Used to spend everyday at the band room just hanging out and listening to music. Kitaro and Phantom of the Opera were 2 of the most-played CDs in the band room. Heh. We'll go there straight after school and stay till about 6pm. Band prac took up a lot of our time - twice a week for normal practices and up to four times a week when we're gearing up for SYF. And then there's band camp (reminds me of American Pie. Haha!) before SYF and before our annual concert. We used to take part in SYF every year, alternating between marching and concert. Bowen, TK and Cedar Girls' were three of the top Gold marching bands during my time. And they still are apparently. :)
Even typing this post is bring back a rush of memories.
Being punished - push ups, star jumps, "praying to the Sun god" standing in the sun at attention.
Practicing for marching competition - going through the formations with our heavy instruments, having drills.
Having our annual concerts, graduating from having them in our school hall to having our very first concert at Victoria Concert Hall.
Making banners - my lower brass section won the banner competition with our black sequinned banner. We actually pasted the sequins individually on this long piece of black cloth spelling out the words "Shuqun Military Band". The lower brass section also came up with the band cheer!
Band investiture - the proudest moment for the ex-co. I received my first rank as Lance Corporal in Sec. 2 and was promoted to Band Major/ Staff Sergeant in Sec. 3. :)
Our instructor, Miss Dorean Tan. She was the one who taught us how to march like the Americans, having studied in the US. It was exactly how they did it in Drumline! She was the one who came up with different gimmicks for our concerts. We had a flying carpet for our Aladdin one and a senoir dressed as the Phantom for our Phantom of the Opera concert. She always encouraged us to study smart, not study hard and that we as musicians have an advantage over other people.
Hanging with fellow musicians - you know, my band senoir told me my first dirty joke! :P
Buying new instruments, recruiting new blood during ECA (yah.. It was still called ECA in my time.. :P) Fair and playing our hearts out, teaching recruits, having sectionals, screwing up solos during concerts/ competitions. Playing together as a full band, that was magical!
I can still remember my parts from the Phantom of the Opera score. :)
Some of the people I know have gone on to become instructors for school band. One even got an overseas degree in music and came back to Sinagpore to coach bands. Some were memebrs of SYO, Singapore Youth Orchestra. Others were so passionate about mastering their instruments that they went and bought their own saxophone, clarinet, oboe, flute, trumpet and French horn.
I had an inkling to join the West Winds, the wind orchestra for the West zone. But I'm so rusty I'll sound like a recruit on my euphonium (don't know what it is? Wiki it).
Memory
All alone in the moonlight
I can smile at the old days
I was beautiful then
I remember the time I knew what happiness was
Let the memory live again
