From YST Conservatory To Esplanade Recital Studio
This afternoon, at 4pm, my sis and I attended the Director's Welcome Speech at the new conservatory's concert hall (above photo) to introduce newbies, current students and staff. It has a seating capacity of 650, and we're looking forward to performing there. As there're quite a number of newbies this semester, life at the conservatory looks set to become more and more interesting.
After that, my sis, Liu Jia and I skipped the reception and went up to our accompanist studio to look at the new arrangements and we're quite pleased with it. The only problem is the Steinway & Sons baby grand in our room. Someone "stole" the piano key lock, so there's a gaping hole on the piano, where the key lock used to be. Also, Singapore's main Steinway & Sons agent, Robert Piano's logo on the right hand side of the piano was also gone. Now in it's place, is a sticky mass of glue which was used to glue the logo to the piano.
Suan (in blue) and me with "our" Steinway piano.
We left at about 5.10pm as I have to be at the Esplanade Recital Studio for a 5.30pm rehearsal with Tee Khoon for the Singapore National Youth Orchestra chamber concert at 8pm. We would be playing Beethoven's Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 8 in G.
When we reached there, we saw many familiar faces, such as Hoe Kit, Ike, Alan, Nicholas, Yi Bin, Cheryl and Beatrice. A few of us did some catching-up while waiting for our turn to rehearse. Then we had our delicious roast chicken rice dinner, kindly provided by Mrs. Wong, the GM of SNYO.
Tee Khoon, me, Ike and Hoe Kit
The concert started at about 8.05pm and Tee Khoon and I played at about 8.20pm. We played through the whole sonata, and besides a few stupid slips on my part, it was otherwise very exciting and enjoyable. I guess the audience also liked it, judging by their immediate warm applause.
We both went back to our room and Beatrice came in a while later to chit-chat.
I left at about 9.15pm to pick up Suan at Paragon. There was a jam from the Esplanade all the way to Dhoby Ghaut, due to road works and also, people parking their cars by the road to watch the fireworks. I finally arrived at Paragon after 25mins, and it was another jam from Paragon to CTE on the way back home.
What an interesting day!