Wednesday, March 3, 2010
It just seems quite long ago that I held high hopes for Guitar Ensemble. Our latest performance at the National Library Board, playing Cannon in D, is definitely one to forget for me personally. I kinda was disappointed with the whole thing, even though I went to represent the team to collect the hampers as a reward for our performance, I tried to put up a positive mind, but deeply disappointed inside.
By then, Jonathan had left the team to focus on work, and after a while Kelvin joined back the guitar team. But it just seem that the team is diminishing slowly. We weren't as motivated as last time, where we would try every week to practice guitar. But this year the motivation isn't there any longer. Lessons is just more of only those left who are motivated who pick up what we want and interested to learn and the teachers teach those skills. The rest would be either, not present for lesson due to reasons, or some who are there for lessons but isn't participating and interacting or even worse, not trying during lessons. As a member of the team, I sometimes do feel abit frustrated.
This year I thought we could progress, but it just seems that we are slowing down this year. This year, maybe we have moved up another level in terms of the skills taught. Last time where we learnt basic chords changing and tabs playing, this year we got to combine both skills and know when is the timing to play chords and tabs, with applications of songs. Maybe we have up-ed the standard when we have started to learn to apply and try playing songs which we like.
We have started to learn “童话” and "When You Say Nothing At All". The applications look simple on paper, but very difficult practically, when we try to play the song with the chords. With this new application, we learn new chords, G and D, and apply what the C chord which we are quite familiar with. The change of chords in itself is proving difficult, never mind makng t sound like the actual song.
Despite this, “童话” has been quite a easier song to play, as it requires just the combinations of the basic chords which we are drilled with for quite long. The only difficult part of it, is just how to combine singing the song, and playing the chords of the song concurrently. It is quite fun to learn that song, and add to the playing of the piano in this song, is just brillant. However, i just feel that the motivation of guitar is just not there any more. I just wished that that motivation could be relinquished again....
There are definitely problems facing this group of players. Not only did some lost interests, that some also didnt get involved in practice sessions. As a player myself, i just feel disappointed that half the team isn't participating in practices. When I inform them of guitar practices on saturdy during the midweek, most of them would say that they are able to come for practice on Saturday. However, during the practice on Saturdays, Peter would just be physically present and not even participating in the practice sessions. Moreover, I sometimes think that he is there during the lessons, just because Sharman is in the same team. And even if he were to play his guitar, he wont play in the correct technique, just merely strumming or plucking with no motivation and heart in it. If he really "participate" in lessons, just purely because Sharman is there, i really don't see the reason why he should continue to persist on attending guitar lessons, if he isn't motivated or participating and learning together. Thus, I'm indeed very disappointed and worried about the outlook of this team. The introduction of Kelvin has rejuvenated the outlook somewhat. But with a team member who hasn't participated has indeed indirectly affected the team morale and the atmosphere of the lessons. To be truthful, I want players who would be motivated and interested and want to learn. It just feels weird to me if I see Peter during lessons physically, and just there talking and listening to music during lessons, when everyone else is focusing on what the teachers are trying to guide and teach us. Moreover, the instructors who guide us are volunteers only, so if they see that the students aren't motivated and not participating during lessons, i not sure if they are motivated themselves to teach us the skills. For those really motivated students, such as me, Amanda and Shawn, with the problems surrounding it, it may just affect us a bit during lessons, though we do try our best to keep focussed on the goals we want to achieve. As for those who join just because of friends, well, i think it would be better if they would prefer to pursue something which they have a definite interest in. With Guitar Ensemble, it is more of learning with people who share the same interests, with the main objective of going for performance.
Focusing on guitar commitments have been tough for me, because now there isn't many that still share my targets. But i guess I have to continue trying and improving on my skills.
Amanda got her driving license, i congratulate her on that success. I hope that with the driving license, she could be more independent and i think she worked very hard to pass the driving test on her first try.
Run For My Lunch event was good and enkpyable, met up with befrienders again for the 3km non-competitive run. We walked throughout the 3km, and chatted quite alot with Wei Liing and Madalene. The other 2 befrienders had to be stationed to help out in the running of the event though and this didnt join us.
First befriender activity, where i invited them to come AWWA to watch us practice our guitar. Since that was the first time i met them, it was surprised that Lyana is also able to play the guitar well.
The second and third befrienders' activities was very fun and exciting. The second activity, they invited me to go watch the movie entitled "Hear Me". It was a very interesting movie, a story of a girl that is deaf who participated in the Olymics for the Deaf, and won the competition in the end. Touching movie indeed. I thank them for treating me the movie ticket. We then went for dinner and took some photos before going home.
The third befriender activity, we had a picnic near Woodlands. It was possibly the most enjoying outing out of the 3 activities, because there was food, fun and laughter. We played card games and unfortunately one of the befrienders lost and had to do a forfeit, with her forfeit filmed on camera. it was pure fun and laughter.
Exams have just ended not too long ago, and the holidays have started. For this latest semester which just ended, I hope that I can get good results again, aiming to get a perfect 4.0 for this semester.
My Inspiration
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
