Hi SE!!
It's just 9 more hours to SYF. I know it has been a tough and long way to this upcoming SYF, and I really hope that we can do our best as an ensemble tomorrow. For all the hard work we have put in every practice, let's show them what it takes to play as an ensemble :)
Do remember to meditate the whole process through, rehearsing how we would be walking on the stage tmr in your head, where your instruments should be at the start of each pieces, when to take our bow off after the last piece, please run it through your head! Also imagine mku conducting the pieces and how you will be staring at her all the time! Run it through your head so that you'll be calm and prepared!
Not to mention, please look at your SLs and know how to move (especially lower strings for figure H)! Look at Mku to stay in time, but also remember to smile to your peers especially the last part of rutter! If in doubt or you feel that you are out of time, try to tune down and start at the next phrase. Therefore, I am reiterating: PLEASE LOOK AT MKU.
Yup that's about it, it's 9.06pm now so start meditating! I know all of you have put in a lot of effort so let's jiayou and do our best for DHSSE :) Remember to sleep at 9.30pm and reach SE room at 6am sharp!
Ben
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Sunday, April 24, 2011
A friendly reminder
Hi all, please be reminded to do the following:
1) Change your strings (if you haven't -- technically it should had been done on last Thurs)
2) Bring your SYF attire (IRONED)
- Girls: Gown & Court shoes
- Guys: Black shirt, pants, SOLID colored tie (no neon colors please) & shoes
It's down to the last 4 days, and what we give is what we'll receive.
So give it your best shot people!
Friday, April 22, 2011
Gold With Honours
Dear SE,
I would like to say that gold with honours is still possible for us.
Mku, the seniors, even the alumni, have placed their hopes in us. Would we want to disappoint them after they have put in that much effort to practice with us, coach us, guide us? As quoted from Jiemin, "Would you want to be the batch that failed to get the honours?". Think, what would you say to that?
It's not simply a matter of letting people down, we will let ourselves down in the process, wasting our own efforts, our time, our feelings. After which, how would we go on? Would we just go on with life? Or would we be devastated and regret until who knows when? Trust me, falling from the top to rock bottom is never bearable, most would cry nonstop and the feeling would last for a few days, months, years, and you'd think, 'We could've done better...'.
So what if it's less than a week to SYF? There is still time, and it is better late than never to practice even harder than before to perfect the areas problems always arise in. Would you want to give it all up and say, "I can't be bothered"? After all, you've got nothing to lose if you practice, but you have everything to lose if you don't practice. If you are fine with losing all we've worked hard for, I've got nothing to say.
Oh yes, please, don't give excuses like "I have a project to do", "My lessons end late", "I got XX competition training", a lot of us face this too, and we still come for extra practices, plus, you don't see us complaining at all. Some of us are so busy with homework and the like, that we only sleep 2h, but we still want to practice, and we don't mind staying back to practice until 10pm. It all boils down to what you aim for SE and how much do you want it.
I think many are familiar with this: "Brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want something badly enough. They are there to keep out the other people."
Don't we all want Gold With Honours very badly? So much so that once we hear part of our pieces during lessons we can only concentrate on continuing the piece and nothing else? Then what are we doing? Just promise me one thing, that you'll give your best for these last few days.
On that day, when we step onto the stage, have no regrets, think of it as a platform to showcase all the blood and sweat we've gone through. Look at Mku, she will be a source of comfort, give your desk partners encouraging looks, smiles, what not, lighten the mood, it will all relieve the anxiety in you. Let the music guide you, let your emotions overflow, let the music come naturally and touch the hearts of everyone sitting in the hall. Don't just play for the honours, play for yourself, have fun, we'll go through this together :)
For now, believe we can do it; meditate before you sleep, run through the programme of SYF and go through the possible emotions you'll feel (calm yourself if you know you'd be a bunch of nerves on that day); make the most of practices, listen to Mku, cooperate with her; make the most of time outside practices and perfect your playing; prepare whatever you'll need before that day (heat packs, charms, extra strings etc.)
...and before you know it, we will achieve gold with honours.
Yours sincerely,
Ng Cheryl
I would like to say that gold with honours is still possible for us.
Mku, the seniors, even the alumni, have placed their hopes in us. Would we want to disappoint them after they have put in that much effort to practice with us, coach us, guide us? As quoted from Jiemin, "Would you want to be the batch that failed to get the honours?". Think, what would you say to that?
It's not simply a matter of letting people down, we will let ourselves down in the process, wasting our own efforts, our time, our feelings. After which, how would we go on? Would we just go on with life? Or would we be devastated and regret until who knows when? Trust me, falling from the top to rock bottom is never bearable, most would cry nonstop and the feeling would last for a few days, months, years, and you'd think, 'We could've done better...'.
So what if it's less than a week to SYF? There is still time, and it is better late than never to practice even harder than before to perfect the areas problems always arise in. Would you want to give it all up and say, "I can't be bothered"? After all, you've got nothing to lose if you practice, but you have everything to lose if you don't practice. If you are fine with losing all we've worked hard for, I've got nothing to say.
Oh yes, please, don't give excuses like "I have a project to do", "My lessons end late", "I got XX competition training", a lot of us face this too, and we still come for extra practices, plus, you don't see us complaining at all. Some of us are so busy with homework and the like, that we only sleep 2h, but we still want to practice, and we don't mind staying back to practice until 10pm. It all boils down to what you aim for SE and how much do you want it.
I think many are familiar with this: "Brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want something badly enough. They are there to keep out the other people."
Don't we all want Gold With Honours very badly? So much so that once we hear part of our pieces during lessons we can only concentrate on continuing the piece and nothing else? Then what are we doing? Just promise me one thing, that you'll give your best for these last few days.
On that day, when we step onto the stage, have no regrets, think of it as a platform to showcase all the blood and sweat we've gone through. Look at Mku, she will be a source of comfort, give your desk partners encouraging looks, smiles, what not, lighten the mood, it will all relieve the anxiety in you. Let the music guide you, let your emotions overflow, let the music come naturally and touch the hearts of everyone sitting in the hall. Don't just play for the honours, play for yourself, have fun, we'll go through this together :)
For now, believe we can do it; meditate before you sleep, run through the programme of SYF and go through the possible emotions you'll feel (calm yourself if you know you'd be a bunch of nerves on that day); make the most of practices, listen to Mku, cooperate with her; make the most of time outside practices and perfect your playing; prepare whatever you'll need before that day (heat packs, charms, extra strings etc.)
...and before you know it, we will achieve gold with honours.
Yours sincerely,
Ng Cheryl
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Don't give up.
The following messages have been sent by your seniors and alumni via email, dhsse yahoo groups, facebook, and whatnot and collated here for y'all to read.
Ziruo: complacency is our greatest enemy...results only come with hard work. Lets strive for excellence and push ourselves to bring out the best standards that we are capable of. In that way, we will be proud of our own performance, regardless of the opinion of others. (even that of the judges, if we did not gwh...) 要对得起自己!
Xiaowen: Hey juniors, I just wanna say work hard and all the best! It doesn't matter what some people say or what others think of us. Even if he doesn't bother, I'm sure there's still many of you who genuinely cares for SE. As long as you put in your best effort, we'll all be proud of you. Believe in yourselves and don't give up!
And here's a bit from myself. It may sound familiar, it should, because it's been what JHSE comm has been trying to tell you all this time:
Please don't give up hope. Although our technical abilities may not match up to certain ensembles, music is about more than those technical abilities. We can touch people's hearts with our music.
But before we touch people's hearts with our music, let us first make it decently in tune so that the foundation is at least there. And nothing is possible without practice. As cliche as it sounds and as many times as you've heard it, practice makes perfect. And since perfect is what we're aiming for, why not just practice?
I make it a point to not regret my own decisions and choices. It's really silly to regret. So let's just work hard together in that remaining 22 days, and do our best. Let's not regret anything.
_____
Linghong:
Dearest Juniors,
I hope this finds you well :) As it's 3 weeks to SYF, as per tradition, this is when the fossils surface and give their two cents' worth to encourage you guys. Firstly, I don't doubt that most of you are trying your best and putting in as many hours as you can, ending up with blisters all over.
I'm sending this email with primarily 3 things to share:
1. A reminder to those who are still reluctant to work to their full potential;
2. An encouragement to those who are feeling the stress and burden and feel discouraged by the current pace of progress;
3. The heart of SE
For those who feel that they're not putting in their 200% yet, I hope you reflect upon why is it that you are holding back. This is in no way meant to be a lecture to force you to put in your full effort against your will, but I'd just like the remind you about how this competition is a group effort. The WHOLE ENSEMBLE competes together. There is this trust that everyone will put in their best effort which is essential in holding the group together. And it is this same trust and bond that have touched the judges and audiences time and time again. All our past Honours, are not mere miracles that appear out of thin air. They come because we trusted in all the members to put in their best effort and play with ALL THEIR HEART. If you don't know what that feels like, ask your Section Leaders. I'm sure they've all felt it before. So if you find that you're not putting in your 200% and you find that your reason is justified, maybe this is not for you. There is an unwritten consent that this whole SYF experience requires your FULL commitment, your whole heart, all the effort you can put in. So, if you do come to the decision that you can't commit your full, and would thus not be able to contribute to the effort for the competition, I think it's responsible to let Ms Ku know early. If you don't fit in this category, then please read on :)
"Put in your best, and the rest will take care of itself."
I also know there are a number of you who are feeling the stress acutely and thus are frantically practising, casting aside your studies and other commitments. On behalf of the seniors, I'd just like to thank you all for working so hard to uphold what we have established for DHSSE so far. We're very touched that the passion is still burning strongly within you. From experience, breakdowns during this period are very common, and there's nothing bad about it, it just shows that you care enough for DHSSE. Especially when you feel so determined about putting in your 200% effort and feel discouraged when you see some of your fellow peers who are less committed. Or when you feel that you are trying very hard, yet are not performing up to expectations of your own / your SLs. Or that you can't see any glimpse of hope in emerging from this all with the award you desire. The exasperation, the disappointment, the desperation. What I'd like to share is that you should continue putting in your full effort, do as much as you can to the point that when you walk on stage that day, you hold NO REGRETS. Yes, it may be true that there's a lot of external pressure to do well, but please don't carry the burden of all that. You really don't have to. All you need to is to answer to yourself as to whether you have given your all. If you have, then that's enough for all of us, your Strings Family. And, as always, the eventual award is but an external achievement, what matters the most to you in the end would be the SYF journey. It is the times you've spent with the wonderful people you've played with. I assure you, you will come to treasure this a lot. Also, always remember that the seniors are with you in full moral support, and we trust that you will give your all.
"The passion burns within."
I'm gonna share our most cliche, but true, story once again. I'm sure many of you, especially the older ones have heard it infinite times. So, here goes. As always, we're never the technically superior ensemble. Our average grade profile is a lot lower than that of the top few ensembles. As such, logically, we never should have made it to one of the top few string ensembles in Singapore. But we did, for 6 years now. This is because music is less about logic than it is about emotions. Music expresses that which cannot be reasoned or said, and they are powerful in evoking emotions. Which is why when an ensemble plays so in sync, with so much trust that every individual is committed to conveying collectively what you all want to express to your audience, it touches them. The judges look out for this. And so, our tone that has been complimented before, for being warm, touching, different, has brought us this far. This is the magic in our attempts at SYF so far. There is no detailed secret recipe to cultivate this that we can simply pass on to you guys but we know that it consists of passion and trust. So yup :) I really hope and believe that we can see this materialize again. I'm sure I'd be really touched sitting in the hall, and hearing this special tone for the first time as an audience. I really really look forward to it :')
After all that I've said, some indeed a bit blunt, I hope that these words do add value to you. And that you guys will keep believing in yourselves that YOU CAN DO IT! Never ever give up okay! All the seniors are behind you guys, we believe in you and are supporting you ALL THE WAY <3
Also, please take care, don't get injured, don't fall sick. Rest enough, because it is crucial that you're in the pink of health so that you can put in as much effort as you desire to! And practice smart!! :)
P.S. I apologize in advance for any incoherence (i.e. long convoluted sentences) because I wrote this when I'm already zombiefied from sleep debt and was about to go sleep before I decided not to procrastinate writing this since there's really no time left already!!!
Lots of love,
Ling Hong :)X
I hope this finds you well :) As it's 3 weeks to SYF, as per tradition, this is when the fossils surface and give their two cents' worth to encourage you guys. Firstly, I don't doubt that most of you are trying your best and putting in as many hours as you can, ending up with blisters all over.
I'm sending this email with primarily 3 things to share:
1. A reminder to those who are still reluctant to work to their full potential;
2. An encouragement to those who are feeling the stress and burden and feel discouraged by the current pace of progress;
3. The heart of SE
For those who feel that they're not putting in their 200% yet, I hope you reflect upon why is it that you are holding back. This is in no way meant to be a lecture to force you to put in your full effort against your will, but I'd just like the remind you about how this competition is a group effort. The WHOLE ENSEMBLE competes together. There is this trust that everyone will put in their best effort which is essential in holding the group together. And it is this same trust and bond that have touched the judges and audiences time and time again. All our past Honours, are not mere miracles that appear out of thin air. They come because we trusted in all the members to put in their best effort and play with ALL THEIR HEART. If you don't know what that feels like, ask your Section Leaders. I'm sure they've all felt it before. So if you find that you're not putting in your 200% and you find that your reason is justified, maybe this is not for you. There is an unwritten consent that this whole SYF experience requires your FULL commitment, your whole heart, all the effort you can put in. So, if you do come to the decision that you can't commit your full, and would thus not be able to contribute to the effort for the competition, I think it's responsible to let Ms Ku know early. If you don't fit in this category, then please read on :)
"Put in your best, and the rest will take care of itself."
I also know there are a number of you who are feeling the stress acutely and thus are frantically practising, casting aside your studies and other commitments. On behalf of the seniors, I'd just like to thank you all for working so hard to uphold what we have established for DHSSE so far. We're very touched that the passion is still burning strongly within you. From experience, breakdowns during this period are very common, and there's nothing bad about it, it just shows that you care enough for DHSSE. Especially when you feel so determined about putting in your 200% effort and feel discouraged when you see some of your fellow peers who are less committed. Or when you feel that you are trying very hard, yet are not performing up to expectations of your own / your SLs. Or that you can't see any glimpse of hope in emerging from this all with the award you desire. The exasperation, the disappointment, the desperation. What I'd like to share is that you should continue putting in your full effort, do as much as you can to the point that when you walk on stage that day, you hold NO REGRETS. Yes, it may be true that there's a lot of external pressure to do well, but please don't carry the burden of all that. You really don't have to. All you need to is to answer to yourself as to whether you have given your all. If you have, then that's enough for all of us, your Strings Family. And, as always, the eventual award is but an external achievement, what matters the most to you in the end would be the SYF journey. It is the times you've spent with the wonderful people you've played with. I assure you, you will come to treasure this a lot. Also, always remember that the seniors are with you in full moral support, and we trust that you will give your all.
"The passion burns within."
I'm gonna share our most cliche, but true, story once again. I'm sure many of you, especially the older ones have heard it infinite times. So, here goes. As always, we're never the technically superior ensemble. Our average grade profile is a lot lower than that of the top few ensembles. As such, logically, we never should have made it to one of the top few string ensembles in Singapore. But we did, for 6 years now. This is because music is less about logic than it is about emotions. Music expresses that which cannot be reasoned or said, and they are powerful in evoking emotions. Which is why when an ensemble plays so in sync, with so much trust that every individual is committed to conveying collectively what you all want to express to your audience, it touches them. The judges look out for this. And so, our tone that has been complimented before, for being warm, touching, different, has brought us this far. This is the magic in our attempts at SYF so far. There is no detailed secret recipe to cultivate this that we can simply pass on to you guys but we know that it consists of passion and trust. So yup :) I really hope and believe that we can see this materialize again. I'm sure I'd be really touched sitting in the hall, and hearing this special tone for the first time as an audience. I really really look forward to it :')
After all that I've said, some indeed a bit blunt, I hope that these words do add value to you. And that you guys will keep believing in yourselves that YOU CAN DO IT! Never ever give up okay! All the seniors are behind you guys, we believe in you and are supporting you ALL THE WAY <3
Also, please take care, don't get injured, don't fall sick. Rest enough, because it is crucial that you're in the pink of health so that you can put in as much effort as you desire to! And practice smart!! :)
P.S. I apologize in advance for any incoherence (i.e. long convoluted sentences) because I wrote this when I'm already zombiefied from sleep debt and was about to go sleep before I decided not to procrastinate writing this since there's really no time left already!!!
Lots of love,
Ling Hong :)X
_____
Subin: Hmm there's no need to compare with other CCAs. just wanna ride on this post to say all the best to JHSE juniors(: Keep practicing smart, work on the parts you are weak at, continue communicating with your section mates and play as an ensemble. I know you guys can do yourselves and SHSE proud!(:
_____
Ziruo: complacency is our greatest enemy...results only come with hard work. Lets strive for excellence and push ourselves to bring out the best standards that we are capable of. In that way, we will be proud of our own performance, regardless of the opinion of others. (even that of the judges, if we did not gwh...) 要对得起自己!
_____
Xiaowen: Hey juniors, I just wanna say work hard and all the best! It doesn't matter what some people say or what others think of us. Even if he doesn't bother, I'm sure there's still many of you who genuinely cares for SE. As long as you put in your best effort, we'll all be proud of you. Believe in yourselves and don't give up!
_____
And here's a bit from myself. It may sound familiar, it should, because it's been what JHSE comm has been trying to tell you all this time:
Please don't give up hope. Although our technical abilities may not match up to certain ensembles, music is about more than those technical abilities. We can touch people's hearts with our music.
But before we touch people's hearts with our music, let us first make it decently in tune so that the foundation is at least there. And nothing is possible without practice. As cliche as it sounds and as many times as you've heard it, practice makes perfect. And since perfect is what we're aiming for, why not just practice?
I make it a point to not regret my own decisions and choices. It's really silly to regret. So let's just work hard together in that remaining 22 days, and do our best. Let's not regret anything.
-Yuxin
the passion burns within
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