Yesterday at Esplanade; Other

Am feeling unexpectedly relieved and free right now because now there is that clear line between us and as long as we're not physically touching, I can think clearly. =D Thinking is good!
Before you start asking me what is happening, please check and see if you are in the category of people qualified to ask me questions relating to this by reading the last paragraph of this entry under the heading "Other". Thanks.

Anyway, was at Esplanade last night watching, or should I say attempting to watch, this performance put up by the students and teachers of Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music. Besides the fact that there is this boy in yellow shirt making quite a bit of noise, I couldn't understand what the performance was about. I'll deal with things one at a time.

Kid in Recital Studio

Boy-in-yellow-shirt, about 9 or 10 years old was seated 2 rows in front of where we were seated and from the very first piece (which was very abstract) started to make noise. At first it was "What is this about?" by him, so I didn't quite blame him because the piece was really abstract. Thought that he would just fall asleep and end of story. No, he was awake and in subsequent pieces started to insist, quite loudly, that he wants to go home. Recital studio is small and built to reflect sound, so I believe everybody could hear him quite clearly. His mother was trying to quieten him and to my amusement, always chose points in the performances which were relatively quiet or completely silent to make her point. At one time I glanced towards her and saw, to my horror, that she was talking on the phone. I was really quite irritated then. At one point between pieces a caucasian lady was telling the boy to keep quiet. How embarrassing if they were tourists (which I'm sure they're not) and they witnessed such behaviour - boy noisy and mother on phone, plus mother didn't take the initiative to take her kids out.

Throughout I was wondering what the boy would grow up to be. He might turn out to be a really distinguished musician/composer who absolutely don't like abstract music and who might write music that is widely appreciated. No, not pop music, but truly beautiful music that the vast majority would recognize and understand it as artistic and marvellous. Then the newspapers would interview him and he would share his experience on why or how he became how he is today (which would be how he heard completely incomprehensible music in his young age at one performance, thought it boring, made his point and then got chased out, which made him determined to prove himself right and all of them wrong), how rebellious he was when he was young, and say that "Young children should be given the right to make their point (or noise) in performances because they can be right!"

Or he might just turn out to be a complete brat/jerk/noise-contributing-typical-singaporean.

Ah well, such is the joy of watching kids growing up.

So after much prompting by this composer with a ponytail (why do arty males mostly wear a ponytail or dress/behave like girls? Do we not have arty males who are males throughout? I believe we do. I think I have something against males having ponytails. Firstly, it is ugly. Secondly, it is ugly. Thirdly, it is still ugly.), the usher walked down to the row where the kids and mother were seated but she didn't do anything. I guess she couldn't since the next piece was already starting. We went through another agonizing piece with the kid making his point repeatedly that he wants to go home. Quite a waste, really. The piano piece was quite nice. From the layman's point of view anyway.

And then finally, the mother pulled the family of 4 out (2 kids, grandmother and her).

Performance itself - the abstract pieces

The pieces were very abstract. When pieces are abstract, people get bored because people like us don't understand a single thing that is going on.
For the first piece, the musicians playing various instruments were moving around the studio and playing single notes with varying volumes. I really did not get the piece at all. I only appreciated the fact that the musicians could keep their places in the music because the sounds that they make sounded really random to me. Plus they memorized the score. I was just amazed that they were and could listen out to one another. But then even if they played wrongly we wouldn't have realized it because it is really too abstract. Looking at it from another point, the piece is really transparent. The flute has to be very either in tune or out of tune with the other instrument that she is playing with, depending on the music. When they were out of tune, they were pleasantly out of tune. When they were in tune, it was nice. Clarinetist has a very good control over her volume. When she's soft, she's really soft. Oh, we couldn't tell when the piece was over. Thought it was just another silent part in the piece. =P So embarrassing.
Reminder: I can't judge as critically anymore. Anyway what's the point in judging. Appreciating is better, can enjoy.

Really preferred the 2nd piece, a snare drum solo on a piece showing, I presume, 4 persons playing mahjong. He was facing I think either 3 or 4 directions for the different movements of the piece, which I suppose depicts the different directions that players face. It was only at the end of the whole piece when he exclaimed something about winning a certain way (don't know how to put it down here) then I realized that it's mahjong. SEE, when it's understandable by layman like us then it is interesting! Abstract, sorry, I still haven't learnt how to appreciate them. I'm trying to, but nobody teach me, so I learn myself and it's bound to take longer.

3rd piece was by this female mallet player. Truly astounding. 4-mallets. I think she's the senior Pearlin told me about. Rolling what I like to call "the correct way". It's true, it IS the correct way to roll 4 mallets her way. She can read so many notes at one time! Some of the times it sounded like there are 2 persons playing the piece. Oh and she's charming! Body language and one's facial expression speaks a lot when you're a soloist and it was nice watching her play the piece.

4th and 5th pieces are piano pieces which I'm sorry to say I don't really know how to appreciate. Large, heavy chords. Some clashing, some not. *shrugs* I can only say that he (I think he's a teacher) is very good at reading many notes at one time. I'm a lousy pianist and I suck at listening to piano pieces.

That's about it, I think. 5 pieces in this performance. Took about an hour plus.

Other stuff

Yes, I am quite sick of people asking me if I'm attached because if I say no, people don't understand why and if I say yes, I'm lying to everyone. So I now declare that I am very much single, very available and quit asking me if I'm attached or not unless you truly care about my life, meaning I have told you about what is happening in this relationship and if you don't understand what I'm talking about (why I say relationship when I said I'm not in one) then don't bother asking please. No, I don't want to share. DON'T MSN/SMS ME YET! READ ON FIRST! If I want to tell you what is happening then I will, if not I'm sorry but it's my life. Oh for my friends who already know what is happening, yes you are free to ask me whatever you want because I know that you all truly care for me and I really appreciate (and will still need :P) all your concern.
If and when I'm attached, I will let it be known when it is appropriate, ok?