The Violin Exams

All the Sliding, Tapping and Bowing
Just recently, I've been playing the violin to prepare for the Grade 3 violin exams just now. Yup, the scales, especially D major (2 octaves) scale, D minor (2 octaves) scale and all the chromatic scales, kind of hurt my fingertips a lot because of the sliding action involved while changing position on the strings. After doing so much scales, my fingertips had start to harden (it does feel funny when I'm typing out anything on the keyboard).

Well, didn't really played my pieces well as I shaked my hands too much because I'm feeling a little nervous, but I hoped I can still get at least a pass for my pieces.

Scales are fine, luckily he only asked me 1 D major scale (seperate bow), the only scales/arpeggios that requires changing of position.

Sight-reading is still ok, but think I didn't played so well though as I didn't really care too much about dynamics (loud/soft) and the gradation of tone (increase/decrease in loudness/softness). Anyway, the good thing about the sight-reading that I'm being tested was that there wasn't any position changing involved. :)

Aural... Hmm... look like no more full marks for me, never mind, I'll try to aim for a "fairly good" pass. For Test A, think I answered the time wrongly... For Test B, the examiner gave me a D-flat major piece, in which I have problems singing using the fixed-Do solfege ("Do-Re-Mi"), which I always use it for my singing test in aural... Well, after I looked through the aural syllabus for Grade 3 Aural, I realised that the candidates didn't really have to sing using the solfege, but instead can use "La-La-La"... Ok, maybe I should have use "La-La-La" rather than solfege ("Do-Re-Mi"), which makes singing much simpler... Test C and Test D is still fine though.

Well, before the start of my exams, the examiner tried to adjust the music stand so that it is suitable for my height, but unfortunately, the music stand could only be raised to a certain height, so I need to look down to look at the music scores. The examiner also commented that I must have eaten too much good food that I've grown up so tall, after adjusting the music stand to the maximum height... Ok, at least I'm still considered to be average in terms of height. I wonder what would happen if people like Kai or Hui Huang are to take music exams like violin, viola, flute, oboe, clarinet..., or any instruments that require them to stand while playing. Maybe after the exams, they might not be able to stand properly and straight after all the bending...

BRC Cycling Outing Pictures

Cycling at East Coast Park (with Courtesy of "Moo-moo")




























So far this is my 3rd cycling outing with the BRCs. Ok, this time I didn't cycle from one end of East Coast Park to the other end. Anyway, this time I knocked onto a bush while cycling... Ok, maybe I really need to train more to prevent more accidents from happening... Other than the minor abrasion on my legs, I wonder if the bush is badly damamged...

Merlion Park (with Courtesy of "Moo-moo")




























Well, Hong Joo didn't want to come to look at the fireworks because he wanted to rest early to prepare for work the next day, and after seeing "live" fireworks for 2 years while in the greens, he wasn't so interested. Anyway, I just went there to see the scenery at the Merlion Park near the Esplanade. I didn't stay back for the fireworks though, because I accidentally stained my clothes while eating a Whopper Jr. from Burger King... Yup, felt kind of embarassed, especially when Ihad to take the train back from City Hall to Bishan with stained clothes...

A Circular MRT Trip

One-Round Trip with NSL, EWL and NEL
Yesterday, I made a circular MRT trip. It started off from Bishan to Ang Mo Kio, where I had my Flute exams at AMK Hub Cristofori Music School. Well, the exams... Hmm... Think it didn't go so smoothly though. First, the pieces. Think I played it expressionless, so it kind of loses the meaning of the music itself... Made quite a few slips in the pieces as well. Hmm... Don't know if I could at least pass... Next is the scales. Well, the fingerings for the scales kind of got slip off from my mind, so I press the wrong keys, especially for the higher register. Well, because off that, it made some loud screechy sound that the examiner "blink his eyes" (after that, he didn't ask me to play any scales/arppegios that invovled higher notes). Ok, never mind, flute scales are not easy anyway...

After my exams, I took the train from Ang Mo Kio to Clementi (via Woodlands/Jurong East) to go to NUS Music Library to return the scores that I used for my exams. Well, it's going to due soon, and since I still have the time, it would be better for me to return the books as soon as possible after my exams. When I got to NUS, I saw a lot of security guards around University Cultural Centre (UCC). I was wondering what event did they have in UCC, until I saw the posters and billboards about commencement ceremony. Well, they must be very happy that they are graduating. For me, I still have to suffer for another 3 more years (that is if nothing goes wrong)...

After that, I took the train from Clementi to Clarke Quay to sign up for the Singapore Bay Run: Singapore Sheares Bridge Run and Army Half-Marathon (SBR: SSBR&AHM) at SAFRA Town Club. On my way to SAFRA, someone approach me and ask me for $2 because he has no money back home. Hmm... I don't know if I should help him or not, because I still can't really tell if he is a conman or a person who really has no money to get back home, so I kept quiet for a very long time, thinking about it. Seeing that I didn't open my mouth at all, he just walk away, sadly... Ok, it seems that he really didn't have the money to go home... Well, never mind, I didn't bring much hard cash as well...

Anyway, I sign up for the AHM 21km competitive (open). Hmm... That means I must really train harder for the 21km run. Ok, look like I need to squeeze some time out to prepare for long distance running.

Ok, after signing up for AHM, I took to train from Clarke Quay to Bishan to go back home. Yup, I was tired after this circular trip with MRT...


This is the circular MRT trip I made yesterday.

Movie: Die Hard 4.0 (aka Live Free or Die Hard)
Last Monday, I watched Die Hard 4.0 (aka Live Free or Die Hard in U.S.) with Wei Qiang. Anyway, I have to say that this movie is thrilling and interesting, and it is full of action from the beginning for the movie to the end. Well, really kind of enjoyed most of the part of the movie. *Recommended*

All of a Sudden...

A Packed Week
All of a sudden, there are a lot of unplanned activities for me who is currently not working. Well, at first I thought I want to spent the rest of the holidays doing something more fruitful and enriching (which might helps if I want to go somewhere for a tour, of if I'm being sent by the company there to work in the future after I graduate, just in case), but... Ok, exams are coming, so there might be more things for me to do currently.

On Tuesday, I played the flute with someone else. Well, ok, some people might know that I borrowed the scores from NUS libraries for the thing. I might be one "cheapo" person that did that rather than to buy the scores, but well, the rules states that "only original copies are allowed", which didn't state whether they are originals from the bookstores or the libraries, so I just borrowed them. A little cost is to spent a little bit of transportation fees and some of my time to go to NUS Music Library to borrow the book (last week), and also to return the book (next week).

On Wednesday, I went to NUS to meet up with the BRCs to discuss the modules that we might take next semester. Hmm... Now I'm still considering the following modules: GEK1002 (GEMs Group B), GEK1505 (GEMs Group A), CS2102 (Technical Electives), EE2013 (Technical Electives), EG2401 (Faculty Requirements) and CS1281 (UEM). Well, I'm considering CS1281 so that I wouldn't face problems with CS2103 project when I'm taking next semester. I'm sure there are no super compiler that can read in and compile both Java codes and C/C++ codes in the same programming code file, right? Anyway, more modules discussions to come.

On Thursday, I went out with the NYJC (2002-2003) people (think this is the first time I went out with them) for a movie Ocean 13. Hmm... Not a bad movie. It's about a movie that involved very well-planned robbery and revenge. The characters in the movie must be very smart!!!

After the movie, I have to go for my lesson, and after my lesson I have to play the piano for someone else. A long day indeed.

On Friday, I played the flute with someone else again. After playing the flute, I went to Plaza Singapura to buy movie tickets "Transformers" for Saturday for the SIGs people. Yup, you really have to buy tickets 1 day in advance if you are planning to watch popular movies at Plaza Singapura on a weekends. At the same time, I deposit my violin inside the music studio.

In the evening, I went to the SSA (Singapore Soka Association) to collect the running shirt for the MILK run this coming Sunday (yup, which is today, and I'm wondering why I'm typing this blog now). Anyway, it's a long journey to SSA, in which I have to take the train to Tampines, and then to take the bus to SSA. Yup, a long journey just to collect a few things (which also includes running tag and some goodies). After that, I went back to Plaza Singapura again to have my lesson.

Just yesterday (Saturday), I went out with the BRCs again to cycle at East Coast Park. Yup, I think this cycling session is quite "siong". The 3 of us (Moo-moo, Raymond and me) cycled from the bicycle rental station to one of the end point of East Coast Park (somewhere near National Service SAFRA Resort), then cycle from that end point to the other end point of East Coast Park (the end-point near the flyover), and then back to the rental station. Just nice, 2 hours to complete this whole journey. My legs are straining after prolonged paddling, my crotch are hurting after prolonged riding, and my skin is half-side light and half-side dark... Look like I better put some sunblock lotion next time. Well, the other 4 people (2 times "0.5+0.5" pair) just cycled around the rental station (1 of "0.5+0.5" pair still try to learn how to ride the bicycle properly).

In the evening, I went to catch the movie "Transformers" with SIGs. Well, an exciting yet humourous movie. It's long, but worth the money to watch it. Well, the movie ends before 12 midnight, and the last train that reach Bishan from Dhoby Ghaut is at 0011. Hehe... Just nice, I managed to catch the very last train back (which is very crowded also...).

Later today, I'll have to play the piano for someone else again, and in the afternoon I have to go for the MILK run (I wonder if that Moo-moo is coming for the run).

This coming Monday, I have to play the piano for someone else for an important event. Tuesday I have to play the flute with someone else for another important event, in which I have to go to NUS to return the scores after that important event. For Wednesday, I have to go for my Dental Appointment to wash my teeth. Yup, I realised that I haven't been for a dental checkup for almost... 3 years. No wonder why I feel that my teeth are going to rot any sooner or later. After realising that, I quickly book a dental appointment, to prevent my teeth from being deteriorated even further... :P

Currently I'm still only at "Chapter 3"... Think that is really slow... Hopefully after Wednesday, I can speed up and concetrate more on my "fruitful and enriching" activity. :) Hopefully no phonecalls... :P