On Thursday, 24th July 2008, the SIBF Semi Finals, we competed with 6 other bands from Singapore, Thailand and Hong Kong and emerged as the Top 4 Finalists in the with the score of 89.14%! It was really good!
Then on Saturday, 26th July 2008, the SIBF Finals, we competed with 3 other bands and emerged as the TOP BAND for the whole Open Division!!! ARGH!! let's SCREAM~~~~~~
EVERYONE YOU ALL HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB!!
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It is really unbelievable, I can still remember clearly how we sound like on thursday. It was so scary when our Singapore River was only our 4th day pract. Seriously, it was very miraculous that with only about 5-6 hours of practices on that song, we managed to bring it up for the Semi Finals competition. I guess everyone seriously work very hard to handle this piece. ^^. Good job.
I guess we have very busy schedule this week, Friday was our founder's day dinner and we were asked to perform, so we have wasted one day of practice before Finals. Especially when we are changing and adding new songs to the Finals repertoire.
We could only work on our pieces, Sunshine Breeze March (which was something we have yet to play for like 2 weeks) and Suite on Celtic Folk Song 2nd Movement - Air (which was a new addition).
Seriously, I am VERY proud of mssba because we managed to settle and clear AIR in just 2 hours. It was really impressive. March too, you all have yet to forget those things Mr Chiang and Lin Sheng said. very good.
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This month of July is seriously a VERY tiring month for EVERYONE in the mssba (yesh.. I am DEAD TIRED!). Thank you very much, you all have really done a good job.
[from this part of the blog post onwards is my personal thoughts and feeling for the band, if I have said anything wrong, people you all can just flame me all you want! I don't care since I am just expressing myself]
13th July 2008 was a day I will remember for quite long probably forever. We were awarded a Gold with 81% and 5th position. It was really the most disappointed moments for me and other mssbalumni members. Apparently that was one of the time when I actually felt that we didn't play that badly. Everyone was sad on the way back.. It was a total silence on the bus... with everyone looking so sad. Really very sad. All I heard was some of our whining after that. It was something I have yet to see in mssba. It was a gold yet none of us is really happy. I should say it is NOT about the medal, it is about our %. We as the players think we actually deserved something higher than that (this doesn't mean we are better than any bands, I am NOT making comparison), we just thought we have something nice and deserve to earn more % than just a mere 81%. That week was really horrible, everybody was so DEMORALIZED by the results until all of us know about the actual reason. It was the MOST hard to get over period of time for mssba. Guys, we got through it! good job.
20th July 2008, we went for the NBC HONOUR BANDS Concert as one of the invited bands. We played well and I was really happy to be able to hear that kind of playing from mssba. Even though we may not sound as good as competition day but we played our best at that moment.
24th July 2008, mssba went TRCC for the 1st time to compete with other Open Division bands. It was the scariest performance we have ever gotten. The shell of the hall was removed, it was changed to curtains. you won't be able to hear anyone except for yourself. It was very scary. Everyone seems to be in another world, all I could hear on that day was myself, wai yip and clar (when the soft part), piccolo at the solo... other than that.. I couldn't hear a single thing! Everyone should still remember that. Before the results, we have all prepared for the worst. We have not brought any expectations on us except for being the last band of the day. The results were rather unexpected for all of us. We were in the Top 4 finalists and we are ranked 3rd! That' s something all of us have not expected. At the same time, we got our very own 1st Silver for mssba with a score of 89.14%. According to SYF and NBC standard, this kind of percentage is already Gold with Distinction.
26th July 2008, we have decided to add and changed 2 pieces. We only practice them on the very day of competition does make everyone feel unsafe but no choice. We have to do it. In Esplanade Concert Hall, we competed with the Thailand, Hong Kong and ACSI for the Champion of Open Division. I would like to thank Thailand and Hong Kong band members for wishing us good luck. you all really great people. Seriously very good and well musicians. We may not have known each other but all of us have the same passsion, that's music. Music should be the medium that connects everyone, even in the aspect of competition, Music should be placed first and not about winning the competition. It was a nice experience for mssba to be able to compete along with you guys. really good competitors. The results of the competition is something I myself have never expected. We got the CHAMPION for the Open Division. It was really unexpected.
** please take note comments will not be given by the organizer for the FINALS
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These 4 dates something we have worked so hard for over the past 1 month plus. Everyone has seriously put in a lot of effort to make all these things possible. It was a good effort everyone, even though like what Mr Chiang has said, there are some people who may have given more.
Everyone please do bear in my mind that we are the Champion for this very moment only. After this we are back to square one. Lin Sheng asked me to tell everyone to still remember the passion for music and not too be overly confident. yesh, we should remember that, being a Gold / Top Band is just something that is going to be there for a while. Playing out good music will be our ultimate aim. Audience are our ultimate judges, only when they like our playing and our music, that's when we can finally tell everyone proudly that we have actually played well.
Let us continue to bring our music to the audience in Singapore and outside of Singapore too. Let us continue to play well and improve and excel.
We have improved really a lot in this month of july! I have really heard the improvement in this band. Very impressive improvement. Intonation problems were really getting lesser each day. I am so impressed with EVERYONE OF YOU!
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For all these achievements we have made.. I guess.. we need to thank a lot of people!!!
Lin Sheng (music director): Thank you for coaching and working with us through numerous practices, without you I guess we won't be as good as we sound today. You are really the Magic of mssba! Thank you very much. I hope we have not disappointed you in any way.
Mr Chiang (conductor): Thank you for spending tonnes of practices with us during over the past 1 month plus. It is really not easy having so many bands and still manage your time that well. Really thank you for conducting us. Of course congratulations for having 2 top bands under your belt now! Your baby brought you alot of good luck! haha.
Committee members: It has been a very terrible month for committee too. We have all played our part by contributing to this band, Haryl, Zhen Cheng, Caveat, Clement and Stanley. Thank you for helping in this band. Really good job on whatever things you all have done for mssba.
Soloists: Chien Teng (Chosen + Celtic + Hymn), Hao Siang (Chosen + Celtic), Douglas (Chosen), Alexius (Chosen), Stanley (Hymn), Rasull (Hymn), Daniel (Hymn), Bao Wen (Chosen), Zhen Cheng (Sunshine + Chosen), Chan Lun (Sunshine + Chosen), Alan (Chosen + Celtic), Leon (Chosen), Loo Kit (Chosen), Clement (Chosen), Ronny (Chosen), Ryan (Chosen), Aaron (Chosen), Caveat (Chosen), Lian Wei (Chosen), Ken (Chosen), Wang Xu + Zheng Yi (Chosen), Garrett (Hymn), Wai Yip (Chosen), Zheng Chu (Celtic + Hymn).
did I leave out anyone? Tell me I did! ^^. You guys have really done very well!! Really very well! all of the solos are GOOD! Good job!
Friends of mssba (FOM): Frankie, Rasull, Jeremy, Daniel, Alan, Leon, Loo Kit, Ronny, Lian Wei, Caile, Wang Xu, Zheng Yi. Thank you for helping us! Hope you all have enjoyed playing with us for so many times or years? haha. yeah! Thank you very much.
members of mssba!!: ALL OF YOU! DID A VERY GOOD JOB! Thank you for spending your time on this band, without you all! We won't be able to achieve this kind of results! Seriously, You all are the best!!!! To those A's and O's members, please work hard and study! Come back and play after exams we have more exciting things waiting for all of you! Let's us play together as a band once again!!
One more group of PPL! haha
our Main band members that help us!! : Hendrik, Amos, Ye Rong, Clement, Xin Yu and others, sorry I forgot your names! But you guys help real LOT! haha. you all will definitely get ur CIP hours! haha
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Alumni band will now break for a while before we continue with our plans! So During this break please still remember to practice your instruments!!!
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The upcoming plan for Alumni Band will be as follows. More detailed information will be sent via email!
End of year: Concert (Singapore + Overseas), For the Overseas concert someone (not me.. school side) has actually planned for us, you all should know who.
Next year: 16th World Music Contest. We have been invited by them to participate for this competition again. This time round we will need to play better than the last round!!
For all these upcoming plans, I DO NOT WISH TO LEAVE OUT ANYONE THAT IS IN MSSBA now! As long as you played with us this time round, I will not leave you out! I hope we can play as a band again cause I think all of us really bonded pretty well when playing together as a band!
Let's work hard together guys!!! Let us continue our mssba legacy! ~the legacy continues~
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ONE MORE THING!! Band Dinner. There will be a band dinner coming up, everyone please make sure you are free and attend this band dinner!!! We will msg you all the time and venue! Do take note!! Also for the much long awaited mssba t-shirt! ^^
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fredy chia
maris stella symphonic band alumni
~the legacy continues~
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