The Ad Hoc Winds

One by one they came. Some were late, others just made it in time. Some came from the other end of Singapore while others from a mere 5 blocks walk away. Different people, different walks of life, different schools even, all bound by a singular calling- Mr. and Mrs Chua. In what must be the first of its kind , the alumnus of Hai Sing Catholic Concert Band , Anglican High Concert Band , Ngee Ann Concert Band and Marist Stella Concert Band got together to form the Ad Hoc Winds. What's more? I was part of it.

I was a proud member of Hai Sing Catholic School Concert Band 1998-2001. Ah. Those were the days. A flurry of blurred images begin its 5 mirco-second transition slideshow everytime i think back about them. The images come so fast I feel almost dizzy. The Chicken Rice Stall Auntie whose apron is always stained with Soya Sauce, the Yellow Blazer the Band changed to, which made us all look like B1 and B2s , even the inevitable non-reception we had in the basement, I remember them all as if it were only yesterday.

Even now I keep in touch with news of the band through this website. Obsessed with the achievements of yester-year? Maybe. Is this particular band a part of me? Absolutely.

I remember clearly the day that forever changed the band. The Singapore Youth Festival on
16 April 2001. I had bought four tuba pins , three for my juniors and one for myself. I gave them the pins in the Lobby of Nayang Polytechnic,just outside the auditorium.

"for good luck" I told them ," for good luck" I whispered to myself.



Almost the size of my thumb, these trinkets did not come cheap and yet, I would gladly give them up for what would serve as a inspiration to all who participated in it.

I did not say much that day. I was too nervous, too fearful, too small to be able to grasp what this was. The band had gone through, in the words of what cliche-haters must rue , thick and thin and this day was the culmination of it.

After what seemed like an entire day, our turn to perform came. My heart quickened its pace. I grabbed my instrument for what I was worth and before long was ushered into the tunning room.

Rectangular, dark and cold, this was the place we did our last warm-up before our performance.
We went through a little of our set piece and promptly went on with our choice piece, Fiefoerniek, a somewhat abstract piece featuring a short saxaphone and tuba solo, which I was playing. We breezed through it. Our conductor, Mrs Chua, dressed in her ceremonial black gave her final advice:

" I don't care what you all do on stage later. Just remember that you are telling a story and have fun."

I could not even remember even performing. All I remember are strange looking black bean sprouts and the faces of the audience all looking at me. If I had made a mistake I didn't notice it.

If by any standards, I was said even less after our performance. The band was made to go back to school for lessons and only a few of the committee members stayed for the results. I was one of them.

" Wah, your solo good le, virbrato so much" one of my friends complimented

"must be he nervous la then natural virbrato already, hor Daniel ." another chirped in to lighten the mood.

I nodded numbly and smiled weakly. The results were taking forever.

I found myself with a few of my friends gathered in the hall after sometime. I hear the speaker in front speaking but could not understand. It was until I heard

" and now the results..."

that I suddenly snapped back into reality.

The results were arranged according to our order of appearance and the announcer would read the school's name first before its medal.

"XXX Secondary School" the voice tailed away, " bronze"

An audible groan could be heard from the crowd.

"Hai Sing Catholic School..."

I thought I would run up and strangle the announcer at this moment.

"Gold."

I thought I had heard wrongly. It was until I saw mt friends jumping around that I could comfirm I had heard him right.

We had hit Gold.



We will always stand together, the boys and girls of Hai Sing Catholic Concert Band.

Hai Sing Catholic Concert Band has been gone on to win another Gold Medal at the 2003 SYF.