Thursday, March 31, 2011
Our dancers' SYF is over and they've collected their results. Sadly, they didn't get their well-deserved Gold. (Everyone, go give your dancer friends a hug and tell them they're awesome k?)
The point of this post isn't to announce their results, but to encourage all of you guys to look at the dancers and reflect. The amount of effort they had put in is way much more than ours. Really. It's worrying because it still seems like everyone's STILL not in the SYF mode. Pay attention to the new rules that were implemented.
1. No using of phones during practice time.
2. No doing doing homework/ studying/ reading during practice time.
3. Automatically sit half chair and maintain silence throughout the practice.
Everyone, do remind your friends if they forget to follow these rules. It's up to all of us to ensure our progress.
19 days to SYF. Please continue to do your best!
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
20 more days to SYF. 5 more practices (excluding self prac) to SYF.
If up to this point, you guys are still not serious and eager about it, I don't know what else I can say to motivate all of you already.
Performers, reserve players, helpers. It doesn't matter what role you play, you're a part of TMSCO. All members are important and we all play a vital part in achieving our goal for SYF. Please. Please encourage each other not to give up.
Please note that all reserve players will have to come for EVERY PRACTICE as well. You guys are receiving the exact same points as performers and are extremely important.
Please everyone. Do your best.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Hi my dearest eyeball lickers,
Temasek Junior College Chinese Orchestra (TJCO) is holding their concert soon. Our dearest Tan Jing Jie and a bunch of other alumni (previous comm's president) will also be performing! *O* Every TMSCO member is highly encouraged to attend this concert. The details are as follows.
姿·韵
Date : 16th May 2011 (Monday) it's vesak day the next day
Venue : TRCC Theatre @ Republic Poly
Time : 7:30 pm
Ticket Prices : $12
For more details, please visit the concert's Facebook event page or go harass Jing Jie.
TJCO has along history of being a high quality CO and it'll be beneficial for all of us. Also the concert is held after our MYE so everyone should be free to go (: As Jing Jie had said, Sec Fours, we can treat this as our last sectional outing. SICs, please take the initiative to organise a sectional outing and encourage your members to attend this concert. Please tell me(Luo Yi) and Berenice the details of who wants to attend the concert ASAP.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Congratulations to TPCO for, yet again, a successful and amazing concert! (:
(A million apologies for not shouting "encore" a second time. )
The performance was brilliant, just as expected of TPCO. It was really entertaining and inspiring. It's a pity not many of us went for this concert because I'm sure it would have been beneficial.
I have a video recording of their opening piece but I'm not sure if I'm allowed to post it up, so, I'll get permission from the alumni first, k? If I DO post it up, I hope everyone would listen to it and purposefully pick out the positive points which we can learn from.
Please everyone, let's work hard to live up to our seniors' expectations and hopes. It's only 25 more days to SYF. Just 25 more days to go. Let's go all the way. Thank you.
See all of you tmr, 7:45 am @ CO room. Please try your very best not to be late and be as well-disciplined as you can!
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Hi my dearest pen caps,
As usual, I'll post the daily encouragement post. As usual, I'm out of ideas and I'm too brain dead to source for any. So as usual, I extracted another motivational post by Guo Wei, written during the previous SYF prep period! O:
(Bet Guo Wei's feeling damn honoured and smiling uncontrollably to himself.)
"Let's take these few short weeks supporting each other, working as a family and bring home glory together! We can do it, we really can. I'd say we have improved tremendously compared to like 6months ago, but there's definitely much more room for improvement!
Pitching, tempo, and stage presence. One of the few most important factors we should work on.
Pitching and tempo are self-explanatory.
Stage presence? Well, let's start by smiling more?
Perhaps, just before playing a song, get yourself attached to the mood of the song. Enjoy what you play, put in more feelings to it.
Emphasise and exaggerate more on each crescendo and decrescendo.
Confidence is one of the keys of stage presence. If you know what you're playing, just play it.
Build this confidence through constant practise yo! Move with the music.
And I hope all of you would have memorised both the songs by now.
By the way, 19th April is our SYF date. It'll come by quicker than you can imagine.
All the best, lets do this together.
Gold with Honours!"
That's all (: Love you all! PLEASE RMB TO COME FOR PRACTICE THIS SATURDAY! Let's do our best together! ;D
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Hi my dearest butterfly clips,
Here's a realist motivational picture that actually means much more than we think it does.
Life is short and we're gonna die eventually. Death may come anytime at all. We may die many years later, or we may die tomorrow. Treasure everyday and be the best in doing everything you're supposed to do.
When work feels overwhelming, remember that you're going to die. If you die tomorrow, you'll never be able to do work ever again so treasure it. If you think about it this way, then being busy and being stressed is actually a sort of blessing that certain people don't have.
We have 27 more days to SYF. Just 8 more practices. Let's do the best we can together. Everyone, please work hard and release your truest potential.
Love you all. Muacks~
Monday, March 21, 2011
Here's a picture of Hatsune Miku to motivate all of you! Ok maybe some of you don't know who she is so go google, ok? She's cute and well, everybody loves cute things/ppl right? ARE YOU MOTIVATED? O:
Hi my dearest honey almonds (Honey almonds are freakin awesome, btw. Go try them someday),
Today concludes our first SYF rehearsal at the Singapore Conference Hall. We didn't do TOO badly but it wasn't magnificent either. I'm sure all of you could tell. The feeling just wasn't there. It's just not impactful enough.
So thank God/Allah/Buddha/Satan/others that today's only the REHEARSAL, and not the actual SYF. And also thank God/Allah/Buddha/Satan/others that we have 28 more days to prepare for our actual judging.
28 days isn't a lot. In fact, it's very little time. Very little. There's still a lot which we can polish up on. I really really hope more people would be willing to spend the time coming for self practices and be really there practicing instead of doing homework, being an idiot etc. Today TAN QUAN YU said something really amazing to me. He said "Actually I think this time the SYF prep a bit too slack leh."
(This is the appropriate moment to make this face --> *O* because QY never ever says things which suggest that he think practices are worthwhile!)
Ok so even QY thinks we are being slackier than prep for the previous SYF! This means we are really VERY VERY MUCH SLACKIER than we think we are! D: So everyone, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE, PLEASE! Do work hard for this remaining 28 days. For yourselves, for our seniors, for our school and for TMSCO.
For the sec fours, the day we step down is the day we collect the results, on 21st April. Whether you love CO ttc or hate CO ttc, I'm sure you'll want your very last moment as a TMSCO member to be memorable right? Strive for nothing but the best! Let's create wonderful memories for each other which we can reminisce and smile about, ok?
Ok that's about all for today. You guys might wanna browse through this blog's archives. The seniors are way better at motivating and encouraging than I.
Love you all. Muacks! ;D
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Hi my dearest ribena concentrates,
I'm out of ideas on how to motivate you guys so here's a excerpt from a blog post two years ago, one month before SYF, written by Guo Wei (:
"On to SYF. We've only got exactly ONE MONTH LEFT! Please make full use of this time to practise constructively. Practices left can be counted with just my fingers and toes; treasure every single sectional and full orchestra sessions! For this really short period of time, give in your best -- listen more talk less -- and do not absent yourself without any valid and logical reason.
Please guys, I know we can all do it. We want nothing less than a Gold. Not as if we'll get it just because we want it. We got to do something in order to have it. There are plenty of details to be fine tuned and polished, yet time is absolutely against us. This short month is very crucial, it's a make or a break. Commitment and dedication is all I want from each and everyone of you for the next couple of weeks. Come on yo, it's the final lap! SPRINTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!
All the very best, PRETTIES!!! ((:"
Strictly speaking, we have only (one month - one day)month left bofore SYF! D:
That's not a lot of time! Alright everyone, let's chiong all the way for our GWH! Please continue to do your best!
MUACKS MUACKS~
Saturday, March 19, 2011
-GASP!- We got praised today! *O*
I'm sure everyone felt real glad to be praised by liulaoshi and Mr Oh right? After all, we did work very hard for these few months! CONGRATULATIONS! ;D I swear this is the first freakin time that liulaoshi praised us since he started coaching us. FIRST FREAKIN TIME (Y)
Ok so here's to share something that Patrick (the tall stripey shirt alumni who's not a starfish) sent to some of us after the exchange programme ;D
"Hey, I can see that the orchestra has improved a lot since the last time I heard from you. Keep up the good job. Most importantly, don't be satisfied at where you are now because it's the small details that differentiates from the rest. Ensure that the orchestra maintains this attitude and I'm sure a Gold award wouldn't be a problem. Continue to work hard and I'll see you play hard on that day it self. Jia you TMSCO! (:"
Yes, music playing is a strict discipline to take up. In order to get our GWH, we have to aim to be nothing but the best. Please DO NOT BECOME COMPLACENT just because of the few praises we've received today. Just so you guys know, SNCO wasn't at their best today. I personally heard how magnificently they can play and today's performance isn't a true example of their actual standard at all. We are still lagging far behind them. Take care of your health and continue to do your best. Our seniors have high hopes and expectations for us, let's not let them down no matter what!
On this note, please remember to bring your costume (girls : skirt, top, court shoes, stockings guys : top, vest, dress shoes, pants, black socks) and your instrument on Monday. Report to CO Room at 12.30pm after having your lunch. Please be early/on time!
Ok, that's all. That funny-looking house picture is supposed to motivate you guys because I can no longer find suitable motivational quotes :(
Please continue to do your best! MUACKS MUACKS~
Thursday, March 17, 2011
(Here's a nice cute picture of a bird shunning away from what looks like a camel's mouth. It's cute, right? I hope everyone cheers up and is more otivated after seeing this picture~ ;D)
Hi my dearest usb cables,
Today's practice has been more or less productive (; Really glad that most of you sat half-chair and sat up straight without reminders *O* I know practices are getting rather heavy and it's really quite tiring indeed. But everyone, let's push on!
Also, I know a lot of us are majorly dissatisfied with our costume. I'm really annoyed with it too -.- Here's the thing, you guys are allowed to tailor it to fit you better so that it doesn't look like a bunch of cloths hanging on your body. BUT! The general look of the costume must be the same. Don't go change the colour or the sleeve length.
It is also VERY IMPORTANT that the girls' skirts aren't too short. It's fine if you alter it to be shorter but the limit is NO SHORTER THAN FOUR FINGERS ABOVE THE KNEE. Please remember, we are students who are performing in a Chinese Orchestra, not hookers working in a prostitute house. Have self respect please.
Alright this should be all. We're gonna get really really busy for these coming weeks as it builds up to SYF and it'll be rather strenous on our health too. Drink more water and eat more fruits and veggies to build up our health and not fall sick! I cannot emphasise this anymore. Keeping yourself healthy is vital to optimum performance. For the Sec Fours and the Sec Threes, we understand that it's gonna be very very tough juggling schoolwork and CO but please push on for this period of time alright? One more month. Just one more month! Let's do our very best and not let our seniors and ourselves down! Let's work together for our GWH! ;D
Love you all. Muacks!
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Hi my dearest nichrome wires
(: Let's continue the greet-liulaoshi-after-every-practice tradition ok! Though we may be copying what StNicCO and coralsecCO is doing, I think it's really nice to appreciate and respect our conductor.
This is only one of the ways to bond th orchestra with the conductor! ;D
Btw, great job everyone, for today. It's been productive and everyone really tried their best not to be restless although we were sitting in that freezing room playing similar things over and over again. So, great job guys! Keep it up!
On this note, I hope that everyone would automatically sit half chair and have a good posture (ie. sit up straight) when playing instead of waiting for me to remind everyone. Everyone has a part to play in this. Always remind the ppl near you to sit properly and have good discipline! Don't talk when liulaoshi is talking!
Alright, that's all. Great job everyone. Let's continue to push on for our GWH.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Me: 老师，照你看，我们有没有机会赢得荣誉金牌？
HuoLaoShi: 机会一大把。红旗颂本来就是一首荣誉金的歌。现在只看你们要不要争取这个机会!
A short conversation I had with HuoLaoShi yesterday. I asked her if we had a chance to get GWH and she replied that our chances are great because hongqisong is composed to be a GWH song. It's only up to us whether we want to grab this chance and get our GWH.
Everyone, please work harder and do your best! It's only one more month left. Let's sacrifice a bit for the glory of our CO and to not let our seniors down!
(If the font is too small, press and hold the Ctrl key and scroll your mouse.)
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Hi my dearest Ricola pastilles,
This blog post is to share with everyone my experience during the short exchange with Saint Nic's today (:
Some of the feedback given by the St Nic's P and VP is that for Zheng, our plucked strings sort of lack the impactful feeling and you guys tend to lag a bit, percussion's feeling wasn't string enough and that sheng needs more dynamics in the playing. Some compliments that they gave was the cello's beginning sounded nice, dizi was well-coordinated and the erhu section was played boldy and loudly enough.
In general, they said that our CO lacks taifeng and emotions but we were able to connect with the conductor very well. In fact, the P's exact words to StNic'sCO was "they can connect with the conductor very well and could understand his conducting. It was as if they can read his mind". So, great job people (:
However, the point of this post isn't to focus on our plus points (which isn't a lot as you guys can tell), it's to show everyone how a fellow CO member from another school, of a similar age views our music as.
During our exchange with them this coming Saturday, hope everyone would really pay close attention to how they play and what they played. Liulaoshi doesn't do them justice when he says that they are SLIGHTLY better than us. They are VERY MUCH better than us. Really.
On this note, I'd like to remind everyone that the performers' list for SYF will be confirmed this coming Tuesday. This is the FINAL test for everyone. The Sec One DSA students, some of the ppl in erhu/plucked strings whom the instructor is still unsure whether or not to put you in, Aloysius from cello, Eileen from dizi. All these ppl. If you don't turn up for this tuesday's practice or you don't prepare well for this final audition, that's it. You're not in SYF anymore. So everyone, please do your best and not miss practice this Tuesday (Report to CO room at 11:50, everyone). All the best and good luck. Please don't let your seniors or yourself down.
Another reminder, all those who have yet to pay for their SYF costume please pay up to our teachers-in-charge ASAP, preferably to Miss Tay or Mr Wong.
Alright everyone. Try to practice a bit today or tomorrow? Any amount of practice, as long as it's consistent, would help. Even if it's as short as half an hour. Just continue to do your best.
PS(That pretty picture above is supposed to motivate you guys because I can't seem to find anymore relevant motivational quotes at the moment. It's a nice picture right? ;D I saw it on dA and was very impressed by the artist. Everyone, work hard to create music together that's as beautiful as this artwork is ok!)
Thursday, March 10, 2011
"Music should strike fire from the heart of man, and bring tears from the eyes of woman." - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Hi my dearest bears,
The official day for our performance for SYF is confirmed. We're the first school on the first day. The opening orchestra. That's.. well, scary, huh?
We have exactly 40 days left before our SYF day. 40 days. That's 11 more practices. Each practice is about 3-4 hours long. So strictly speaking, we have only a little more than 33 hours left to practice together, excluding the time for self-practice.
33 hours. Where's our standard at now? How far away are we from Gold are we now? I'd say we're very far. Our standard is of nowhere close to the previous batches and our desire and hunger for a gold isn't as great as the previous batches as well.
Gold standard. Exactly how far are we from it? During the previous SYF as I remembered it to be, everybody had already memorised their scores during December. Everybody was already particular about having an appropriate posture and taifeng during these few months. Everyone treated every practice session as a performance. Everyone was serious and eager. We weren't the best but we were at our best.
Berenice instructed everyone to memorise their scores since about a month ago. But up til now, I still see people who stare at their score which lays on their lap instead of looking at liulaoshi. What's the point of banning the use of stands if you place it in your lap and don't look at the conductor? This is the last and final time I'm going to say this. Everyone to memorise their scores by this Saturday, which is the day after tomorrow. No excuses about why you can't memorise. Tomorrow is e-learning day and I'm sure everyone would have a lot more free time than usual. Don't come up with reasons like you couldn't memorise because of your heavy schedule. I'm juggling debate competitions AND practices for SYF; My score is relatively difficult because of the many running notes. So what? I've memorised my score. If I'm busy and I can do it, I don't see how you guys cannot.
Posture and sitting half-chair. This is the basic requirement of everyone. Please remind each other always to sit properly and treat every practice as if we're performing. Discipline is the foundation for good results. I don't want to have to shout out to remind everyone again this saturday and for all future practices. Be auto.
Everyone, please continue to do your best.
"Whether you think you can or whether you think you can't, you're right" - Henry Ford
THE ORCHESTRA
Temasek Secondary Chinese Orchestra (TMSCO) was established in the 2000.
It expanded from a plucked string ensemble to a full-fledged orchestra in the year 2001.
Under the baton of Mr Cheng Chung Hsien, TMSCO enjoyed a successful flight achieving promising results in the SYF Central Judging between April 2002 to September 2008.
Now having Mr Liu Bin leading this army, TMSCO will definitely continue to strive for excellence and is determined to scale to even greater heights.
The orchestra now consists of over 90 enthusiastic members, with us six professional instructors.
Facebook GroupSYF Central Judging
2001 - Bronze
2003 - Silver
2005 - Gold
2007 - Gold
2009 - Gold with Honours
2011 - Gold
Concerts
Musical Epoch 2003
Musical Epoch 2005
Musical Epoch 2008
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TAG LARH LAZY PEOPLE, tsk tsk.
THE CO COMMITTEE 2010-2011
President: Berenice Chong 4/1
Vice President: Nicholas Kang 4/1, Tan Luo Yi 4/6
Student Conductor: Poh Shao Yong 4/7
Assistant Student Conductor: Jezreel Cheong 2/6
General Secretary: Leo Kay Min 4/5, Melody Goh 4/3
Assistant General Secretary: Gina Widjaya 3/3
Honorary Treasurer: Shawn Loo 4/4, Chuang Jing Ying 4/1
Operation Officer: Tan Quan Yu 4/1, Tee Meng Li 4/4
Assistant Operation Officer: Yeo Wei Bin 3/7
Instrument Manager: Sarah Sng 4/8, Lee Shi Min 4/1
Assistant Instrument Manager: Heng Jun Wei 3/7
Score Master: Michelle Lee 4/1, Tan Hui Min 3/1
Assistant Score Master: Soon Cheng Yi 3/2
Sectional In-Charge
Bowed Strings
Primary: Lim Shi Jing 4/5
Assistant: Tan Hwee Jing 3/2, Janice Wong Sin Yee 3/5
Cello/Bass
Primary: Keren Goh 4/4
Assistant: Bryant Chua 3/5
Percussion
Primary: Cheong Shi Min 4/6
Assistant: Mandy Chan 3/5, Kim Yeon Jae 3/1
Plucked Strings
Primary: Koh Ning Le 4/2
Assistant: Kristy Ng 3/4, Kellyn Chua 3/3
Woodwind
Primary: Nicholas Ng 3/3,Shermaine Goh 3/3
Assistant: Lee Yee Yong 3/5
Vice President: Nicholas Kang 4/1, Tan Luo Yi 4/6
Student Conductor: Poh Shao Yong 4/7
Assistant Student Conductor: Jezreel Cheong 2/6
General Secretary: Leo Kay Min 4/5, Melody Goh 4/3
Assistant General Secretary: Gina Widjaya 3/3
Honorary Treasurer: Shawn Loo 4/4, Chuang Jing Ying 4/1
Operation Officer: Tan Quan Yu 4/1, Tee Meng Li 4/4
Assistant Operation Officer: Yeo Wei Bin 3/7
Instrument Manager: Sarah Sng 4/8, Lee Shi Min 4/1
Assistant Instrument Manager: Heng Jun Wei 3/7
Score Master: Michelle Lee 4/1, Tan Hui Min 3/1
Assistant Score Master: Soon Cheng Yi 3/2
Sectional In-Charge
Bowed Strings
Primary: Lim Shi Jing 4/5
Assistant: Tan Hwee Jing 3/2, Janice Wong Sin Yee 3/5
Cello/Bass
Primary: Keren Goh 4/4
Assistant: Bryant Chua 3/5
Percussion
Primary: Cheong Shi Min 4/6
Assistant: Mandy Chan 3/5, Kim Yeon Jae 3/1
Plucked Strings
Primary: Koh Ning Le 4/2
Assistant: Kristy Ng 3/4, Kellyn Chua 3/3
Woodwind
Primary: Nicholas Ng 3/3,Shermaine Goh 3/3
Assistant: Lee Yee Yong 3/5
LINKS
Temasek Secondary School
Singapore Chinese Orchestra
Chinese Orchestra @ Singapore
People's Association Youth Chinese Orchestra
Ahmad Ibrahim Chinese Orchestra
Anglican High Chinese Orchestra
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Bedok South Secondary Chinese Orchestra
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Pasir Ris Secondary Chinese Orchestra
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Dunman High School Chinese Orchestra
Katong Convent Chinese Orchestra
Maris Stella Chinese Orchestra
Mayflower Secondary Chinese Orchestra
National JC Chinese Orchestra
New Horizons Chinese Orchestra
Pasir Ris Secondary Chinese Orchestra
Presbyterian High School Chinese Orchestra
Raffles Girls School Chinese Orchestra
Seng Kang Secondary Chinese Orchestra
St. Nicholas Chinese Orchestra
Temasek JC Chinese Orchestra
Victoria School Chinese Orchestra
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