July 30, 2005

tune in

as expected, i forgot to bring the cam.
sometimes, grooming needs more attention than what needs to be packed into the bag, okay.
anyway, as i mentioned earlier, gamelan class on friday would be significant, cos it's the first (and only) time we'll ever get to see the gamelan being tuned. we could hear the grinding of metal from across the road, and were unsure if we were going into a class equipped with gamelans or a roomful of metal shavings.

got into class, and were met by thomas (our german gamelan teacher) and a Pak Mid (that's, Bapak Midiyanto, for the rest of you!) who was sitting on some towels, the back of a saron (a section of instruments of the gamelan) in his left hand and a metal grinder in his right, making one heck of a noise.

imagine being exposed to such ruckus for 3 days straight (that's how long it took to tune the whole gamelan set in school, cos we don't have a large set) without ear plugs and still be able to hear the pitch of each instrument perfectly. oh, did i mention that he also makes gamelans?

that's why he's a master musician, can.
that's why he's based at UC Berkeley, can.

it was definitely kinda cool to meet someone like him.
i couldn't stop thanking him for the opportunity to meet and learn from him.

now, for those who's seen the gamelan set at NIE, well, FYI, that's his personal set! Apparently, he was a little late on his promise of making and delivering a set to NIE on time and was forced to deliver his own personal set instead. he (according to him) cried for a week.
poor guy.

reminder:
attend NUS gamelan performance next month.
nur, wanna go?

luv, tash 11:34 PM

for my benefit

will the kind and beautiful people at benefit (namely, jean and jane ford) PLEASE, PLEASE, i-beg-you PLEASE, set up shop here..?


please ?


if by any sweet chance any of you finds 'em in a shop. lemme know, k!

luv, tash 11:14 AM

July 26, 2005

at the library

view from the library@esplanade

luv, tash 10:38 PM

July 25, 2005

metal rocks

i have to admit, these chunks of metal rock!
i had way too much fun!
i can't wait for this friday. correction, i can't wait for fridays.
it's the only day i look forward to.
anyway, a renowned javanese gamelan player (who's based in the states) will be in school to tune the gamelan instruments for three days straight.
i didn't even know they need to be tuned.
what to do, the closest encounters i had with the gamelan was when i watched barongan dances in bali.
nevertheless, i'll try to sneak pics of the tunings.
it is after all a once of a lifetime chance of watching an expert tuning them.
i'll probably forget to bring the cam on friday, but we'll see.
hurhurhur

luv, tash 12:20 AM

July 20, 2005

me and my machine

am not a happy camper.
hmph.
and i thought i could just attend gamelan classes at 11 am and then go gallivanting after that.
but noooooo, i thought wrong.
i've to be in school by 9am on fridays for aural tutorials.
all i'm asking for, is a late start to the day.
for one day.
i'd like to wake up without the alarm going off.
is that too much to ask for?
hmph.

but let's look on the brighter side of things.
i'm actually very excited to start gamelan class.
i bet its stress relieving.
*pound* *pound* pound*
;o)

luv, tash 9:42 PM

July 19, 2005

super wuper busy

Music school has so far been one heck of a ride.
It's very intense and it's nothing I've been through before.
I'm only in my second week and I'm feeling the heat.
I've got other things to worry about besides just piano playing.

On mondays, there's choir before lunch.
And I'm in Alto I (I think it's the easiest part to sing, so thank goodness!).
We'll all be performing Schubert's Mass in G - Kyrie come this September together with the orchestra.
Fun, I tell you. Choir's like the only class that I love going to. heehee.

Then after lunch, it's 'argh!-please-let-the-ground-swallow-me' time aka 'damn-shit' time.
That's cos I've got Piano Performance. And like I said, I suck.
So yah.
The only good thing that's come out of it is that I've got my own personal tutor to guide me for my practical exams (there's one every term).
So yah lah.
I hate it. I actually don't want anything to do with practicing and/or performing.

Then on Tuesdays I've got Musicianship for Pianists.
It's also known as 'lemme-embarrass-myself' class.
Cos my apparent ineptness in performing has got me into various embarrassing situations.
Like today, the lecturer had us coming up to the grand piano to sight-read a duet with her.
I was shaking like a baby's rattle.
And I felt so stupid.
But it was over pretty quick, which was good.

The rest of the week are okay.
It's just the long hours that are killing me.
I finish at like 6 (and 8pm on alternate mondays) almost everyday, which leaves me no time to practice.

I need non-classical music human interaction.
I'm always thinking of meeting up with friends after school, but when the time comes, I'm too tired to go anywhere.
Hmph.

luv, tash 6:11 PM

July 15, 2005

one tree hill

Do you know....?
That we've got One Tree Hill here too?
It's just behind Orchard Boulevard. Found it by accident the other night. We've always drove through Chatsworth Road but never noticed it.
And no, it doesnt have a 'Jln' prefix nor a 'Road', 'Lane' etc. suffix.
It's just One Tree Hill.
So wot's with One Tree Hill?
Was there really a hill with just one tree? What tree is it?
And does every city have one (just like Queen Street, Boundary Street, etc.)?
Even U2 has a song with that title on their Joshua Tree album.

Anyway, here's what I found (besides all the countless sites pertaining to a certain TV show):

• It's where Sir John Logan Campbell is buried in New Zealand.
  
• The lone tree on One Tree Hill in New Zealand was a Monterey Pine tree ( I said 'was' because it's not there anymore).
  
• It is also an extinct volcano.
  
• Bono dedicated the song One Tree Hill to Greg Carroll (a Maori) who was killed by a drunk driver. Read more here.
  
• There's a One Tree Hill town in South Australia, north of Adelaide.
  
• There's also a One Tree Hill in Greenwich, London.
  
• Many paintings were drawn from One Tree Hill in Greenwich.
  Click here for a 360 view of One Tree Hill in Greenwich and here for a painting.

Oh man, am I that free?

luv, tash 9:39 PM

July 13, 2005

what only

J: You look familiar.

Me: Uh..yah ok. (i'm in the malas nak layan mood)

J: Very familar. (proceeds to stare at me)

Me: *half smile*

J: Hmm..maybe cos all malays look the same.

Me: *rolls eyes*

I knew that was coming.
Kay, like that's a really dumb conclusion.

I mean yah, I get that 'you look very familiar' thing alot. Although I've never actually found out who I look like. haha.
But to say that all malays look the same?
It's like saying all chinese look the same.
Or all indians look the same.
Or all caucasians look the same.
Or all inuits look the same.
You get my drift.

Heck, I don't even look similar to my sister, my mom nor my dad.
What only...

luv, tash 2:52 PM

July 12, 2005

of spitfires and hurricanes

Watched a very interesting and moving documentary on National Geographic just now. The show left me in (more) awe and admiration for war veterans, in this case, the British war veterans of the WWII.

It was September 15th 1940.
It was the day that Germany (with about 300 fighter planes) flew into London to have the upper hand in the air so as to accomodate their land troops.
It was also called the Battle of Britain.

Britain might have lost the battle if not for a certain Sgt Pilot Ray Holmes.
He was a Sgt Pilot of the 504 Squadron.
Kay, cut story short (you can read the whole thing here).
While he was flying his Hurricane, circumstances led him away from the rest of the squadron and saw a lone German fighter plane (the Dornier) heading towards Buckingham Palace. He had ran out of ammunition and decided to ram the Dornier (in mid-air).
Oh yeah, he rammed it alright.
There were actually footage of the Dornier crashing to the ground, kay.
Whoa, rite? Yah, I thought so.
Both pilots ejected (of course) out of their planes and Sgt Pilot Ray Holmes landed on a rooftop of a house and was sent back to base. The German pilot, however, was badly hurt and died of his injuries.
Anyway, I did mention that Britain might have lost the battle of not for Sgt Pilot Holmes rite? Well, according to a historian, Hitler was taken aback by the resilience of the British (he thought they were suicidal) and ordered not to attack Britain as of September 17th 1940, until further notice!

So, anyway, Sgt Pilot Holmes' Hurricane crashed into somewhere near Buckingham Palace Road. And in this documentary, Aviation Archeologists were set on excavating Sgt Pilot Holmes' Hurricane based on photographs and footage taken in 1940. Apparently, his Hurricane crashed so hard that it went underground and authorities just buried it under the city. It lay buried for 64 years, until last year, when the Aviation Archeologists successfully unearthed parts of the Hurricane's engine that Sgt Pilot Holmes flew. Not only did they find the engine, they also found the steering control thingy (i've no idea what it's called lah) with the trigger still set to 'FIRE'.

Pretty amazing stuff, I tell ya.
Of course, the wuss here cried lah. Cos Sgt Pilot Holmes made the trip all the way from Liverpool to the excavation site with his family.
It was quite a 'reunion'. I'm just wondering what he's feeling and all.

So anyway, I went online to find more information on Sgt Ray T Holmes only to find that he had just passed away less than a month ago on June 28th 2005.
He was 90.
I'd say he lived quite a life.

Anyway, my point is, I just don't know if any of us would display such heroics and patriotism to this country if ever we're faced with a situation like that (war, lah not excavating planes from underground).
Try to catch the documentary on NG. Not sure when else it's showing though.

A Hurricane.

Photo courtesy of http://www.battle-of-britain.co.uk

luv, tash 2:30 PM

July 11, 2005

the performing arts student

I'm officially a music student!
It's official cos I've got my student card. heh.

Yaye!

Hello concessioned travels on public transport!

Yaye!

Hello student discounts!

Yaye!

Kay, that's basically all that I can 'yaye' about. haha.
Cos the whole 'i'm a musician' feeling has not kicked in (yet).
I'm overwhelmed with the talent pool all around me, I'm petrified of drowning.
Majority of us are pianists (piano majors), and I'm no where near their standard.
Then there's the Tuba major.
The Flute major.
The Percussions major.
The Euphonium major. (I didn't know what a Euphonium is till a few days ago)
The Voice major. (yah, apparently you can sing your way through music school hee)
I'm not too sure if there're any Strings major cos I haven't got the chance to get to know all of them yet. But I'm sure there're a few Strings major among us.

Oh, best part.
All of us have got to be part of the orchestra and do performances whenever we can. Now, orchestras usually only need one pianist. Since there just too many of us, it wouldn't be fair if only certain people get to play (though I really don't care, as long as I'm not playing). So, the head of music decided that all piano majors be part of the chorus instead.
phew.
I'd rather sing. Thanks

So yah, it's been pretty relaxed.
But starting next week, I've gotta clock a minimum of 4 hours of practice a day and to learn 4 new pieces for the year.
4 is alot, considering i'm used to only 2 new pieces (like 10 years ago). haha

mati lah aku.

luv, tash 5:38 PM

July 07, 2005

e-i-g-h-t

VIII !

luv, tash 11:24 AM

July 04, 2005

food for thought

useful tip:

always put shopping before food (even when you're starving).
you don't want to have to kick yourself when the shops close.

;o)

luv, tash 3:19 PM

July 01, 2005

am i?

yes, he's oh so sweet and perfect for you.
question is, are you perfect for him?

Fade Into You - Mazzy Star

I want to hold the hand inside you
I want to take a breath that's true
I look to you and I see nothing
I look to you to see the truth
You live your life
You go in shadows
You'll come apart and you'll go blind
Some kind of light into your darkness
Colors your eyes with what's not there.

Fade into you
Strange you never knew
Fade into you
I think it's strange you never knew

A stranger's light comes on slowly
A stranger's heart without a home
You put your hands into your head
And then smiles cover your heart

luv, tash 7:36 PM