Hi all,
44 days to Hawaii.
6 weeks to Hawaii.
22 band practices to Hawaii.
What have we accomplished?
I would like you to really reflect on your last 3 weeks of progress. Go seat at one corner, grab a piece of paper, and try to answer the questions below:
1. Are you really satisfied with your standard now?
2. Do you really think this standard was even a 50% compared to our SYF’09 standard
3. Do you think by playing like this, we can achieve anything above a COP?
4. Do you seriously think we have enough time. (We have notes, rhythm, intonation, articulation and dynamics left – FOR at least 11 more songs)
5. What do you really want? As a band member, as a part of HCIBand, as a part of this school. Most importantly, will you be satisfied with getting anything other than a Gold?
I’m really being very honest here. What do you expect to achieve when you go Hawaii? A vacation with your friends? Sightseeing? At least for me, it ain’t. I have been in band for my past 3 years in HCI. This being my fourth year. I have seen how this band has screwed up, how this band worked hard and created history. I have been through all these. When my batch was Sec 1/2/3, I can vouch – we were much more hardworking than any of you guys now. Don’t take this as an offence, I’m just merely stating the fact. I want to get this message across to you all:
WE WON’T MAKE IT.
Anyone doesn’t understand that 4 words there?
I am being realistic and truthful here. There’s nothing more we can do if you all are unwilling to improve. For those out there who has been practicing, I applaud you. You have my thanks. For those who don’t wish to practice, please take what occurred in the last 2 practice as a wake up call. Even some of the s4s, do your job. You are the seniors, you are supposed to lead the band. If you don’t who will? Are we up to the j1′s standard yet? NO. THOSE WHO AREN’T DOING YOUR JOB, DO IT NOW.
Cat High is out there to compete with us. Do you want them to think our band is shit? Do we want to get pwned by them? Do we want to hear them say, “hwa chong band so lousy ar? How they get their GwH de?” No. Of course I know you won’t want that to happen. But at this rate, it seems that this is inevitable. The horns, for example, are having sectionals virtually every day of the week other than Thursday. I’m not expecting you to devote your whole week to band, BUT AT THE VERY LEAST, have a 100% commitment to band. When in band prac, give your best, as you would when you want to get an A1 in your test. Come down for individuals at least every week, practice with your heart and soul. Make every note count.
Fundamentals
Notes & Rhythm
Articulation and Dynamics
Fundamentals itself takes weeks and months to complete. I’m not kidding. I was once at your age doing that. When I was sec 2, my batch played with the then sec 3s, spring march and 7th night of July for NBC. We missed Gold(distinction) by a mere 0.83%. How wasted was that. Now you are going Hawaii and going to miss gold by a full 50%?
There’s nothing much i can say. I hope this is a wake up call to those who have not been awakened. This is the last 1+ month. THERE’S NO TIME LEFT.
Ultimately, what we will get, what you will get, what HCIband will get in Hawaii. It relies on you. We are already 4 weeks late. And yet we are still walking and not running. Mark my word, if you don’t practice, we don’t get our gold. We cannot make it. That’s a confirmed 100% if you aren’t willing to improve. Where’s the urgency? We need to work at least 4 times as hard as the rate at which Cat High is working at right now.
IF NOTHING IS DONE NOW, WE REALLY REALLY WILL NEVER, ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY TAKE THAT GOLD, OR FOR THAT MATTER, EVEN A BRONZE.
This post is not intended to demoralize you. The main question now – How to move on from here? I’ll tell you the answer. Practice every song till the best of your abilities, put in your 100% commitment, push yourself, motivate yourself. Tell yourself you need to practice, make band your first priority, if not, one of your first few priorities. Make every second of your practice time count. Make every single cent of your parents’ money count. Make every bit of sweat and hard work you have put in so far count. Make your worth known to everyone else…
We are still one band – HCIBand. If we work hard together, we can still do justice to the amount of work put in.
That’s all I have to say. Do reflect.
Hi all,
As said today, we will be putting up a picture of the proposed band collar pin. Do take a look, and give us your opinions back in school.
Thanks.
Remember, Hawaii is but just less than 2 months away now.
Edit: Due to technical problems on the hciband blog’s server, I have posted the picture on tinypic.
Link: http://tinypic.com/r/24yof2t/6
