Alright just two more concerts for the semester! Been an educational run for the orchestra so far under Lim Yau; seen and heard it progress. Still a long long long way to go but at least we're moving forward and hopefully it'll continue to be that way. Some really interesting upcoming projects next academic year and hopefully I'll get to play in all of them! Muahahahaha! But really, it's my final year and I'd really really really like to play for that one more year in the orchestra, even if it's not those pieces that are rumoured to be planned. Although this orchestra has tested my patience (in all honesty), it still is somewhere that I hear really beautiful music from my peers and lecturers and I'm still inspired by them at every rehearsal. So just one more year. Alright, time to get some uninterrupted sleep. Goodnight world!

Had quite a good day's rest today! By rest meaning doing nothing at all related to studying! No practice, didn't do my history which I did intend to do (oops), just watched orchestra videos and Top Gear and cleaned my horn. Tomorrow work starts again. History will really be started, some practicing needs to be done for Hungarian March and Brahms 1 excerpts and some score searching to be done as well. Alright, time to get myself cleaned and probably bedtime or more orchestra videos! =P Goodbye world!

Long day just passed. In fact, past 2 days have been long. Totally felt like orchestra camp! Haha! Oh well, today was 2 NAFA Orchestra rehearsals and OMM read of La Mer. Really cool stuff! Managed to find some time after OMM to practise excerpts, like finally! Haven't been practicing for at least 2 days! The good thing is that my weekend is pretty much free! Gonna spend it practicing and also starting on my history essay...again. Yup another history essay to do! Right, that's all for now. Goodbye world!

Not so good practice day today. Lots of things didn't function mechanically. Struggling to find notes, poor flexibility, inefficient..the list goes on. Felt it starting yesterday during the concert but now when I'm back to practising it just sucks. Oh well, all the best for tomorrow I guess. And my pen(cil)!!! It's not found today. Hopefully they give one more shot at it tomorrow! Please please please let it be found!

What a disastrous weekend really. Had to tolerate to 2 days of low-level music and I lost my pen(cil). Hopefully it'll be found tomorrow at ACS(B). I think it's not fair to say the music was bad, but the effort put in was just not good enough for me. Haiz ok, me again. Everytime, it's just about me. Screw this man...

This concert will not go into my "performed-repertoire list" that I keep. It's almost like I never played for the SNYO. Shall just move on. I'm not sure if I'll have to tolerate more of such things for the next concert I'm playing. I really hope not. Please guys, put in effort, show you care. Please

Guess I need sleep to cool off. Goodnight world

Loved how I managed to turn cold chops into useable ones today! Was a great feeling! Accomplished!

Yup today was a good day actually! NAFA Orchestra rehearsal went well! Focus was there, minor glitches but if we keep this up, the concert will be much much much much more enjoyable! =)

Lesson with Kevin Thompson...hmm...I really wish there could be more out of it. I mean, playing one full concertino and something like 6 or so excerpts in 30 min without comment? Not really good...

SNYO rehearsal was usual. And speaking of that, it seems like there's a lot of leaving and joining in the orchestral trombone scene this year! Lots of auditions going on, people resigning, new players taking their seats. Well, I myself will resign from the Singapore National Youth Orchestra after this Sunday's concert. I just feel I can put my time to better use and I'm glad I didn't face much resistance from anyone about this. My hope right now is to continue performing as much in the local orchestras but at the same time, I want to gain something good out of the experience. I'm aiming my sights at The Philharmonic Orchestra right now. Won't be involved in their upcoming project which is the Beethoven Piano Concerto cycle with Lim Yan but there are plans to do Brahms 4 in the fall and that will be really interesting! Really looking forward!

One other thing to look forward to is NAFA Orchestra's project next year, Beethoven 9! Really hope I get the seat for that project! I just remember constantly listening to this work when I first told myself I wanted to do music as a career back in 2009. Everytime I took the long journey to the northeast (almost 2 hours), I'd put on Beethoven 9. A major excerpt for bass trombone in that work too! Excited!!

Seems like life has much to look forward to after all the things I predict I'll be missing. That just put a smile on my face! =) Alright, that's all I have for now, goodnight world!

Just found my new inspiration today to play with good, open, warm, stable sound: Fill the space with sound! I guess I got it from brass class yesterday when David mentioned about room sizes and how it affects the sound you produce especially in terms of projection. That concept just totally helped me today when I practiced and in SNYO rehearsal. Shall try it in NAFA orchestra rehearsal tomorrow. Oh well, time to sleep. Goodnight world!

Another week gone by. Today it didn't really feel like I went through two performances during the week actually..haha! Today was a relaxing lunch at Mr. Lim Yau's place for a TPO gathering. I just thought, with me seeing Lim Yau and being in his orchestra all this while, that aura that most people describe as "scary" or "intimidating" just goes away. It just becomes more open between Lim Yau and those who work under him more often.

About 2 more months to the repertoire exam. About 8 weeks. Need to start allocating my time on what I'm supposed to practise and get done academically as well. Yesterday was quite a bad day for my playing. Just didn't feel right. Must start getting back into shape tonight and cannot lose it! Should start trying to get more performance opportunities as well.

Starting to feel sleepy...sian...must practise tonight!!

Think I just experienced a short-circuited mind today. Very dangerous and irrational thoughts ran through, can't really focus on anything, then blank out and feels like a reboot. Really, all these were going through. I guess it all stems from caring too much unnecessarily. I don't know, it has been pointed out to me so many times...I guess it's inheritance. Oh well, typing this hasn't helped much, I shall go to sleep now and hope for at least a clearer mind tomorrow for the performance. Goodnight world

Where do I draw the line?

Another week gone by. Was definitely quite productive! Found myself a routine that keeps me in shape at the very least. Really love it! Has a exercise out of Thompson; Teele exercises, slurs with crescendo and diminuendo, articulation exercise and scales. Now my aim shall be to make my routine sound better everyday!

Next week is kinda performing week for me. Solo on Tuesday and with NAFA Wind Band on Wednesday. Do catch those! Alright, time to meet some people for the night. Goodbye world!