V for Viva Musica

I realised I should have blogged about Viva Musica V ages ago but due to a freak attack of flu the day after the concert and an amazingly tight schedule after that , I found myself with no time. So this should really be back dated to 21 June 2006. Photos courtesy of Erina who wrote a smashing entry on the concert.

I tell ya, nothing can keep me from smiling everytime I think about the concert we had in Victoria Concert Hall on 21 june 2006.

Not the grey skies, not the auntie who pushed me in the MRT, not even the unreasonable customer I've yet to meet who asks for seven pairs of shoes in different sizes.Ok. Scratch the last one . It really is a nightmare.

I think it's the supposedly lime green tie that made my day that night. Notice that Erina's tie is of a little tinny tiny different shade from ours. What kaya green? My tie is lime green ok!


Mrs chua with the Tuba Sect.

I heard green is a very relaxing colour. Must. Relax. Breathe.

But I digress. Maybe what made me so high was really because it was Hai Sing's first concert in VCH with oh... just about 100 plus members. Apparently one too many for the catering service to manage ,so the teacher-in-charge had to order many many Fillet-of-fishes. But who's complaining really? Although I really think the catered food was marvellous.

Or maybe...just maybe it's the gimmicks gone wrong that tickles my funny bone everytime "concert" and "Hai Sing" come together.


Two "olympic torch bearers", unenthusiatically waiting for their torch

I believe I did say gimmicks.gone.wrong.


Dance of the light sabers during "star wars"

Well if you know your music and if you connect the dots you will realise that these gimmicks are actually for a piece called "selections from John Williams" or something that sounds like that.

What always gets me up on a low day is really the gimmick for the Jaws theme, during which the Tuna-lookalike shark dashes from stage left happily chasing a couple of innocent "swimmers" and enters stage right with it's head disconnected from the body. I am trying to choke down a chuckle right now.

Ahem. Back to the main business. Where was I? oh ya. Happy. Happy. Happy.


The not so complete tuba family

I suppose some credit can be given to my section. They are a riot to be with , plus the secondary ones are very cute ( as in baby cute ). I think the tubas might even be bigger than them.

But above all the glitz and glamour, hopes and expectations, flowers and gifts, I believe what really made the concert meaningful was the spirit of the band.



Mr Fong , our ex teacher-in-charge came back with his wife and two daugthers to support us for the concert. After the first half, when asked how he found the concert he replied: " A lot better than yours,' pointing to Cedric and me.

As well it should be. Anyone can court a dream, woo a vision and chase an ideal but when push comes to shove, only the determined ones stay in the race. Hai Sing has come a long way since its humble days as a small military band. It is an irony then that their current uniforms resemble those the military band wore more than their previous "golden" ones.

Maybe it's supposed to be a lesson for the band to never forget its roots. Maybe it's my lesson to not forget mine.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is one song I believe had more replays in Hai sing than any other song. Enjoy!