If anything is blog-worthy in my life, it must be the concerts: either those I performed in, or those I went to watch. And just so happened that they happen to me quite often to me. HAHA!
Ever since I don't remember when, there are times I just won't be able to meet anyone on saturdays because I have a concert to attend. LOL! But it's not really my fault, is it? :)
A few to name these few months. (Actually I might just list all)
1. Our People, Our Music 2014 (OPOM)
I don't know why I signed up for it, but well, it has to be memorable somehow even though I'm not part of SYCO anymore. It made me seems like I'm still part of sy, at least for a while. Haha!
It was a lot of waiting and waiting, standing and sitting around, oh wells, I asked for it right? Haha! nonetheless, we are already the lucky lot. So I shan't complain. And aren't all of us proud of breaking the 2 Guinness Records? I guess that's worth it then. :)
2. "孫天后" 孫燕姿的《克卜勒》
全民共樂過後的一個禮拜, 又回到了國家體育場, 參加第一個在那個場地舉行的流行音樂演唱會. 因為前一個禮拜才去過, 所以知道裡面的空氣不流通, 也許會很熱. 只是沒想到, 隔一排的差距就是前一排較高價位的位子有手扇, 從我們這一排就沒有了. -.- 而且早就知道那個場地的音效是沒辦法做到很好的. 況且沒想到, 舞台搭建在很遠的地方, 所以我們離地上的座位和舞台都非常的遠, 少了的是親近感. 就少了一些'身在其中'的感覺. 但是, 感覺天后的表演又比上次好了許多. 不知道是不是因為當了媽媽, 幽默感多了一些, 膽識和信心也多了, 所有的演唱都平穩. 況且, 那天她是帶病上陣的. 真的辛苦了! :) 幸好沒有因為上次的小失望而這次沒去! 還有, 真的喜歡新專輯裡的《克卜勒》，《天使的指紋》，還有《尚好的青春》! 太好聽了!
3. MCO Beautiful Sunday 美麗的星期天
隔天就是自己的演出了. Haha! 很久沒有這麼緊張的上一場表演. 說實在, 我要是真那麼棒, 早就去讀音樂了. 我就是知道我沒有那個料, 所以只可以玩玩. 在樂團這麼多年, 我沒有一次逃不過拉板胡的, 除了這一次. =.= 而且我有的時間是如此的短啊! 還有一段高胡solo, 差一點沒死掉. Haha! 我得承認, 板胡是我比較緊張的部分. 還好, 最後的表現還是可以的. 沒有我以前需要獨奏的時候那麼緊張. 不知道是不是上了年紀, 心情比較平穩, 呼吸不會那麼急促? 或者現在慢的東西我還是應付得來的. 哈哈! 最近聽到錄音才第一次聽到那天的表現. 不能說非常好, 但至少, 我在錄音中聽到了讚嘆聲. 哈哈! 而且, 香港的朋友還私訊說我拉得好! 真的非常高興. Hehe! :D 結果那一段我自己聽了好幾遍. (自我小陶醉一下沒關係吧) 其他的就別說了. Haha! 心知肚明就好. 第一次感觉自己赞自己到这样不要脸. (说真的，现在脸皮好像真的厚了很多). 还有开心的是，和那边的朋友聚一聚. :)
4. SSO @ Re-Opening of VCH
Very exciting event as we all re-visited the site, with everything refurbished so nicely, to give us a modern yet classic feeling of the place. Some of the things may have changed, but it feels really good to be back to place where many concerts were held at. A pity that I have never performed there before, and I don't know if I ever will have the chance to, but I was definitely privileged to be there on this occasion. But I have to sit, sitting under the covered area on the stall seats is still not satisfactory and doesn't justify the sound from the stage properly. A pity. I still remember the days it was the performing venue for SCO, East zone camps, and other schools/community centres concert. We spent so many weekends there. Even though toilet queue has always been a problem and there's absolutely no food around as well, and that the seats were in bad condition nearing the end before the renovation, it was the memories. I still remember the concert I watched someone I liked perform on stage. I still remember the watching some talented people I admired at some concert. The memories of secondary school life. And you haven't realised, but I haven't said a thing about the concert. Other than Ng Pei-Sian, I don't really know what else to say about the concert. HAHA! :x Oh ya, I already talked about the sound. Hopefully I will get to perform there one day.
5. The Sound of Music Musical @ MBS Theatres
One of my favourite films since young. Probably because my sister always watch it, all the lovely songs, and me listening to the soundtrack countless times. I was a little confused with the plot and songs selection/sequence, only to find out that was closer to the original broadway than the film. Oops. Looks like we were all brainwashed by the film. Nevertheless, most of the songs remained the same and it was a joy to be there.
6. 苏打绿's 十周年演唱会 AIR Singapore
名字非常長, 就這樣吧. 可以說這場演唱會絕對是這年最最最迫不及待想看的演唱會. 自己一個人很早就到了會場, 可惜這裡的氣氛果然不比台北的, 沒有人這麼早就去排隊買周邊商品啦. 所以很快就買到了. 值得高興的是演唱會並沒有延遲很久才開始. 沒有AIR watch 兼螢光棒的手環, 但有贊助商的熒光棒和一些贈品, 也算不錯. 他們場的每一首歌都好喜歡喔, 對我來說, 最興奮的莫過於那個360度旋轉舞台. 之前看到台北場視頻的時候, 他們唱著《相信》, 旋轉舞台突然升起的那一刻, 我眼淚直接流了出來. 沒想到可以在新加坡場看到它. 真的非常棒! 好像那也是暐哲最驕傲的事. Haha! 但新加坡這場, 不管什麼時候,'高興'的感覺都勝過了一切. 我好像只有一直大聲的笑, 還有對自己傻笑. 哈哈! 尤其是小威bai kah 的事, 就一直拿出來講. 太好笑了! 當然, 還有演唱的部份啦! 大概喜歡的歌都唱了吧. 或者說, 反正我沒有什麼不喜歡的歌, 他們唱什麼歌我都很開心! 雖然主唱大人真的不喜歡大家說他們很好笑, 比較想聽到他們唱的好好. 可他骨子裡就喜歡有點搞笑. 明明自己總是忍不住要搞笑, 然後又說我們不要什麼都笑, 會不會太過份了一點? 哈哈! 尤其拜託我們說因為演唱會結束硬逼我們說'YAY'的那段, 任性極了! 但, 是我不會忘記的一場演唱會.
7. 香港中樂團 @ Esplanade
期待已久的音樂會, (是不是很跳tone? Haha) 反正因為去年十二月到香港去的時候朋友就說了, 所以真的等很久. 演出, 就只能說, 很喜歡閻惠昌! HAHA! 還有演出的曲目. 可惜我們的位子也許比較不好, 在3樓, 音樂廳的音響沒有調好, 所以弦樂的聲音無法完整的傳達上來, 管樂就略為大聲. 不過後來聽坐在一樓的朋友說, 他們聽到比較大聲的是弦樂, 管樂則比較小聲. 看來管樂的聲音都被打上來了. 確實有點浪費了這樂團的實力.
除了看演出, 還有當導遊帶朋友到處走. 在香港的時候就答應了. 而且不管我們誰去, 他們都熱情招待的. 結果我們安排了三天的環島吃喝玩行程. 說真的, 有些地方我們自己都沒去過. 哈~ 而且吃了大概一整年才會吃到的量的本地食物. 結果, 朋友回國後, 我完全沒有想吃任何東西的慾望.
8. Ruan Chamber Concert @ Esplanade Recital Studio (by SCO)
Only went to watch because of Minhui. Seems like many things have changed in our lives, but not the music. It's always been a pleasure to hear some of the musicians play: Minhui is one of them :) The music, though simple, is very captivating. Just like how she played Yu Hou Ting Yuan. Could only say, I went there just to watch her. <3
9. Kalakan @ The Voices by Esplanade
Not really knowing what we were in for, I went because Ekjun and Yvonne recommended them. Saw a short clip of theirs when dymc went to Sarawak for Rainforest Music Festival. It turned out that they were really good. Even though they are from this small country called Basque, I have no idea where that is (somewhere in or near Spain), and can't understand their language. But, music really doesn't depend on language. With some simple explanation on the numbers, and the power of their vocals, it's not difficult to feel the music. Couldn't resist but to stand up, clap along and sing along. It was not a long concert, but definitely an enjoyable one. :)
10. MCO 10th Anni Concert @ Esplanade
My last performance for the year. Never felt I put in so much effort into a concert before, I wanted to make it the best one, but then again, it's always about everyone, and not just 1 person in the orchestra. Or even, majority. You just need 1 person to ruin it. (just a saying, not pointing at anyone). No matter how many practices I went to, (actually all the practices since Oct) and a number of extra practices on weekday night, it doesn't make a difference if the section hasn't even come together once until the rehearsal. Yup, I understand that everyone may have their own commitments in life, I used to have mine as well. And I burnt all my Saturdays to go to practice at somewhere so far even though it's my only free day all week. What I'm saying is, well if you have so many commitments, you ought to choose the priority, and give up some of them some times. It doesn't hurt, really. More so if in the end you tired yourself out and also drag the others with you. There's a possibility of finding more players at an earlier stage rather than every week having hopes that this person will come, and the person just doesn't turn up at all. It's an issue of responsibility. An orchestra isn't an orchestra if the players don't play together most of the time. And that's probably why we need to add practices and tired everyone out and had so many 'surprises' at the end of the day.
有時我覺得是老師太縱容大家了. 如果是我, 至少最後一個月的練習大家都應該來, 不然就別上了. 這是以大局為重, 而不是因為個人欲望的事.
And kids nowadays, have to be spoon-fed with answers. They are supposed to be smart, so it's not that they don't know, more or they don't want to try. We the seniors were practicing hard even though we already know our stuff and trying to perfect it, but they just sat there and did nothing. They didn't even attempt to try on their own when the scores were given months ago. Don't understand why we are still teaching them at the last week before the concert. I was practicing right beside the girl just to motivate her to practice also, but she just sat there and did nothing. Hello! I don't even need to practice anymore. -.-
In the end, can't say I didn't make any mistakes, in fact, I made quite a few, though not major, but I feel bad enough. I would have played much better if it wasn't for my sore back. :/ Need to remind myself to get muscle patch the next time I perform because sitting straight-backed for a whole day is a no-joke.
But this concert has made us bond better, think of solutions to savage and not immerse in the so-called good image from people who doesn't play the music at all. Happy that at least we get to play some traditional music, although a mix will bring more audience. Well, I've done my job. I used to be quite hack care about such things because I'm just someone who plays occasionally in the orchestra, I don't know where the sense of responsibility suddenly come from. Perhaps I just wanted them to be more efficient. Super waste time some of the time. Glad that it's over, but then again, kinda miss the music playing time. Till the next time! Hope it's not too soon, so that I have more free saturdays.
With the year coming to an end, just 1 more concert to go! i.e. Jay Chou's Opus II, which was supposed to be on 8 Nov, but it's going to be tomorrow! :D Excited! But not crazy over it. Well, first time, just to experience it. :)
Ok, maybe that's not the last. The last will be on 31st Dec in Taipei! ;)
And due to budget constraints to save up for the much awaited trip, I resisted and had to give up a few other interesting stuff this year, like Mamma Mia musical. Oh well, I'm sure I will get to catch it in future, maybe in London? Who knows.
Till then! Good bye for the year! :D
