Friday, December 30, 2005
Revision in progress...
It's nearing the end of 2005 and I've been revising my music performance skills and theory. I've also learnt the piano score of Only Hope from the movie A Walk To Remember. By the start of year 2006, I'll be working on Grade 5 theory and revision of Electone Grades 7-8.
Our concert's coming in one and a half months' time and everyone still seems to be relaxed. All except me, that is. I've been chasing my two performance groups, the Fajar group and the Silver Chocobos, but everyone doesn't sense the urgency in it. I've even gone to the extent of booking the studios for rehearsal during the one-week vacation, but how many people from the Silver Chocobos actually bothered to turn up for rehearsal? Only a few. I'm terribly disappointed. And the leader of the group Bo Yuan ran off to China. =_=
I'm not sure if I should continue to update this journal as almost no one in class, I believe, is doing it. I'm the only one who's doing it on a regular basis.
6:54 pm *
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Improvisation Assessment
We had improvisation assessment today, where either lecturers Michael or Jimmy accompanied us on the flute or keyboard while we improvised melody and chords over a 32-bar, A-B-A-B form of chords. I was with Michael and got him to play the melody for the 2 A parts, while I did the chords on the piano. It was vice-versa for the B parts. The whole improvisation went on smoothly, with I trying to "imitate" the pitch and rhythm contours of Michael's flute melody so the overall melody on the whole fitted.
6:43 pm *
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
Improvisation on chord progressions
We have been improvising on simple chord progressions these few weeks, in preparation for Week 7's improvisation assessment. We have also taken a look at various components in improvisation, from pitch contours to timbre and patterns. During the review of our performances on video, we picked out certain components that were prominent in that certain piece.
In my theory revision, I am now at Chromatic Scales (Grade 4). I hope to complete my Grade 4 revision by the end of December so I can start on Grade 5 next year. In my Electone Organ technique revision, I am currently up to Grades 8-9 standard, just a grade or two apart from my achieved Grade 7. I hope to go on to Grade 5 (Teachers' Grade), probably after Polytechnic or National Service. As for scales, I've completed all the major, natural minor and harmonic minor scales. I'm left with the melodic minor scales. I am currently revising Hanon as well.
10:32 pm *
Friday, December 30, 2005
Revision in progress...
It's nearing the end of 2005 and I've been revising my music performance skills and theory. I've also learnt the piano score of Only Hope from the movie A Walk To Remember. By the start of year 2006, I'll be working on Grade 5 theory and revision of Electone Grades 7-8.
Our concert's coming in one and a half months' time and everyone still seems to be relaxed. All except me, that is. I've been chasing my two performance groups, the Fajar group and the Silver Chocobos, but everyone doesn't sense the urgency in it. I've even gone to the extent of booking the studios for rehearsal during the one-week vacation, but how many people from the Silver Chocobos actually bothered to turn up for rehearsal? Only a few. I'm terribly disappointed. And the leader of the group Bo Yuan ran off to China. =_=
I'm not sure if I should continue to update this journal as almost no one in class, I believe, is doing it. I'm the only one who's doing it on a regular basis.
6:54 pm *
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Improvisation Assessment
We had improvisation assessment today, where either lecturers Michael or Jimmy accompanied us on the flute or keyboard while we improvised melody and chords over a 32-bar, A-B-A-B form of chords. I was with Michael and got him to play the melody for the 2 A parts, while I did the chords on the piano. It was vice-versa for the B parts. The whole improvisation went on smoothly, with I trying to "imitate" the pitch and rhythm contours of Michael's flute melody so the overall melody on the whole fitted.
6:43 pm *
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
Improvisation on chord progressions
We have been improvising on simple chord progressions these few weeks, in preparation for Week 7's improvisation assessment. We have also taken a look at various components in improvisation, from pitch contours to timbre and patterns. During the review of our performances on video, we picked out certain components that were prominent in that certain piece.
In my theory revision, I am now at Chromatic Scales (Grade 4). I hope to complete my Grade 4 revision by the end of December so I can start on Grade 5 next year. In my Electone Organ technique revision, I am currently up to Grades 8-9 standard, just a grade or two apart from my achieved Grade 7. I hope to go on to Grade 5 (Teachers' Grade), probably after Polytechnic or National Service. As for scales, I've completed all the major, natural minor and harmonic minor scales. I'm left with the melodic minor scales. I am currently revising Hanon as well.
10:32 pm *
