Tuesday, February 12, 2008 @8:27 AM
“You better not be late for practice in the afternoon later!” reminded Hassinah, my Sec 3 senior for the year 2007.
“Okay, I will not bee late but I will be early… Is that okay?” I replied.
Tonight is the concert we had been practicing hard for… Metior 7. We had been rehersing the pieces since the start of March and I really hope our performance will be a success. This concert is a mixture of drama, art and music. Drama representing the skit which is going to be performed, art representing the whole item regarding the word itself. Lastly, music represented by the concert of our concert band. Since the concert starts at 7.30pm, the band members are supposed to reach by 2.20pm. we were very enthusiastic about this show we were going to put up.
I play the instrument Oboe, which is a woodwind instrument. Most bands only have one or two Oboist because an Oboe is already very loud. We are going to play a total of seven pieces, two of the pieces are going to have two ex-seniors performing solos. The songs we are going to play were Ross Roy, Ave Maria, Someone to watch over me, Bunga Sayang, Carnival, A Christmas Festival and School Song.
After reaching the band room, I set up my instrument and settled down with the rest. Attendance was taken and we started to warm up by blowing a few notes and tuning. After and hour, we started helping the percussion section moved down their heavy instruments. For your information, it is really heavy. I didn’t know how to carry the other instrument other then the one they were going to use for the song, Bunga Sayang. The conductor wanted us to rehearse the songs in the Multi Purpose Hall, so after we finished helping the percussion moved their instruments, we moved out instrument and stands. Should I known my file was so heavy if I carried it with my stand, I would have cleared it when I brought it home.
It was 5.30pm and we went back to the band room to rest awhile. Then the Seniors explained the procedure to us. The first half of the concert, which was namely item one, is for the drama, dance and other Cca to perform, while the rest of the show which is item two, the whole stage belongs to us, the band members. We were told to get ready by 7.30pm and meet in the band room and those who want to get changed will get changed by 8pm. Those who get changed before 8pm may rest in the band room till the interval is finished and every audience is back at their seats in the Hall.
Then, when everyone got settled down, we rise to greet the audience. Once we sit down, the conductor raised his hands to start his tempo. We started out with Ross Roy. The smoothing effect was good, from what I heard that is. Next, we played Ave Maria, I kind of miss the solo at one of our part and my senior tried to cover for me, and luckily the flutes took over for me by increasing its volume. After that, Someone to watch over me, by an ex-senior, then Carnival, also by an ex-senior. The Mc did not announce the next song because it was all arranged. We played Bunga Sayang and later the Mc then announced. After that, we played the last song for the night, A Christmas Festival, which consists of lots of Christmas songs. Then, and encore was played… which is Shrek Dance Party. At the last part, where we played YMCA, the entire performer, excluding the band members, went up to the stage because the next item is the School Song. After playing the School Song, some of the band members meet up with their family and some got flowers.
After that, everyone helped the percussion section move the instruments and the platform back to the forth storey. It took about five to seven people to move the platform. When we had moved finished all of the instruments, we moved the chairs. After everything is done, they briefed us on our performance that day, and was quiet an achievement made by us. It was also very depressing because this is the last performance we are playing with out Sec 4 Senior. I had really enjoyed myself through this day.
This is a memorable day, I would keep this incident close to my heart, even when I leave this concert band, I will never forget this day.