Lately, I've been frequently returning to my Alma Mater, Pianoforte School of Music of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to help out a little (as if I'm of any help at all, LoLz) in the preparation of the fourth Musical concert known as Concert Just For You 4 which will be held at The Petronas Twin Towers, Kuala Lumpur City Center on December 18th 2010.
Of course, going back to my Alma Mater brings back a lot of good memories of my friendship with my friends whom I grew up together with since I was a 6-year old kid. My first step in this weird little place was about a week or two prior to January 27th 1991, my official joined date. I was a cry baby who hated the touch of an actual piano because I only had a small little Yamaha keyboard back then. Music sucked, especially theory. Though it was just a once a week thing, I love going home. My brother and I were lazy to practice and slacked our homework. Fingering was... as bad as now, and of course we'll get hit gently by pencils and rulers (Literally Gently). Subsequently, we were noisy kids too.
Anyway, we both managed to crawl and slack our way all the way to the end of Grade 8, by hook or by crook. With some Distinctions of course, actually almost full Distinctions (Proud!). We had a private teacher back home as well coz we were that lazy, only teachers can make us practice. Anyway, I started to hate sight reading when my eye sight worsened at mere age of 10. I kept that a secret from everyone including my father, until my eye sight got so bad (-3) that I couldn't read anything on the blackboard in my school. I had to pull the skin beside my eye so that my eyelid pushes my eyeballs to a shape where I can see a little. (The Asian Eyes) By the time I got my glasses, I already started to play by ear. With such thick glasses, music notes looked like little dots to me and I became more and more dependent and cassettes (before CD was introduced) and CDs for my exam pieces. Together with some sight reading, memorizing, and CD, I could pass my pieces for ABRSM. But when it comes to Sight Reading, all I heard was the longest "Sigh" I've ever heard in my entire life, coming from the examiner behind my piano bench. I was just lucky I passed.
Anyway, a lot happened during my time in Pianoforte ie concerts, practices, friendship, laughter, anger, etc. etc. Those were superb experiences which I will remember for the rest of my life. Those were part of the crucial experiences which forms who I am today.
For those who'll be hanging around KLCC on December 18th, you'll probably see a glimpse of me some time at somewhere. Just look for a fat average Joe looking person. =p
The Fourth Concert Just For You of Pianoforte marks the 21st year of the Music School. I'm one of the Pioneers. The kids there now are A LOT better than me. Trust me!
PS : (If any of you suspect that your vision has worsened, please consult your optician as soon as possible. Delays will only worsen it. Don't try to pull your eye lids back (Asian Eyes) because it doesn't really help)
Music, is an art. I really do not remember how this very special thing came into my life. But, according to my mum, I have been exposed to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's music in her tummy before I was even born. Well, I guess the myth about the Mozart's effects on babies is rather genuine.
My very first exposure on Keyboards started when I received a wooden toy piano as a birthday gift when I was less than 3 years old. I destroyed it after some time, I guess that's when my Martial Arts skills were discovered. Then when I was 5, I received a Yamaha mini digital keyboard from my mum. It has 5 different instruments, pretty sophisticated huh? It even has the function to read special sheets with magnetic data at the bottom of the page. When I was turning 7, my dad brought back a Yamaha digital keyboard with 99 instruments and 20 built-in songs. In addition to that, the keys has the dynamics function as well (capability of soft and loud touch).
Formal piano lessons started on January 27th 1991 at Pianoforte School of Music, Cheras, Malaysia. Music was something I hated the most. I believe I shed more tears after every piano lesson than serious injuries. Due to the fact that I did not have a proper piano, I was not able to get ready for examinations. It was only in 1995, when I first got my piano, which is also the piano that I'm using now. We were really fortunate to be able to buy the only model handmade in England by Knight, which is also one of the last fine piano from the company before they shut down. Their piano were not really designed for homes, rather for schools and churches with big halls. That's the reason it sounds a little different from most piano. Its sound actually travels around when being played, similar to the effects of Fazioli piano. Most importantly, it does not require a heater to survive the hot and humid environment of Malaysia. It is fully tropicalized.
Despite having proper formal music education from ABRSM. I sucked at sight reading. Part of the reason is my bad eye sight which kept worsening as I was becoming better and better at computers. Moreover, I love reading in the dark, so that my parents would think that I'm actually asleep. Anyway, I've successfully sailed through all the 8 grades partially by sight reading as well as listening to the Examination Audio CD that I've purchased.
My first listening skill was acquired by listening and playing the song "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" by Elton John, in Lion King. I guess, I do have some similarities with David Sides, he acquired the same skill, via the same song. Dang!!! The piano teacher who introduced the song to me was Ms. Chin. My private piano tutor. My brother and I needed her because we really suck.
From that song onwards, I play by ear. Thanks, Elton John. Other great pianists who have touched my musical life are Denis Heng and Clara Zhang. Dennis is my cousin and I find him kinda weird. He's very musically obsessed to the point that when we are in the orchestra, people around us would angrily tell him to stop making noise. As if he's part of the orchestra. On the other hand, Clara Zhang, my lovely piano teacher at UMass Amherst, taught me another perspective of sight reading. We share a lot of knowledge and secrets together, and HEY, she's gorgeous!
Thank you for taking the time to read this. I'm actually writing this so that I can recall and immortalize my memories. I have horrible memory, I can learn and play a song now, and forget it the very next minute. Cheerz!
Ray Mak
Crazy Kid
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