Monday, August 21, 2006

Announcements + Projects

++Please take note this blog is best viewed with 1280x1024 pixels setting, if not you won't be able to see the full blog pics++

How's everyone? Busy with work hor... yah.. busy mugging!!! busy having exams!!! yesh! me too! sad case.

Ok. Let's start with announcement first.

1. New President of the Alumni Band

Currently, the committee and conductors are still discussing and deciding on the best candidate for the band. So everyone please be patient, you all will know the President for this alumni band very soon.

For now, I will handle the alumni band matters for a while more because there are afew projects for Alumni Band and Lin Sheng asked me to handle them.

yes... that means you all will need to hear me nagging for a while more.... .... .... .... .... .... .... pai seh lo..................................... REN a while more ok? I will be gone once the new pres has been decided. :)

2. New Admin Committee members

The Committee has also decided to add on a few members into admin committee.
names and jobscope will be announced shortly in the next announcement.

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Now, Projects for alumni. I think we should actually go for both projects, very meaningful and good.

1. End of year Overseas Concert.

I think you all think it won't be possible right? Us? How can that be? I can't believe it too BUT we are.

Maris Stella Symphonic Band Alumni has gotten an invitation from RAVE (a company that organized events, management and etc) to have a Concert in Hong Kong together with another 3 Singapore bands.

The trip will start on 17th Dec to around 23rd Dec (tentative date for return). The Concert will be on 19th December in Hong Kong City Hall which can house up to 1400 audience (yes, double of vch). The concert tickets will be sold by the Band Directors Association of Hong Kong, so we no need to worry about the ticket sales.

RAVE won't be able to subsidizing us because they are just the event planner (the one who earn money is the HK side) BUT they will be helping us to organize Fundraising Activities.

The first few quotes for now is around $900 - $1200. We will be asking for more and lower down the costs.

I need everyone's help in this project especially the fundraising part, we will do the same as WMC. I think we should be able to get abit of $ now.

+ We are trying to pull in the Main Band to go with us for this HK trip so as to give them more exposure.

I think we should seriously consider about this one. Since it is an invitation to us, I think we should consider it properly, especially this kind of chance is hard to come by.

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2. Esplanade Beautiful Sunday Series

I have been asked whether we are interested to performed for the Beautiful Sunday series in Esplanade.

yes, I said ESPLANADE. That 2 durian - lookalike buildings.

Beautiful Sunday Series is a once a month FREE to public event organized by the esplanade to further promote the band music. Bands will be performing in the Esplanade Concert hall which can house up to 1600 audience.

Bands that has performed in the Beautiful Sunday series: Philwinds, SWS, Mus' Art, Yuhua River Valley Alumni and others...

I think we can go for this one too.

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Now, I need everyone in the Alumni band to give me their stands for these 2 projects. I need a definite answer whether you all want to do these 2 projects or not.

Just a Yes or No.

Please SMS me all the answer.

I personally urge everyone to go for these 2 projects as I am not sure whether we will even have these kind of chances anymore next time. So please cherish what you all have now.

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Fredy
president
maris stella symphonic band alumni

Saturday, August 19, 2006

Pictures Update!

ok.. here are a few pictures taken during the NBC Honor Band Concert!!

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Flute!


Flute Section~~~ best section ne~~ These 5 play together quite KONG BU! In terms of playing they are good! haha.. Like what Lin Sheng said, they are probably the best Flute section in Singapore Schools! Well done for Competition, Honor Band Concert and RealM concert!!

From the back (right to left): Jin Yan, Hao Siang, Andrew

Front: Haryl, Raphael

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Oboe!

Oboe Section: these 3 make a perfect combi of the section! haha.. Nice! good job for Competition, Honor Band Concert and RealM concert!

Left to right: Rasull, Frankie and Yu Huai...

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Clarinet!


Clarinet section ar.. the members hor.. work very hard.. always tio scolding de... but not too bad on competition, honor band concert and RealM concert days.. :)

Left to right: Stanley, Kenneth, Wee Chong, Jeremy, Albert (the short one), Chang Jun, Wai hong (the contrabass clar). *

*Ren Xian, Hong Yi and Simeon not in the picture.

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Saxophone!






Saxophone section, haha, 1 per part leh.. see how strong our saxophone section is! haha.. all work very hard ne~~ the altos, tenor, bari and not to forget that soprano... :) all work hard to get their parts right and sound nice, especially that soprano sax, keep tio-ing my comments (also Mr Chiang and Lin Sheng but mine more).. hoho.. but nice one! indeed a good sax section! Well Done for Competition, Honor Band Concert and RealM concert!

Left to Right: Justin Mark, Douglas, Aloysius, Khairul.

*Adrian Chong not in the picture.

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Bassoon!

Bassoon section got 1 super BIG SIZE de.. as you all can see from the pic! the one at the right! that face round round de.. hahaha.. Lin Sheng still owe him 15 burgers.. hahahahaha... Good job for Competition, Honor Band Concert and RealM concert!

Left to right: Yunus, Jason Ng

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Horn!

Horn ar~~ this is the MOST problematic section! hmmm... wasted my money on Masterclasses! ahaha, cause I didn't see any BIG improvement unlike clarinet.. This section forever got scolding one.. haha... but Ok la.. next time work harder can liao.. now u all WORST section leh... JIA YOU! Work upwards! push the other sections down! Not too bad during concert.

Left to right: Edmund, Wai Hoe, Cleon, Zhao Duan

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Trumpet!



Trumpet section... ai yo... don't what to say, sometimes very worried about them, cause they sounded real bad.. haha.. Luckily they performed well during competition! nice! I don't want too much 'screaming' trumpet!! so please don't do those er xin de things!! haha.. Good job for Honor Band Concert, RealM concert!!

Left to right, Back: Shaune, Clement, Andrew

Front: Hong Chow, Matthew, Ryan

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Trombone!!



This section ar!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Basically no need to worry too much!! haha.. They are good already! haha. Some ppl need to work harder ar.. then can play even better!! *winks winks* also dun forget dun drop mute! hahahahahaha *confirm tio slap by someone when he see this :P* Don't forget during the 'olden days' (our main band period)... you all are the best section hor!! come alumni le, don't lose to flute leh!!! Well done for Competition, Honor Band concert and RealM concert!

Left to right: Justin, Yao Feng, Alrick, Bernard, Yeong Chee, Aaron

* Caveat not in the picture.

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Euphonium!



AI YO! Our noisiest section, best attendance section, bla n bla n bla... hoho.. got improvement in playing wor!! haha... I still remember you 2 (not include mr chiang) keep playing the SWING feel for the runs... hahaha.. Work very hard leh.. haha.. I should say your section is most hardworking de! Before Competition, come down practice, even no need to come for sectional also come.. really good! I like this kind of attitude! During concert, Mr Chiang still stay back after main band and practice the WHOLE afternoon for his solo, then evening time, alumni band practice. Your section really work very hard... OK! Now I give ur section a NEW award!

THE 'MA JIE' AWARD! eh.. wait.. sorry.. pai seh.. coz MA JIE* very hardworking one.. hahaha... should be MOST HARDWORKING AWARD!! clap clap!

Good job for Competition, Honor Band Concert and RealM concert! That solo also! Very good!

* MA(1) JIE(3) - is olden days de maid... Very hard working will follow the employee all the way de.. very loyal also!

Left to right: Ben Yap, Mr Chiang, Zhen Cheng

* Chan Lun not in the pic

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Tuba!





Tuba section! still need to comment anymore things meh?? Our tuba section so loud and strong. haha.. Can feel that the being is being covered by a big aura.. haha.. No need to worry can stand on' ground'.. the 'band foundation' very good! Good job for Competition, Honor band Concert and RealM concert.

Left to right: Aaron, Zhenqiang, Ken Tan, Charles.

* Eng Seng not in picture

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Double Bass!





Double Bass ar.. at least got one! haha.. Help to beautify our slow parts of invictus with those pizzicato.. Well done for Competition, Honor Band Concert!!

Left to right: Aaron (tuba), Ian (double bass).

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Percussion!





FINALLY! We've reached the best out of the best! MUAHAHAHAHAHA.. Percussion section!! yeah yeah!! Come to think of it, without percussion, the band won't sound exciting, without percussion the band will lose alot of effects, without percussion the band will lose alot of details, without percussion the band will lose alot of colour! hahahahaha... actually applicable to all sections.. haha. BUT the excitement part, really depends on PERCUSSION!!

Everyone works hard ne! Coming down for practice and play the best for those parts! Percussion, next time must move more, enjoy yourself more! Percussion must give both listening and visual pleasure to the audience! Percussion let's work towards the best section award!! Bring down the flute section!! gogo!!

Well Done for Competition, Honor Band Concert and RealM Concert!!

Left to right: Fredy, Wai yip, Zhenhui, Sean, Garrett

* Chongmin not in the picture.

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After ALL THESE Section pictures, how can we forget to add in our WHOLE band pics??

















1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Let's do the Hand Sign again!! 1 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! say ONE!!!!






Picture with Lin sheng! See Lin Sheng smile till so Happy!!! :) mssba rocks!!!!!






After the Honor Band Concert, with the that big plaque!

happy, relieved, tired... all on everyone face. You all work very hard! Thank you guys!

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A bit on the concert day:

Those performance picture very blur! haha.. the camera man NO SKILL!!! JOSEPH!!!!!!!!!