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)
RSS Feed