NTU band concert

The concert was quite a good one, at least improved from last year's concert.

I could have to be more strict about balance of the band.

Some comments of the concert. Their impression of my music is still very technically and less emotion?

I always believe, emotion or musicality must stands on the base of proper rhythm, melody and harmony.

At this moment, the band is the one of the best band in Singapore but can we keep this level longer or even better than now?

Let's start from now!

My teacher: Mr Lee

I have few teachers in Singapore.
They taught me not in any school but taught me a lot of thing.

My first teacher in Singapore was Mr Lee, conductor of Crescent Girls' School Band at the time. He is not only one of the pioneer band conductor in Singapore, He is a really fantastic musician, conductor and teacher.

Whenever I was free, I went to his school and watched their rehearsals and talked to him during break. We sat in the school canteen, had some copi (never let me pay....) We discussed about music, problem of teaching students etc. He even asked me to go to his house to continue talking. From conversation with him, I really learn how to tech music here and that made me more confident.

"Patience" was his key of teaching bands.
I'd never observed he scolded girls, or any used nasty words. He explained what's wrong and let them repeat again and again. So his band always played very good music with beautiful sound.

And now, many of his students are leading music scene in Singapore as teaching bands or playing music as professional.

Quarrel and Fight

It was in 1988, at Kuochuan Presbyterian, SYF was just around the corner.
Usually we had our practice in the band room, but that day I wanted to do sound check in the school hall. We book the hall and brought all the instruments and everything from band room.
After we started warm up about 30 min. students stopped to play and greeted this fierce looking auntie.
"Good Morning. Ms donnoe"
The woman ordered students to go back to the band room, because she wanted to see some dance group.
I told her the band booked the hall early and we need to do this sound check for SYF.

"I didn't know about it but the band should practice in their own room, I want to see dance now" Ms donnoe said.
"Anyway, Mr. Conductor do you know who am I?" Ms donnoe asked.

"Ahhhh Dance Instructor or something?" I answered.

"I am Principal of this school, Go back to the band room now!!" Ms donnoe cried.

"I am Conductor of this band, I need to do this sound check now, and if I get out of here now I am not going to the band room, going home. and won't come back forever."

I was very young.
sigh

March 31st, 1987

March 31st, 1987 My first step to Singapore.

"I am going to change band scene here, people will be grateful of my presence.
After all, I am going to teach only 3 years."

Really I was thinking this way, and one year later ought to change my way of thinking.
and I am still learning, learning how to teach band, how to communicate with young people.


ECA(CCAB) asked me to teach 2 schools at first, Yuang chin Secondary school and Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Secondary school.

Yuang Chin band was brass band and very supportive principals.
I really thought I can improve this band to the top band in Singapore in anytime.

Started Japanese style of training, forced them to run the field and immediately play long tone for scales and again ......
Went down to the school yard to play interval, crashed cymbals for 100 times (I used to do that 1000 times in Japan)
One year later band size was reduced from 60 to 40 plus. But I was still thinking that those pupils who quite the band was the loser, I will get good result with these band members.
April 1988 , my first SYF, result was Silver.

I couldn't believe it and still thought judges are something wrong.

Next day went listen to another band performance at SYF. (This was the first time listen to the Singapore band)
I knew WHO was the one something wrong. It's ME!

Some of the Band played really well, especially still remember RGS played "Hurricane" was the really the performance of the day. Of course I never imagine have to teach this band 15years later.

That was the day I restarted my learning journey of teaching band in Singapore.
My second home town.