so awful i cant imagine

scary... came across worse than i thought... i dont even dare to look at it or hear it again...
since watching that video i've been sighing till now... hope she wont ask to see it.. haiz

x'mas practice

Am feeling slightly exhilarated after today's orch prac... coz there's finally some element of music! There has been improvements in the 'hunting' section and I just hope they can remember that feel... though i wonder if i made the right choice to request for a tempo increment, so as to stir up the excitement in them, coz it really do sound better at a faster pace... i just hope that i can make those runs and octave leaps safely this sun... i guess i'm just being adventurous.. coz i also attempted a free tempo effect against the strict tempo of the orch at one section... haha! thought it sounds ok actually

~

What i still worry most are the slow sections, coz the melody is just too lovely that it actually became a considerable challenge to enliven it. I always feel that things that sound nice and easily memorable on first hearing are the ones to get sick of very fast... haha so how to sustain that interest and give it a twist in subsequent recurrence and variations? i'm still thinking... ahh! Plus my 'lun' always so unsecure.. lucky my teacher is overseas, else i think she might just sigh and shake her head... hahaha! Oh i just discovered my name on newspaper last thur.. but am slightly disappointed why they didnt print my teacher's name like they did for the rest.. they must have forgot i think... haha the only one without history also.. actually it's less stress in this sense also, coz if i dont play well, i wont tarnish the reputation of others. Anyway my mentality is to enjoy myself only and treat it as a learning opportunity.. so just take it easy and dont hope for too much

~

But i wonder what i should do if the melodic instruments that outline the melody i play went off in tempo, resulting in clashes coz the same melody would sound at diff time... should i vary my tempo accordingly even if it means skipping beats? ot shld i continue as if nothing happens and let the conductor handle? hmm.. any ideas?

so many things.. so little time

haha if only there're 48 hrs a day! Time just flies.. havent even get to finish doing what i want and the day is over. Many times i dont even know which day of the wk it is.. Esp. when I prac., i take really long to work things out.. haha partly coz i'm a slow learner.. one intro can take hrs and still unsatisfactory. There's so many things i wanna learn and life's just getting more exciting.. as this dec marks many of my 'first' experiences! Apart from the yq and p. stuffs to work out, I managed to borrow an e.h. from a special friend.. i think it's one of the harder inst. to learn and even harder to make it sound nice. Am figuring out on my own.. hav no bks or scores and i think i can only play in D+ and G+ for now.. haha but i dunno why, it just feels gd to anyhow play also. With this new inst., i think my plans for learning the drum set can be put aside first

the moment

Life today revolves around concert halls.. went for rehearsal at 1130am for the high-scorer concert and by the time i finished performing and collecting my results etc., it's already 4.30pm.. Thereafter rushed to vch for CCO concert (free tics :)..

But that's not the main point. Today... today, is one of the happiest day in my life.. not because i was a top scorer, there's nothing spectacular about it.. but more importantly, i had finally, after 6 yrs of hard work and growing up, gained approval by someone who has nurtured me in my younger days.. someone who's taught me, scolded me, hugged me... who's always said my playing is just like plain water.. no taste and i wont go far if i continue.. She's none other than the my piano teacher who has taught me for 5 yrs, and also the person who has taught me the most about music, although that time i think due to my age, i just couldnt figure out the emotional aspect in music and i think that pissed her off

I was utterly surprised when i saw her at rehearsals today.. in a chinese music scene..! (i later found out that she has become the i.c. for this chinese mus exam)... she said she couldnt even recognize me now and i have indeed grown up... i could almost sense the pride in her voice when she chatted with my yq teacher later on (i just found out that they were v gd friends too.. haha)

i could still rem the 2 yrs of absolutely no playing on instruments, though i heard and watched lots of perf then.... initially i thought it was rather relieving.... until at the end of sec 4 i could stand it no longer.... and i think i was in the midst of prep o lvl, and one day when no one was home i opened the lid laid with dust and started playing.. wha i just cant describe it... it was the most magical and wonderful sensation i hav never felt before.. and i began revisiting my past lesson tapes. It's only then that i finally understood what my p. teacher had meant in the past... i began applying those skills on yq too and it was also only then did i start going for a few yq lesson.. out of love than anything else...

I must say the exam result was quite surprising, but it did show one thing... my new method of practicing seemed to be working! Due to the hectic sch life, i could only prac every fri nite.. before my yq lesson... for the rest of the wk, i had just think about those pieces and sometimes i would prac when i'm asleep.. it's possible and it works!.. though it also meant that i m not sleeping well.. haha... it's funny i play better when i spend less time practicing by the inst. and when i'm under lots of stress during semester.. than when i'm relaxed during hols... hmm weird

Just in time for Festive season!

haha watch this.. so funny.. his songs always cheer me up!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1522104883855814582&q=Dick+Lee&total=580&start=20&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=2

my new basketball

finally gotten a basketball!! haha

since yesterday I have made up my mind to exercise every morning... have realized the importance of keeping fit because performing a piece requires so much energy, those building of climaxes, nuances, expressivity.. it's athletic in nature

I still rem i almost fainted on the early hrs of Mon this wk.. quite a scary experience, though it's not my 1st time already.. plus the daunting idea of not completing seminars in a few hrs time.. wha almost thought i'm never going to make it this time... So now really must make use of this hols to train up!

~

my aching arms are feeling bit heavy now.. haha must be those push-ups i did yesterday

gonna start playing basketball tmr morn! i'm soo excited.. its made of half rubber and half leather so not as heavy as those basketballs that we often play in sch

here's a pic :D

Calculus is OVER!

Yeah!! Just finished my Cal II paper.. haha.. it was not too bad, and luckily i made the right choice not to study those proofs of comparison test, ratio test, riemann sums and blah blah... haha the easy ones i read came out!! whoho!! phew... 4 days of intensive Cal., not leaving the tuts and notes even for a sec and it's like one of my first time studying till 2 plus and just surviving on 5hr of sleep.. Next sem gonna be my last sem doing maths if i'm sticking to my choice, feeling really sad. So i tell myself I hav to do as well next sem in math to give it a nice perfect cadence, as it may very well be my last involvement with math exams and studies.. (funny how i sweared in my jc years that i wont want to hav anything to do with math again and now my love for it has been rekindled..)

~

I am so washed over by fatigue now.. extremely weary but still have to force myself to start preparing for the 2 seminars next tues.. hoping for the best.. *sigh* can't wait for all to be over next wed and i just want to have a nice good deep sleep next wed night and rot at home for the next few days doing nothing.. my brains and eyes need a rest!

and my goal for dec would be gaining another kg.. i can feel my health on the decline this few wks, my pulse tells and my physician is getting quite worried too.. this constant rush of adrenaline is really no fun

1 paper down!

Just finished Algebra II exam earlier in the evening.. quite a fair paper i would say..

I had really grown to enjoy math in sch more than anything else, not that the subject is easy, it is not.. But the culture surrounding it makes it so enjoyable! My friends there are really helpful and they dont mind discussing their solutions and method of thinking

~

For the past few days preparing for this paper, I think i spent at least 1/3 of my time discussing math on the phone (think the phone bill this month can kill).. haha.. i think throughout this 3 sems we have sort of built a network and u will have someone to turn to in times of trouble, even when the lecturer cant be reached (coz out of office hr).. it's quite fun to hav math discussions beyond midnight though i'm often brain dead by then.. haha and on the eve of the paper (yesterday), my phone just kept ringing non-stop.. wha discuss until my mouth went dry

Lecturers were easy to relate to as you dont feel there's a gap between their phd status and u as a student.. and consultations are very often, extremely inspiring because u suddenly see the 'light' and everything became so logical u can make connections everywhere.. and u start making those thms and definations as a part of u, as something so common sensical.. when this stage is reached, u are almost there! haha!

~

Think this is quite unlike in arts subj where it's more of independent work.. and esp history.. ahh i'm having real difficulty making meanings from what i read, much less connections.. partly because my hist knowledge is a bare minimum and i'm all along studying science subjs.. my seminars i dont even know how and where to start, coz they are things i've not heard at all before, plus really no time to invest in the research.. haiz.. sometimes it really makes me wonder if i'm being rational by making the decision i have made last yr.. or should i... do as my cal. lect. hopes?

recording for arrangement

I just did a recording of my arrangement for Dr Tang's module few hrs ago with my friends.. Wa.. I must say I love them! They did inject feelings into my piece and can see they are very serious about it.. Funny thing is I recorded 3 times.. the 1st time tempo was the best, Allegro is fast enough coz I make them prac that speed before recording.. then subsequently I requested for more expressions which they really did beautifully.. and so my last recording has much more depth but the total recording time increased to nearly a min.! hahaha.. nvm lah given the short time frame, I'm already quite satisfied and touched by their performance. must be 知足常乐! Just nearly 2 hrs and it's done!

~

It's a pity my recording is so amateurish.. the video recorder didnt capture, i suspect i turned the screw too tightly.. so I'm using my hand-held recording for presentation, which is captured on digital camera, low resolution visually but luckily the audio standard still quite ok.. I'm so sorry to the quintet that I couldnt capture their facial expressions and heart-warming performance on a better device.. haiz

~

I have been keeping in mind what Dr Tang mentioned in class the other time.. he told us to write something nice, not too difficult that the insts. have to struggle to play it. You want musicians to be excited to play the piece, not forced, and audiences will love to hear it again. So, it does feel gd when musicians enjoy playing ur piece.. Of course not forgetting our harmony lessons last yr esp. on voice leadings and modulations which really served me well this time. hahaha hopefully i can start on another arrangement soon, but i do need to move away from my stereotypical structure of writing and improve on links btw. sections.

My next aim is to use the pop song jointly composed by jean, yif, joyce & me and re-arrange it for a chinese quintet.. see if it works out

It's funny isnt it.. pieces i write are so me.. and i always feel that u can see a person's personality judging by how he/she plays or write music.. my reserved self is so evident it seems, so i guess i have to learn to be more 'thick-skinned'

Workplace for the past 2 wks :D

Our one and only recorder video

should have recorded more right..haha.. pardon those 'shaky' moments

Interesting photos

who's the black figure zooming thru the crowd?
and this photo was taken at the month of the year! hee..















Here are some photos of semi-trucks whose trailers are decorated to look like the sides are missing and the products they are hauling are painted on the sides and back

Finally feeling slightly more relieved visually, after my physician gave me 6 needles.. the electrode ones are the best!

speaking in a math/music language..haha

This one was told by my math lecturer today:

There is this chinese mathematician who went to buy some tidbits. Apparently it was something unique and he wanted to leave some for his friend. But his friend was not in, so he left a message: Let you try (sq. root 2)

get what he mean?

hint: sq. root 2 is approx. 1.414
so, translating the message into chinese it becomes 让你尝一点试一试


And this one is hot from the oven (by me)

When someone says he wants to remain in D major, what does it mean?

hint: try translating D major into chinese

get it? :D

days marked by deadlines

sch work are piling up again.. or shld i say climaxing.. sometimes i dont even think i can finish them.. dont even have enough days to fit the work in. I hate to have to drag my tired body and overworked brain everyday to try and complete assignments and tuts, prepare for quizzes, tests and presentations. It's like an endless cycle every wk.. always caught btw. wanting do a better job and the list of other stuffs bugging my mind that calls to be completed by the following wk.. seriously suffering from the lack of sleep, i do like the feeling of sleep-walking to my bed, unbalanced and almost on the verge of falling every night!

final showdown

Finished our last show today.. it's nice to meet ppl from all walks of (music) life - professionals, freelancers, part-timers, students.. It was quite a sad moment to have to part for now.. not sure when we would have the chance to meet again.. Had actually gotten so used to meeting one another for practices throughout the 2 wks.. SPO would be performing again in nov for some asean conference but don't think i can join due to exams.. haiz.. how i wish my exams could finish earlier! i've seen the concert prog and they look remarkable!.. jazz, pop arrangements on many famous s'pore music.. hopefully this remarkable experience won't mark my first and last opportunity in pop

Just discovered a few days ago that our music director is actually a g.p... wow!! Given his accomplishments in the pop music scene, one would have thought he's full time into music but no... No wonder he has such great personality... haha my role model!

I must say I have grown to like Dick's music.. they are just so amazing in that they're able to evoke emotions so varying and extreme and his ability to compose music of so different genres. They search your soul and you just succumb to them, especially the power that emanate those texts... At least he made me learn to enjoy pop now

and now for the critical part.. I feel that although we have a mixture of instruments, most of the time indian and chinese instruments are of lesser importance compared to those electronic ones. I think we can do without ethnic insts., but not those electronic and brass ones. Last wk Nat. just complained that she has to keep (re)tuning the inst. for just a few gliss.. basically what she do throughout most pieces is that 'signature guzheng' gliss. Yep and that's all i could hear from gz.. haha think i have to be thankful that i'm not given parts like that.. at least i play broken chords and at times important rhythmic figures.. though i wish i could be given some melodic role. As for yq and dizi i heard from some audiences that the sound projection and quality weren't that good due to amplification, i think perhaps yq can't use those contact mikes cos the timbre has changed through the amplification.

Maybe there still need more time before pop orchestrators get to know more about ethnic insts. if they are really serious about venturing further with this unique orchestra combination.. Personally I think this orchestra has the potential of creating an identity which we have often questioned ourselves.. "so what is S'pore music?"

scene before rehearsals

shouldnt upload photos with faces here to protect their identity :D
some photos i took with 'big' ppl are rather shocking, the problem is that they look too nice (too suspicious.. to the eye of a second party.. haha so none shld be shown)

cantonese pop is really enjoyable.. there's something special about that language that bringforth a kind of feeling i cant quite describe it words. Well, was quite moved by a piece titled "Snow.Wolf.Lake" or otherwise known as "love is forever" sang by Dick today at rehearsal.. the music and harmonies are basically quite repetitive.. but it does feel good with the words.. it's a pity i can't understand cantonese.

This brought back fond memories of jc life where my bio tutor have a habit of singing canto pop music in our tuts., when we were doing our work.. haha once he even wrote down the lyrics on the board and told us how meaningful it was, although i cant quite remember now what he said, it seemed to be something about values..

The actors were fabulous..! and I absolutely love Forbidden City - the grandeur, expressive melodies and especially the part with wushu performance.. it's just beyond description

Some music are just so wonderful, coupled with an orchestra that has many good musicians, it makes u feel great to be part of the music making process, the emotions that emanate from ppl around u.. it sounds in the music, it's rousing. U could almost feel a warmth spreading from ur heart to the rest of ur body.. it's simply lovely

weary

Hectic schedule at a glance.!
2 weeks of 'hell'

Today: lessons 1230-6.30pm, then rehearsals 7-10pm
Thurs: rehearsals 7-10pm
Sat: 12-8pm
Sun: 12-6pm
Next Mon: Algebra II quiz
Tue: AED 201 presentation
Wed: rehearsals 2-11pm
Thur: rehearsals 4-11pm
Fri & Sat: Concert

Absolutely no time to do and revise sch work.. I seriously hope i can survive this 2 most taxing wk.. haizz :(

singapore pop orchestra

Today we just had our first orchestral rehearsal, in prep for singaPOPera performance in 2 wks time. It was indeed an experience to be making music with the indian, malay, western and the usual pop instruments like electric guitars, electric double bass, synthesizers etc.... We have pieces encompassing various ethnic as well as pop and jazz musical elements, for instance we have pieces with the kind of old Shanghai feel, pieces showcasing our indian culture so we play indian rhythms and rag.. but of course these are not the traditional kind of music, they are furnished with pop elements. There're also many other kinds of songs that are very upbeat and funky.. I think these music will appeal to the masses, as compared to you know.. our classical music, because it's easy listening. Audiences would be able to find the feel and groove with the music on first hearing, unlike some classical pieces you need many hearings to understand and finally enjoy what's portrayed.

Hopefully I could get hold of some of the orchestral scores and study the orchestration and music writings behind it

It's a wonderful experience to be working with our music director/conductor, Dr Sydney Tan. I like the way he conducts, it's nothing conventional like the way we are used to. Perhaps it's because he's into this kind of music. He dances, sings and expresses all the grooves in his body movement.. i think it really rubs the feel onto us as musicians.

I play a rather minor role in the orchestra, mainly adding to the harmonic fabric and at times little snippets of exciting rhythms.. There're some rather complicating parts and at times it isnt playing friendly, not the kind of thing that yq is suitable for, and it's not like a cadenza but rather small accompanimental role that i think would be overpowered by insts. with more resonance .. that's the weird part about e arrangement

but generally there's still things to learn playing pop culture music - the grooves, feelings that has to be gotten use to...

"Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent."
or as a chinese saying goes "言语终止的地方是音乐".

Some things are just so difficult to be put across verbally to another, due to numerous factors that can be complex or accompanied by conflicting emotions/ uncertainties... well personally i do experience this kind of internal struggle and a subtle way to reveal them is through music playing or writting i think. There was once when i felt i had so many things to say, the stress, frustration, poignance .. that's just diff to be expressed verbally.. and i was having inst. lesson.. so when i played the piece i thought of nothing, except in connecting my feelings with the music. At one part i felt tears welling up in my eyes, ya was trying hard not to show it extrinsically. That was one of my best rendition of the piece and i could tell my teacher was moved from her compliments.. no criticisms :) So i think music playing is where i find solace.. although i am not usually emo rich.. such build up are quite rare
recently, i seemed to have liked things i usually hated doing (i dont know why) and sometimes sense things at a deeper level. Light-hearted pieces are now a past... used to also like playing technical pieces (notice i avoided virtuosic), but right now what i enjoy most are slow and expressive pieces though my playing's still not very cantabile at times, i'm slowly getting better!

i've finally.. after months managed to gain 1kg! yeah that's something to feel great about. who says it's tough to slim down?
gaining weight can be relatively even tougher.. for ppl like me

no more probation plate!

It has been slightly more than a year since i got my license. Now i can finally choose to remove the probation plate... i could still remember my first day driving dad's car (the day after i got my license), i couldn't do vertical parking without those marking poles.. after a few unsuccessful navigations, a line of vehicles began gathering at the carpark entrance, all waiting for me.. whoa it was a scary sight.. i began to sweat.. i had no choice but to let my dad take over.. aiyo so malu

Although i dont drive v frequently, only during wkends.. it has since became one of my favourite pastime. I think it is fantastic enjoyment and satisfaction to go out for a spin and listening to those great music

"凤点头" assessment

Qn1) If we work on the assumption that a collection of notes can played as a melody (and permuted) as well as partially or wholly verticalized as chords, can you see how the opening RH and LH materials are explicitly used to generate the music in the first 12 bars? Discuss.

The collection of notes includes E, F#, A, B (for the right hand) and F, G, C, D (for the left hand).
One prominent feature that emerged from these materials which are exploited in the melodic as well as verticalized as chords is the interval of a major 2nd. As seen in bar 1 (left hand), the first four notes can be grouped in pairs (as shown in Fig. 1), where the melodic interval between the 2 notes within each pair is a major 2nd. This exact 4 note figuration is then revealed again in bar 5 left hand, except it is now at a semitone lower from the original form. This major 2nd as melodic interval is predominant in both hands throughout bars 1-12, for instance bar 9 (right hand), between notes C & D, G & A and F & G.
This major 2nd interval is also exploited in the chords that pervade the twelve bars. For instance in bar 5, the 4 – note clusters found in both hands are made up of 2 pairs of major 2nd interval. Other instances of chords made up of this 4 – note clusters also contained this characteristic interval.

Another prominent intervallic feature is the perfect 4th, which is first shown in bar 1 right hand chords (e.g. ‘F#’ & ‘B’), and also in the linear sense in the left hand between notes ‘G’ & ‘C’. This is also explicitly utilized to generate the music. It is very interesting to discover that at bar 5 first beat, the composer again juxtapose these exact 2 groups of notes between both hands, only now ‘F#’ & ‘B’ is played as part of the melody in the left hand while ‘G’ & ‘C’ as part of the chord in the right hand (verticalized). This two groups of notes later ‘swapped hands’ and became embellished as chords in the 2nd beat.
Ever more prominently, this perfect 4th interval is not only used to create the left hand chords at bar 9 but also a leaping perfect 4th between the top note of the first 2 chords and guess what.. it is a leap from ‘F#’ – ‘B’! (Fig. 2)

Qn 2) What do you notice about the intervals used at bs. 15-19? Do they also originate from the opening bar?

The intervals used are that of a minor 2nd or major 7th and that of a 5th.
I think they sort of originate from the opening bar where the minor 2nd is first introduced in the verticalized form between the left hand ‘F’ and right hand ‘F#’, while the major 7th can first be seen between the left hand ‘C’ and right hand ‘B’. However in bar 15, this minor 2nd and major 7th interval happened simultaneously between C# - D or D – C#.
The interval of a 5th between ‘B’ and ‘F’ (yangqin part) in bar 16 may also be derived from bar 1. Only that in bar 16, it is a diminished 5th, or perhaps it can be viewed as an augmented 4th since ‘F’ is enharmonically related to ‘E#’. This augmented 4th is first revealed in bar 1 between ‘F’ (left hand) and ‘B’ (right hand). This looks interesting because it seems like the composer is essentially using the same two notes but flipping it on its reappearance.

Qn 3) Discuss the series of melodic and rhythmic transformations of the opening ideas at bs. 20-43.

One motivic idea I picked up is the melodic movement of a perfect 4th (either leaping downwards or upwards), that is very predominant from bars 20-43, especially in the yangqin parts (an instance can be seen in Fig. 3). This was first introduced in the opening bar, left hand (shown in red in Fig. 1). This time, it is further explored rhythmically, melodically, coupled with changes in time signatures. It looks like the composer could generate excitement in the music just by playing with this leaping interval.

Next, he also draws upon how he places the accents in the opening ideas (bar 1 and 5) to create the regular as well as syncopated feel at bars 20-43. He also controlled the relative stress and the rhythmic interest by varying the positions of accents every few bars. For instance placing accents on the strong beats (e.g. bar 20), and then at off beats in bar 22 (syncopation), followed by having accents on both strong and weak beats in bar 24. Another instance where this is brought to a higher level can be observed at bar 33 where apart from the conflict in metrical organization between the hands, he upsets the pulse even more by coupling accents with a change in register.

Another rhythmic figure I discovered is the four-semiquaver figuration introduced at bar 5 left hand (piano part) that is further explored and extended into a series of runs at bars 37-42 (yangqin part). Although its melodic contour and intervallic nature has been altered, the rhythmic character is still retained.

Qn 4) Compare also the LH chords at bs. 67 ff & 89 ff.

The left hand chords basically have the same structure, the four-note cluster. But on closer observation, the chords in bar 67 can be seen as being made up of 2 pairs of notes each major 2nd apart while in bar 89, they are a minor 2nd apart (see labeled in blue and black in Fig. 4). Or we can see that between the 2 pairs, it is a perfect 5th apart in bar 67 and a diminished 5th apart in bar 89. I think this sort of mirrors the intervallic variation between 2nds and 5ths that is already introduced in the opening ideas.

Qn 5) Turning back to b.15, notice that the octaves are ‘coloured’ by a maj 7th/min 2nd, where do you think this colour element originates? What is its purpose in relation to the harmonies at bs. 20 ff?

I think this colour element originates from the opening bar which I have described in question (2).
I think its purpose is to prepare the listeners since this colour element is again found in bar 20, particularly in the chords of the piano part (between notes D & Eb, A & Ab) and also in the yangqin part (where D and C# is again revealed in the 3rd beat).
Perhaps harmonically, this minor 2nd interval (or semitonal idea) could also be linearly connected in terms of voice leading, for instance the descending minor 2nd from Eb – D – C# (in the piano part from bs. 20-22 and also in the 2nd voice of the yangqin part at bar 20 if seen as a compound melody). Another set is Ab – G – F# in the upper voice of the yangqin part in bar 20.

agony

Havent been feeling well lately.. my eyes hurt so much that they are causing me headache that last the whole day, so nothing constructive has been done these days. have been doing eye massages, drinking chinese remedy and putting chrysanthaman over my eyes.. all sorts of possible cure.. Ah! hope it's nothing serious :..(

pleasant experience

Just came home from shopping at Gain City and it was a wonderful experience. Great prices and services.. they had a lot of MANpower who are v helpful and patient, plus just now when we were there i think there were more salesman then customer there..haha! Our sole target was initially to check out the prices for the air-con cos our house is only equipped with fans and nowadays the weather is so hot, just perspire non-stop at home. Then there is this salesman who approached us and patiently explained the workings of the various air-cons to us and answer our persistent questioning. Parents were hesitant to purchase the air-con not because of the price (it's much cheaper compared to other places) but because our residence might undergo en-bloc soon.. yes the infamous Neptune Court

[]

The best is yet to come.. when we stepped out of the showroom, we were greeted by an even greater sale outside. My pa immediately spotted a mini combo by Sharp.. it's equipped with cassette, CD player plus most importantly a USB port so I can just plug in my mp3 and listen straight away.. and there is a recording function too.. all these for a price at only $69 (original price $169)!!! I had long wanted to buy a mini-combo since the old one had spoilt years ago.. since it's so cheap we just bought without a second thought.. haha later the salesman told us this offer is valid only for today! wow such luck! After making payment I carried the precious box and we headed out.. and guess what.. a salesman ran up to me and ask if I had trouble carrying that since it's quite bulky with the box.. and i haven't even answered him, he immediately said he would tie it up with a raffia string for me.. and oh my goodness he is so professional! he did it up so marvellously.. not only is it sturdy, it also made carrying more effortless..

You Are From Neptune

You are dreamy and mystical, with a natural psychic ability. You love music, poetry, dance, and (most of all) the open sea. Your soul is filled with possibilities, and your heart overflows with compassion. You can be in a room full of friendly people and feel all alone. If you don't get carried away with one idea, your spiritual nature will see you through anything.

What Planet Are You From?

watch the FUN!

haha I really enjoy this kind of performances... there is a fun element there as the performers play and at the same time injected humor by 'acting' out the music in a comedic manner. It reminds me the piano duet by Albert Tiu and Thomas Hecht I watched last year, where they also did this during the encore on a piece entitled "Children's March".. it was so funny!

Watch top notch pianists - 4 of Cliburn's Gold medallist, José Feghali (1985), Stanislav Ioudenitch (2001), Olga Kern (2001), and Jon Nakamatsu (1997) on two pianos, playing Waltz from Faust and Stars and Stripes Forever... have a hearty laugh!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjJ3_n60d18

*gasps*

time is running out! there're so many pieces i wish to learn, opportunities that await to be grasp, prac schedules and promises to be fulfilled... yet so little time.. only 3 more yrs to go, before reality sets in. If only i had joined more orchs and go for inst lessons before uni days, things need not be so rushed now.. nevertheless i guess it's better to be exposed late than never

it's always gd to be young, few more years down the road it will be about the next generation.. as the saying goes, "长江后浪推前浪，一代新人换旧人"

farewell.. 龙儿

若不是你的缺陷美让我有缘借到你，我这几个月的演奏道路也不会那么精彩。

如今你将离我而去，唉。。。
“相思无用，唯别而已。
别期若有定，千般不舍又何如？
只叹何时再重逢？”

blue skies

haha.. Berlin-Tatum's Blue Skies is so fun! I cant remember the title for it's original composition though, but i like this arrangement.. it sounds soo jazzy and definately pleasurable for both the audiences and the pianist.. no wonder Michael played it as the concluding piece

CLiburN mAnia.. catch it LIVE

The fifth International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs™ will be held from 28 May - 3 June. Not sure if they gonna put it on live webcast like the Cliburn competition for professionals in 2005.

Interested people can register free online to catch a live webcast concert on Friday, May 25, 2007 at 6:00 p.m. CT featuring Michael Hawley, co-first-prize winner of the 2002 International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs. (in singapore time i think is tomorrow afternoon..)
http://www.cliburn.org/index.php?page=webcast_concert

Concert Menu (haha as u can see it is arranged in the way we dine)
Appetizer
Rameau-Godowsky: Sarabande in E major
Lully-Godowsky: Sarabande in E minor
Bach-Hawley: Fugue in G major “Gigue”
Bach-Hawley: Passacaglia & Fugue in C minor
Entree
Chopin:Prelude in C-sharp minor, Op. 45
Barcarolle in F-sharp major, Op. 60
Etude in E minor, Op. 25, No. 5
Godowsky: Study No. 34 (based on Chopin's Etude, Op. 25, No. 5)
New Etude in A-flat major, No. 3
Godowsky: Study No. 45 (based on Chopin's New Etude No. 3)
Dessert
Moszkowski-Volodos-Hawley: Etincelles, Op. 36, No. 6
Saint-Saëns/Godowsky: The Swan (from Carnival of the Animals)
Dohnanyi: Capriccio in F minor, Op. 28, No. 6
Berlin-Tatum: Blue Skies

Musique pour TouJours

Tonight's concert went rather well considering we only spent about 5 days preparing for it... especially our septet, "Deep in the dense forest" which had been quite a challenge in terms of coordination and we only had like 2 practice sessions before the actual performance... thank goodness it went smoothly!

The finale was of course the piece which have won them the G.W.Hons. award at this yr's syf.. it's entitled 'A Glimpse of Taklamakan, Op. 38', 2nd movt- Mirage. It has that kind of arabic feel, with the ever changing time signature esp that part with 5/8, definately not an easy piece.. It was a thrill for us alumnis to sightread at concert speed.. haha! After all these years, I can say I'm proud to be part of tjco.. there is the passion and musical element there that made the practices and performances very enjoyable, especially the week before concert.. whoa I can just feel myself floating and touched in our music

The pno. concerto was rather disappointing though, considering where she studied the inst., shant elaborate any more here

finite maths... where n0thing is finite

Finally! after submerging myself into the sea of number theory and finite math problems for weeks.. everything is now over!! one thing with finite math is you can never be sure if your method and ans. is right, unlike number theory where you can jusr subst. in and check... and one little mistake may just cost almost all the marks
Think the all-math weeks really changed how my brain works.. sleep halfway also suddenly have math probs surfacing and formulas flashing... even simple probs from everyday life i see myself applying pigeonhole principle.. hope it's not a sign of me going bonkers

Yellow River

Here comes another dose of expressive stimulant… to ‘charge up’ – according to our ‘batteries’ theory.. haha!

The Yellow River concerto has always been one of my favourite piece, but it is hard to find performers that can actually bring out its underlying significance and majesty

A little background…
It was adapted from Xian Xinghai’s “Yellow River Cantata” in 1940… The Yellow River is seen as a persistent musical theme and also a metaphor for China – praising the glorious history of the Chinese nationality (zhonghua minzhu) and the persistent struggling spirit of the Chinese citizens; it bitterly criticizes the cruelties of the oppressors and the torment suffered by the Chinese people. Hoping to nourish a sense of belonging and concern, nationalists pulled on the nation’s musical heartstrings. According to Ellen Judd, in China’s cultural redefinition in the 1940s, the performing arts offered the peasantry a “persuasive presentation of a new conception of the world” (Judd 1986, 31). Think the period when this cantata was composed coincides with Mao Zedong’s 1942 Yan’sn Talks on Literature and Art stating the central principle that art should be based on, reflect, and serve “the people”.

I finally found a video of this Yellow River concerto performed in the 70s in China.. I thought the pianist did wonderfully in portraying the underlying musical significance…the historical, political and economical significance. He really has the fire when he plays.. must watch k.. hope you guys will be inspired too!!

The weird thing is this is suppose to be a western orchestra how come there is one pipa player inside

1st movt.: Yellow River Boatman’s Song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uopB0QCgEqw

2nd movt.: Ode to the Yellow River
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfdOyOb0Lr8&mode=related&search=

3rd movt.: Wrath of the Yellow River
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gau1pYEhfz8&mode=related&search=

4th movt.: Defend the Yellow River
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HK2PyFKh2Ao&mode=related&search=

Anyone knows who is that guy on the portrait at the background can let me know? he dosent look like Mao.. this portrait was captured in the performance of the 4th movt.

Rach's 3rd

I watched the video of Olga Kern performing the 3rd piano concerto by Rachmaninov at the Eleventh International Van Cliburn piano competition and it was really brilliant! virtuosic fingerworks and the passionate artistry aside... what makes it even more admirable is that she played it with minimal pedalling.. which actually makes it even more challenging to produce the shades of colour, considering that there are very chordal passages and relying mostly on hand pedaling to build up the climax and emotions really require remarkable skills

I heard Rachmaninov and he himself played it without (or with very subtle) pedal, as can be discerned by that 'dryness' in his recording... but i wonder why? with pedal the effect could be better and achieved with much less effort... perhaps he desired for that clarity? or maybe the presence of orchestral accompaniment (esp the winds and brass inst.) to a certain extent helped mask that dryness so it is ok it dosent sound so connected between the massive chords?

Oh and Van Cliburn's rendition of the Liszt Hungarian Rhapsody no. 12 was awesome!! It must have been a sensation for those watching him live.. Am sooo excited after watching this that I dont think I will fall asleep anytime soon... haha.. Great performances are always a pleasure to one's senses... Anyone interested can go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAqA2E5D0lI

'Phoenix' Concerto - Structural Influences

As we know, the use of ternary form (compound ternary in this case) is one of the most frequently used structures in music compositions, especially as a means to create contrast (i.e. in terms of tempo, character, or motivic ideas…).

However in this piece, it seemed to have achieved a combination of artistic effect from both the Western and Chinese tradition. Cos I read in some Chinese music text, they have this very conventional structural feature which they termed as “鱼咬尾”, which is found in this piece as well, as far as I can see. For illustrations, see bar 43, which signals the closing of section ‘a’ but the beginning of section ‘b’; bar 67 which is indicates the end of b section but also the beginning of a1. This continues at many junctions where one section leads in to another，thus in a sense contributing to the fluidity and link throughout the piece.


Interestingly we see from here how the composer draws upon features from chinese musical tradition and infuse it within the western formal structure.

short-range voice connections

Hmm.. I see some short-ranged voice leading connections... not sure if there are longer
connections

'Phoenix' Concerto - Motivic “Paradidle”

It’s amazing how the main theme of section B is only based on the ordering of 4 note motif - ‘B’, 2 ‘E’s of different registers and ‘A’. Hence in a sense, it's like ‘paradidle’ in percussion since it essentially uses the various permutation of the 4 notes to actually spun a melody. (Note: I termed it 'paradidle' is because of the piece’s percussive nature and how such motivic ordering may be associated to the paradidle, but of course it is not to be taken literally). Sometimes the introduction of B flat and E flat might possibility be to create surprise or to create some voice leading tendency, to propel the music forward…
See how B flat leads to A in the diagram below:

This melody is always set over a submediant pedal, quite uncommon eh since we often encounter tonic or dominant pedal.. but submediant!

'Phoenix' Concerto - Harmony

This piece contained many dissonances brought about by note clusters, especially in accompaniments or between solo and accompanimental parts. Throughout the piece, the tonal centre is also blurred by the false-relations that exist between different voice parts. So I’m not sure if it makes sense to analyze the chordal progressions in this piece, because it felt like the composer is more concerned with the soundscape produced, rather than using any specific chord progression or the tonality. I think the presence of false relations were due to the linear as opposed to vertical thinking in the harmonic parameter. Throughout section A, the characteristic interval of a major 2nd and minor 7th are the two very predominant intervals used – contributing to the distinctive clashes. For instance in bar 1 – R.H. F# is set against F natural in the L.H. But it seems like there are a couple of underlying reasons for having that F#:

• 
  
  Contribute to the more pentatonic nature of the work – creating a perfect 4th (a very characteristic interval found in Chinese classical music) instead of a tritone with ‘B’


• Due to the anhemitonic scale used, to avoid creating a semitone with note ‘E’ (linear thinking). Because it seems that throughout section A, the composer consciously avoids consecutive semitonal movement within the same voice.


• F# increases the note tendency to go to a G, which finally came at bar 5.

As mentioned above, the composer seemed to avoid successive semitonal movement within the same voice in section A. When chromatic movement is used, there are also notes in between to separate it. (see below for the chromatic voice leading)

I notice that there is abundance of open 5ths and octaves (e.g. bs. 9, 43) apart from 4ths, which would have caused the piece to sound very bare, like The Sunken Cathedral by Debussy. Although both pieces are pentatonic in nature and filled with such open intervals, the atmosphere created is quite different – This concerto (esp. section A) do not sound as hollow as that felt in The Sunken Cathedral and it is interesting that we as listeners do not feel the awkwardness such bareness in this piece. Perhaps it is how the composer managed to ‘mask’ the bare sounding chords through the choice of registers..? Notice how the spacing between L.H. and R.H. were very close together (e.g. b. 117, 338 – R.H. octave is like an ‘echo’ of the L.H.).

Sometimes even though the instruments are playing octaves in unison, for instance at bar 274 – 284, with range that spanned 3 octaves, the texture created is dense, not thin and empty. The spacing of chords, fortissimo and the quick tempo might be some contributing factors.

'Phoenix' Concerto - Of Rhythmic and Pulse Interest

I felt it was fascinating how the composer managed to infuse so much rhythmic interest into what looks to be very regular rhythms on the surface (e.g. semiquavers, quavers, crotchets, and sometimes long held notes). Perhaps it was the way he combines these rhythms with staggered entrances, coupled with the persistent use of accents on weak and off beats (syncopations) that upsets the regularity of the pulse, injecting in the music a sense of rhythmic interest. But because there are many little recurring fragments of melodic ideas subjected to syncopated treatment throughout, that gave it the feel of regularity within irregularity and vice versa. I feel that this unique mood portrayed can be relieving in some extent.

Of course, the use of syncopations in Chinese music is not uncommon, especially for accompaniment but it is actually quite rare to actually find such extensive use of syncopations for the melody. Instances can be heard at 0’20 – 0’30; 0’43 – 0’51 etc. (see diagrams for illustrations)

Another very prominent aspect is the frequent change in time signature.
Right from the beginning (0’00 – 0’15), the subtle change in time signature from 6/8 passing through 2/4 before going to 3/4 made the transition in meter smooth. (i.e. 6/8 and 2/4 both can be sub-classified into 2 groups, except that 6/8 consists of groups of 3 quavers while 2/4 consists of groups of 2 quavers. Leading in to 3/4 from here would not upset the metrical feel too much).

It was also interesting how he creates a little tension in the piano part before ushering in the yangqin (main character, if speaking from the operatic point of view) by inserting an extra crotchet beat to build up a little climax. Note the change from 4/4 to 5/4 in that little 2 bar link from 0’15 – 0’20. Once the yangqin enters, the meter went back to 4/4 again.

During the last time where this 2 bar link is featured, the composer surprises us with a 4/4 to 3/4 change instead of a 5/4 change which we have been conditioned to expect, from the many previous appearances. (heard from 13’07 – 13’10)

Sometimes, even though the time signature remains unchanged, the displacement of regular metrical pulse is actually created by the playing of registers, for instance at 0’51 – 0’59, 4’20 – 4’36.

The registral change also aids in creating the impression of rhythmic complexity as heard from 13’53 – 14’19, where the texture slowly climaxes towards the end of the piece.

I also found instances where the perceived meter is not what was stated in the score, due to the rate of harmonic change and phrase structure that conflicts with the actual time signature. One example would be the middle section, 6’02 – 6’54 or a more decorated version from 7’48 – 8’40.

The main accompanimental figuration was also ingeniously ‘tampered’ with so that its recurrence is not always exactly the same. Although it was only altered from 6/8 to 5/8, but I feel that such little variation actually added variety to the already interesting music. (Compare between 0’59 – 1’05 and 1’28 – 1’33)

There is an instance at 11’45 – 11’54 where the feeling of antecedent and consequent phrase (period) relation could be subtly felt. This is brought about by the addition of just one quaver note which allows the consequent phrase to have the last note rooted in the dominant or tonic, giving it a slight sense of closure. Or maybe it’s also due to the more even time signature of 10/8 in the consequent phrase as compared to 9/8 of the antecedent phrase.

'Phoenix' Concerto - Rhythmic Influences from Opera

Since the term “凤点头” refers to the drumming pattern of Chinese opera, this piece must be infused or embellished with such rhythms.
So, I’ve spent some time delving into this aspect which is not very familiar to me and managed to identify a few main patterns. It was an eye-opener for me as I have seldom come across such specific percussive rhythmic patterns being infused in a melodic instrument; much less provide a rhythmic structure for the music.

Ø Bars 9 - 12 (0’11 – 0’15) resembles the rhythm “ 3/4 [乙才] [乙台] 匡” ([yi cai] [yi tai] kuang) also termed as “马腿儿” (ma tui er) rhythm unique to opera music.
N.B. [ ] represents quaver because this blog dosent support e underline format

Ø Bars 77 – 84 (1’41 – 1’55) piano accompanimental rhythm uses the characteristic interval of minor 2nd (see R.H.) and major 7th (see L.H.) to create a timbre that is similar to that of the Chinese big drum. The rhythm [XX] [0X] [0X] [0X] is also distinctive to the drumming patterns of this Chinese drum.

Ø Another very distinctive operatic element could be heard from 4’36 – 5’05.

It is quite amazing how the composer uses this element as a link to connect section A to section B. This is often found in Chinese opera music, especially the part just before the main character is put into the limelight.

We can also extrapolate this essence into the concerto, since the upcoming section after this string of characteristic rhythmic figurations pose a sharp contrast to section A in terms of mood, texture and soundscape, it's like another ‘character’ being introduced on stage.
Thus in a sense, the competitive atmosphere brought from the previous A section between the yangqin and piano could be viewed as an ‘overture’ for the main theme of section B.

'Phoenix' Concerto - Structure, Melodic element

This piece is in ternary form and to be precise, I think it is a compound ternary.
Section A: Bars 1 – 213 (0’00 – 5’06)
Section B: Bars 214 – 343 (5’07 – 12’56)
Section A’: Bars 344 – 417 (12’57 – )

Under each of the 3 sections, it can further be classified into smaller segments according to the various melodic ideas as shown below:
(Timings are shown below the melodic fragments)

It is deeply contrasting between section A and section B especially in terms of its mood, tempo and also the thematic material. They sort of represent two extreme atmospheres, the percussive and bold section A with the mysterious sounding or sort of ‘nocturnal’ section B. Section B encompasses 2 emotions: from lyrical/ gentle to fiery and passionate.
Here, the theme is introduced by the piano for the first 8 bars, followed by a repetition of the exact same theme by the yangqin. It is actually quite difficult for yangqin to produce such expressive sounds since it’s often considered a percussive instrument, but it is remarkable how the composer uses the rare 9 single stroke roll technique to give listeners an illusion of ‘a line connected by dots’.

Within each section, the various little melodic fragments unique to that section are constantly brought back, sometimes with modifications and sometimes without. I suppose it is because the melodic fragments in this concerto are neither singable nor could easily be remembered, given its characteristic clashes and dissonant leaps all over especially in the first section. So there is a need to constantly reiterate these ‘points’. Or perhaps it is also something to do with Chinese opera influences? – where each melodic fragment represents a character in the plot..

But generally, I notice that the extent of exploration or development of the melodic fragments is quite little. Most of the time, it is repeated in its original form, which in a sense makes it easy to recognize… Perhaps that’s why the piece is full of rhythmic excitement, and many different melodic ideas to make up for the lack of thematic development.

"...technique is something that can be mastered by anyone overtime, what distinguish the best musicians are their musicality and sensitivity, which can be taught by no one, except yourself.. by your heart..." - qls

凤点头 (The ‘Phoenix’ Concerto)

Some background info…

This concerto was composed in 2003 by Prof. Xu Chang Jun (徐昌俊) from Central Conservatory of Music in China. It was written for the yangqin, accompanied by the string ensemble with 6 violin I, 4 violin II, 3 viola, 3 cello and 2 bass. But what I have is the reduced score accompanied by the piano.

It was after I had gone for yq lessons for this piece did I realize that it was actually infused with lots of elements found in Chinese opera music, especially in terms of its character. Chinese opera can generally be divided into "civil" pieces characterized by singing, and "martial" ones featuring acrobatics and stunts. This concerto belonged to the latter, hence explaining its percussive and virtuosic nature. 凤点头 was actually the name of a particular type of drumming pattern often found in opera music, therefore if we were to listen carefully, we could actually pick out these patterns that were embellished inside the music.
I’ll be examining in my following postings, certain aspects of this piece that differentiates it from the usual Chinese classical piece that we often hear.

At first listening, this piece does not sound exactly Chinese; this was probably due to some 20th Century Western compositional techniques/ elements that were incorporated together with Chinese elements, especially in terms of harmony and rhythms. This concerto has often been acclaimed as a mix of the East and West from what I have heard which I hope to examine why is it so and also the contributing factors that bind the piece together.

The element of contrast is also quite prominent in this piece, hence I would also be delving into this area.

I have uploaded a very low resolution video clip for this concerto (performed by me during a practice session before the finals.. haha), it may take quite some time to load. The sound quality is also not very good. If any of you prefers a clearer version pls let me know so I can lend the vcd to you :D
This clip can be accessed via http://sg.geocities.com/yickjr/

will i survive?

Ahh...... It's just jan. and i'm already fully booked till dec... Have at least 8 concerts and a major exam to prepare this year... i'm becoming like a part-time performer now... haha oh gosh!!

Hail to 2007!

Happy New Year to all!

This is going to be another busy year for us.. Ah!! school is reopening in 6 days time and we shall be subjected to more stress and hours of mugging soooon..
haha so lets savour our last wk of holiday and take a deep breath before we start our 'endless' race of meeting deadlines