Rant
I'm still deciding whether to rant on wordpress or save it for my dear friends here xD
3 4 Rehearsals this week has left me pretty much drained. But due to respect for chronology I'll rant from monday onwards. Monday was the day I spent maxing Odin's Chain to my AO Valkyrie and picking my aunt from the airport after which many things had to be settled. Tuesday was national day, with TPO lunch and (the 1st) Rag (I attended). Rag was actually pretty fun but hot, and the entrance was closed off for some odd reason so we climbed in (met er jian there). Found out later that all we had to do was show our matric cards. Pharm's Rag was pretty good but the sound system died halfway which was pretty sad, but garnered several cheers from the audience as support. A guy next to me even sad rather loudly "I feel for them, I really do," which kind of hurt as well.
I left before the results to look for my preceptor at MBS but she wasn't there, assumed to be on MC so I chatted with the promoters there, those of whom I was familiar with. The Helix Bridge was closed so had to walk back to Raffles Place to get home, which I did before the parade started, though I managed to spot the free-falling parachute ppl. On the way home I got smsed from friends of whom I asked dinner company -_-
Wednesday consisted of 2 rehearsals, 1 for gig and the other for NUSSO. Went late for the gig prac (at Chinese Garden) at a very nice condo, but somehow made it for the NUSSO rehearsal, during which we played "happy birthday" for Mr Lim (Soon Lee). There was introductions from the new ppl and there were plenty of PRCs who were still doing their prep courses. This leaves us with a host of alumni and people who aren't even freshies yet in our violin 1 section.
Thursday was school reopening with 3 lectures & HOS rehearsal, held in a little church in Queenstown. Their 2nd level has wifi!! Did some work on the Five-O transcription before the rehearsal, which was quite tiring as well, was on autopilot in the 2nd half. The cellist somehow recognised me. Articulation was a little problematic, as well as balance, but I guess it'll work out somehow.
Friday consisted of me being late for DFD and DFD finishing before I even reached. Lunched and had a grand 8 hour break during which I bummed around, watched comedy, listened to the Beethoven Trio and worked on the transcription without my mouse. Also discovered StreetFighter 2 is on several flash game websites and that I can't beat the computer beyond stage 5 or so. Practised the Trio in the freezing environ of the instru store which to my chagrin was awfully out of tune.
Forensic Science was quite the eye-opener, despite having seen real cadavers and killed animals. Xrays of hammer blows juxtaposed against one who fell from a height, the remains of the drunk guy who got run over by an MRT, and the autopsy of the zoo worker who got bitten by the tiger (in the video his legs were twitching at an impossible angle - fit with what the forens patho lecturer said about his spinal cord being punctured). Clearly not the best of lessons to be taken during the 7th month, but still refreshing. Looks like it was worth it despite missing the AYO concert's 1st night.
Saturday started with me waking up late and going to the gym. Did squats in increments till 60kg with not much problem, except quads were aching and spasming in the afternoon following. Went to Natasha's place for the Trio prac with her and Mr Lim. Her place was under renovation though (the condo's public areas & exterior) and she has a very furry siamese-ish cat. Her room was pretty echo-y and everything sounded pretty good inside although I knew what I was playing out of tune -_- but she was kind enough to compliment me on my playing haha.
AYO's 2nd night consisted of a slower-than-normal Classical (Prok) Symphony, Intro and Rondo Capriccioso & Carmen Fantasy soloist Stefan Jackiw, and Tchaik 4th. The trills in the opening movement were odd but I found the slower tempo refreshing (some didn't). Jackiw was "smooth" and "clean" and thoroughly enjoyable, but lacked the edginess and some strength of character that someone who listens to the older-school prefers (myself that is). His encore of Chopin's C#m nocturne had me imagining the left hand part and craving it the more he got involved in the melodic line. Tchaik 4th was the killer though, the conductor's lack of stability and pulse swung the orchestra in different ways that, despite their efforts to play in ensemble, left the transitions wide open to disaster. Tempo was again slower, but the gripe that I had was the lack of pulse and the way that quality players were given a scenario in which they turned out a mass of good sound but ultimately bad music.
The flautists were a notably excellent section, as well as the bassoons and horns. Cellos looked the most natural in movements and in sound they were a force to be reckoned with. Violas sounded great if subdued and inanimated, but only the cellists moved with considerable phrasing. Another notable was the 2nd violin principal who was incidentally staring at the concertmaster throughout most of the concert. Guess waving a stick around is harder than it looks.
House party next wednesday, preceded by rehearsal for saturday.
3 4 Rehearsals this week has left me pretty much drained. But due to respect for chronology I'll rant from monday onwards. Monday was the day I spent maxing Odin's Chain to my AO Valkyrie and picking my aunt from the airport after which many things had to be settled. Tuesday was national day, with TPO lunch and (the 1st) Rag (I attended). Rag was actually pretty fun but hot, and the entrance was closed off for some odd reason so we climbed in (met er jian there). Found out later that all we had to do was show our matric cards. Pharm's Rag was pretty good but the sound system died halfway which was pretty sad, but garnered several cheers from the audience as support. A guy next to me even sad rather loudly "I feel for them, I really do," which kind of hurt as well.
I left before the results to look for my preceptor at MBS but she wasn't there, assumed to be on MC so I chatted with the promoters there, those of whom I was familiar with. The Helix Bridge was closed so had to walk back to Raffles Place to get home, which I did before the parade started, though I managed to spot the free-falling parachute ppl. On the way home I got smsed from friends of whom I asked dinner company -_-
Wednesday consisted of 2 rehearsals, 1 for gig and the other for NUSSO. Went late for the gig prac (at Chinese Garden) at a very nice condo, but somehow made it for the NUSSO rehearsal, during which we played "happy birthday" for Mr Lim (Soon Lee). There was introductions from the new ppl and there were plenty of PRCs who were still doing their prep courses. This leaves us with a host of alumni and people who aren't even freshies yet in our violin 1 section.
Thursday was school reopening with 3 lectures & HOS rehearsal, held in a little church in Queenstown. Their 2nd level has wifi!! Did some work on the Five-O transcription before the rehearsal, which was quite tiring as well, was on autopilot in the 2nd half. The cellist somehow recognised me. Articulation was a little problematic, as well as balance, but I guess it'll work out somehow.
Friday consisted of me being late for DFD and DFD finishing before I even reached. Lunched and had a grand 8 hour break during which I bummed around, watched comedy, listened to the Beethoven Trio and worked on the transcription without my mouse. Also discovered StreetFighter 2 is on several flash game websites and that I can't beat the computer beyond stage 5 or so. Practised the Trio in the freezing environ of the instru store which to my chagrin was awfully out of tune.
Forensic Science was quite the eye-opener, despite having seen real cadavers and killed animals. Xrays of hammer blows juxtaposed against one who fell from a height, the remains of the drunk guy who got run over by an MRT, and the autopsy of the zoo worker who got bitten by the tiger (in the video his legs were twitching at an impossible angle - fit with what the forens patho lecturer said about his spinal cord being punctured). Clearly not the best of lessons to be taken during the 7th month, but still refreshing. Looks like it was worth it despite missing the AYO concert's 1st night.
Saturday started with me waking up late and going to the gym. Did squats in increments till 60kg with not much problem, except quads were aching and spasming in the afternoon following. Went to Natasha's place for the Trio prac with her and Mr Lim. Her place was under renovation though (the condo's public areas & exterior) and she has a very furry siamese-ish cat. Her room was pretty echo-y and everything sounded pretty good inside although I knew what I was playing out of tune -_- but she was kind enough to compliment me on my playing haha.
AYO's 2nd night consisted of a slower-than-normal Classical (Prok) Symphony, Intro and Rondo Capriccioso & Carmen Fantasy soloist Stefan Jackiw, and Tchaik 4th. The trills in the opening movement were odd but I found the slower tempo refreshing (some didn't). Jackiw was "smooth" and "clean" and thoroughly enjoyable, but lacked the edginess and some strength of character that someone who listens to the older-school prefers (myself that is). His encore of Chopin's C#m nocturne had me imagining the left hand part and craving it the more he got involved in the melodic line. Tchaik 4th was the killer though, the conductor's lack of stability and pulse swung the orchestra in different ways that, despite their efforts to play in ensemble, left the transitions wide open to disaster. Tempo was again slower, but the gripe that I had was the lack of pulse and the way that quality players were given a scenario in which they turned out a mass of good sound but ultimately bad music.
The flautists were a notably excellent section, as well as the bassoons and horns. Cellos looked the most natural in movements and in sound they were a force to be reckoned with. Violas sounded great if subdued and inanimated, but only the cellists moved with considerable phrasing. Another notable was the 2nd violin principal who was incidentally staring at the concertmaster throughout most of the concert. Guess waving a stick around is harder than it looks.
House party next wednesday, preceded by rehearsal for saturday.