SYF

Hi guys,
This may be one of my final posts. It is an incredible journey i have taken in the Band from 2006 to 2009. In 2 days, I may not be around with you guys to practise anymore. Well, maybe for those who hates DMs will love it, but I will miss you guys. :) And to all Sec 4s, Lets make a legacy of being the first graduating batch to get GWH!

Here in this post, i just want to highlight to you all about the importance of this SYF in the first part. This year SYF 2009 is a very competitive year since 8 bands have been awarded with Gold With Honours(GWH) after only 5 days of competition. So I hope you guys know whats going on. This year is very crucial because it determines whether we are a Gold or GWH band for the next two years(2011). Well this award is important to all Sec 1 to 3s. It will determine how other bands will look at you. If you are a bronze band, I think others may look down at you, vice versa.

The award GWH is only released in 2005 and that was the first time our alumnus attained Gold. Then in 2007 the limelight was given to Chien Teng our impressive flute soloist and thus attained another Gold, sustaining the Gold. This year, 2009, we have no impressive soloist. Thus, its all up to all of us to acheive that Gold or possibly GWH! Its a good chance. Lets not let it slip out of our hands. Lets work hard ok?

I also realised that some of you have no enthusiasm in Band at all. What you all do is come for band just for the CCA points. I know that way of thinking. When i was in sec 1, i was to the trombone. I wasnt very interested then. I didnt practise hard and concentrated on my work. Likewise for sec 2 where i almost got cut from SYF. But still i managed to scrape through and played in the band for SYF. But when i was in sec 3 last year, I realised that Band is actually a very fun place and it is where many people will just come together and play and do things together, like one united community. Thats what i saw when i was made as a DM. From then on, my interest in band grew until i joined into Alumni where i was drilled like mad! Every practice was like a painful experience. It was really torment and i ever thought of quitting seriously cause it affected my results. Imagine full day practices on Wednesday and Saturday, especially when u have school in the morning on thursday. However, i perservered and stayed on and finally played for the alumni band for the first time at the national band competition 2008. That time i was playing the bass trombone and was the worst player. I felt that as a DM i should practise hard and improve my standard.From then on, I practised hard and harder, especially during the December holidays. That was when i improved most, all thanks to fredy's harsh comments. Now thats my story to where i am today. Whats yours? If i were u, i wont make the mistake i made last time. I made a big mistake for slacking when i was sec 1 and 2. So moral of the story? PRACTISE!

It doesnt matter if I am a DM or what. A DM is not the most important player. Everyone is very important. Even a triangle player is also important. Everyone hold equal weightage! So all please practise. I know this post is kind of late to motivate you all to practise, but i hope it will be of some help. I tink if we perservere and work hard for the next 2 days. I tink GWH shouldnt be a problem for us. So lets just hope we play our best on the SCH stage ok?

Currently, as you all can hear from the recording please go and settle all your problems! Such as togetherness and intonation! So all please play your part and practise the problematic parts!

Lastly, i just want to convey a message: please do change your attitude. It is very bad. The scence where fredy and i dramatic and me walking out of the band is bad enough. I was disappointed that day with attendence that i walked out on you all. I know it was wrong but put yourself in my shoe. Nicholas Chew and i have friends who are in Band such as Anderson, SAS and SCGS. All of them have gotten at least a gold. It will be really very malu for me and Nic if we were to get a silver. I am writing about this not because I want my face. But, i feel that if other bands can get Gold, why cant we? Afterall, we are the angels in disguise, loyal friends and whatever Mr Kwok say about us. But most importantly, we are marist gentlemen! We will stay united! Want your GWH? SIMPLE! BE DETERMINED AND PRACTISE!

All dont be pessimisstic and this especially goes to Joshua. :) Be optimistic! Afterall, like the advertisement that was shown before: Always look on the bright side of life! ...(and so on).

Last final few sentences: Jia You all Marist Bandits! You can do it! Everyone have high expectations on you guys. Be sure to accomplish them! I WANT EVERYONE OF US TO BE SATISFIED WITH OUR GWH AFTER THEY ANNOUNCE THE RESULT! CHEERS!

Jia you and all the best marist bandits!
~Aiming for Gold with Honours in 2009!~
~Legacy of MSSB continues to the end!~

James