Serious Musings

2009-11-08T00:25:00.003+08:00

2009-11-03T16:01:00.003+08:00

Somewhere - Barbra Streisand

2009-11-02T16:01:00.002+08:00

Love this.

2009-10-29T11:22:00.003+08:00

Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 3 in C major is so exotic and colourful and exciting :D
it can also be warm and lyrical in many passages and it's witty too

2009-10-28T09:59:00.003+08:00

Intune Music School is running some holiday programmes:
pop Vocals, Guitar and Piano courses of 6 lessons in the month of December.
2 days a week and the price is between $120 to $180.
this is their website: http://www.intunemusic.com.sg :D

my ulcer hurts :/

2009-09-12T05:40:00.004+08:00

The weather was so cool today morning I couldn't help sleeping in till 11AM!

Went to the Saal or Hall in the Kino Museum at 2.30PM to record 4 Rachmaninoff Preludes and I'm so happy to say that it went JUST RIGHT. Recording Classical is no easy thing and this time I did each Prelude in 1 SINGLE TAKE. I absolutely LOVE the Steinway there. It makes the recording so much easier and more enjoyable when you have sound control over the piano. There are misplaced notes etc - RFI room for improvement.

With the final "project" of this period DONE I suddenly felt so LIGHT so CAREFREE like some stone has been lifted of my shoulders. Almost wanted to run back to the academy!

My aunt and I rented a boat on the river which runs through the middle of the town for an hour - something I absolute LOVE also ... the thrust the rudder the estimation the control! LOVE BOATS to the MAX. It was so relaxing slowly cruising the river amongst all the beautiful buildings on the backs and all the trees bushes and the ducks in the water! SO BEAUTIFUL.

So after some packing at the academy we went out for Ice Cream and then headed to the supermarket to get some breakfast for tommorow morning. Especially since we're leaving the academy at 5.45AM. The train leaves 6.20AM and in between we have 20minutes to transfer trains and buy early lunch before arriving at Frankfurt Airport.

This is it for the last day. Posting pictures from the Vienna leg up on Facebook now.

2009-09-01T03:16:00.002+08:00

2 SOLID days ahead!

Wake up 5am ... picked up 6am ... fly to Hamburg ... Concert at 5pm ... hotel playing at 8pm ... travel to resident hotel ... SLEEP!

next day: Concert 5pm to 7pm ... playing in 3 hotels ... SLEEP!

2009-08-25T21:59:00.002+08:00

Concerts at nite for the past 3 days now ... another one today.

Armenian Rhapsody + Rhapsody in Blue to prepare in an hour's time!

2009-08-21T22:27:00.005+08:00

On Wednesday we had a concert at nite at Schloss Friedrichshafen - a castle!

Arrived at noon and had lunch with the family at the castle. Wilhem (boy of the family) took all of us around to the town centre by Lake Constance to visit the Zeppelin Musuem as Friedrichshafen is known for being the home for many Zeppelin manufactaurers. Zeppelins are seriously cool - like a flying ship really!

The weather was SOOOOO hot and everyone was sweating sweating sweating. He brought us up a high tower by the lake and the view was nice. Some people were jumping into the lake from the tower - must have been refreshing like nothing else!

Had Ice Creams - Stracciatella and ... ... BUBBLE GUM.

Walked back to the castle at 5 and was tired out and had a terrible headache with all the walking and the SUN. Wilhem showed us to our rooms after a quick dinner and I roomed with someone in a beautiful room with paintings everywhere. They included that of a woman - with half of her chest showing - just above my bed.

Concert was okay. Had a cocktail reception after the concert and I mistakenly took a glass of transparent liquid - to find out it was alcohol! Drank it anyway and liked it so I took another glass. In the end I was hot all over my face and the headache set in! Still it was nice nice nice nice nice.

- Next Day -

to be updated

2009-08-16T04:20:00.004+08:00

Have just confirmed the list of works from which audience can choose from for the concerts on 19th and 20th this month:

Shostakovich - Piano Concerto No 2
Weber - Concert Piece in F minor
Rachmaninoff - Preludes Csharpminor Gsharpminor Gminor Bminor Bflatmajor
Rhapsody on Theme of Paganini Variations 1 - 9
Arutiunian - Armenian Rhapsody
Mozart - Sonata K448
Gershwin - Rhapsody in Blue from Cadenza onwards

So ... now it's time for even more hard work!

2009-08-15T20:28:00.003+08:00

Performed Weber's Concert Piece yesterday.

today's performance has to be even better

2009-08-14T20:28:00.001+08:00

Performing Weber's Concert Piece in F minor later this evening - 3 entire hours to tidy up the work!

2009-08-13T03:54:00.003+08:00

Just played the Mozart Sonata in its entirety with the 2nd piano in class just now! Save for maybe 10 more difficult bars. Scolded horribly last night for articulation and detail so spent the entire day working at it and it was an entirely new Mozart this evening.

FLORID is the word used to describe the Arias in a vocal concert in Singapore probably Nov next year. It's a likely collaboration. Dictionary gives its definition as - very flowery in style + marked by emotional or sexual fervor ... interesting ... exciting!

2009-08-11T19:37:00.004+08:00

I'm happy that after reading through and playing through Arutiunian's Armenian Rhapsody maybe 3-4 times, I can play it with the 2nd piano already! Of course it's simple, as the introductory text says: simple and attractive musical language.

Mozart's Sonata, though more than 80% done, still has many places to work on.

Weber's Concert Piece is easy to memorize, save for those tiny details like whether the 4th semiquaver is an E or a F, and also how many times a figuration is repeated.

Yesterday I was home at maybe 12am, and then I picked up Charlie and the Chocolate Factory which was in a bookshelf amongst other books by Roald Dahl, and finished a bar of chocolate while reading it, ending up sleeping at 3.30am.

2009-08-09T22:34:00.005+08:00

We had the big cleanout of the apartment last night again! this time we were considerably more experienced in the business and everything was tidy in just a short while! Kebab in the night again - delicious!

After everyone went to sleep I went to the small living room at the back of the apartment to read Beauty and the Beast. It's probably the 1st ever text I've ever read in Germany that wasn't about music.

I fell asleep on the couch till 6am the following day! went back to the room to sleep all the way till 9.30am before waking up to make some rindfleisch suppe for breakfast. yummy, but so salty that I was dying of thirst the minute I left the apartment. Had some ice cream on a bench in a secluded corner in the town - chocolate + peppermint, classic!

When I reached the academy I rang the bell ... but no one activated the lock on the door. Rang the bell again and again but still no response. I saw the 2 indonesian students practicing in the rooms on the 1st floor so I tried to get their attention, but the window was so high!

Decided to go to a kebab restaurant nearby for a drink and go back to the academy later and fortunately I've brought my scores along with me so I worked out fingerings and rythms while sipping the orange + cola mix.

Now I've learnt the entire Weber Concert Piece (or concerto) in Fminor and am just a few pages short of memorizing it completely! And I've also more than 80% of the Mozart Sonata in my hands now!

Since this is nothing against Thomas having all 5 Rachmaninoff concertos in his hands - it's time to work even harder.

2009-08-05T04:46:00.002+08:00

Slightly more than a day back from the concert tour. Pictures on Facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=111877&id=84090296535.

Friday.

Everyone's ready at 2pm with bags packed and everything in place. But it turns out that they told us 2pm just so that we wouldn't be late when we leave. AT THREE. So we waited for an hour. Come online + practice.

Nicolas and Thomas's fathers driving us in their 7 seater cars. It's 3 Indonesian students + 2 German students + me. And the rest of course.

Very carsick on the car.

Maybe 5-6 hours later we were in Erfurt. 5 people slept in Mr Karsten Linkies' place in the city. The rest (Stephanus Mum Me Aunt Familie Neef Familie Jagusch) went to Youth Hostel Erfurt to check in and then we walked to an American Steakhouse for dinner. No steaks. Potato and wings. Delicious.

Sleep at maybe 10pm.

Saturday

Wake up following day. Breakfast and then the performers are off to Mr Karsten's place for final practice and lessons etc. Headed to the performing hall to play on the piano before having lunch in the city square with everyone else. Piano is super nice. Very rich and mellow tone.

Met Jeremia Eis who speaks Chinese better than the Indonesian students. Much better.

Went back at 3pm to the concert venue to take photos for the press etc. Skip to after concert at 8pm.

Mad rush backstage to change out of concert clothes and pack everything. Another mad rush to Mr Karsten's place to get all the belongings. Another mad rush to the cars and then we're off to Dresden. Dinner is on the way.

Arrived in Dresden at 12midnight. 5 of them slept at Marc's place and the rest of us at another hostel. Walked all the way to Louise 20 which is admist bars clubs or anyplace where you can find alcohol and drunk people.

Sunday

Wake next day at 9am. Quick shower and we went to Marc's place for breakfast before leaving for concert venue Dresdner Piano Salon. It's a piano gallery. LOADS of pianos meaning LOADS of practice. Concert at 11am.

Another MAD RUSH post concert to pack everything and get into the car. But people kept playing piano here and there (too many pianos!) and we didn't leave until awhile later. Lunch at Chinese restaurant. Even more Cheena than Cheena. Kinda scary really.

Car ride back. Dinner from Nordsee (the German Long John Silvers) along the way. Arrived in Tubigen at 10pm.

THAT'S 3 DAYS!

okay today more or less finished the Weber Concert Piece. 6 more pages!

2009-07-30T22:34:00.004+08:00

This Saturday and Sunday we're going to Erfurt and Dresden for 3D2N to perform 3 concerts. Have to practice lots today cos we're leaving tommorow 2pm for the cities.

2009-07-22T22:42:00.004+08:00

Here's e list of works I've learnt in Germany.

Chopin - Etude in C Minor
Rachmaninoff - Preludes CsharpMinor GsharpMinor Bminor Gminor BflatMajor
Shostakovich - Piano Concerto No. 2 Complete

Here's e list of works I have to work on by the tour.

George Gershwin - Rhapsody in Blue
Chopin - Ballade in Gminor
Rachmaninoff - Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
Saint Saens - 1st Movements from Piano Concerto Gminor and Fmajor

This sounds crazy but Nicolaas (18/19) from Indonesia is playing 2 piano concertos by Tchaikovsky and Yoseph (16/17) is going perform the Chopin Sonata in Bminor 24 Etudes Rhapsody in Blue Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini 2 Liszt Etudes Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3 in 3 concerts this Sunday.

If you're looking for water bottles you have to look in high places because 水平很高.

2009-07-22T22:14:00.010+08:00

Came back from the supermarket just now. My aunt and I went there to buy some cacao drinks tea shampoo deodorant and ended up with ice cream yet again on the way back. We walked past a certain Magic Casino. Makes your money disappear, MAGIC.

Here's my room in the apartment at Kirchgasse street where I put all my stuff and do everything:

Bed's in another room though. I sleep with the 2 other Indonesian students.

Now - my slippers! this is the part where you can stretch your neck abit - using the computer for too long isn't good for your health!

Kebab's good for your health. Especially at 2am after cleaning out the whole unit!

2009-07-20T04:33:00.003+08:00

Concert just now at 5pm.

We had dinner and then went out to town for Ice Cream! I was like pointing at the flavour (looked like white and milk chocolate from the picture) and then the person gave me the scoop and after that the Vice Principal told me that KINDER meant children's flavour! So embarrassing!

We walked around and walking in this town is really fun cos when we 1st came here we thought it was such a small place but it turns out that around every corner there's a surprise in store. Whether it's a beautiful building a stone church a narrow alleyway a stream running underneath the houses or anything it's always a pleasant surprise! We walked up a narrow alley to a trek up a hill where we ended up at the top of a castle wall!

Really want to post pictures soon!

2009-07-17T21:11:00.003+08:00

Wow we played cards and slept at 4am yesterday! Craziness.

I'm starting to fall in love with TOAST. It's just bread but when you burn it it's burnt bread and that's super nice!

It's now going to be 3.30pm already so I'm going to practice for the lesson later this evening.

2009-07-17T07:32:00.002+08:00

Realised over some ice cream that we're touring about 16 cities in Europe!

2009-07-12T05:24:00.004+08:00

OMGS ... I am so happy!

Today I've finished with the entire Shostakovich Piano Concerto No. 2 - all 3 movements! Time to clean up the the wrong notes and blotched passages. And just now I've just learnt the Chopin Etude in C Minor in less than an hour!

Woots. :D

2009-07-07T05:09:00.002+08:00

Today's the typical day - lesson at 10am in the morning till 12pm and then lunch and then practice and then dinner and then more practice. Of course in between I go online and eat chocolate!

My aunt and I went to the supermarket after lunch to get some body soap and chocolates and it's super super big! There are loads of pastas sauces soups meats diary products bread toast everything! Everything is so fresh and gosh you wanna eat the whole supermarket!

We bought the litre of body soup to share between me and the 2 other Indonesian students in the apartment so we told them they gotta pay 10 Euro! it only costs 1.09 Euro xD

2009-07-06T05:22:00.003+08:00

Hello everyone! It's been more than 3 weeks in Germany and we've already settled down very much to life here.

The Musikacademie is at the rim of the town Tubingen and I stay the nights in an apartment in the city centre. This sounds super modern but Tubingen is a town with buildings and streets from as old as 500 years ago so by apartment it's actually a large house built of stone and wood with many families in the different units! When you walk on the stone streets you see only the front facade of the house and the shops at the bottom but if you look carefully you'll find a small door with many doorbells (one for each family) and when you enter the door there are stairs to a huge basement and stairs up to the units which are all actually connected and share one spiral staircase and several courtyards! It's really surreal to stay in such a place - will post pictures up soon!

Most mornings I wake up around 9am and am probably at the Musikacademie by 11am plus. Everyday it's practice and learning new songs and then around 2-3 hours of lessons at 7pm where there are German teachers and students listening in as well. Sometimes they play something too and we all learn together. On Tuesdays the teachers of the academy will all come together at 10 in the morning over Preztels to discuss latest questions and so on and at 6pm the newer teachers will come over as well.

The rate we're learning new pieces and re-acquiring old ones is crazy so it's pretty hard work actually - it's preparation for the 2-week concert tour later on. During the tour there will be no chance to practice so now we have to work very hard. Some days there are no lessons at all so we can go out to eat and walk about in the town like today. We had Kebab at the best joint in the town and then Ice Cream by a river which runs through the town.

It's already 11.42pm now and everyone's tired and waiting to go back to the apartment so ... bye!