Hello Sec Ones :D

I am Chua Cong Yang, the Band Major of HCIBand.

Firstly I would like to thank you, for taking the time to vist our website and expressing interest in band. I would like to emphasis once again that there is no need to have prior musical experience to join band! Furthermore, most if not all resources will be provided by the school.

As mentioned on Wednesday, some of the advantages of joining band include:

• CIP opportunities with your friends will be provided.
• A chance to travel to places around the world including, Hawaii, Perth and Japan at heavily subsidised costs!
• LEAPS and leadership opportunities (both necessary for promotion, as band has many positions in the executive committee as compared to other CCAs)
• Exposure to music and new skills that will stay with you for the rest of your life. (You can choose to join the military band in NS if you do not prefer the physical torment xD)
• A lot of chances to meet like-minded peers and broaden your social network, via exchanges and workshops, the HCI JC Band, music programs etc.
• A chance to shine! If you practice a lot and become very good with your instrument, recognition and many future opportunities will come your way.
• Play music that you enjoy listening to and creating. (Pop, Jazz, Classicial, we play many different types of music)
• Enjoy wonderful facilities, as the band has many rooms available and you can treat the air-conditioned outdoor band room as your second home, available at anytime.
• Entry to band will open up many opportunities for you to shine, as an individual and as a band through solo and combined performances. With experience in high school, entering band will serve as an ideal springboard towards further musical education or careers.

However, no matter what I say, the final decision is up to you. If you are still undecided, I strongly encourage you to come for our trials and have a first-hand experience of playing instruments and getting a taste of our band. Regretting after having tried something is much better than regretting after having not tried something. Either way, regret is always there, so might as well gain a new experience :D.

Such an opportunity to try all 9 instruments in one afternoon doesn’t come by often!

I hope to see all of you at our trials, anytime between 3.00 pm to 6.00pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

If you have any queries or questions regarding band whatsoever, feel free to call me at 97291598 or Dany at 81818555.

Hi Bandits!

Sorry for the delay, we’ve finally managed to get a decent venue after a long search. Here are the details:

Date: 2nd January 2012
Time: 1230 to 1500
Venue: Heritage Place, 21 Tan Quee Lan Street, #02-08, Singapore 188108

Please remember to come with your cards/gifts prepared!
Some stuff to help you get there provided by the vendor:

NOTE: Just prepare photos, videos and gifts. Do not do the voice tape. Refer to the message below:

Hi Bandits!

Hope you’re enjoying your holidays thus far.. There’s another thing coming up for you to mark your calendars and look forward to: that is our Sec4 Farewell!

In view of the farewell, please prepare the following for our seniors:

1. Submit all photos and videos you want to contribute to your section leaders (for our montage).
2. Complete the line “You will be missed because…” and address them to specific seniors. Record your voice down, and also send them to your section leaders (fret not, cos all these voice tapes are meant to be anonymous).
3. Gifts and cards (individually-made or combined effort) for your leaving seniors! Make them special and personal as much as you like.

For section leaders: Collate all the photos, videos, and voice tapes, and send them to me latest by the 27th December 2011 as I really need time to compile them into a montage.. Also, work with your section mates on the gifts and cards, and you could dedicate them to your section seniors! Thanks!

Lastly, here are the sketchy details:

Date: 2nd January 2011
Time: 1230 to 1500 (followed by an optional section/band outing)
Attire: Casual or smart casual (no school uniform :P)
Venue:  NTUC Conference Room (located in Raffles Place; but tentative)

Come prepared for the farewell!

Cheers and Merry Christmas,
Yihan

Hello bandits,

Band practice will resume this Friday (30th Dec).

Date: 30th December (Friday)
Time: 9.00 – 12.30
Venue: Salt Centre Main Hall
Attire: School attire
Things to Bring: Relevant band stuff (Instrument loan form,scores, pencils etc).

Please be punctual! Lastly, do have individuals before band practice begins!

Thanks,
Cong Yang

Hi Bandits,

The farewell is still in its planning stages, but note the following:

- It’s tentatively on the first week of January (i.e. 2 to 6th Jan)
- Payment is most likely going to be compulsory, so please try to free up that week.
- Prior to the farewell, you should prepare personal gifts and cards for our leaving batch of Sec4 seniors.

Lastly, does anybody have an XBox Kinect and ‘Dance Central’ to contribute? This hints an extremely exciting component of our programme truly worth coming for, so those who have an XBox, please contribute it for a day. Drop me a private message on facebook (Khoo Yihan) if you’re keen to help!

That’s all for now!

Merry Christmas in advance,
Yihan

‘Ello, band-its!
Here are a few important announcements. Please do read through them carefully!
1) Instrument Spot-checks:
I (with the help of the SLs) will be starting the random instrument spot-checks soon, so please ensure that your instrument is clean and in good condition (No fingerprints etc.) and that your cases are neat and tidy.
2) Duty Roster:
I will be implementing a new duty roster system as the cleanliness in the band rooms (OBR and Salt) are deteriorating. The duty system will be grouped by sections and will change weekly. However, if the cleanliness of the band rooms remains unsatisfactory, that section will have to repeat for another week.
The order of sections will be as follows:
• Clarinets
• Trumpets
• Flutes + Oboe + Lower Winds
• Horns
• Saxophones
• Trombones
• Euphonium
• Percussion
• Bass
This will be repeated once finished.
To give you an idea of what to take note of when doing your duty, I will include a checklist of what I will be checking on
SALT Centre band room:
• Ensure that stands are positioned properly after each band practice (One leg towards conductor’s stand, stands pushed down)
• Ensure that chairs are in neat rows
• Ensure that there are no litter on the ground
• That the cabinets are neat
OBR:
• Ensure that the floor is vacuumed by the end of the week
• Ensure that there are no litter
• That the shelves at the back of OBR are neat
Although the people on duty have to clean up the band rooms, everyone still has a part to play in ensuring that our band rooms are clean. Things such as ensuring that cases are neat are everyone’s responsibility. Also, if you see litter on the ground, do not wait for someone else to pick it up, have some initiative!
3) Loan Forms for Instruments:
Below is a link to download the loan forms for your instruments. Please print it out, sign it and pass it to me when band practice resumes.

http://www.mediafire.com/?y478s7f5g2sny7j

4) Essential Rules:
Here are the basic rules regarding your instruments and the band rooms again since I have seen that many of them have not followed in the past few months.

Instruments:
- Do not leave your instruments on rough surfaces such as concrete, road and sand, if you really need to, place it on a piece of cloth/your files
- Do not leave your instruments unattended; assign someone to look after it if you have to be away
- Do not lend your instruments to band members from other sections (eg. To play); it is your fault if they damage the instrument due to improper handling
- Do not walk in the rain while holding on to your instruments, either exposed or in its case. For traversing between the OBR and main band room, use the long way through the classroom blocks and the multi-storied carpark
- Wipe your instruments after practice, do not leave any kind of stains such as fingerprints or water droplets on your instruments
- Rinse your mouth thoroughly before you start playing your instrument after lunch or drinking sweetened drinks
- Unless the SL/QM/teachers was informed, do not bring your instruments out of school compound (including the boarding school)
- In short, handle your instruments with care; your instrument should at least be in the same condition as when you first receive it, if not better

Band rooms/ sectional rooms/ any other locations:
- Clear up the locations after practice, with the furniture neatly arranged (stands straightened and aligned/ kept, instrument cases, percussion instruments and chairs aligned properly), the place free from litter and for SALT Band Room saliva bowls washed.
- Anything that are brought out from the band rooms should be returned to the exact location, unless with a proper reason
- No ball games in the rooms (basketball, football etc.), to prevent damages
- No eating or drinking in the band rooms except for plain water
- Do not bring any outsiders into the Band Rooms without valid reason
- Switch off the lights and air-conditioning and lock the door if no one is using the rooms
During the recent holiday practices, I have seen that the OBR was not locked after everyone went up to Salt centre for practice. This should not be happening as anyone and everyone will be able to freely waltz into band room and take personal belongings and/or instruments, so in the future I do not want to see this happening again. If this situation continues, punishments will be meted out. Also, I will be stricter in meting out punishments. It’s time to be more careful about your instruments as not only you will be using them, you will be passing them down to your juniors as well.
Thanks!
P.S. Please read the whole thing through… I’ll know if you didn’t!
- De Quan