After what happened on Friday, I've did some thinking. Half of this post is going to be some admin thing, half of it is going to be my heartfelt words.
Perhaps the newer band members do not know our committee, so here it is:
No scores- Look for Librarians:
Mabel (Sec 3, Sax) & Gloria (Sec 3, Trombone)
No reed/oil/anything to do with instruments- Look for Instrument Quarter Master (IQM):
Terng Fei (Sec 3, Perc)
Uniform problems- Look for Uniform Quarter Master (UQM)
Cyndi (Sec 2, Sax), Yun Na (Sec 3, Cornet)
***
At this point of time, I don't think mentioning any names would be an awkward situation for the band, since the band is not really in an ideal state now.
It's obvious that the discipline has dropped, so now, who's fault is it?
The answer is: Every body's. Including me.
Look at it this way. If people would stop complaining and whining about doing things such as: Drills, Sectionals etc, won't we make life easier for everyone?
Many of you have heard me saying what I'm going to say below. But still, I think that you should read because from the attitude that's been displayed by the main band, I think all of you need some reflecting.
Sectionals. The principal players (who has to bear the responsibility of the section's musical aspect), or the sec 3s who are now replacing the sec 4s, are there to help the section know their parts.
Why do we have sectionals? To make sure that you know your own parts before playing with the band. So problems like Key Signatures, Notes and Rhythm should be okay when the section plays with the band.
During combined band practice, it is not time for you to practice your part. The band probably has 20 over parts or more. If practice is spent on ensuring one person's part is played correctly, then what about the rest of the band? Won't it be wasting everybody else's time? So be more considerate.
If you really need prove, then look at the Flutes&Clarinets and the Percussion section. They have section tutors who help them with their sectionals. How often do we see them practicing their parts during combined practice as compared to the rest of the sections? Just because the rest of the sections don't have section tutors, does it mean that you can't do and take sectionals seriously? If you think that sectionals can't be taken seriously, for the sec 2s and 3s, I feel sorry for your Sec 4s because they have wasted their time passing down what they know to you.
And don't say that you've practiced everything so you can not have sectionals anymore. Are you so confident of yourself? What about the others? Stop being so arrogant.
Sometimes, when you are being told that your section's sectional is very slack, don't go around saying that it's okay because Mr Goh didn't say anything about it. When someone corrects you, don't be so ignorant. And, Mr Goh did say something about the band's sectionals, just not in your faces.
I am quite pleased to see improvement in certain sections like the Trombones and Cornets. Good job and keep it up people. However, sections like the Tuba and Euphonium needs to catch up. A lot. Seriously. The Percussion section also has to be more serious at times.
I hope to see every single one of the band members to take sectionals seriously from now on.
Moving of Instruments. On Friday, all of you did move down everything within 10 minutes. So why do you take more than 10 minutes shifting your instruments from the band rm to the music centre which is on the same level? Do you really need someone to shout at you? Think about it. Have more sense of urgency. Everyone takes their own sweet time moving things around. Even if you've finished setting up your instrument, why not help your section mates set up the instruments? And the moving of percussion instruments.
I've observed on Friday that once you carried your instrument to the hall, you don't care about what's left behind. Some of you just carry one percussion instrument and forget about the rest. This means that the other band members would have to make more rounds to cover up your slack. All these shows the lack of teamwork in the band.
There's one person I would like to praise, and he is Ebel. Since last year, he's the only one person I see always leaving his instruments/files and taking them after all the percussion instruments are carried. Everyone should take Ebel as a role model for this.
Drills. Every time someone complains about drills, it's really frustrating. And always, there would be some excuses made just to get out of drills. Pure disappointment. Till now, if you don't know why the band is doing drills, I don't know what to say.
Stop it with the: Band is not a Uniform Group, We are Concert Band, not Military Band crap. For your information, every other secondary school band in Singapore does drills. I've been to the NCO course for the band/drum majors of 120+ secondary school bands and all of us has to do drills. And guess what, everyone there can do drills. Not because we are b/dms. But cause the band actually taught us how to do drills.
Your attitude towards drills is horrible. It just shows us how much discipline you have in yourself.
Since last year, there's an improvement of attitude towards drills in certain people and that is Zelai and Cheryl. These two showed a great sense of responsibility towards their own attendance and there's been an vast improvement in their attitude and I feel that they should be recognised for that. I'm really proud of Cheryl and Ze Lai :)
Attire. Why do we stress so much on good attire? Band is one of the respected CCAs in the school, and when we are presenting ourselves to the school, we should look smart. Not like a sloppy bunch of teenagers. Tucking in your shirt, is it asking too much of you? The rest of the rules are simply school rules. And the attire of the band is really bad these few weeks. During the SYF period, and after it for a while, hardly anyone got punished. Now, you can see it for yourself.
Heck care attitude. I realised that many of you switch off when someone is talking to you. It's obvious. Since I don't know when, the above things have been constantly repeated, but did anything happen? No. And, simple instructions like: Bring the Percussion Instruments to the backstage, none of you understood. The percussion instruments ended up in the middle of the hall. When Mr Goh told you people to bring the Percussion instruments backstage, you started bringing your own instruments to the backstage. Enough said.
Also, it's quite amusing that many main band members have forgotten what we did for SYF. How the song is being played and what you should do/not do. The things written on your scores, are you reading it?
Here's the cold hard truth. Mr Goh and almost all the seniors feel that the band don't bother.
Till the extent that some even go up to the leaders and say that it's useless disciplining/talking to you because nothing gets into your heads. So what if the band will hate us for the shouting and punishing? We have to get the band in shape. Another thing that many of you might not be happy about; even though some seniors came back to play/didn't come back to play, we don't feel like playing because of the heck care attitude.
"You must learn to follow before you can lead" That's what one of my seniors told me.
If you have been doubting what I wrote because you think that what I say makes no sense, then let me tell you, you better think hard about the above quotation and what it means.
The things Mr Goh and what the seniors say may not make sense now, but they do. You may not see it now, but let yourself do, slowly. We all make mistakes and fumble, no one can fault that. Though we get told off, we shall learn from in and not make the same mistakes again. That's when we really learn and grow up. Instead of doubting what one says or does, why not think why that particular thing is said or done? Being skeptical is okay, but sometimes, stop and think; why is it done? How will it affect the near future?
Your seniors had put so much effort in helping the band, and they don't even ask for anything in return? Did any of your seniors asked you to say 'Thank You' or 'Sorry'? Even though they deserve it, they never asked for it. They never asked for anything in return. Do you see what your seniors have been going through? Many of your seniors have been hurt by their juniors, be it being disappointed, telling lies or being scolded by vulgarities. Have you even thought of showing your gratitude to your seniors instead of thinking about how your senior should be acting?
Yes, we can all have fun and joke around. But we've only got 2 weeks left till the Opening Ceremony. We're playing for a long parade which will tire everyone and we'll also be playing two songs which the main band had trained hard for, for the SYF. It's time to get serious. This performance is going to be the sec 4/5's last performance. Make it a good one, for them, for you and for the band. A good performance which will mark the finale of the graduating member's role in the band. We're not asking for lavish gifts or big thank you cards. We just want the band to start showing more responsibility towards the band.
Reflect and ask yourselves, what happened?
I'm hoping that some of you can tell me how you really feel and what you are thinking about this band that everyone, including you, Mr Goh and the teachers, cares so much about, after reading this. Be it how you can improve the band or anything; I've opened up alot in this post, I hope you would open up to me as well.
With love (still), Janis.
:)