Many of you may be unfamiliar with what SE was like in the past, so here's a few posts found by Ben and I while we were reading through the archives which may help you see what SE was like, and may hopefully make you feel more bonded to SE.
All of them were posts from the seniors prior to SYF 2007, very much like our situation now. Do read.
I know it's a really long post (made up of many old and long posts), but they're really really applicable to our situation now, so please read them.
The words in red were highlighted by me.
_____
Dear SE members, current and past,
Many thanks to all who have worked very hard for this year's SYF and concert. Most of the guests who came were thrilled and felt everybody performed very well and beautifully. Many were touched by the pieces and the level of musicality done. I am very proud of you all because it has fulfilled a dream to reach out to the public and young people, about the joys of music-making.
There were many who viewed the pictures outside and were touched by the years of hard work and dedication captured by the photos of past years and current. It was like a mini gallery. I wanted this to be featured as a yearly thing so those who come back to the concert feel like a real family, seeing family shots. All the smiles, focused looks of playing, artistic shots of hands, insts .. :) those were meant to capture the artistic and yet fiercely passionate side of the SE. I'd like to thank Ling Hong, Gloria for spending late nights designing the layout and to Ka Wai for carrying those easels.
I have asked Wen Jin for feedback and was very touched. Hence, I asked him to post it on the blog http://dhstrings.blogspot.com :) to encourage you all to spur to greater heights. Do drop by to read it as I feel it reflects his joy and support of DHSSE.Those who came, I hope you enjoyed the programme booklets we have SO MANY like 200 despite more than the nos getting snapped up. :D :D If you want, we can SEND IT to you :) It is a work of pride and joy, designed by Mei Hui in layout and style, photos by Meng Shuen (our cool student photographer) and printed by current Sec 4 Joel. I think you guys set a record new standard even for aesthetic and art :)
It didn't matter if notes went out of tune or slips were here and there. It was rising up to the challenge of playing difficult pieces and feeling the joy and passion of sharing music that's important.
It has been a tough 6 months for SE. With new leadership, new ways of doing things, I understand that changes have not been easy for you. However, I feel that it has been for the better and that with Ms Ku, we've been able and trying to pave a new and clearer path for all of you. Ms Ku and Mr Song did a very good job with all of you and many gave feedback that it was such an enjoyable and touching performance led well by Ms Ku. We scolded, pushed, counselled, stayed till shadows creeped into the night...but we hope that you can feel that we are behind you all the way.
All those who helped out: choir students, backstage, they played a part too. I've never seen a more hardworking and enthusiastic group of students. Kudos to Mrs Loke for that! :)I hope that with Yr 5s starting off an exciting new era, more challenging music can be played, more groups can be formed and the foundation of chamber music can be set in place. You played well and must now see the next year and a half as a time to push music making to greater heights.
To the alumni that has ceaselessly and tirelessly returned back to help, I can't stop to thank you enough. I'm very grateful for your hardwork and dedication. I was very touched to see so many current J2s, J1s, past years' graduates returning to perform/coach/give encouragement and chocolates..without you, there would be no DHSSE either. Your feedback, helpful comments and suggestions have always been instrumental in guiding the SE and we are grateful for your time and energy with us :)Well done all and rest well this June.
Thank you for teaching me what the real DHSSE spirit is all about.Ms Tan
_____
Hi Guys
Congrats for your very successful concert!
It has been rare privilege to witness the evolution of sibelius romanze from the version I heard in dec last year, the one 1 week before syf and the lastest version so stunning and well-done in the concert. Every sound just came across as so heartfelt I knew it was the crystallization of all your tears and sweat. The experience was unreal.
Not everyone in SE is an aspiring soloist. Not everyone in SE came in playing well (if they play a string instrument at all), yet it always fascinates me how SE managed to work together to neutralize each other’s weakness and amplify the strengths year after year. It is so heart-warming to see people grow to become stronger players, a process that can only be the attributed hard work and correct methods. Congrats for once again embarking on and then follow through the seemingly daunting journey. You guys have made the sum worth more than its parts, and the parts worth adding up together.
For those who are struggling, don’t despair. Persevere and you will find it all worthwhile. Do continue to work hard to keep the spirit burning!
And the entire programme was fantastic! I totally loved it!
Kudos to Ms Ku, teachers-in-charge, seniors, alumni that helped out and you guys who believed in the group.
Hurray!Lau Wen Jin
_____
I confess to losing my cool with a certain section this week on monday, but if you guys could see it from my point of view, it's really tiring to want to pull this heavy load up without it moving an inch. You guys have no idea how i badly i want everybody to do their best for SYF. You have no way of salvaging that regret that's gonna dig at your confidence for days, months and years to come should you not do your best on 20th april. Ironic when everyone's clawing their way to an honours, we're sitting in a room feeling 'sian'. Please. Dont. By the time you recover from the shock, SYF's gonna be over in a minute.
All the remedies and tips have been dished out by different people over the span of 22 posts in this blog. If you really mean to play well, i say go read the archives and take note of those things. Do whatever it takes to make you remember them. It's annoying, REALLY, to start from the bottomline every week.
Each time at sectionals, i always celebrate the little bit of improvement made over the few hours cause i can see the work. But you guys always manage to lose it bit by bit (by ignoring your instrument over 4 days? that's all it takes.), so much so that the next time you return, it's zero again. It's an absolute waste of time, when you guys could be building on from what was taught previously, and then learning how to play the piece musically instead of focusing on the technicalities.
On hindsight, sometimes i feel like i shouldnt have lost my temper with the section i was taking, but i really felt helpless at that point of time. I wanted to do so much, but the basics were not even there. Please do yourselves a huge favour and start remembering everything, AND PLEASE PRACTISE. Countless people are behind you guys so dont you ever dare to give up. Not now, when it's 7 days to SYF.
I really love SE, and i hope for everyone to do their best, because when you guys play from the heart, it truly touches.
Keep the goal in mind and go down for it. Hard. All the best.Taxy.
_____
Hi everybody-
It's down to only 8 days of proper practice, and if the sense of urgency hasn't yet set in, then I have nothing else to say.
It was disappointing to discover that some of you are still not practising your parts at home with a metronome and tuner. Either you feel that you don't need these trusty devices, or you simply can't be bothered to use them. Even if you generally have good intonation and rhythm sense, it doesn't hurt to double check once in a while. And for those of you who don't, all the more you should use them. The metronome and tuner are FAR more reliable than us seniors or teachers when it comes to pointing out such technical flaws, so I don't see why some of you simply don't make full use of them.
Many of you come for sectionals unprepared, and when this happens, we have no choice but to stop the progress (if any) and fix each of you INDIVIDUALLY. What's the point of coming together in groups when your individual parts aren't taken care of? As a result, many of you find your time slowly slipping through your fingers, because all you can do is sit and watch while each person gets his or her flaws corrected. Right? WRONG. As Miss Ku has emphasized countless times, PRACTISE YOUR FINGERING (shifts, stretches etc) while waiting instead of watching your youth gradually wasting away with each passing second. I'm sure this would be more productive than say, watching a couple of fishes swimming in a tank. (you know who you are)
The main purpose of practising in small chamber groups is to work on the ensemble element of your playing: balance, coordination, group dynamics etc. If you do not come prepared individually, you will NOT benefit as you are too caught up with your own inability to play in tune or in time. If you have not been doing anything about it, now is the time to BUCK UP. Even though it is in fact much too late to get started, anything is better than nothing. Doing something the same way over and over again and expecting different results is a form of insanity! As Meihui has rightfully pointed out, practise SLOW, make sure you get everything right, then gradually work up to performance speed. Honestly, all this should have been done at least 8 weeks before the big day, as opposed to the 8 days that you are left with.
In spite of the seemingly small number of ensembles that you are up against, competition is VERY stiff. I've heard news about the ongoing band syf. 8 of the 14 bands who had previously gotten the gold with honours award have played: FIVE have been demoted to SILVER, TWO to gold, and only ONE managed to maintain the honours. Even though I don't quite know the cause of these shocking statistics, a possibility to consider is COMPLACENCY. For the benefit of some of you, a definition of COMPLACENCY as given by Websters' dictionary is as follows:
A feeling of quiet pleasure based on self-satisfaction, usually coupled with a lack of awareness of existing or potential problems.
I don't see the need to explain that any further. If you feel that the gold with honours will be magically bestowed upon us just because we have attained that standard before, you could not be more wrong. Consider the consequences if you do not maintain the honours. As much as Meihui, Yunshan, Taxy and I would like to play, all we can do is sit by the side, nag and hope that some of it enters some of your stubbornly thick skulls. It is certainly frustrating for us, so we have justifiable reasons for running on short fuses. While some of you might be silently fuming at us for this incessant nagging, the truth is we don't really care. To put it magnanimously, we would sacrifice our stellar reputations as long as it delivers results.
Now perhaps you could roll your eyes in the direction of your scores, tuner, metronome, and instruments and PRACTISE.
Aaron
_____
The annonymous senior who wrote the stuff at the bottom...is right. I couldn't agree more.
You mustn't feel sian at this point when you haven't reached the targetted sound. DHSSE is not made up of losers.
But I want you guys to seriously take note of what's written by her/him. You have to realise why all this nagging, advice is directed at you. If you ignore it, roll your eyes at it and slack at your practice, the one who will be blamed (tho no one will say it), the one who will only realise it too late two years later when you will be struggling in your own SYF nightmare again, is you. Nobody else.
We won't say it, but it will always be remembered...for the next 365x2 days of everyone's lives...
nice thought isn't it?
So! To avoid feeling guilty, regretful, you need to work together.
Sure you feel frustrated, everybody does. Those who can play but can't becoz they are older. Those who are playing and who want to fight but can't do it alone. No battle is won by one man, it's won by a team, an army, an entire legion. All of fate is in your hands, all 32 of you, plus the entire legacy of sweat and hard work by past Dunman seniors. So easy to blame each other, and THIS is the archilles heel, the weakest part of the argument.
I have seen a rugby team made out of tiny players defeat a team made out of huge players.
It's all about practising SMART and working as a TEAM.
Guys, you need to bring out more cooperative spirit and action. The pressure is great, but if you can overcome this, you will realise how rewarding it is.
Areas judges will look out for: articulation, dynamics, rhythm, intonation, tone.
Expression, interpretation, style, phrasing, balance, blend, group dynamics
Slow practice was something we emphasised months ago. You have to take it up, and do it. It doesn't mean you are lousy, it just means you can do better. Impatience in practice marks you as immature in thinking and as a musician.
When you put in many hours, you don't practise blindly. Ask yourself what is the problem, and think on your own how to solve it.
SE students have a habit of doing the right thing, forget and go back to square one. Write things down. Take a pen and paper.
What a shame to go back to square one. After so many ppl have given you input.You only have less than two weeks left, so just press on and grit your teeth. Hey, it's just as painful for those who are watching you!! but you are growing just keep going!!!!!!!! Don't stop!!
For everyone's info, DHSSE doesn't take in students who give up before the fight is done. That will be the policy of the SE from this year onwards.
Resilience.
_____
Hello to everyone:
Took a couple of sectionals today, and disturbingly, I realised that the whole progress is getting rather stagnant. Intonation still in a bad shape...
Perhaps it's because you're in chamber groups and sections, as this problem is minimized a little when you play as an ensemble, but nevertheless, you should sound the same whether as a whole or in groups.
In addition, strings crossing is another problem that is contributing to the messy-ness.
You want to know whats the solution? It's simple.
Practice slow. Even the most famous pianists and violinists and cellists and violists (you get the drift) cannot neglect slow practice. The virtuosically-impossible passages you hear them playing on stage do not just crystallize out of nowhere. There is no short cut. I don't doubt that most of you are practicising, but I believe most of you, on encountering a problematic passage, try to solve it by playing it over and over again--at performance speed.
You can continue doing so for 10 hours, but you achieve nothing.
Or perhaps, some do practice slow, but often you don't sustain it. After a few rounds, you get impatient and return to the usual fast speed.
I shall stress it again. PLEASE TRUST THE POWER OF SLOW PRACTICE.if you have intonation problems, practice it SLOWLY, and make sure you give yourself enough time to hear yourself, and check your intonation.
when you feel secure enough, that's when you can up your speed GRADUALLY. (you play so much games, treat it like game levels. you can only proceed when you've passed and conquered each level of speed)
besides that, if you encounter other problems, instead of struggling over it, pause, stop and think. HOW CAN YOU SOLVE IT. there must exist a self-corrective mechanism in you. if not, please approach your teachers or sectional leaders.
oh yes, another problem is that you all sound really "SIAN" when playing walters and romanze. if you are SIAN, it shows in your music. I took joel's and jiahui's chamber today, and everyone sounded so tired. But it's really ironic, if you are so sick and tired of it, why is it still in such a shape? You should only be sick and tired of it when you've mastered it to a point where everything is near perfect.
For people who are relatively stable intonation and rhythm wise, as the saying goes, "strive on until the good is better and the better is the best". Please think of furthur ways to improve on aspects such as producing a good sound, how to move, how to phrase your melodies beautifully, what character or scene can you picture in your mind at certain parts.
Agreed with what taxy said, we dont want to come back every sectionals to return back to square 1. Nowadays I feel like I'm repeating myself over and over again. I don't want to grow old! Don't make me feel old! You know it makes us feel very lousy too, if we have to repeat ourselves over and over again, and i will start thinking, "ohmygosh am i lacking creativity. is my thinking so limited.". I feel stagnant too. And I'm sure some of you have been thinking, "cheh. isn't it all those stuff again? what thin sound. what listen to each other. what dont accent in the middle of your melodies."
omg im getting really naggy. ok i shall attempt for a rushed ending, thing is, practice SMART and practice HONESTLY. treat music sincerely ok. you think music is stupid is it. how much you give in is how much it will produce for you. YOU TRY TO CHEAT, then it will also AP you.
I'm sure the other schools are furiously practicising at this point in time. And some, fuelled by their failure to get GoldWithHonours the previous competition, how hard do you think they will work? The answer is obvious.
Competitions are always based on relativity. If other schools improve, but you are still at your previous standard, then ..
ok im really getting rather tired, can't even bother to finish my previous sentence.so everyone. work hard. we're all in this together. the only thing we as year5s and the teachers can do is to coach you, give you advice, encourage, push, .. and we don't want to feel like we've achieved nothing, especially when it returns back to square one. but ultimately, the most important thing is that in the end, we don't want you to disappoint yourselves.
okay i forgot to sign off: MEIHUI.
_____
Hello all :D
I've seen the year 4s putting in their best effort and trying to make time for practices everyday. But where are the younger ones these days? I've heard a few, but I'm pretty sure we have more juniors that them uh.
Practices are not there to waste your time. If you think otherwise, you better change your mindset soon or else, you are actually wasting your own time. I'm sure we don't want to put in so much effort just to see them go down the drain.
SE, I believe that all of you have the capability to do your best IF you want to. Can't all of you just put in a teeny weeny bit more and push yourself to practise harder? If you aren't loud enough, use more bow, play into your violin! If you still cannot get the intonation, practise that bar until you get it correct! I don't care whether you spent 2 hours or 1 whole day on that one bar. It beats playing through the piece over and over again BUT not getting anything correct!
Cmon, push yourself to the limit! It's only 22 days to SYF!Jiayou!!
-Yun Shan
_____
I'm glad to see the positive spirit in all of you.
In truth, I don't write in students' blogs alone but this blog touches me. No matter how crazy you drive us up the wall, I believe we can work this out together.
Today, I went into the practice of Samson, Kar Wai, Yun Xiu, etc. I don't know how those of you who were there felt, but I thought, after they communicated with each other with better eye contact, it sounded much better and fuller like real true musicians. You may not feel it's enough improvement but it's a good start. They "sang" on the inst much better, and could focus more confidently. Please keep up the hard work. I liked it when Samson and Kar Wai were moving with the music, it was a very warm sound, even for a few seconds. Just increase it each day? :)
Yesterday's shelling was rather severe, at least for me, but I didn't realise how much I have grown to care until I got very angry yesterday. We will continue to be strict, not because we are born-again sadists, but because we do care.
I am not upset about anyone not improving, but about not abiding instructions to practise hard. For me, I was very sad that most of you didn't listen to Ms Ku telling you all to practise with metronome, tuner. That's the basic. I don't want to see this happening again. Advice is not there to be ignored and Ms Ku is a really good musician so be serious in your learning. If you have tried your best, you don't even have to defend yourself.Those of you who show bad attitude and don't respect your seniors who take time to coach you, you should be really ashamed of yourself. I don't tolerate arrogance and disrespect and the SE isn't a place to breed this hypcrocisy and disgusting behaviour. A true musician is one who is humble, loves his art and communicates his love for it. SYF isn't about personal glory either. Everyone should back each other up and help each other. We can see through you all very easily so be sincere and respectful.
Granted we have had past glories and we can't afford to fail, but do look forward and create something strong and new. That's real pride. Balance the expectations with your hopes.Many of you are very scared to play or afraid to look bad in the ensemble and play very stiffly and awkwardly. Nobody is making a fool of himself unless you think so. You MUST realise the importance of breathing and moving together. It makes me sad to see good string players shy away from playing strong sounds. I don't see breathing to be funny, and if you don't move together naturally, you won't find it very funny on 20 April either. If you love the music honestly and sincerely, you'll naturally breathe and show it. If you don't like the piece, GET INTERESTED NOW!
Samson asked how to produce a good sound. Like the piano, it's all about exercising control. You may not agree but hey, we're all desperate here for help:
a) Try playing your passage REALLY LOUD!! Try playing it really softly too but with relaxed CONTROL and you'll still get a sound. That's your potential. Everyone's is different. By exercising your sound scope, you yourself will know how much you have to sound in p, pp, ff. Use the muscle from stronger areas of arm/ shoulder etc. Some of you complain of a pain in your arm (?) so I think you're using wrong muscle. Ask the stronger players and Ms Ku why they aren't feeling pain. Your arm should be relaxed, in control and yet strong.
It worked for the pianists don't see why it can't work for strings.
b) Get a mirror. Look at yourself (with instr of coz!) or get yr fren to see what's the problem.
c) For warm ups, you might want to circle the naughty passages you fumble, and think of NEW ways of playing it. e.g. i) slow, ii) fast, dotted rhythm, backwards, you name it.
d) if you have problems connecting your notes, e.g. F to G to D and you can't do G to D, then practise: G -->D, D --> G, G -->F, etc. Sounds simple but it helps.
e) Check your bowing, some of you bow in funny directions! Mirror mirror on the wall.
f) Since you memorised, IMMERSE yourself more, since you practise alone at night. You might want to close your eyes and think how you want the music to sound. There are some very beautiful passages in the pieces, please read through the score, circle the parts which are very meaningful to you, and try your best to musicially bring it out. Currently, everyone looks stiff.
g) avoid looking on the floor, down. Look straight ahead or play in front of your family. That works best.
h) Most of you have bad stamina at playing. Try to play through the programme in full AFTER you have corrected your mistakes. Running or exercise helps in stamina.
i) Take constructive comments well, no one is out to burst your ego. Please don't refrain from pointing out your fren's weakness. Help each other.
I believe in all of you. Every little progress counts.
Don't give up on yourself, the rest won't give up on you. Here's to the Dunman High Spirit and the celebration of good music!
Ms Tan
_____
Yeap so that's all.
As a little summary:
- Practice hard, and practice smart.
- Practice with metronome and tuner.
- Don't feel 'sian'.
- GwH is not going to come to us just because we've had 3 consecutive GwHs.
- Work together as a team.
- Don't give up.
SYF is just around the corner. There's no time left. Let's get all the technicalities done up ASAP so that Ms Ku can work on the musicality alright?
I've sent out Dashing Away, whereas Ases Tod should be easily available online since it's such a common piece.
Do listen to them often to try to memorize your parts alright.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE cooperate with your SLs/seniors and don't make us waste time on scolding you alright? The time spent on scolding you could've been optimized to been spent of practicing instead.
Press on! Let's all work hard together and strive hard for that GwH :)
-Yuxin
No comments:
Post a Comment