Missing "M"
I finally realise why I have been so cranky lately -- I'm missing the big "M".
Not that "M" every month associated with the P.M.S., I'm missing the other bigger "M" in my life: Music.
For the past two decades, there has not been any extended period of time that I was not involved in some form of activity associated with music.
In my formative years, I yowled a lot to the songs I heard. Then I started smashing my fists on the keyboard when I was introduced to the piano. (My ex-neighbour once called the police to get me to stop banging on the piano.)
Later on, I found out what the SATB was and started experimenting with harmonies with my piano. Oh I did choose choir in Nanyang, somehow everyone who had "Track & Field" in any of the six choices for ECA back then ended up an athlete. (Yea, I'll be classified "ancient" soon, I come from the ECA-era.)
I suppose it was a good thing. When I was four, the teacher at Yamaha told my father I should forget about singing and focus on playing. I distinctly remember that during my first exam as a kid, all my classmates sung like angels. I, on the other hand, croaked like a tiny toad. I seemed to have a register from only middle C to middle G.
So, all those years I thought I couldn't sing. Still, it did not stop me from falling in love with a cappella works at the age of ten and wanting to be part of a choir. Rather, I wanted to join a choir to see if I could be somehow be part of an a cappella group one day.
Nine fruitful years in track & field with intensive training three-quarters of the year meant that the only form of interaction I had with the other passion of my life was limited to mainly piano works. I once tried going for choir practices Mon, Wed & Fri, training Tue, Thur & Sat, piano Sunday... that nearly killed me after three months in JC.
A couple of years ago, I turned into a couch potato overnight after graduating from JC. For the first time in my life, I finally joined a CCA that had nothing to do with sports -- string ensemble. I love SE and the people to bits, but I still wanted to dabble in vocal works.
StageFright! was born a year later with the support from four good friends. Damn, I don't remember how and why I ended up the accompanist / arranger instead of actually writing in a vocal part for myself and making it an a cappella.
Then, we went our separate ways in 2006. I joined the USyd Alumni Choir and sang a handful of *boring* choral works in number of languages. Boy, I hate singing in French. Russian was worse. Give me Mandarin any time.
A year later, back on the sunny island, I got a little lonely sitting at the piano without friends around me to do silly musical things together. That prompted me try out at The Hill-Top as a ballet accompanist.
By the way, that was the second thing (next to a cappella) that I really wanted to try out.
I barely lasted for half a year. I realised I could not cope with being an accompanist who needs re-invent style everyday to improvise and re-write music, along with being a physio loaded with things to learn everyday. Despite the stress, it was one of the best times I had as a pianist. (The best was of course, still with the string ensemble where the piano and the strings are in harmony.) My sight-reading improved by leaps and bounds because I had to try to learn about 26 new tunes every week. Even without a flair for improvisation, I was forced to develop skills in that aspect under those dire circumstances.
To date, I am still thankful to Vivien for helping me fulfill that little dream. In a sadistic way though, I still miss The Hill-Top days. Playing for the graceful ballet dancers was an honour and an experience every pianist should not miss. From the pianist's point of view, each exercise was like watching music come to live on stage -- poise, grandeur, emotions amplified and expressed to the fullest.
Half a year later, I got bored and took up guitar lessons. It was fun, but not interesting enough to hold my attention. In the mean time, work is progressively taking up more of my time, to the extent that I've actually stopped playing the piano for the past month -- the first time in my life.
Which explains why I am so cranky.
I am missing the big "M".
Twenty years from the starting point, I have decided to take up a vocal course by The A Cappella Society. Hopefully, this time I'll get a whiff of a chance to be part of the a cappella scene.
So, you three who have yet to send me your registration forms, please let me know if you are not going. I need to send in my form while I still feel brave enough to display my toad croaks.
Not that "M" every month associated with the P.M.S., I'm missing the other bigger "M" in my life: Music.
For the past two decades, there has not been any extended period of time that I was not involved in some form of activity associated with music.
In my formative years, I yowled a lot to the songs I heard. Then I started smashing my fists on the keyboard when I was introduced to the piano. (My ex-neighbour once called the police to get me to stop banging on the piano.)
Later on, I found out what the SATB was and started experimenting with harmonies with my piano. Oh I did choose choir in Nanyang, somehow everyone who had "Track & Field" in any of the six choices for ECA back then ended up an athlete. (Yea, I'll be classified "ancient" soon, I come from the ECA-era.)
I suppose it was a good thing. When I was four, the teacher at Yamaha told my father I should forget about singing and focus on playing. I distinctly remember that during my first exam as a kid, all my classmates sung like angels. I, on the other hand, croaked like a tiny toad. I seemed to have a register from only middle C to middle G.
So, all those years I thought I couldn't sing. Still, it did not stop me from falling in love with a cappella works at the age of ten and wanting to be part of a choir. Rather, I wanted to join a choir to see if I could be somehow be part of an a cappella group one day.
Nine fruitful years in track & field with intensive training three-quarters of the year meant that the only form of interaction I had with the other passion of my life was limited to mainly piano works. I once tried going for choir practices Mon, Wed & Fri, training Tue, Thur & Sat, piano Sunday... that nearly killed me after three months in JC.
A couple of years ago, I turned into a couch potato overnight after graduating from JC. For the first time in my life, I finally joined a CCA that had nothing to do with sports -- string ensemble. I love SE and the people to bits, but I still wanted to dabble in vocal works.
StageFright! was born a year later with the support from four good friends. Damn, I don't remember how and why I ended up the accompanist / arranger instead of actually writing in a vocal part for myself and making it an a cappella.
Then, we went our separate ways in 2006. I joined the USyd Alumni Choir and sang a handful of *boring* choral works in number of languages. Boy, I hate singing in French. Russian was worse. Give me Mandarin any time.
A year later, back on the sunny island, I got a little lonely sitting at the piano without friends around me to do silly musical things together. That prompted me try out at The Hill-Top as a ballet accompanist.
By the way, that was the second thing (next to a cappella) that I really wanted to try out.
I barely lasted for half a year. I realised I could not cope with being an accompanist who needs re-invent style everyday to improvise and re-write music, along with being a physio loaded with things to learn everyday. Despite the stress, it was one of the best times I had as a pianist. (The best was of course, still with the string ensemble where the piano and the strings are in harmony.) My sight-reading improved by leaps and bounds because I had to try to learn about 26 new tunes every week. Even without a flair for improvisation, I was forced to develop skills in that aspect under those dire circumstances.
To date, I am still thankful to Vivien for helping me fulfill that little dream. In a sadistic way though, I still miss The Hill-Top days. Playing for the graceful ballet dancers was an honour and an experience every pianist should not miss. From the pianist's point of view, each exercise was like watching music come to live on stage -- poise, grandeur, emotions amplified and expressed to the fullest.
Half a year later, I got bored and took up guitar lessons. It was fun, but not interesting enough to hold my attention. In the mean time, work is progressively taking up more of my time, to the extent that I've actually stopped playing the piano for the past month -- the first time in my life.
Which explains why I am so cranky.
I am missing the big "M".
Twenty years from the starting point, I have decided to take up a vocal course by The A Cappella Society. Hopefully, this time I'll get a whiff of a chance to be part of the a cappella scene.
So, you three who have yet to send me your registration forms, please let me know if you are not going. I need to send in my form while I still feel brave enough to display my toad croaks.