Wanted to go down to RI to set up, as usual, but this time I went straight to VCH (after lunch and stuff at Raffles City), due to my video camera. I went over at 1, but had to wait a while with Jerald, Hillary and David for the hall to open up. Once it did, I went over, set up the camera stuff and waited for rehearsal to start.
Not much happened during rehearsals, although the ensemble rehearsals (particularly for Canon in D) were exhausting. Also, the dinner, intelligently, contained chilli. I don't know why pre-concert dinner always contains the stuff that tends to affect wind players, but...
So at 7:15, the stage was set and we were all ready for the first piece, which was:
Firework! Yeah there's only one firework for some reason. I think this piece was a good concert opener, but we didn't do it very impressively. I think a bit more energy would be good, but still this piece was done decently.
Armenian Dances was next and I think we did it really well, despite its difficulty. The audience appear to have a good impression too. I started out this Rwinds cycle not really liking this piece, but it's grown on me. Rushed a little here and there, but overall this piece was one of the nicest in the concert.
Phantom of the Opera was one of the bigger pieces of the concert, and Yanlong's first. Overall this piece was a little messy here and there, but for the most part it sounded ok. Again, the band seemed to play this with much emotion and passion, which I'm sure the audience must have felt too.
Intermission for me was a short one because I had an ensemble coming up. Unlike Coda 3 a substantial number of people actually came looking for me, which I appreciated a lot.
Our saxophone ensemble went up on stage to perform the first of two pieces namely:
I think you can figure out the name of the song from the picture, so I'm not going to repeat it here. The hardest piece for me in the concert, also the most boring, repeating the same thing 10-20 times is not fun. Still, we did ok.
We next did Diamond State Rag, a rag based on the state of Delaware in the USA. Compared to the previous piece, this one was fast, lively and fun, and I liked it a lot.
After that we had the percussion ensemble, then the whole band gathered back on stage for:
ABBA Gold! Yeah way back from REACT ensuring that the tradition of my concerts always having a repeated piece continues. This was quite ok too, a good, fun song to play and it brought back memories of the good times of 2007.
Our next piece, arranged and conducted by Yan Long, was In the Mood, a very fun swing song that got me high. I've got the melody for the most part, and it was really enjoyable to play. Everyone was getting high so to cool down we had:
Queen's Park Melody, which was a really nice and relaxing piece. Very "band", as Mr Oura would say. The second half of the melody was really soothing and melodic, and I really like it.After that, we had acknowledgements, including Ms Lim Lai Cheng, principal of "Raffles Institution". We also thanked the band teachers for "supporting the band in every way possible". Finally we came to our last piece which was:
The Seventh Night of July is a really great piece, telling the tale of two lovers separated by a galaxy who can meet but once a year. I fell in love with the piece almost as soon as I heard it, and as I mentioned earlier, my highest aspirations for the concert were pinned on this piece, especially this one part near the end which really gets my emotions going. I am proud to say that I was not disappointed, we did beautifully. It filled my heart with joy to hear the faster parts, and the slower parts were so melodious and beautiful I almost cried. The finale gave me an epic rush of emotion that I will probably never feel again. I know, technically we didn't play as well as, say, Kosei, but the emotions I felt there more than made up for it.
Our encore piece was Looney Tunes Overture, and judging from the video we were all happy while we played it, and feeling the happiness of the music and seeing the smiles on everyone's faces made the whole concert complete.
After the concert, because I was unable to obtain transport home from school due to car troubles, I left for dinner at a nearby Golden Arches and proceeded home.
Well, 6 months of hard work have paid off for me, and for the rest of the band. Ticket sales soared to a record high, and the hall was fuller than ever. The concert went off without a hitch and of course, the band and the conductors did marvellously. I must especially thank the committee, especially Amir, and the two conductors for all the work they've put in.
As to why I find this concert a particularly memorable one, I have to say that I felt more for this concert and the pieces than I have ever been able to feel since Prometheum XI. When I played for A Tempo XIX, it was great, but somehow I couldn't feel anything for the music, try as much as I did. I just played, that was all. For this concert, maybe it's because I invested more into it, I felt it was more of my concert, our concert. Whatever the reason, I could actually feel the music, put my all into it, enjoy the fast and happy songs and release as much passion and energy as I had in the beautiful melodies that made up this concert, especially in the 7th Night of July.
I'm going to miss RI's band room, the place I've been having pracs at least twice a month since 2003, and of course, the Varese room. Also my dear instrument, which has been a close friend of mine these two years. Hopefully I'll see them, as well as the great people that made up this Rwinds, again next year. Onward to Coda V!
