... and I reflect.
What do a relay race, a ball game match and a choral competition have in common?
The winning group is usually the strongest. By "strongest", I mean strength in various aspects, but the aspects that all have in common are the strength of the members' combined will and the strength of their desire to win. These would have been manifested as diligence during practice sessions, long before the start of the competition.
Ms Chye could not have put it better when she said that Choir is about team spirit.
United, we can do many things with our voices.
We can channel visions, such as that of a tranquil lake in a clearing in a snowy forest; that of a people crying out to the Son of God for help and angels rushing down from their residences in the clouds in fiery chariots to bring strength and aid to their despairing hearts; those of everyday scenes like wheat-threshing during autumn in a Chinese village or the gentle, graceful gait of women in Malay villages.
We can speak in tongues that are so diverse and yet one and the same, bonded by a common element that incorporates sounds of various colours and pitches, as well as sometimes-varying rhythm and timing, woven together into a seamless tapestry and embellished with grace notes, mordents and triplet patterns and, where appropriate, gliding and scooping to give a finishing touch.
Above all, we can evoke so much in our audiences: we can evoke emotions, regardless whether happy or sad, peaceful or bellicose, ardent or indifferent, hopeful or despairing; we can cause the souls of the members of the audience to resonate in harmony with the composition, make the audience empathise with the 'speaker' in the song; and occasionally, should it ever happen, we can summon up the happy memories of at least one person in the audience and move him or her to tears.
Therefore, let us treasure our minds and voices, which are our magical looms and our tapestries of spellbinding beauty all at once. And also, let us treasure the times when we weave together, for a masterpiece done by many can be far richer and more beautiful than one produced by a single weaver.
~~~~~~~~~~
Some magic came into my life when I went for Choral Excellence last year.
A fellow Choral Excellence Chorister posted something along the lines of, "Normally at school, you get the feeling that the choir members aren't enthusiastic about choir at all, but here at Choral Excellence, everyone is in this, heart and soul, and everyone here absolutely loves singing" on her blog, after being at Choral Excellence. And her words are true. A mixture of emotions, positive and negative, wells up in me as I admit to the statement being true - but it is true.
The synergy between us, even though we couldn't really remember one another's identities, as we practiced our songs, was so intense and strong that if some had been there to bear witness to it, they would either have hung their heads in shame, or stared or shaken their heads in disbelief. They know who they are.
Anyway, back to topic - this synergy was so strong that we actually bonded together. Regardless of whether new bonds were forged or existing friendships were strengthened, we all took home something so intangible, and yet so invaluable and palpably real, on the night of July 20th, the night of the Choral Festival, the last night when all of us would be together for sure. We gave our all, and gained our due rewards. I do believe them to be of the same invaluably high value as the strength of the bonds among members that a Gold with Honours award at any SYF Central Judging competition symbolises.
Though very much belated, here's my tribute to the Choral Excellence / Festival of 2006:
Choral Excellence Festivities rocked the Victoria Concert Hall that magical night.
Moments together as Festival Choirs were running out; we tried to hold on to them, savour them, cherish them.
Those were the moments of magic, when it was all about to end.
Our hearts fluttered with excitement as we gave our all in performing our songs. They beat like castanets, with a feeling we all shared, of euphoria, mixed with sadness; 'twas the end, was it not? It was wonderfully bittersweet and magical.
Elizabeth, Ying Ying, Rui Wen, Nicole Ng, Denyse, Yun Min, Sophia, Nicole Tan, Penelope, Rachel.
We were there to contribute to and share in the choral magic.
... and I remember so much.
Who sailed without the wind to rescue the Saving Victim? The Chor1sters.
Who hailed the Star of the Sea and sang a suite that was short and sweet? The Chori2ters.
Who brought the Magic Flute to a place where one could shout out loud? The C3oristers.
Who told sanely insane yarns of crazy composers and drunken sailors? The Chorist4rs.
... and even on the home ground (among the Cedar Choristers), there are some who were not in Choral Excellence but who deserved to be there; they possess the same qualities as the Choral Excellence Choristers. We all ought to learn from them and their example. They will forever be signs to all, guides to truth, symbols of choral hope and promise, shining true forever.
~~~~~~~~~~
I address you now, you to whom I referred above as those who "would either have hung their heads in shame, or stared or shaken their heads in disbelief" if you had "[borne] witness to [the synergy of the Choral Excellence Choristers (or C3or12t4rs, as I call us all for short)]". There is much to be gained. The bounty from singing, however intangible, is yours for the taking. Everything depends on whether you bother to invest, or are able to see it. You will receive something if you give something.
For myself, I believe I gained much more than what I invested (which was my all at the time). You can too; just put your mind, heart and soul to it. Add in ardour, dynamism and zeal (as I do), and voila. (In other words, stop complaining and give your best during choir practice, please!) If you find that you cannot - then you have probably not tried hard enough. Keep at it, and the rewards will come, and your lives will be enriched beyond measure.
It has happened to me; why not you?
The winning group is usually the strongest. By "strongest", I mean strength in various aspects, but the aspects that all have in common are the strength of the members' combined will and the strength of their desire to win. These would have been manifested as diligence during practice sessions, long before the start of the competition.
Ms Chye could not have put it better when she said that Choir is about team spirit.
United, we can do many things with our voices.
We can channel visions, such as that of a tranquil lake in a clearing in a snowy forest; that of a people crying out to the Son of God for help and angels rushing down from their residences in the clouds in fiery chariots to bring strength and aid to their despairing hearts; those of everyday scenes like wheat-threshing during autumn in a Chinese village or the gentle, graceful gait of women in Malay villages.
We can speak in tongues that are so diverse and yet one and the same, bonded by a common element that incorporates sounds of various colours and pitches, as well as sometimes-varying rhythm and timing, woven together into a seamless tapestry and embellished with grace notes, mordents and triplet patterns and, where appropriate, gliding and scooping to give a finishing touch.
Above all, we can evoke so much in our audiences: we can evoke emotions, regardless whether happy or sad, peaceful or bellicose, ardent or indifferent, hopeful or despairing; we can cause the souls of the members of the audience to resonate in harmony with the composition, make the audience empathise with the 'speaker' in the song; and occasionally, should it ever happen, we can summon up the happy memories of at least one person in the audience and move him or her to tears.
Therefore, let us treasure our minds and voices, which are our magical looms and our tapestries of spellbinding beauty all at once. And also, let us treasure the times when we weave together, for a masterpiece done by many can be far richer and more beautiful than one produced by a single weaver.
~~~~~~~~~~
Some magic came into my life when I went for Choral Excellence last year.
A fellow Choral Excellence Chorister posted something along the lines of, "Normally at school, you get the feeling that the choir members aren't enthusiastic about choir at all, but here at Choral Excellence, everyone is in this, heart and soul, and everyone here absolutely loves singing" on her blog, after being at Choral Excellence. And her words are true. A mixture of emotions, positive and negative, wells up in me as I admit to the statement being true - but it is true.
The synergy between us, even though we couldn't really remember one another's identities, as we practiced our songs, was so intense and strong that if some had been there to bear witness to it, they would either have hung their heads in shame, or stared or shaken their heads in disbelief. They know who they are.
Anyway, back to topic - this synergy was so strong that we actually bonded together. Regardless of whether new bonds were forged or existing friendships were strengthened, we all took home something so intangible, and yet so invaluable and palpably real, on the night of July 20th, the night of the Choral Festival, the last night when all of us would be together for sure. We gave our all, and gained our due rewards. I do believe them to be of the same invaluably high value as the strength of the bonds among members that a Gold with Honours award at any SYF Central Judging competition symbolises.
Though very much belated, here's my tribute to the Choral Excellence / Festival of 2006:
Choral Excellence Festivities rocked the Victoria Concert Hall that magical night.
Moments together as Festival Choirs were running out; we tried to hold on to them, savour them, cherish them.
Those were the moments of magic, when it was all about to end.
Our hearts fluttered with excitement as we gave our all in performing our songs. They beat like castanets, with a feeling we all shared, of euphoria, mixed with sadness; 'twas the end, was it not? It was wonderfully bittersweet and magical.
Elizabeth, Ying Ying, Rui Wen, Nicole Ng, Denyse, Yun Min, Sophia, Nicole Tan, Penelope, Rachel.
We were there to contribute to and share in the choral magic.
... and I remember so much.
Who sailed without the wind to rescue the Saving Victim? The Chor1sters.
Who hailed the Star of the Sea and sang a suite that was short and sweet? The Chori2ters.
Who brought the Magic Flute to a place where one could shout out loud? The C3oristers.
Who told sanely insane yarns of crazy composers and drunken sailors? The Chorist4rs.
... and even on the home ground (among the Cedar Choristers), there are some who were not in Choral Excellence but who deserved to be there; they possess the same qualities as the Choral Excellence Choristers. We all ought to learn from them and their example. They will forever be signs to all, guides to truth, symbols of choral hope and promise, shining true forever.
~~~~~~~~~~
I address you now, you to whom I referred above as those who "would either have hung their heads in shame, or stared or shaken their heads in disbelief" if you had "[borne] witness to [the synergy of the Choral Excellence Choristers (or C3or12t4rs, as I call us all for short)]". There is much to be gained. The bounty from singing, however intangible, is yours for the taking. Everything depends on whether you bother to invest, or are able to see it. You will receive something if you give something.
For myself, I believe I gained much more than what I invested (which was my all at the time). You can too; just put your mind, heart and soul to it. Add in ardour, dynamism and zeal (as I do), and voila. (In other words, stop complaining and give your best during choir practice, please!) If you find that you cannot - then you have probably not tried hard enough. Keep at it, and the rewards will come, and your lives will be enriched beyond measure.
It has happened to me; why not you?