Friday, June 16, 2006
12:49 AM
Here i have officially stepped down. Today was band investiture. A musky mix of moody and sadness, juxtaposed with happiness and craziness of some others filled the atmosphere. Im happy to step down, but at the same time i cant let it go.

1 1/2 yrs is not long, neither its insignificantly short. It is only a mere 2% of our life, but the company in band will linger in my mind forever. Many may have wonder why i left out RJ in the past entry, because i feel that i would have more things to say today, a more important and significant conclusion to my band life in RJ.

Stepping into the band just a year and a half ago, i was totally alien to the environment. Band was one of my consideration for RJ and i was set to come into RJ, for studies for band. I cannot but say, yes, i was attracted by the glory and properous of the band environment in RJ. The name RJCSB resonated with me since i was in sec3. 6 years of no defeat was really nice and attractive to me. I really loved that kind of glory. You may think that i am ego, but i think a certain degree of ego is good. Definitely it helped RJ edge out that bit over the more RVians populous HC and NJ.

Having entered the band, i learnt alot of things. Thnings i used to believe in and my habits of doing certain things changed, some for the better some for the worst. I learnt that things are not as what i know in certain ways, and not everyone have the same exposure. The raffles people were well educated with classical music and a few contemporary pieces, contrary to Rvians who know all about NSB and With Heart and Voice. That was the great difference. Raffles concerts were all heavy and serious, i was really used to the pop and fun kind of pieces i had back in RV. Moreover at that time, i just completed the Pop Lite Beautiful Sunday. All those pop and upbeat pieces, could not get used to the heavy and serious classical pieces. Through the 1 1/2 years, my perception changed. I think i had widened my horizon of music and knowledge about musical stuff. Basically, i levelled up. I learnt to appreciate serious and classical pieces, and appreciated the art of play offbeats properly and with the correct tonguing. I learnt that not all classical pieces are boring and theres more than beethoven and Tchaikovsky in classical music. I came in with a learning attitude of course, and an attitude to share. But soon i realised some people are just not as receptive to new stuff and other environments as me, and i jsut gave up on sharing with them. I have learnt alot, musically.

People in RJCSB are from a variety of schools, unlike as perceived, dominated by raffles schools. I was fortunate to be in the batch where this occurs, and it will be the last time it occurs with RP coming into scene just one batch below me. I think its very sad that your band made up of the same people. It a very sad social thing, you lost the diversity. But at the same time, a benefit is that everyone have the same views and same ideals, the bond forged is stronger and the band will feel together. Playing in RJ band made me learn the importance of feeling together. Ms Chan forced us since we were young to cue and jerk and i couldnt understand it, until i came to Rj, where we play more technically challenging. The accurate beats and the accurate hitting of the note together became significantly important. And cueing really helped. It made sure, even though late, everyone was together and it sounded correct and nice. It is the effect that i learnt to appreciate the cueing and jerking. I believed strongly in it, because it was like an enlightenment to what i had been doing aimlessly for the past times, because i never felt the problem as we all did that back in RV. The difference is really felt.

People coming from a myriad of secondary schools. Having worked under different conductors previously, we hled different views and different sets of SOPs. When put together, there will be many differences and disagreements, but the juxtapose results in more effecient systems and more enjoyment, as we learnt to understand each other's differences and learn to appreciate each other. I think this is just part of growing, knowing different people and understanding them. The raffles environment had really fused us together to think the same way. I believed alot of my perceptions of band had changed for being here. The aura here, is as strong as the music mr oura imparted us. Lols.

People in life come and go. We have to let it down at some point in time. I always believed that. No matter what unhappiness we had been through ( Opening Ceremony Practises ), it is all part of a good memory. I believe that things may seem bad at the point in time, but when you think back at it, it is not that bad afterall. Sometimes, suffering together makes the memory stronger than having fun together. Im sure i remember the opening ceremony more than the band chalets =) Will remember all of you, and miss the happy times we had together.

Alas, goodbye people.

`someday my princess will come. She just took a wrong turn, got lost and is too stubborn to ask for directions]]* ;