SOKA FeiYang Symphonic Band

ABeh · Fri Aug 25, 2006 1:21 am HSBC Competition Impression

What I learned from this HSBC competition is as below

1) We know where our standard is compared with the best band in Malaysia.
2) I learned to manage my time & the important of daily practice even 30min.
3) The seriousness in everything I do must put in 100% effort. So that we don’t have to do repeat work.
4) The heart that really matter, If you want the thing so much nothing can stop you achieve your goal only you can stop this.

I want to say after the HSBC competition, it really gives me a boost to pickup in technical skill & also in my faith vise. All this while, my technical skill has been stagnant for quite sometime. I really feel that although I’m in the band for more that 10 years, if I don’t put any effort to determine to change or to improve on my technical skill then no matter how many years I stay in the band will not make any difference. The only difference is I’m becoming more mature in term of age (become older).

This competition is just a beginning for me to really take my tuba seriously. Although we (Gloria Quintet) did not get any prizes, I believe that if I keep improving & never give up until one day I will definitely win.

I really felt that thru this we (Gloria Quintet) member really learned a lot especially on the faith. Lets each of them share on their part. As for me, as you all know that there is a huge gap between my skills in tuba with the clarinetist, all of the have grade 5 standard and above. In order to pickup I must put more effort then them. All obstacles that I’m facing like rhythm, blending of sound, the harmonic sound, I got it thru my sincere chanting and the daily practice. I challenge myself everyday 1 hr of daimoku & must do daily practice everyday, sometime I did miss but the next day I replace it back. This is the guidance I always keep in my mind when I face problems “The mystic Law is a source of infinite power and wisdom. Faith in the Gohonzon holds the key to overcoming any problem or hardship and leading lives of complete fulfillment.”

Talking about time management, that another challenge for me especially I’m in IT line on a standby basis, when there is a problem, I need to go back to work as and when needed. Every time during my chanting, I will include in my prayer that I must have time to come out for practice and will not crashed with my practice time. Here I want to say that, I have made a change on this. Every time especially on Thursday, I can said proudly I’m always the first one to reached BK to do my warm-up.

To summaries up, after HSBC competition, I realize the only way to feel that you are still growing together with the band is never stopped to improve and head on take as much challenges as you could. You will find joy & courage to meet what ever obstacles in front of you.

thanks for everyone support...

wei_ChuNg · Thu Aug 31, 2006 2:12 am

Competition is not to be bound the the title of it and from what I realise is the process and progression in it that really matters...

From the very first round, I personally feels that this competition is a good experience and know what is really going on in the outside world of the band. As we already been playing the 'Pink Panthers' for quite sometime we definately confident enough to join in the competition but there is a challenge of combining a tuba with us. Before that, writing the part score is not as easy as I thought it would be. Anyhow everything turn up in a smooth way all along to the finals. The seriousness and determination of everyone was strong at that moment and that is why I think this is the reason we could get into the finals.

After the news of entering finals, everyone get excited and plannings were made on preparation of scores and practice schedule. But whenever 'big things' comes they (sansho shima) will be here. Scores came late as we never expected and affected our practice schedule. Due to unavailable of scores what I felt is the slacken down of our spirit and the determination has weaken. Sometimes I felt...."are we really into the finals?" The continuity of the practice are not really effective as it seems and somtimes it's aimless. Thanks to the encouragement from our 'shoten zenjin' (Cheng Chun) we are awaken and I can feel back the fighting spirits from each of us. Time is really a big challenge to us as we have less than a month time and everyone have a tight schedule of their own whether in work or studies. Mine not really different from Pak Kin's situation as I work my assignment until 3am and the next morning hvae to get up at 5am for school. Everyone treasures every moment they have and plan for practice at Myee's house. This time it's productive and we did enjoy what we played. But still there is something lack of at that moment... EXPRESSION!! Thanks to the guidance from Alex and Peik Hoon we could play better and more than just ordinary.

The day has come. After our performance, ABeh asked us the question again...."do you guys feel it?" I don't really felt what results will be coming out but I felt a sense of satisfaction within me that "yes! we've made it" We have breakthrough the limit and overcome our weakness. Although it's upset that we couldn't win but I believe that we have win something in ourselves. Prize are not a limit to us and we could still advance in the future.

Through this competition I do learn to manage my time, seriousness in practice, the efforts of more than 100% and determination in doing something which is very important if you want to success in it. Unity and the bond between members are important when playing ensembles. We have a unique ensembles compromising brass and woodwind which lead to bigger challenge to both party but I have faith that we could do it.

This just the first step and there is still a long way to go. Never stop challenging and always have faith in Gohonzon to have the wisdom to face whatever obstacles you may encounter. Therefore, gambateh comrades!! Let's create history again... and not to be forgotten the support of all the members of FYSB. THANK YOU!!!

johansiow · Fri Sep 01, 2006 1:40 am HSBC Competition: Failure and Triumph

Ah, we all just love competitions dont we? The excitement of the chase, the battle to the top and the glory that awaits us there, ahh, this is where all the kiasu ppl of the world gather and duke it out.

I have been thru many competitions, mostly school ones, and after never ever getting johan before (life's many ironies), i have resigned to forget about ever getting first place, and thus settled with the lifelong motto:

"WE WERE THIS CLOSE !!! THIS CLOSE !!! ARRRGH !!!"

Very good for consoling yourself.

I still remember, ahh, back in the pre-2040 dayz. PakKin approached both of us bass clarinetist and said "We're havin an ensemble for 2040, Pink Panther. We need a bass clarinetist. Who's game?" HonChong wuz lightning quick at replying. "Johan, u play la, u holiday, so dem free."

After a rousing 2040 debut and one too many Pink Panther performances, after which Gakkai members were literally turning pink just hearing us over and over and over again (u can actually hear them think "Not u again!"), PakKin said "Play it one last time!", of which before we could hear the audiences groan, "At the HSBC Wind Competition!"

The audiences were hushed. "Competition?" Me being super-pessimistic, my first thought was "Why bother? Sigh, competitions are no fun, only one winner. Got any consolation prizes wan ah? Maybe a keychain?" But then, like ppl say, u dun try, uv already failed. So what the heck, why not give it a shot, nothing to lose oso.

We needed a bass (hmmph, i not 'bass' enuf ka, merajuk...), so we enlisted the help of TaiBeh. At first i didnt bother practicing my part, not bcuz i merajuk or wat, just lazy, have to start study for finalz dat time sum more. Then i heard WeiChung had spent alot of time and effort in writing TaiBeh's part in addition to being busy with his uni stuff. And after seeing all of them, MunYee, PakKin, WeiChung and TaiPau so dem semangat, put alot on the line edi, challenge so much, i thought "U cant afford to let them down. One screw up, we all screw up."

I decided to contribute my small part of the "suffering". Everyday reach home 11.00pm from staying back in the library. 1 hour b4 12am, dun bath yet, quickly do gongyo, quickly setup bass clarinet, quickly warm up with KokMang's lower registers, and jam loudly for the remaining 20minutes (or until the crazy neighbor next door goes "WAI !!!"). Dem scard i forget my part halfway, since we werent planning on using scores.

And surprises of surprises, we made it thru to the final round! One thing the judges told us that i remembered " U guyz are not only enjoying urselves, u guyz know when to come out, and when to support each other." I think this is the essence of any ensemble that can be truly enjoyed by an audience. U know uv done a good job when u can see them tapping along. And of course, the 30min chanting session we had b4 leavin for KLPac made all the difference. Always arm urself with daimoku no matter how big or small the obstacle u face, better than goin ahead empty-handed...

The finals. One aim. RM8000. 5 men (one woman). Armed with two songs. French Folk Song Variation. And Marriage of Figaro. Arranged by our dear mr.Yamomoto-san.

...

"Who ?! NOOOOOO!" Good grief, mr.Yamomoto loves to challange us with really hard and crazily-fast songs. Unfortunately, with all good intentions, he mostly ends up killing us in the process (if u dun die of breathlessness first).

Figaro was super-fast (C-cut presto, supposedly, but we settled for allegro moderato). So fast u have no time to breathe or think and ur fingers turn blue going into oxygen-debt with all the crazy lactic acid build up. Witness how some of us sweat like mad after a single dose of Figaro.

Dat time i holiday, just finish finals, so not much to challenge about like the rest of everybody. I practiced controlling the fast notes and preventing my fingers from either running around out of control or going into tetanic spasms. We always went to MunYee's place to practice, her mum and dad having to always take alot of Panadol after each session. PakKin and WeiChung would be there edi by 12pm lunchtime, super-semangat, dat time i still in the process of getting out of bed. And we musnt forget ManYin who was always watchin our backs, constantly doing the little thingz to support us and cheering us on. Yeah, one (wo)man-support team! KokMang came to give us a "one-week-before-competition-now-only-u-call-me-come-ah" guidance session during our last week, and he steadfastly guided us through even though we obviously sounded like a hopeless last-minute patch-up breaking up into pieces.

Oh yeah, and TaiBeh, correction, i dun have a grade-5 education, i din take ABRSM. My only musical education was from Sat theory classes.

And in addition to my so-called single-minded RM8000 goal (joking only la guyz, haiyo, go and announce to everyone...), i had other objectives at heart too:

(1) Play my part proudly, even if its just the same boring C note for the next 24 bars, i am going to touch the audiences somehow with just a C note.
(2) Help MunYee, PakKin and WeiChung shine when the spotlight turns to them while fusing with TaiBeh's sound (and heartbeat if u want to be melodramatic about the basses).
(3) Leave a lasting impression of SGM, FeiYang and Gloria Quintet on the audiences.
(4) RM8000.

One week b4 competition, some of u guyz said my sound was terrible. Apparently i have been using the same reed since last year, so from a no.3 thickness reed it had become a no.2 thickness edi. MunYee was very nice as to get me a whole new box of Vandorens no.3 reeds.

Thats when the Devil King of the Sixth Heaven chose to make his grand entry. In the form of a very, very hard Vandoren no.3 reed.

Things started to turn sour, as my new reed was so dem hard, i could not blow for more than 8 bars before passing out unconscious on the floor. I was angry. Not only were we having enough trouble trying to make French Variation sound competition-viable and having to catch up with each other in Figaro, my reed was refusing to cooperate.

After alot of frustration and self-administered CPRs later, I finally gazed up to the heavenly skies above, and in anger, shook my fists and challenged the Devil King of the no.6 heaven. "Its either u or me, u goddamned sonofab*tch! I will not be defeated, u hear! I WILL NOT BE DEFEATED !!! WAAAAH !!!" Where others ran, and ran, and ran, i blowed, and blowed, and blowed. My rage permeated the entire universe, shaking the stars it in their deepest foundations and throwing planets off their orbital planes. Even my mum came upstairs to ask "U angry or wat? The dog outside scard la, hiding under the Unser leh..."

Saturday came and passed mercifully quick. PeikHoon came in the morning to guide us one last time and support us, even as the outcome looked bleak. Back stage at KLPac, I was damn nervous at first, already the winning tenacity slipping away after seeing our rivals walk past in their shiny blazers and coats. Crap, these ppl must be professionals, how else could they afford coats like dat.

TaiBeh kept on excitedly asking "Do u guyz feel it? Do u guyz FEEL IT?" Yeah, TaiBeh, im feelin it. All the peristaltic movements down there, yup, lunch is just gonna make a quick procto-exit if u keep asking anymore, and im doing my best just crossing my legs and wearing a constipated look.

We went on stage finally at 2.30pm. I tried hard to make out our bandmates in the crowd who were very nice as to come support us, but unfortunately the lights were too bright. Stupid spotlights.

First it was French Variation. I felt like i was walking on a thin wire above a bottomless chasm, pausing to catch my balance everytime we ended a variation. At the last note, i walked relieved to the other side. It was clean, there were no mistakes that i feared we would make. Then came Marriage of Figaro. I offered a silent prayer and said to mr.Yamamoto quietly, "This one is for u, sir."

There was a momentery pause in the heartbeat of the universe. 5 men(including one woman) drew their breaths. The silence was awesome.

All eyes were on PakKin, awaiting his cue. He nodded.

An explosion. 5 men (and 1 woman) injected their heart and soul in an exhalation of magic. The beat got faster and faster, i could smell adrenaline rushing off my ensemble mates. I was on a light-speed trip into the skies, screaming past the heavens, past galaxies, past supernovas, and maybe even shot past a very surprised Princess Orihime and Mr.Hikoboshi. Fear himself was no longer my companion anymore, no more thin wires below me. I was exhilarated.

As with all party-spoilers, Mr.Devil King of the 6th Heaven decided to pull the brakes. Here I am, happily enjoying myself when suddenly, on turning a page, what greeted me back was not page5 of Marriage of Figaro, but a KokMang Scale Training Clinic I-4. What the...who the @#$*!! put it there!? Oh...me...crap. Some of u might have noticed a slight pause in the bass clarinet part as i calmly pulled out that sheet of paper to make way for Figaro page5.

We didnt win. I felt really dissatisfied and angry that night. I mean, cmon, we were top 5, why stop at 3rd place? At least u could have given us RM1000 or RM500. RM500 can mean alot of things, like a 10-year supply of cork greases. Jeez, banks are really super-kuuhon...

Thank u so much, Scale Training Clinic I-4. Have it ur way, Mr.Devil King of no.6 Heaven. But we were that close to winning !!! THAT CLOSE !!!

Was this the end then? NO! In the words of Arnold Swazzenagger (god knows how to spell his surname properly), "We will be BACK!" Yah, next time we send up 10 ensembles, fill up the top 5 positions, then we sure got 100% chance to win wan.

What have i learnt from our little adventure, from the stars and back?

Memorizing a score allows u to disassociate from the score and connect with ur fellow ensemble mates, tune in to their hearts.

Losing forces u to analyze ur weaknesses, and make a fearsome comeback in the next competition scene.

RM8000 should not be ur prime objective.

Above all, we might not have won the battle, but we have not lost the war either. Giving up is worst than losing, u never know until u have tried. The struggle was enjoyable, hey, its sumthin to tell the grandkids after the family dinner next time. So guyz, MunYee, PakKin, WeiChung and TaiBeh, should u ever get back onto the battlefield and sound the call for a bass clarinetist, hell, knock me up yeah! Cuz remember, WE WERE THAT CLOSE !!!

*sorry 4 being super-long, letting go stored-up emo...*