Hello readers! Been a while, or so it feels. Theory exams are finally over! Really glad because now I can focus on my repertoire exam.

It just feels I've been out of touch with my technique for a while. Even though I feel I've gotten back to focused technique practice after the string of ensemble performances I played, it doesn't seem to show now. My slide technique actually deteriorated, but that probably was because I tried another slide grip. I'm back to my previous grip which I find has so much more ease and accuracy. My articulation still is not good, something I really have to work on. Loud dynamics ain't good too. Really, I haven't felt this sense of being overwhelmed by technical issues in a while. I'm glad it is pointed out to me 2 weeks before my exam. Have slightly less than that to work on technique as much as I can and after that it's run throughs for at least 3 days.

Holidays will be a busy time for me. I hope to be able to start studying German. Just calculated, it'll take me 110 weeks to get to level B2 which is the requirement to study in UdK in Berlin. That's pretty much a tad over 2 years. Really long time so yup, need to start now! Driving lessons should start too but I'll read up more on that later. Other than that, 2 OMM concerts, brass band, Brass Explosion competition, Venus Transit performance @ NUS, OMM tour will be my playing projects. I also intend to compile exercises which I find most useful and make a exercise book out of it using Sibelius which I just bought! So yes, lots to work on during the holidays. In no time, I'll be in my third year at NAFA. Should be quite a journey.

Alright, eyes are closing, time to sleep. Goodnight world!

Just watched a good recording of Beethoven's 9th on okto by the Vienna Philharmonic! Fantastic stuff! Can't wait to play that next year with NAFA if it's confirmed!

Academic work over! Academic lessons over! Now time to focus on practice! Long awaited time to get back in shape for my exams. Practice was productive today so yup, on for more tomorrow!

Alright that's all for now. Goodnight world!

Long time has passed since the last post. Orchestra concert went ok. Some good stuff here and there. Gonna ask Hans for the video. Attended quite a lot of concerts in the past week actually; my students from Greenridge and Dunearn, EDQ and NAFA Horns. Really happy to see my students so eagerly put up concerts. For me, I'm really happy and feel warm when I see them enjoying themselves and also having such big support from their schoolmates and teachers. Also, these concerts are for their respective school's pocket money funds, so it's great that they are performing for a charitable cause! EDQ and NAFA Horns concert had lots of good stuff but being me I naturally expect more. I really hope the scene continues to improve and years down the road it'll be more common to hear good music in the local concert halls.

With all honesty, I haven't been really satisfied with any of the ensembles I've been performing with recently, except OMM. I can't say for sure if my expectations are high. All I simply ask for is for people to care for their parts. Care for its rhythm, pulse, articulation, dynamics and pitch. Care for your sound in relation to the ensemble, intonation, togetherness. These are the basics we all have to grasp as much as possible. Other really important things are to adapt to new tempi, intonation, articulation, style, nuances and to admit when you're wrong. I find myself not performing at my best when I play with people who simply don't care. I know it's an excuse but it just puts me off to that point. I'm not perfect, but I do show care, do my best to be open, offer as much help as possible but if one doesn't help himself by caring, how can others help? If this passes off as arrogance, fine, I can always just shut my mouth, probably walk away or something. I've resigned from the various ensembles because of this reason. This gives me extra time to become a better player for the ensembles that demand that high level of playing, and saves me the frustration of hearing stuff from people who don't give a damn and worse still, think they play not just right, but good. Really irritating.

Ok, rant over. Now to move on to cool myself down. I'm really enjoying the times we spend now. I understand more now and that really saves me a lot of headache. I just hope it gets better and we can really enjoy ourselves!

Alright, that's all for now. Will be performing tomorrow with the trombone quartet. It'll be part of a chamber music exam and repertoire hasn't been confirmed as it'll only be picked by the jury on the day itself. Honestly, I'm not recommending this concert but if you're interested, feel free to drop by. Ok that's really all. Goodnight world!