SIBF 2010

This past long weekend has more or less revolved around band. Obviously Saturday saw the resuming of RWinds practices, but Saturday was sandwiched between two intensive days of competition. Yep, SIBF, that event that marked a horrendous conclusion to school band life for me returned for another year. However, the differences in the one two years ago and now could hardly be greater (besides the obvious fact that I didn't actually participate).

As compared to the poor playing and low results that marred my own SIBF, the results of the two Raffles bands were spectacular. 1st and 2nd in division, and 1st and 3rd overall, no mean feat. Of course, the results are meaningless compared to the music, but in this too, a high standard was achieved. Perseus brought a lump to my throat, and while Machu Picchu, not having any emotional connection to me, did not quite have the same effect, I could see it was reasonably well played.

Seeing the happy faces of the band members and looking at their high Facebook statuses takes me back, and I wish I could feel the same way somehow. It's just pure passion and exuberance which is hard to come by these days (of course my dream is to instill this in the members of RWinds). I'm also very happy for Mr Oura, as these results probably reflect his own hard work, and I hope that seeing how happy he's made his students has been a just reward for this gift of music which he has given to them.