One interesting thing to note is that other than the Sentosa concert, all of the concert performances I have played in feature a repeated piece (not including guest performances although some of them do actually feature repeats). I've also highlighted, in the more recent performances, what I consider to be either my favourite or the key piece of the concert.
Back in Sec 1, having just been invested into RIMB, our batch got its first performace in the form of:
UNTITLED - Sentosa Musical Fountains, 23rd November 2003
March Spirit
Music For A Ceremony
Selections from The Merry Widow
Do-Re-Mi
Baby Elephant Walk
Omens of Love
My memories of this concert are, by virtue of the fact that it was a good 6 years ago, quite vague, and I'm not sure if that's all that we played (I know it's not in order). I don't remember much, except that I quite enjoyed it. Perhaps that was the spark that kindled my love for band, although it would not be such a fast process.
Fast forward to 2004, as a Sec 2 with a bit more experience. It was a long process, and in the process some of my batchmates left the band, but we ended up with:
Prometheum X - Victoria Concert Hall, 20th May 2004
March Spirit (repeated from Untitled)
Appalachian Overture
Beauty and the Beast
Jalan Jalan
Carmen Fantasy
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Ensembles
Highlights from Chess (Alumni band)
Twelve Seconds to the Moon (Combined band)
Wave
The Hustle
Evergreen 70s
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Gelato Con Caffe
Can't Take My Eyes Off You
This was the first real concert I performed in, and it was quite good. Again, vague memories of this concert, but I do remember some random details, such as my mum's SMS "The encore was obviously a set up, but the best part", and Raphael's "The alumni are playing Chess outside". Around this point, I had begun to enjoy listening to band music and the various recordings. I also began to bond closely with my batch. This batch bonding would be further improved in the run up to the SYF 2009, which included guestplaying for:
Play '05 - Raffles Junior College Multi-Purpose Hall, 18th February 2005
Flight of the Thunderbird
Selections from Der Vogelhandler
---RJCSB's repertoire long since forgotten---
This was not a remarkable performance given the fact that the hall sucked, as Mr Oura put it "no need to hold the last note, the hall will do it for you". We viewed it more as a chance to give the new Sec 2s some performing experience for SYF. SYF that year came and went, as did the Japan trip which I did not attend. Then came:
Unisono - Victoria Concert Hall, 31st July 2005
The Bandwagon
Selections from Der Vogelhandler (repeated from Play '05 and SYF 2005)
---RGSSB's repertoire and Miyazaki Dream Band repertoire not clear but includes:-----
And Then The Ocean Glows (Raffles Girls School Symphonic Band)
Takarajima (Miyazaki Dream Band)
Kaze no Mae (Combined band)
Chiisa Na Sekai (Combined band and choir)
What I remember most about this concert would be singing It's A Small World (in Japanese), carrying the instruments out and about and having fun interacting with the Japanese students. This concert also intruduced me to 3 of the pieces which I would later come to love, ironically none of which we actually played.
Fast forward to 2006, where the school came up with the idea of a combined arts concert, namely:
MyRIad - Esplanade Concert Hall, 28th May 2006
--- Raffles Voices, Raffles Institution Chinese Orchestra, RI String Ensemble, RI Guitar Ensemble and Handicapped Welfare Association repertoire long since faded from memory---
Carmen Fantasy (repeated from Prometheum X)
Highlights from Ragtime
It's A Small World (combined orchestra)(repeated from Unisono)
This would be the first concert I remember clearly, and my first in the Esplanade Concert Hall. As I would soon be leaving Singapore for almost a month, it was quite emotional, as by then my love for the band and my batch was strong. I remember vividly playing my heart out, as Mr Oura even turned and conducted the audience at points, and I remember standing up with a tear in my eye at the end of the concert, giving my batch hugs and watching the band bus/lorry drive off without me. I think MyRIad was important in preparing us for the main event of the year.
At the end of the year, sadly, my time in RIMB came to a close. However, as a sort of Coda to my time in RIMB I had my inaugural concert with the Raffles Winds, which was, of course:
Coda II - Victoria Concert Hall, 28th December 2006
Conzensus
Suite on Celtic Folk Songs
Danse Diabolique
Mononoke Hime Medley (repeated from Investiture 2004)
Overture for Vox Stellarum
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Ensembles (forgotten)
Saxophone Ensemble:
An American in Paris
The Pink Panther
Gulliver's Travels
Tong Hua
Highlights from Les Miserables
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It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
My first concert, in fact my first participation in a band outside of RIMB went very well. I enjoyed meeting the new people, especially the saxophonists who are really a great bunch, I got to know the RJCSB bari sax, which I still love, and the pieces challenged me to improve, all of which I enjoyed. Vox Stellarum was fun, composed by our own Wong Kah Chun, as was Tong Hua... eh wait sorry Tong Hua was composed by Jun'ichi Tanaka. Overall a nice experience.
Sadly, my entry to RJCSB was not as smooth, as I suddenly found myself alone, separated from the batch and band which I loved and being pretty much an outcast for the first half of the tenure. While that did not cause me to quit the band, the stable anchor of Mr Oura grounding me firmly, it did cause the next concert to be rather unsatisfying. That concert was, of course:
A Tempo XVIII - Raffles Junior College Performing Arts Centre, 9th/10th March 2009
Metroplex
La Mer
Kaze No Mai (repeat not counted)
Postcards from Singapore
Miss Saigon
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Ensembles
And Then The Ocean Glows (repeat not counted)(Raffles Institution Military Band)
The Stars and Stripes Forever March (repeated from Prometheum XI)
Norweigian Dances
I Need To Be In Love
Sounds of the 60s
Silver Screen
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Takarajima
This was a forgettable concert, especially the first night, where Mr Oura was not very happy with our playing. The second was better, but still not really satisfying. The fun part was mostly the new pieces, as I enjoyed pieces such as Silver Screen, Takarajima and my favourite march, The Stars and Stripes Forever (I think my recommendation was responsible for it being there). Listening to RIMB was great, though.
There followed a long hiatus in terms of performing, except for SYF and some minor events, and that in fact would be my last concert performance with RJCSB for the year. What happened next, which was all the way in December would be
Junior College Band Festival 2007 - Esplanade Concert Hall, 16th December 2007
Holst Band:
Cancion De Espana
October
Kaze No Mai (again and again)
Lerner and Loewe in Concert
Fennell Band:
Festival March
Prelude, Siciliano and Rondo
Japanese Graffiti XII
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Honour Band:
Festmusik der Stadt Wien
First Suite in E flat for Military Band
Der Traum Des Oenghus
El Camino Real
His Honour March
It is of interest to note that in this concert, the honour band played a piece by Holst (First Suite), Fennell (His Honour March) and a piece with Honour in its title. I was privileged to be in the Honour Band, and enjoyed it greatly. At first glance the repertoire was boring, and given my usual shyness, I thought I would not enjoy JCBF. Boy was I wrong. My section was small, but I got to know them and became friends, and the music turned out to be really good, leading to El Camino Real now being one of my favourite pieces. All in all a wonderful experience.
Concurrent with JCBF, Raffles Winds started up once again under a new resident conductor, Quan Hui, and this led to:
Coda III - Victoria Concert Hall, 26th December 2007
March and Procession of Bacchus (repeated from Prometheum XI)
Foster in my Mind
Morricone's Melody - Gabriel's Oboe
Peterloo Overture
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Global Variations
Ensembles (mostly forgotten)
Saxophone Ensemble:
Laputa - Castle in the Sky
Metro Gnome
Othello
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I Will Survive
Coda III was quite fun too, although it was still not much special, probably because my batch were mostly not involved in playing, nor in the audience. Technically it was ok, but not really impressive. Mainly I enjoyed being back with the alumni, who by then I had grown to know reasonably well. However RWinds was still not yet that major to me. This would, of course change later.
A few months later we had a mini concert to promote our major one in RJ. This was:
Play '08 - Raffles Junior College Lecture Theatre 2, 28th March 2008
Various random ensembles featuring percs and the same old brass quintet from A Tempo XVIII
Beauty and the Beast (repeated from Prometheum X)
Pirates of the Caribbean (repeated from Investiture 2006)
My Heart Will Go On
Shrek Dance Party
This was not really a conventional concert in the sense that it featured a stage play as well. The playing sucked, big time, but for some reason the audience enjoyed it. The concert also featured some insights into the running of the band and some of the notable flaws. Overall, one of the worse experiences in terms of concerts, although not without its enjoyment here and there. The main purpose of this was to provide some publicity for upcoming events.
In June we had the Japan trip with RIMB, leading to
The Second Regular Concert of the Fukui High School Band - Fukui Harmony Hall,
14th June 2008
---Fukui HS Band's repertoire largely forgotten besides 20th Century Fox Theme and Takarajima---
The Bandwagon (repeated from Prometheum XI)
Dance Celebration
Selections from The Merry Widow (repeated from Untitled)
The concert, while technically looking like a disaster next to a Japanese band, was fun and went well, including my interview on stage in Japanese. It was fun playing to a near full house in a nice concert hall, and I enjoyed it immensely. Food was much better than usual too.
And so 2008 came to a close, leading to a 6 month hiatus from band until A Tempo XX in 2009, which hopefully will go well. Coda V and Con Brio II are coming up too, leading to more fun with RWinds, which I have grown to love. All the best for the future!!
The more astute of you will have noticed that 3 concerts are missing from this list. Can you tell which ones?
Prometheum XI - Victoria Concert Hall, 21st July 2006
Silvercrest
Le Carnival Des Animaux
March and Procession of Bacchus
Jalan Jalan (repeated from Prometheum X and National Band Competition 2006)
Overture for Symphonic Band
Carmen Fantasy (repeated from Prometheum X and MyRIad)
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Saxophone Ensemble:
Jazzablanca
The Stars and Stripes Forever
Percussion Ensemble:
Thunder and Lightning
Whistle While You Work (repeated from Band Fiesta)
Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines
The Bandwagon (repeated from Unisono)
Highlights from Ragtime (repeated from MyRIad)
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Army of the Nile (repeated from Band Fiesta and National Band Competition 2006)
Spanish Fever (repeated from Band Fiesta)
This has to be the most significant concert to me of my career in RIMB, and ties for second in terms of overall impact on my band life. Why this isn't first would probably be for musical reasons, the repertoire wasn't that impressive and mostly repeats. However, RIMB was my family, and it felt magical playing on stage, hearing my name mispronounced during ensembles and enjoying the wonderful music. We all thought we wouldn't make it, but in the end it was beautiful, who cares about the technicalities when we all just played from our hearts. Highlights from Ragtime left me in tears at the end, and when we went back to RI, we were all so high when we cheered, and that is a memory I will treasure for life.
You may by now be wondering why the Japan trip is not down here, simply this is because this is a review solely on concerts, and what I loved about the Japan trip was much more than concerts. That, and there's a much longer review in my archives
A Tempo XIX - Esplanade Concert Hall, 26th May 2008
Army of the Nile (repeated from Band Fiesta, National Band Competition 2006 and Prometheum XI)
St Anthony Variations
American Salute
Romanza
Saga Maligna
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Florentiner Marsch
Monument
Titanic Medley (repeated from Investiture 2006)
Utada Hikaru Vocal Selections (aka First Love/Addicted to You)
Jounetsu Tairiku
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Takarajima (repeated from A Tempo XVIII)
Tico Tico (repeated from Random Busking Along Orchard Road)
This concert ties with Prometheum XI for second place in terms of significance to me, but on the other end of the scale. Unlike in RIMB, RJCSB wasn't really a second home to me, although I had some good friends there. It just didn't feel as nice as RIMB was, maybe because of my own failures to put in effort and socialise, and not being in the core of the band as what I was used to was disappointing. I guess my life in RJCSB can really be represented by Saga Maligna, incorporating sadness, laughter, pain, indifference, remorse, hope and despair at various points.
What made the concert special was the scale of it, it was the largest scale concert I've ever played in. The music and standard were all impressive, and the repertoire was brilliant. Army of the Nile and Titanic Medley brought back fond memories of RIMB, Takarajima and Tico Tico left me feeling high and while we didn't play Saga Maligna and Monument as well as we could have, the two pieces, my favourites of the concert, are astounding.
It is somewhat interesting that what I consider to be the best and most significant concert of my band career is also the latest.
Coda IV - Victoria Concert Hall, 30th December 2008
Firework!
Armenian Dances pt. 1
A French Portrait
Highlights from Phantom of the Opera
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Saxophone Ensemble
Canon in D
Diamond State Rag
Percussion Ensemble
Brazillian Street Dance
ABBA Gold (repeated from REACT 2007 and RJC Open House 2007)
In The Mood
Queen's Park Melody
The Seventh Night of July
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Looney Tunes Overture
Simply put, Coda IV has been the best concert of my life to this date. Some of you may be wondering why this concert, not being as technically impressive as A Tempo, is my personal favourite, especially when it's not even a school band, but an alumni band. First off, the repertoire was really to die for, a good mix of classics, familiar tunes and original compositions by certain persons. All the pieces were enjoyable to play and I loved them. Technically, too, the band played better than it had ever done.
If Saga Maligna represents my life in RJCSB, then The Seventh Night of July has to represent my life in the Raffles Winds. The piece is one of my favourites, it's simple and so beautiful, so hopeful, and that's pretty much what life was like in Rwinds - simple and fun, and loving. Even the rather sad part near the end (perhaps representing the problems faced as a librarian) is shot down by hopeful and strong lines from the brass, culminating in the big finish that I love.
Coda IV presented me with the best of both worlds, a technically and musically good concert in a band that I felt a part of, and the feeling that the hard work I had put in had paid off. Overall the concert cycle was the best I'd experienced throughout my RWinds life, and it's going to be hard to match.
You may also be wondering why for the top spot I didn't choose a concert conducted by
That about concludes my review on my curriculum vitae on concerts, Hopefully you have gained something from reading this, even if it's only the knowledge that life in NS is boring enough for me to do this, and if you've read this far, I love you deep deep for it.
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