD

A message I sent in reply to other messages from my RJCSB batch which I thought applied to all of you too.

It's a shame how contrived that concept of an "ownage" concert is. I'm sure that after four years under Mr Oura's guidance all of us know perfectly well that, as a band, music always comes first. Our objective is to entertain with our music. Sure, the gimmicks and "creative ideas" add to the degree of fun and entertainment, but ultimately it is our music that must determine how successful our band is. Which is why it is encouraging that most of us know SYF should be our main priority, and that practice is the only way we can play well.

And there's the competition. It is very much agreed upon that competition can only push players to strive for better results, but as musicians who are we competing against? While each band (and each musician) can and should learn from one another, should our aim be to "own" all the other JC bands? Such an ostentatious approach to making music -- surely it's not what we seek?

I hope we are not in this band to beat all the other bands, win cash prizes or gain fame and reputation, but because we love making music and wish to perfect our music so as to provide entertainment of the highest quality.

So, practise for that SYF Gold with Honours and aim for the top -- not for the bragging rights, but to prove that we're good musicians and have entertained.