Picture of The Day

Scary or not?! =p

Picture of The Day

We all know that the Merlion is the symbol of Singapore. A-must-go point to visit. So we went there and we had fun. XD

Holiday Time

With Jury FINALLY over. Its time for me to hit the road and have a nice holiday that I deserved. =p

If you would ask me, "Hey, how did your jury go?"

Well, I'll tell you other then the nerve wracking, hand shaking, heart racing part, it all was great. Smooth in a way, at least I feel more confident then my 1st jury during last semester. Lets just hope the result wouldn't come out too disappointing.

Okay, done with jury, Hello HOLIDAY!!!

This time, my destination would be SINGAPORE.

Oh, I so excited about this trip. There is so much thing going on on this island. So much place to visit. I'm a backpacker who loves to be at a place and suck up all the culture a place could have offer. This time its the culture from a city, and form what I'm seeing now, is that this place got a whole load of place waiting for me to explore.

My companion for this round of trip would be 4 lovely course mate of mine. And lucky us, one of our course mate is from JB, and she offered us her humbly home for us to stay over. Cutting down our budgets on hotels. How sweet of her. So basically we'll be going back and forth from JB and SG everyday starting from 26th Oct(wed) till 30th Oct(sat).


So its a 4 day trip in Singapore, and so much thing to do. I wonder what can this city offer?

Suggestion on places or event or anything are WELCOME!!!
Just drop your message at the comment box. XD

I Can Do This

I can do this tomorrow!!!!

PRAY FOR ME!!!

No Music NO Life

I prepared this article for my Reading and Writing exam and I thought I might as well share it with you guys. To spread the idea of reviving music education and not to waste my hard work at the same time. XD

Enjoy.

When most think about classes at school we automatically think of Math, Science, or English, unfortunately, music education is left off of that main list of classes far too often. Studies have shown that exposing small children to music will accelerate their cognitive ability far greater than the children who were not exposed to music. Music Education is no doubt a necessity to the students of today.

Music plays a major role in everyone's daily life. Music is listened to while driving a car, when eating in restaurants, relaxing at home, and even when on hold to a company's overloaded phone system. Music is everywhere you turn, and it should be one of the main subjects to be studied in our public school systems. Public schools in Malaysia need to understand that the funding and continued study of music is just as important as the funding for math or science to produce a well rounded graduate. After all public schools in Malaysia have this awesome responsibility of producing Malaysia's next generation of productive members of society.

Providing music as part of education helps develop intelligence that leads to greater success in school and in life. Giving a child an instrument is the success in society. Researchers have found that children involved with music education are more likely to graduate from high school and attend college, and are less likely to be involved with gangs and substance abuse. Secondary students who participated in band or orchestra reported the lowest lifetime and current use of all substances (alcohol, tobacco, illicit drugs). Recent studies show that students who study the arts are more successful on standardized tests. They also achieve higher grades in high school.

Early musical training helps develop brain areas involved in language and reasoning. It is thought that brain development continues for many years after birth. Recent studies have clearly indicated that musical training physically develops the part of the left side of the brain known to be involved with processing language, and can actually wire the brain's circuits in specific ways. Linking familiar songs to new information can also help imprint information on young minds. There is also a causal link between music and spatial intelligence (the ability to perceive the world accurately and to form mental pictures of things). This kind of intelligence, by which one can visualize various elements that should go together, is critical to the sort of thinking necessary for everything from solving advanced mathematics problems to being able to pack a book-bag with everything that will be needed for the day.

Students of the arts learn to think creatively and to solve problems by imagining various solutions, rejecting outdated rules and assumptions. Questions about the arts do not have only one right answer. Students of music learn craftsmanship as they study how details are put together painstakingly and what constitutes good, as opposed to mediocre, work. These standards, when applied to a student's own work, demand a new level of excellence and require students to stretch their inner resources. In music, a mistake is a mistake; the instrument is in tune or not, the notes are well played or not, the entrance is made or not. It is only by much hard work that a successful performance is possible. Through music study, students learn the value of sustained effort to achieve excellence and the concrete rewards of hard work.

Music study also develops skills that are necessary in the workplace. It focuses on "doing," as opposed to observing, and teaches students how to perform, literally, anywhere in the world. Employers are looking for multi-dimensional workers with the sort of flexible and supple intellects that music education helps to create as described above. In the music classroom, students can also learn to better communicate and cooperate with one another. Music study enhances teamwork skills and discipline. In order for an orchestra to sound good, all players must work together harmoniously towards a single goal, the performance, and must commit to learning music, attending rehearsals, and practicing.


Music provides children with a means of self-expression. Now that there is relative security in the basics of existence, the challenge is to make life meaningful and to reach for a higher stage of development. Everyone needs to be in touch at some time in his life with his core, with what he is and what he feels. Self-esteem is a by-product of this self-expression. Music performance teaches young people to conquer fear and to take risks. A little anxiety is a good thing, and something that will occur often in life. Dealing with it early and often makes it less of a problem later. Risk-taking is essential if a child is to fully develop his or her potential. Another benefit of music education is the "success in school." Having success in school directly leads to having success in society. If our children learn the disciplines of music, I believe it will transfer over to other areas of their life such as school.

In the public school system of standardized testing and never ending required classes, music seems to have slipped through the cracks. If a school system is trying to produce a well rounded individual, music education is a must in the curriculum. Music education is one of humanity's seven intelligences. If one area of intelligence is ignored, then a student has lost that sense of themselves. This loss is a major burden of the public school system that must be addressed.

So do you agree on me?

Can't Stop Yet

Final papers are FINALLY over.

In fact it was over two days ago. I finished my last paper and went out of the examination hall feeling like a whole new man! XD

I'll skip the details of the final exam. All in all the Theory exam didn't went so well but the Reading & Writing was still fine. Lets just hope that the results would come out not too disappointing.

I wonder, would this happen during examination?

[Probably. But not in my exam. XD]

With the final paper over I can now focus on my Jury. I know I had been lazy all these while. With the exam out of the way, there is no more excuse for me to run away from the piano.

If you happens to see me around, instead with the piano. You are welcome slap me in the face, punch me in the stomach, kick me in the ass and question me about how much time I had spend on practicing. lol

I'm kidding with the torchering part. Don't do it when you see me. Just ask me KINDLY would do the trick. =p

[Piano, here I come!!!]

How To Practice

-Do you know the best practice time would be right after your lesson on the same day?

-Do you know that by using the passage that you are less familiar with as a warm up would be helpful for your practicing?

-Do you know that we always tend to start form the beginning of the piece? Try using passage which needed more attention.

-Do you know that a mistake played is a mistake practiced?

-Do you know that we usually don't know where to stop while practicing by sections?

-Do you know how often we practice blindly without a reason to do so?

-Do you know we can also archive a lot away from the instrument?

-Do you know that shorter practices through out the day/week are far better than the occasional marathon practice just before a lesson?

-Do you know practicing well is hard work?


These are a few guide line I would be following for the rest of my practice time. Hopefully I'll gain something before my jury on 25th Oct.

IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO START CORRECTLY

Going Crazy

I can't believe Final would start next Monday.

And I'm still doing nothing much.

Theory class was rushed through and I need to study it up myself, not relying on any help the teacher would offer. There is so much more stuff to read up and not saying there is a pile of questions waiting for me to answer as exercises.

And there is Jury to care about. This week would be the last two lesson I have for this semester and my repertoire is still a mess.

HOW ON EARTH AM I GONA
SURVIVE JURY?!?!?!

The only solution I could think of is to work very Very VERY hard for this 2 weeks. Meaning I'm gona live with only books and piano for the rest of my days. =x

Picture of The Day

[My two lovely sister]

A picture that made my day by looking at their beautiful smile.
Love them and always will. ^^

Simon Says

Simon says,

Gospel music is not all about the technique work, Gospel is how the music is feel.

It looks like a simple statement to make, but seriously, It is not!!!

The blacks Sunday worship is very different from the traditional churches. Their music are full with passion and power, emotions flow out abundantly. That is how the blacks show their passion to God, worship Him with their whole heart and soul. Singing every note to the Glorious, Almighty God. Praise and worship with their voices and music.

Their faith for God is something that we could not defy. So as their music.

Simon asked me to take a look at how the black plays the piano. Learn from them, how they feel the music.

FEEL is a big thing for Gospel music, so as in most of the other contemporary music. I'm preparing a Gospel for my jury and I still don't have the Gospel feel in me. Aisk...

I'm working on my song from head to toe, back till front again and again, trying every single method to get THE feel right. It just seems like I can't get anything done.

Simon thought me some special Gospel chords that helped me out somehow, but it had just simply increase the difficulty of the song to another peak. I have to get myself to think out of the box. Think how to apply the chords, when and where.

Its funny when I recall on how Simon commented on my Gospel playing.

"It sounded like there is a Hanon going on in between your lines. Its more like a classical pop."

Simon also told me this:

"Sometime we tend to overdo things, when there is an empty space, try not to put too much stuffs in, just let it be and the music will speaks for itself. Simple melodies could also win the hearts of men."

I couldn't agree more with him. So I did what he asked me to do. Listen to how the black plays. Here are some video on the black playing the song I'm preparing for my jury. Amazing grace. They have the feel that I need to pick up, especially the 2nd video.







Jury is in 2 weeks time. I need the FEEL!!!!

Deadline

Recently there had been a lot of Deadline in my life.

First there was this deadline for the University Reading and Writing's midterm exam paper, which I had my head scratch wound over the argumentative essay.

Deadline: 5th Oct 2010


Second there was this MIDI research paper to do. I had my head bang so hard on the computer till I almost damage the laptop(maybe its time for a new one. =p) How on earth do you set up a home studio? Specific details are required.

Deadline: 6th Oct 2010


Third, yet to come but coming fast. FINALS for this semester is just around the corner. Looking for a chance to finish me up completely.

Deadline:
18th Oct 2010 - Theory 1
19th Oct 2010 - University Reading & Writing


Forth, the danger is not over yet. Although finals are over, MIDI final is still yet to be done. A MIDI track with at least 8 layers, drums or percussion is a must. How am I gona do it when I can't even have my main tune decide yet?!

Deadline: 21th Oct 2010


Fifth, the ULTIMATE final of all time. JURY. Yes, as scary as it could sound, it is the worst nightmare of all music student. The jury that can make people go mad all over and over again and never fail to do so. My truly DEADLINE for this semester.

Deadline: 25th Oct 2010

WISH ME LUCK PEOPLE.

The Phone Call

Precisely on 2010, October, 5th, 4 o'clock in the afternoon, 32 minutes and 15 seconds.

An UNKNOWN number flashed on my hand phone.

Not knowing the seriousness and CONSEQUENCES of it,

I'd ANSWER the call.

Okay, lets cut off the drama. I receive a call from the Marketing department of UCSI, asking me if i could help them out at a photo shooting programe this Friday. It is for the Music Department she added.

Actually I'd just woke up from my afternoon nap and was kinda blur. My head was still spinning around. I reconfirmed the what-so-ever programe that it was with her and was surprised to find out that they actually wanted me to go for the photo shooting.

Okay, my head is spinning again.

I got a hold of myself a second later and reconfirm the details with her again. I was asked to be at Block A on Friday afternoon, smart casual and with another formal wear ready. She asked for my major instrument and I told her it was the piano, and she asked for my minor instrument. I kinda pause for a while and told her I don't have a minor instrument, if you would count composition as an instrument. LOL

There is one thing she clarified, that is there won't be any payment given for the photo shooting. Sad case huh?! But to show their appreciation, she promised to give some merchandises. Well, I guess that is better then nothing right?! Hahaha....

[I smelt a rat]

Today, I'd already smelled something suspicious going on after University reading and writing class. Miss Gan Hui Wan actually asked me did I receive any phone call yesterday. I asked her why and she wouldn't answer. Now I know. Someone had been sneaking around my back.

By the way, There is one last question I'd like to ask.

[Should I rent a tux?]