Didn’t do much yesterday, just watched Mike’s octet rehearsal and then practiced quite a lot. Had coffee with him at Starbucks, chatted a bit, then went back to practice more.
Today was much more eventful. Performance class from 9-11 this morning was more relevant, three oboists and a few bassoonists played. Gosh, they all played so well! Sarah Jenkins played from memory, and her rendition of the Haydn concerto was technically stunning but musically facile. It’s just the nature of the concerto to repeat itself over and over and over again.. The bassoon duet at the end of class was nice, the bassoonists could work together really well, and their tone blended perfectly too.
Did some practice from 11-12, then met Alicia for lunch. Alicia is a third-year student in RWC, and she’ll come over to Singapore to study in NAFA next July for an exchange (just like I did) before her academic year at RWC starts. She told me all about RWC, and I told her all about life in Singapore and college life at NAFA.
Attended the Woodwind Chamber lunchtime recital from 1-2. The Poulenc trio was not too bad, the flute trio was alright, and the octet played very well. Communication, coordination and intonation was good. I thought they did especially well in the last movement of the Mozart, the theme and variations.
Rushed to the improvisation lecture by Estonian guests from 2-2.30 (which was lousy and rubbish, the lecturer was plonking random notes on the piano and calling it improvisation; and he talked with his mouth closed), and then went for the semi-finals of the concerto competition. It lasted from 2.30 until 4-something. Some stunning performances, but none wow-ed all of us like the Elgar cello concerto played by Kyle Patterson. Technically proficient, and extremely musical, (but a little too fierce and arrogant at some places), his rendition of the Elgar was simply amazing. After he finished there was a pin-drop silence. Nobody stirred for a while. And then we all clapped loudly. With something that good, the rest after him would just be mediocre. Okay, maybe I’m biased. But his playing touched me so badly that tears were forming in my eyes.
3/4 of the audience left after the Elgar. I was one of them too, not only because I didn’t want to hear the rest, but because my phone kept going. For the first time in my life, my dear brother wished me happy birthday! (: Thanks, Matt. *hugs* I left early to call him and the family.
Called Reuben on the way home. The boyfriend of mine is so sneaky. He stuffed dated letters in my luggage just as I was leaving, and there were 4 of them altogether, dated 24th and 29th Nov, and 4th and 11th Dec. It sure was a pleasant surprise (: So tomorrow’s an open-letter day! I feel like a kid waiting for Christmas just to open presents.
Tomorrow’s going to be exciting! Music therapy lecture on pallitive care in the morning, practice, double reed ensemble, more practice, and a Ponce harpsichord and guitar recital at night! Then it’s either Uno with Shing Min and her flatmates, or off to the pub with my flatmates.