squareberry’s

Archive for the ‘Music and Piano’ Category

Encouraging

I’ve been jogging/running round the Upper Thomson/YCK area for 7-8 years now and it occurred to me this morning that the number of runners around has increased steadily over the years. On the way back from home in the evenings, I see runners. On Saturday mornings, I see other men and women of all ages starting out early to run to the reservoir.

Somehow, I find that incredibly heartening. I love running, and its nice to see more people running. I’m a believer in the notion that running/exercise is good for your health and heart, and that endorphins keep you happy, and its great to see more people trying to get healthier and happier! =D

On another note, I complain about my piano kids sometimes-  so naughty! But its also extremely encouraging when you see them improving, or when you see a student you taught from scratch playing on the piano with both hands. I had moments like that this morning, with many of my students. It keeps me going.

I wonder…

If I’ll ever play onstage again.

Finding old recordings, hearing old pieces by good friends, I’m feeling slightly nolstagic. I don’t think anything is more satisfying then, well, a satisfying performance, but I don’t think many things are as tiring and stressful either. That feeling in the period leading up to your moment on stage- that its so far from perfect, it can’t possibly be perfect, i’ll be so imperfect to the audience- I think its also that which leads to the ‘post-concert high’ when its over and relief sets in.

Before the last, I told myself it shall be the very last, enough is enough, time to pursue other things, more time for family, more focus on teaching. Now I wonder…

I guess there’ll be one more, albeit to an audience of 2,  if I manage to take the exams next year.

Looking forward to a performance I’m watching tonight at the Singapore Piano Festival! Hearing good pianists is always incredibly inspiring, to hear what the instrument is capable of. But it also inspires a slight tinge of jealousy- the knowledge that its not meant for me.

Piano Entertainment

My Dad packed my grandparent’s house and look what he found? A piano musicbox which no one knew existed. It’s also a ring box, though it probably has enough space for just 2 rings. It feels almost like my grandfather left something behind for me… shall keep it dear.

I’ve stopped watching drama serials for a long time, partly because I find watching stuff online slow and cumbersome. Its also irritating when episode links are broken or incomplete. Yesterday, a DVD shop was having a sale for all its Taiwan/HK/China/Korea/Japan drama boxsets…and I bought the Nodame Cantabile (Japanese) and Beethoven Virus (Korean) series.

Watched half of Nodame continuously yesterday. For just 12.50, I think the convenience of owning the show on DVD is well worth the money. Think the convenience is also making me take back my words on ‘I don’t watch TV’, now I wish I had a day free of all engagements to just watch the shows…

 

 

Total Cuteness

During lesson yesterday, my student was acting all restless (as usual).  While I was trying to get her to sit still, she said

‘Wait, I forgot to take something!’

I thought she was getting distracted again and was going to take my month’s fee or something, so I told her,

‘No, you sit and play first, later you can go take.’

Later on, she said she was going to the toilet…look what she came back with!

 

AWW!!!

I always tell her that since I give her stickers when she plays well, she has to give me stickers when she doesn’t practice and misbehaves. So yesterday, I saw the card and said,

‘Two stickers? You’ve only been naughty two times?’

To which she laughed and laughed.

Love and Hate

?

Pass me some motivation and lots of patience please!

Finally, Rach to my collection

Finally, a free Friday! Went to Somerset 313 (131?, LOL I HAVE NO CLUE) with him after work yesterday and he dragged me into HMV to look at DVDs. As usual, I scooted off to the classical music section…

Sidenote: Suddenly realized that every I go to the classical music section, its filled with angmohs.

I’ve been wanting to find a decent collection of Rachmaninov’s 4 piano concertos and I did! Listening to Ashkenazy right now and I’m loving it.

Rachmaninoff plays Rachmaninoff- Solo works and transcriptions. This was a good deal at $14.95, so I thought I might as well buy it and get exposed to more of his solo works.

I never used to buy many CDs, but it feels like I’m slowly, but steadily building up a collection now. Collected some Dvorak, Grieg, Mahler, Holst, Milhaud, Bach, Chopin, Rachmaninov over the past year. Who’s next? Maybe some more romantic composers like Debussy and Mendelssohn.

Old Photos

From Touch 2010.

My partner never fails to look smiley. Aww, miss her!

Ex-Partner!

=D

i-piano

OMG. Funny. Cute. Interesting Encore Item by Lang Lang.

But no, doesn’t make me like the ipad more.

Happily Ever After

PROLOGUE:

This morning, I received an sms from Sue Ann that began with ‘It’s my blog’s 100th post and…’

For a moment, I thought she wanted to ask us to her house for a blog party, but it turns out that I’m one of the fortunate four friends (ho, alliteration there!) to commemorate her 100th post by writing an entry on the theme, “Happily Ever After”.

CHAPTER 1:

All fairytales end with ‘and so they lived happily ever after’, but this author thinks that those princes and princesses must have lived pathetically ever after.

Its not that you can’t be happy.

CHAPTER 2:

I remember a driving instructor once telling her, ‘If nothing bad ever happens and you are never sad, how can you possibly know what happiness is?’

What the fairytales did not tell us was that the princes and princesses who lived happily ever after, without quarrels or tribulations, probably aged out of boredom.

When “‘Happiness” becomes a steady state, it is no longer pleasant.

CHAPTER 3:

Happily ever after simply doesn’t exist, and shouldn’t exist. I’m of the opinion that all relationships/marriages have to go through difficult times, not every single day, but definitely over and over again. Its only in difficult circumstances, disagreements and fights that you get to see the worst of each other, feel the frustrations of the other’s quirks and habits, and learn to understand the other.

With each bump  you overcome along the way, you grow as a pair, and learn to love each other better. (Besides, its said that make-up s*x is fun, ha!)

CHAPTER 4:

Its like the movie date night. A couple who seemingly got along perfectly got a divorce…in the guy’s words, ‘We were nothing but perfect roommates’.

Happiness in a marriage probably comes from being caring enough to get into disagreements, loving enough to compromise and change, appreciative enough when the other loves you in spite of everything.

EPILOGUE:

And then you will be happy with each other.

Happily ever after sucks. Let’s not become boring fairytale princes and princesses who smiled to their last breaths.

If you love enough, you’d have the perseverance to keep the marriage alive. How about lovingly ever after?

And here’s a set of 2 pieces of music written by Kreisler- Liebesleid (Love’s Sorrow) and Liebesfreud (Love’s Joy). How apt.

Disclaimer: The author acknowledges that this post was conjured out of a whim, and not completely coherent, and thus, will not take responsibility for any wrong advice given.

PS: Check out Sue Ann’s 100th post, here

The Cutest Handmade Gift from my Student

I recently started giving my cousin, Joey, piano lessons. Today was her second lesson and she gave this to me!