Photos courtesy of Yeo Mei and myself (:
The turnout for Spirito wasn't very pleasant.. the circle seats were almost empty, I could see a row of seniors there plus some other people. Ms Too's words are echoing in my head right now.
"We need to sell enough tickets to cover the costs of production you know...
The concert is running at a loss...
Joyce, as head of ticketing, what do you think we should do?...
Joyce ah, you must check with the SLs and find out how many tickets the sections have sold..."
Then I can hear Brian and his questions with a burning enthusiasm masked by his small frame
"Joyce, the tickets how?...
what do you think about the programme booklet?...
Joyce, is this poster ok?..."
Anyway it's over now, I wonder how they're going to make up for the losses.
.
The hiccups during the concert very nearly put me through panic attacks.
1) We were about to go up for our erhu ensemble item, when Michael noted that Serene (our pianist) was missing. We went "oh shit shit shit where is she!!!", turned out that she was tuning her liuqin in the changing room further backstage when Janet went to get her. There was a long pause after the emcees announced for us to go up, but there was nothing we could do about it, not at least until Serene was back. Then finally we had to smoothen our faces and remove all traces of anxiety before going up to play the emo piece.
2) For Guang Wei's solo, Xuan Han actually went up there only to discover that he didn't have a yangqin sticks with him. He disappeared to the side of the stage to get them and returned back to his yangqin, gesturing apologetically to the audience with his hands. There was some miscommunication there, he thought someone was supposed to bring his sticks out for him. For the rehearsal, this guy was supposed to bring the piano chair out when some of us pointed out that he was sitting on it -.-
3) Pei Yan's solo - all the stage lights were supposed to be on. However, the spotlight was on her, which made it difficult to see her strings on her yangqin. It was like this during the rehearsal too, where I could hear some wrong notes (peiyan doesn't make mistakes!) cos her sight was limited. Thankfully, it turned out fine during the actual thing.
4) I was supposed to help Pei Yan change out of her long-sleeved shirt into her sleeveless blouse right after san liu and before her Ballade pour Adeline, but I happened to be further downstairs backstage with Janet, having lost track of time! Sheesh... By the time I returned, she was already changing halfway in that piano room, I could only help smoothen the back of her blouse just before she walked on stage and then adjust her Spirito attire when she changed back. Some personal assistant! >.< Lesson learnt.
Lan se de si nian was one piece we practiced for nearly half a year, no doubt the main feature of our concert. Somehow that didn't go too well... but as far as I'm aware, people in the audience weren't aware of that so, =D
Shui lian drew differing comments from people, from 'soothing' to 'boring'. Hmm. All those self-sectionals we had in the hall with Serene made us sweat, literally. I could see my fellow section mates putting in a lot of effort to make the piece sound coordinated, trying to bring out the desired effect... there were several awkward moments during the practices where we'd just stop there, expressionless, without any idea how to proceed. Then all the pressure would be upon our SL to hype things up. Well we pulled through (: We will conquer and not remain status quo with our SYF piece which is technically very much more demanding especially on our side.
I don't know why we had this concert in the first place. Other ACCO batches never had concerts with only half the orchestra before. My guess is that the teachers and instructors want to strengthen us both in the social emotional and musical aspect and prepare us for the big event in 2009. Irvin's confident of a GwH. I know that's not a problem for PLHB, but for us... I guess we just have to pray and practice hard now.
I second the acknowledgments in the programme booklet. Thank God, of course, that our batch managed to run a concert (seriously, i've gotta have more faith). Then for all the people who have worked hard to make this possible -- teachers, instructors, committee (especially Brian as I/C), helpers (our very own members with Nigel I/C, seniors, Brian's photographer friend), the J1 CO members and Of course, for the audience...
My parents were there,
Claire and Amelia were there, (this photo looks crowded)
I saw some other people I recognised (like Farhana Ryann Rae YenChai SiWei JunYan KeRong...)and the loud ones who no doubt made their presence known, my cell group --
I've never had people shout this loud for me before, and I'm not even a soloist or anything! Haha. It was all very flattering, honestly, this reception I didn't deserve.Then there are those who've been giving in to all my nonsense from PL (Food & Fun Fair, Kaleidoscope) all the way to AC (FunORama, enCOre, Spirito). They know who they are. I really dunno what to do without them =/
Sorry BFC, if I seemed a little dead on Sat night during your dinner and throughout the journey back to the north-east. My body was there but my mind was elsewhere. On my bed, I suppose. Or some other part of Singapore. Up to you to guess. (:
Oh, I'm staring at that lone rose right now. Its pink petals are falling apart.
I've eaten almost all the chocolates, finished the president's cookies, only Jake's sweets are still left somewhere in my bag. Clearly, nothing lasts forever. However sweet or bitter they may be, everything will come to an end.
I'm not ready for 2009. Neither am I ready to let go of 2008. One month, that's all that's left.
This post is like some reflection post -.-
Random: I had my retainers on the whole time. Makes smiling unnatural but who cares.
Random: Thanks for the invitation, guys, but now I've got 3 things (or rather, events) running on that day, and I can only attend to one!
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