Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Ok.... Here's some publicity about a Saxophone Masterclass by Professor Vincent Gnojek. The pamphlet / application form can be downloaded from here

Here's some bio and info about him and his activities....

Professor Gnojek is currently the Professor of Saxophone and Woodwind Division Director at the University of Kansas, and is a clinician for the Selmar Company. His educational affiliations have included the University of Colorado, Boulder; Metropolitan State College, Denver; the University of Colorado, Denver; and Mannes College of Music in New York.

His saxophone quartet, the highly acclaimed Harvey Pittel Saxophone Quartet has performed in forty-two states and toured internationally. The Kansas University Saxophone quartet, which he coaches, has won its fifth Annual Student Music Award as Best Chamber Music Group in the United States and Canada.

In addition to teaching, Prof. Gnojek also performs regularly, and has recorded compact discs on Mark Custom Recording with the Harvey Pittel Saxophone Quartet, on the ECM label as a member of Steve Reich's Contemporary Music Ensemble, as the alto saxophonist with the Kansas Woodwinds, and on the Sea Breeze label as the lead alto saxophonist with the Kansas City Boulevard Big Band.

Vince Gnojek will be in Singapore from 13th November to 23rd November, and will be conducting a series of workshops and a masterclass. Workshops include 'How to plan an effective practice routine' and 'Saxophone Intonation'. He will also give private lessons to saxophone students and conduct sectionals. Details can be found in the attachment. Students and schools have discounted rates for the masterclass, workshops and sectionals.

Please feel free to make copies of the form and distribute to your students / friends

Do also forward the mail to all the band instructors you know, and saxophonists as well.

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Time for one of those posts which make no sense whatsoever to everybody. Yea I know I don't have to put it up here, but putting it on paper / screen gives a better perspective. Why not write on paper? Uh... I still want to be able to read it next time. My handwriting's not all that good. Fine... its damn bad.

Well... how to start... I guess its for the best for it to remain this way. Most likely it will jeapodise everything if it ever comes out into the open. Some things are just like that... sometimes its because of time, sometimes distance, sometimes just plain luck. In any case it is really too soon, not that it will help if it happens a year later. Then again perhaps it will, not highly unlikely... I've experienced it enough to know that it will always be in the back of my head. It is all the 'what-ifs' that get to me. Just like an RPG game. I need a save function. Too bad huh... Not that I regret these 2 decisions, I think its fine and the best thing I can do, but how to stop that bitterness? Sometimes its bad being a musician... your heart gets the better of your head at times. No matter how much you rationalise it won't help your heart one bit.
There. I have the answer now.
Doesn't help my heart though.

PS. Free lunch to whoever guesses what I am talking about.
PPS. Free lunch limited to $10 tops.

Monday, October 02, 2006

Well.... its been quite a long time since i last blogged... for good reason too. One of them is of course laziness and procrastination, but the main thing is.... well the main thing is that thing I suppose. Other factors include PS exams, portfolios, assignments, concerts and etc... That said... here goes

Not going to recap my life this past month or so.

Let's discuss some issues ya? First off... Take time to smell the roses. Now this is good advice indeed, even if you are rushing like mad trying to finish portfolios or compositions. Especially for composing, though I always say deadlines create miracles. Sometimes a break in the flow of composing can make the return much more fluid. Besides that, taking time allows for reflection, like what I am doing now. Certain things look silly from a gulf of 10 years, but some things remain the same, and of course certain things make you regret it all over again. (No I don't regret THAT decision for the handful who know what I'm saying). Times like this make you wish you are in a RPG game with lots of save files. Too bad it doesn't happen this way, so the best way is to explore every nook and cranny to discover all the secrets and secret characters in this one go. And don't pick fights with monsters too tough or go exploring where you are not supposed to yet.

Second... Inner peace. How long has it been since any of you sat down and meditated / listened to a CD / read a book / relaxed? Don't think so. I do. This search for inner peace is something that I have been doing for the past month or so, except the reading part. For those who have heard my recent work Peace, you might have an inkling of what it is like. This yearning is a lifelong search, and for those who cannot bear to look for it by themselves, they turn to, forgive me this is my opinion, religion. Not that I don't encourage people to be religious, but what I feel is that religion is for people who need that extra bit of help. I have no doubt that if I had a church or temple or mosque to go to I might be a better person, but I cannot muster enough faith for such a community. Therefore the search is mine and mine alone. Arvo Part's music speaks to me in the exact same way... the searching for peace within. Listen to the Cantus in Memory of Benjamin Britten. The last four bars are rests. Hear it and tell me that those four bars are not what you most desire.

Thirdly... The applause. Ask yourself now. Why do you perform? Why do you stay up all night to touch up on a presentation? Why do you feel apprehensive about people tasting your food? Why do you wear that new dress / shoes / top? Its for the approval of others. Musicians and all other art practitioners will know what I am talking about. There is rarely anything more gratifying than the applause of the audience. Not the polite applause, but the thunderous applause which goes on forever. You feel good when your friends say your cookies are 'super yummy' and smile inwardly when they notice your new dress and rave about how pretty it is. You feel good too when your presentation get the nod of approval. We live for such moments, and when no one is there to give it, we do it ourselves. We congratulate ourselves for having written a nice piece of music, for trying out successfully a new recipe, for finally fitting into the 21 inch mini skirt. Since we want approval so much, why not give it to others? The next time someone does a good job, remember to compliment him. It will brighten up his day instantly.

Fourthly... Reflection is the key to life. That's all there is to it, and classic novelists like Dickens, Eliot, Conrad and many more are masters at reflection. Their observations cut to the core of human behaviour and act as mirrors to whoever opens their books. Read them.

Friday, August 18, 2006

Free handphone ringtone~~

Sign up at this site, and you can get a free ringtone... from any midi or wav file that you have in your com.... only one free ringtone though.....

http://www.phonesherpa.com/home.aspx?af_id=011B431223

Tuesday, August 08, 2006

Indulgz website: www.indulgz.com
unfortunately its still under construction, but you can find their address and tel. no for booking if you need
Nafa Sports Day

Was all right as far as these things go... Telematch, which made me realise even the pointilistic ones have a certain amount of gravitational pull given by F = GMm/r². Also some other details which shouldn't be said here involving what to do with the pointilistic one after she has filled the bottle up. Hint: use your HEAD.

Got saboed up the stage to do hula hoop... like wah lao.. the hoop almost = my waist la.... but I won it through the sheer imbecibility of us modern youngsters who don't know one end of the hula hoop from the other. And the imbecibility of people who don't realise that shoulders keep the hoop from falling off your neck. Anyway. got a small bear and $2 ang pow which was quite ok for a few minutes of onstage ruckus.

Went Indulgz. (read previous post). Guess how many people came along in the van? Few days before the sports day we said ok lets go there to eat. Me Daniel Alan and the semiquavers.
7 of us

Sports day: Laurel and Lianwei decided to come too.

9 of us

Sports day: Midorie and Laurence decided to come along too!

11 of us.

Alan and me in front. (its good to be the driver or the biggest size, or biggest size but one in this case)

9 behind. At 1st i thought laurel and lianwei would be quite a feat already, but we managed the impossible. Its the record for now btw... though for the 1st or 2nd time i had to use my 1st gear.

There's supposed to be a video of them debussing... it better come to me soon!

k.. all of them liked what we ordered in Indulgz, except the honey orange chicken which was just not bad. My aunt liked it though on a separate visit.

Yep thats it.
Its about time for a new update...

Indulgz @ Tan Quee Lan St.

Well this place just opened not too long ago, and guess what, my sec sch friend's the boss. Guess what... I've been there 3 times already. Yep. And quote from the lady boss herself "You've tried almost everything on the menu." Uh yea so I guess that makes me qualified to critique about the food I guess. Try the Stuffed Portabello. That is the one thing you need to try, and also the rib eye steak, and the really really good brownie and ice cream. Right.. about the stuffed portabello, its juicy and flavourful, the stuffing with the right about of spices (rosemary my favourite). The greens were done nicely too but just a tad on the oily side, but its not scary oily. The mashed potatoes are mashed every morning by the chef and you can taste the chunks in it. Best mashed potatoes in my opinion. The rib eye steak was fabulous too. the steak itself is marinated well and there isn't a need for any sauce to go along with the steak. The brownie oh my god the brownie! Its crispy on the outside but really soft and HOT inside. Almost melts in your mouth. Add delicious vanilla ice cream.... WOOT! Other favourites (not only mine but all the ohter people i brought there, including family) include the crispy pasta - a creation of the chef, the double cabonara, with double the sin. (Some say you can triple it too if you really want it!) potato salad made with fresh potatoes (think crunchy), cheese fondue with lots of wine, dark choco fondue.

Going there again next sat I think. Gotta get me the brownie again!!!

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

wah lao 2nd update today... miraculous or what??

Anyway... so for history see... we had to do this aleatoric piece... so we came up with... Aleatoric Recitative! It worked surprisingly well considering we thought of the idea on Monday, 'composed' it on Monday, and rehearsed it half an hour before lesson. (Sure hope someone doesn't read this) We even had our own fan club coming to hear us ok. Thanks Semiquavers haha Oh I have your rough design ready too...

The piece is actually quite simple, 5 of us wrote cards with instructions or text, about 10 each, but being the kiasu singaporeans we are most of us did more than ten... so we had around 60 cards... Shuffle, distribute evenly, and follow instructions as drama-mama as you can! Kitty was on the piano, playing her continuo for us... ET said she'd try to get this performed in platform hahaha. Hope it comes true!

Oh today's german class was a learn by doing method, but i still can't remmeber what gamelan in german stands for, kudos to sweat, heavy, tired, hot.... hmmm must not be a good method for us.
MEWOO~ UPDATE!

ISME trip: (let's face it most of you won't understand this post.. and only 3 others will TRULY understand it)

bloopers first....
1. SOME clever person forgot to check his passport, and turns out it expired so he couldn't come. Fortunately for us.... we don't need a horn player.

2. Van was JUSTTTTTTTTTTTTT nice for us, meaning that it was just short of squeezy. Especially with that @#*@#(*&(*#($* big thing we had to wheel around hahaha. Though it did serve us well as a trash holder and table top

3. VIDEO of YOU KNOW WHO sleeping! This is priceless I tell you.... Get it from me if you haven't seen it!

4. Hotel didn't have superior rooms for us superior beings.... so we waited for around 1+ hours before they realised hey... these guys aren't just superior.. they are deluxe sized! Must be the FAT LADY that they meant. Can't be me... nuh uh... And so we got deluxe rooms... each! Again, pictures available for ye who asketh.

5. ISME admin is as good as ..... you know... , if not better. quote the left hand dunno wad the right hand is doing unquote

6. No place to put instruments after our sound check. Had to cart them back to our hotel. or wheel in some cases... luckily the hotel is a stone's throw away only... (hope they don't see the broken window when I tried)



Hilarious stuff:

1. Face mask + bath robe + turban + push-up video + mouth full of fish sticks = breathless laughter for 2 hours. Breathe! Breathe! you pointilistic thing! Breathe!

2. Do NOT allow your friends to have a video camera when you are asked to dance. All camera phones and digicams should be locked up and thrown into the ocean.

3. Definitely have a digicam with video function when on a van ride with 60s music and a sleeping girl. (Don't even go there! I know what you guys are thinking!)

4. "Lust has a new meaning".... "Style has a new something".............. so on and so forth. Whoever guesses what car is being promoted on this advertisement tag on the tagboard. Prizes for winner! No not open to the ones who watched Pirates in Tanjong GV. Hint: It made most of us Singaporeans almost unanimously choke on our drinks... if we had any that is...

5. Wench cards!!!! Best thing since roti prata!


Right... anyway, the trip was really fun... we didn't get to see much of the convention, cos we were busy researching. The performance itself was great! Good job all performers! The audience liked our music too... Singapore music is going international baby!

Oh apparently Semiquaver No. 1 heard some story about needles in cinema chairs and made us all check for needles before sitting down or we might get HIV.... uh.. malaysia that is, not singapore. Don't freak out.

Impiana Hotel is great... I'd stay there again if i ever go KL, and if i have that much $$$$

kk... too long post already...
Out.

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

Well well..... another update! Dun play play... so many updates from me! Yep here it is! A brand new update!
Er ya... update!

Let's see.... Today..... I was like the 4th person to get to CT + D II la... like wah lao!! how can!!! Somemore is OSIM and Pointilistic lo! Usually they like the latest la! Then of course Lady Nought was there already... Man... I'm getting later and later..

Then Pointilistic ask me go storeroom with her search APNN's box for her books cos she can't see into it cos she altitudinally challenged... then guess wad... OSIM volunteered la hahahaha. Pointilistic was like ' er... you only like a few cm taller lo!' hahaha

Anyway I graciously went to help her get her books.

Btw... she came to school with her hair untied. AARRUGUGHHGHGHGHHGUGHH!!! er ok la not that scary but AARGUGUHGGHGUHGH scary. okok maybe jus AARUGHGH scary...

Ahem.
Out.

Oh... Lady Nought starts and ends her emails really voguely. Therefore as of now I'm known as No. 4, sometime Duke of Tenoria, sometime recently 'appointed' and hopefully soon to be released acting leader, under Lady Nought of the C.H.A.M.B.E.R choir, sometime jester and gesturer of the CT + D II modulus, sometime penguin, sometime image consultant of semiquavers.

Choose one. Don't add on to it.

Thursday, July 06, 2006

Musicians are a funny breed... and over imaginative too...

Scene 1: Early morning on Wed.. Ms Pointilistic had to print handouts for CT + D II.... Apparently in the music tech room the APNN and her and the Mimi were imaging some impossible scenario involving flooded papers and overturned penguins. And laughing their heads off.

Scene 2: WWWEEEAAAAAAYYYYYAAAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO + hand gestures + uncontrollable right hand

Uh ya.... pretty much in code. obviously intended for people who can understand them... and who are probably laughing by now.

Sunday, July 02, 2006

Been forever since I last blogged... Hats off to those who keep looking but not finding new posts.. I promise to put up more blogs! At least er once a week ya haha

Wonder if my friends from Korea and all over still read this.. hmmm hope they do~

Well recently nothing much has been happening, thus the lack of entries (and laziness)

Er.... and those that has happened has happened way to long ago for me to remember and to write down...
So er... look out for the next post soon i hope..
Band tomorrow... i'm sure there'll be something to write about it.

Oh and Collusion was quite a success! Thanks to all those who made it possible!

Sunday, February 26, 2006

HAH! finally i'm posting something.... actually cos i'm bored with orchestration (and stuck somewhat) and dunno wad else to do... Not started on my symphony and essay presentation yet either... hmmm... Saturday went to PS try to watch rumour has it.. sold out siah.... den didn't have anything to do! grrr.. And Friday was ugh..... cos my ______________________. (PC blog.. so cannot write). Oh and someone had a really racidal composition... Actually a few people.... drama-mama.... chr_______... downright cheesy.... you know... In the midst of the most happening piece i got an idea for the most not-PC piece haha! Look out for it in the not so near future.. but will be completed AND recorded before my PS exam of course :P

Singapore is still too hot...
Korea~~~~~~

Sunday, February 19, 2006

well... now that i'm back here in Singapore..... i think i'll keep the blog still... so uh... keep reading the blog.. and TAG ME! this means.... leave me a message....

Sunday, January 08, 2006

Chain's birthday.

Belated celebration cos it was near new year and everyting else was happening. We went to this bbq place that Mele brought us the other time... and basically ate the same things cos they were all so nice... then drank a new soju that's abit stronger than the samsachung in the previous entry, but tastes almost the same.. we still prefer samsachung though.. then after dinner we went to norebang.... (karaoke) and sang for 1 hour... their system here is by hour... so strange... anyway sang happily and i found tons of japanese songs there! i think i'll go back there by myself very often hahaha.. even anime theme songs and ending songs can be found wooo! Too bad we only discovered this place now.... Well i think i'm the only one excited about the find. Then we went to a pub... and drank and drank and drank. Chain kept ordering more... in the end 5 of us (rudy chain me tham and jinju) drank 8 bottles of soju... and bernard ordered some manjo soju.. ewww... jinju said it tastes like what her mom gives her when she has a cold. so Bernard drank that himself... Then all drunk, we went back to the dorm... but falling down drunk... still can walk straight but head feels heavy.. when i got back to the dorm i changed and plopped down and slept... forgetting that we asked jinju to call me when she got home cos she's scared the taxi driver might kidnap her. (we had to memorise the taxi licence plate too) She called after i fell asleep and i think i managed to say something like ok good you're home... well good night... and then back to sleep...
New year.

New year we went to the National Theatre for this er celebration if you want to call it that. Started at 10.30.. in the concert hall. Free somemore... just collect tix onli.. Well they had all the traditional performances and some pop songs and acapella group (they were good), but the best ( i think) was the drum dance.. there were like about 50 of them on the stage (men and women) and they were playing on those drums on 3 sides of them, and dancing and everything.. Very well coordinated and very exciting... Then we went out into this big open place where they set up some pyre of green bamboo.. people write wishes on paper and tie on it.. and just before midnight they lit up the entire thing! i have the entire video (17 min) on my computer.. who wants can ask me for it... We (well actually I) brought up 4 bottles of this soju (korean wine for those who forgot) called samsachung... very very nice. I'll bring some back to singapore definitely.. to give away of course. We drank there and cheers everyone we knew haha.. even those we don't reallt know... or rather i don't know.. but the others knew... then now all slightly tipsy we went to this playground and acted like kids.. actually.. even worse than kids.. all shouting and playing on the swings and see saw and slides and everything. We also called up Jinju, Jiwon, Mr. Jang and another collegue from the International exchange team and screamed happy new year to them. Well... Jiwon was asleep when we called her but she woke up.. Mr Jang (as we found out later) was very happy and told the entire team that the first words out of his mouth this year was in English! (Happy new year of course). Jinju was on her way to some beach to catch the first sunrise of the year and was about to fall asleep. The other collegue thought it was a prank call and hung up fairly fast.

After that we went back to Hyehwa, where we bought more soju, and went eating at this place called Bibimpa.. Then we went back to the dorm... and knocked on everyone's door and offered them a shot of the soju! haha well the arts administrators (except one) had a drink, and the other students here had some too.. then we sat in the lobby and chatted till 5am and then we went to sleep.
Now for the real update...

Last I left all of you with the birthday cliffhanger, we passed Christmas, New year and Chain's birthday. Let me update you one by one.

Christmas.
Had a party on the 23rd at Jinju's friend's cafe. We (bernard chain and me) bought lots of food there... cos the others had lessons till 5 and don't have time to do so. We got tonkatsu, sausages, er... lots of chips and cheese and crackers and vege for salad.. Also got pasta and tuna and pasta sauce and mushrooms... cos Ernest said he would do the cooking. Didn't get drinks cos that's part of the arrangement... we had to get drinks (aka liqour) from the cafe itself. so they don't make that much a loss by not opening to the public for one night. Well the party was quite cool... first we had to wait like 1 hr for all the food to get cooked but it was ok.. we generally talked and played cards (i'm the only one with a pack of cards. and did i mention that it cost me S$20???) Rudy knows how to play Russian poker.. so surprised.. but he's the only one who knows. For those who don't know what the hell that is, its the game u see when you watch 'Gambling God' and stuff like that...

Anyway... the food was nice... crackers and cheese with tomatoes and cucumber, nachos with salsa dip, tuna pasta in olive oil and tomato sauce pasta with ham and mushrooms... and a very big bowl of salad... which we didn't finish.. Then we played King game again... or Queen (Quin) game as Jinju likes to put it.. Anyway this collegue of Jinju came, and she got to be King (queen) twice, which culminated in Bernard nearly kissing Jiwon and Chain, and Ernest kissing Bernard, and me dropping Jinju on the floor like a ton of bricks. We drank 2 bottles of red wine and some beer as well...

And then that was about the end of the party... oh yea we had a cake too... with snowmen and reindeer on it haha.
haven't been updating for a while as most of you know...
2 reasons.

1. Daily entries of Wake up, breakfast, go learn danso, gayageum, changgu, go seoul arts center watch dvds, dinner, online, sleep. are not exciting and can be boring after a while

2. Any place you are in you get used to in a month or so. Why don't you try updating your life daily and tell me how that feels.

PS. The tagboard is a sign that I'm still alive and kicking. Post a tag and I will get back to you.