RICO daji - BONDING

hihi...
Ever since joining RICO, I have been thinking of ways and means to improve the CCA... In the first year, I couldn't do much except following BL's instructions... Playing this instrument that instrument... Well, in Sec 2 it didnt change much... Lionel became SL and everyone noes how unpredictable Lionel is... Sometimes, especially on big occasions, he keeps his cool and perform and lead... I must admit his leadership is admirable... But uring normal prac, he's a bit slack unlike BL... and as Mr. Ngoh said, an SL must be able to play brilliantly... Well, not much of a choice too rite? Im sure Victor or Darren can become SL... haha.. I mean they are quite pro in percussion but i dont think they take prac or concerts seriously... Especially victor... SO once again, I couldnt do much to help CO except do my part in CO...

However, I would be sec 3 next year and I think it is the rite time to start contributing back to CO... I have always thot of ways to improve it both in the musical part and the "fun-ness" part... Easier said then done though... Therefore, from Sec 2, I started to observe other COs... Why were they better than us? What made them different and so much better? (Not exaggarating)... Well, I first compared RICO to RJCO... RJCO according to BL is also not very gd... But, after training with them once, i could see the huge difference between them and us... They were much quieter during prac unlike us... I started to find the reason... And if im not mistaken, it lies in both the discipline of the members and the feirceness of the conductor... Dont mistake me... Im not saeing that conductors must be fierce... But, I juz think yang pei xian is a bit too kind... I have NEVER EVER seen or heard him raise his voice... I really admire his ability to control himself, to tell himself that he does not need to scold to get the ppl's attention... But sometimes, its juz a must to take action... Sometimes I feel guilty when I find myself not listening to wat he saes... But it has become a sort of tradition in RICO hasnt it? that everything that the conductor said is not noted down? So the solution? A fiercer conductor? To me, thats not the solution... To me, the solution lies instead with the discipline of the students... Maybe we can ask the SLs to check the student's scores everyweek to check that they have noted down everything that the conductor has said from dynamics to rhythm and carry out small punishments to those who miss out on these notes?? Maybe... But, it will definitely take skill to ask ppl like Thomas to take out a pen and write the notes down... haha... jkjk... Rewind to what Mr. Ngoh said b4... He said that ACS band, which he used to teach, was so quiet whenever there was prac that they could even hear the air-con's noise... Well, im not sure whether its true, but it is definitely an achievement... That would be the ideal situation isnt it??

Then, in May 2006, I started to get to noe RGCO daji and began to compare them with RICO daji... Once again, I could observe a whole lot of differences... The most important of them is "bonding". RGCOdaji was SO BONDED... and thats not exaggeration... They stay back after prac together cuz they dont want to leave... They go out together... They go for concerts when someone in the section is performing... THAT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN IN RICO... Once again, I started to ask myself for the reasons... I thot it could be becuz of DeViL... Well, that is undeniable... I used to stay back for 1 hr too either practicing or playing after prac but after DeViL joint daji, Ive stopped... They even scare the sec 1s and i really pity them... As much as i can, i try to spend as much time as i can with them so that at least they will not be influenced by DeViL... Every dazu, whenever there is break, i juz go out and spend time with them... teaching them... It was rather fun actually... They are a fun batch... That at least made DeViL stay away from them... I cant imagine wat they would be like if DeViL had done "it".. haha... I cant seem to find a solution for this though... I mean i cant force the sec 1s to stay back after sectionals to prac can I?? haha... well, it will depend on how much they really commit to CO... I really hope that RIdaji can bond juz like RGdaji... I really admire RGdaji... Janice once said that it was cuz the seniors were not strict so the sec 1s climb over their heads... Well, i have to agree with that... But it definitely takes more than that to be able to bond a group of ppl... How they did that, i really dont noe... I juz hope that I can succeed in at least bringing RIdaji together as a group and not individuals as it was this year... Yes... "Bonding" is the term... I hope RIdaji will be able to bond... Den onli can we really succeed as a section and as a group...

BONDING IS THE KEY...

Patrick