IF U WANT TO NOE THE RESULT OF ALL THE BAND~
GO TO THIS WEBSITE~

http://sgbandfusion.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=jitshvdrql7comlrqt7drh9pv6&page=76

Hi Band!

Quick Check: 4 Days to SYF 2009 (Bishan Park Symphonic Band)

Remember to take out your scores and 'sing' to it with articulations and dynamics etc. ( No Point rushing through, saying 'lalala')

Haha, and most importantly, take care of your health people! Do not consume oily/heaty/sick foodstuffs! :P Drinks lots of plain water! Have appropriate sleeping hours and keep you physical and mental health in the 'fittest' condition for SYF! No fear ya!

4 days, 2 practices, 1 goal!
_______________________________________
Overcoming Nervousness

Nervousness on stage is unavoidable... Even professionals will get that adrenaline pumping when they go up on stage playing solo... it's just a matter of how you manage that nervousness...

If you've practiced your solo well enough (Memorizing), then the solo should be played fine even if you're nervous. I've come by a few techniques as to managing that nervousness on stage. 1) Look at only the conductor and no one else 2) Locate your friends or family member and focus on them 3) Close your eyes and act professional, as if you're expressing 4) Focus on your score (Not advisable if you're doing a solo with a band) and etc... there's more to these experiences.

The main thing is to practice your solo until... you sleep also can play... until you eating also still singing the solo. Nervousness won't get in your way if your solos are practiced well enough...

adapted from : bandfusion.sg
________________________________________

-BRYAN

Hello Band :D

Let's take a look, we have just 2 more parctices to go, and 7 more days till SYF !
Emphasising on what we must have again, remember to have a pencil stadyby on your stands everyone (: Ermm well, from my point of view, the band has improve a little. But on the rhythms and dynamic controls has to be brush up on. Articulations too ^^ The band's volume today was louder, but i think it sounds rounder somehow, but overplaying and swelling can be avoided. Percussions has raise the volume i think ; keep it up :D So, everyone, workhardd! Efforts will pay off.

Hmmm, keep up the attendance yeah. The next practice is on wednesday and thursday, JUST 2 DAYS BEFORE SYF ! till our efforts and work are going to be shown case t0 the judges to get our medals. Well, for those who wants to go and self practice on monday and tuesday, you're welcomed :)

`ALLYSON:)

Good Evening Band

SYF's just around the corner...4 more practices, 12 days to be exact! Although we played just a little bit better during the last exchange, it doesn't mean we should be complacent. After all...we should not only strive to play better than other schools but also play better than ourselves. Only by doing this can we achieve perfection!

For the following practices, discipline will be the upmost concern now. To play better as a band, you guys have to have discipline to play together and not try to be funny. those people who try to be funny so that he/she can be noticed should know who you are.

Tuesday the leaders will be catching those who are playing a fool so you guys better behave. When Mr Samuel points out a detail that should be noted, use a pencil to jot it down. next practice I want to see a pencil on everyone's stand.

Yeah? So that all I want to say. Work hard and be serious about SYF okay people?

CK

-----------------------------------------------

Last 4 band practices have been extended, from 3.oopm to 6.30pm. Please do not give excuses that you teacher don't allow you to leave class.

Gentle Reminder:

To achieve Perfection in every single song, we have to portray what the song is about distinctively. So...

All members who are going for SYF, please be reminded that Fhaizmel will be 'telling' the story behind our choice piece, To Challenge the Sky and Heavens Above. Those who can make it, please come! For those who can't, please find out the story from other main band members.

Monday , 3.30 pm . (during sec one band practice)
Fhaizmel's "story telling" cum small combine practice session.
It's best if can take time off yeah, but if can't its alright. We understand!
(not an excuse to stay back , its NOT compulsory )

Thank You people :)

-Bryan:)
Re-editted : Allyson
CK

Good evening Band ,

Well, here's the thing, tomorrow, we have to prove it.
It's our only chance to show, what we've really got, and what we practice for.
What's the point of practicing and forgetting? Well, i admit that i'm not perfect either, and i'm willing to try, not going to give up (: From today onwards.

Tomorrow, please be punctual yeah ? 7.20am, report to the band room and get our instruments set up. Await further instructions. Percussions remember to bring all the things needed.
And everyone has to remeber to bring their scores.We will be going to Geylang Methodist and the main point is to practice the whole SYF run. There will be five other schools, Admiralty Secondary, Clementi Town Secondary, Geylang Methodist Secondary, Woodlands Ring secondary and Tech Whye Secondary respectively.

Recall what our alumini said today, about our discipline. We have to reinforce it again. Each and everyone should know by now yeah. We must also be able to accept criticisms and not to complain about this and that. (Including the sec ones.)

Okay, FOUR more band practices, FOURTEEN more days till SYF. This fourteen days, make good use of it. Bring home instrument to practice if possible. Every band practice, remeber to have a pencil on your stand. Compulsory, to take down little details and make sure our score isn't clean . Remebering those details is not the way, write it down. Okay, that's all i have to say.
And GOODLUCK, to us, we need everyone's contribution and let's work hard together and prove ourselves. Keep up the attendance.

Lastly, BE PUNCTUAL! (a band is nothing without punctuality!)

GO FOR IT (:
-Allyson

Individual commitment to a group effort - that is what makes a team
work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work. –Vince
Lombardi

They may not like us, but they can't get away from knowing who we
are. - Robert W. Smith

You have to remain flexible, and you must be your own critic at all
times. - Hans Zimmer

WE CAN DO IT!

-bryan

** And there's Band Practice tmr from 1pm to 5pm. Be sure to come alrite people? Friday's Band Exchange is very important! CK

Short Messege from our Alumni:

to BPS Band:

i know some of you are scared and worried as this is your first time.there's no need to worry. play like how you guys and gerls usually do.and i wanna see more discipline please. i may come and joke around but when its time to be serious, please be serious. especially during fall in.

i might walk around and make you guys laugh but try to stay calm. im there to distract you guys. please get serious when its time to be.remember what i told some of you that time?

i said....

"In 2003, the band walk into SYF laughing but came out crying..
But in 2005 we went in crying and come out laughing"t he one in 2005 is what I want you guys to feel.

i dun wanna see all of you crying and regret as by the time you finish playing, its too late already.
ok guys and gerls?

Hafiz.

Sry for the in convience
i am gg to remove the overture 1...

Cause it may disqualified our band participation...
so...i am very sry!!~

Band Rocks!

Good Afternoon Guys and Girls!

Just want to let you guys know that all I can see that u all are practicing real hard. keep up the good work yeah...it will all pay of when we get a GOLD for SYF and at the end of the day Mrs Seah said we will get to go to Japan!!! if...we can beat the other performing arts CCA.

I heard that choir only plans to get Silver. So we will still have a chance yeah. So go all out to ace SYF and let the other schools know how Accomplished BPSS musicians are.

Whether you think you can or whether you think you cannot...You are RIGHT! So U guys most always say we can do it and we will.

CK. =D

Hello band.

Well, better tone, better chances of getting what we aimed for, better co-operation, nothing goes wrong, for sure can do it! Agree?
There are still details to work on, but i can hear the improvement, the sound is rounder and bigger now. so don't forget what we've learn alrights? so we can improve from where we stopped.
The percussions has to play out, so that there will be a pulse.
For timpani, actual player has to be louder! you can do it ;D

With everyone working as one, yes, the judge will see it, and it'll earn us marks.
Expressions will be the next part after music. The actions, will obtain us a certain mark too.
Haha, everyone, good luck!!

Good tone = good team work = ONE BAND ONE SOUND = great achievement = what we aimed for.. !


13 Mar 09, 22:58
khooboon: u guys have worked hard.. cheers =) now is the time to show others of all the efforts that each and everyone of u all have put in.. i wish all of ur the best and good luck...
{thank you (: }

` ALLYSON (:

Good Afternoon band!:

here's a tiny-winne good piece of news:

We sounded more balanced during yesterday's practice, than on Tuesday. More balanced, more blend, more expressions and more feelings, would make the piece sound nicer!

One more thing, i have ask for opinions from Alumnis from other bands and most of them said : "Who cares if Yu Hua is in the same day? I told my Jrs: 'it's your performance, do it well' The award we will get depends on OURSELVES and not them!"

Yea, so you know what to do!!
Keep up the good work!

-bryan

Work Hard for 6 more practices!

6 more practices to go people! Reach and Excel...Strive for GOLD!

With only such a short period left before SYF which is on the 3rd of April we me really make good of the time we have to practice on our pieces. Futhermore,we have a Band Exchange next Friday and after a horrible incident the other time,i'm sure we all want to showcase what we have as BPSS Symphonic Band.

I've checked for those schools that have played Challenge The Sky and Heavens Above as their choice piece for 2007 and ALL of them got SILVER. and Mr Samuel has already said that our playing is equivalent to those schools who played that piece...so we really have to work very hard.

To me...Challenge The Sky and Heavens Above is Difficult only because of the accidentals that appear in almost every bar. And to clinche a GOLD,we have to make sure all these are played correctly. There must be a control in volume between forte and messoforte and cressendos and decressendos in the piece. Accents,especially common in the piece has to be played out.

Slurs and tongued notes have to be differentiated. And Challenge the Sky is must be played MAJESTICALLY at the beginning and gracefully throughout. Most importantly...we muz remember to have PYRAMID BALANCE! It is essential in obtaining the best quality of sound that will impress the judges.

So we have to Work together as a BAND,to sound as ONE! We can definitely do it.

Cheng Kiat

- && Good Evening band ;

FYI , there's 7th more practices till SYF central judging.

i don't know if you guys are prepared yeahh. but still, one comment that, there's still a big room, very large space for improvement. Agree? Okayy, so here's it.. Remeber to have a pencil with you yeahh, circle or highlight all the dynamics and take note of the rhythms. Articulation has to be clear in order not to be penalised. Intonation, well that is quite problem currently.
Well, the band attendance has improved so keep up that standard yeah . The Pyramid Balance is very important. If the sound is unpleasant, of course it'll not be nice.. For the woodwinds, when playing high notes, do not go flat , and for the brasses, don't swell.

We are A BAND! Not individual soloists!!! Today we sounded like sections playing their own part, and not together as a big team.

Yeahh, so that should be all. i think. (: there's not much time left...
&&goodluck, have interest in what you do. :D
WORK HARD FOR GOLD YEAH!!!

QUALITY REGULAR PRACTICE = QUALITY LESSONS = QUALITY MEDAL FOR SYF!!!

- Allyson:) .

(continuing the post)

I agree wat Allyson said. We are a band not a soloists. If all of us wan to be the soloist in the band, as well dont join band. The purpose of the band is.. Firstly, to show off our music talent. Secondly, is to work as one. Everyone is important in the band. Every instrument is special in their own ways. All instrument is important, without any of the instrument here...we cant make a perfect song and sound. Without any of us playing the instrument, we wont called a band. In the past, all the seniors said, 'One for all, all for one', I bet everyone knows wat it mean. But i dun see it in our band. It is the same in as we played the song. If everyone dun work as one, we cant played nice music, and we cant get wat we aim for.

What produce good music?

In order to produced a good music, all of us had to work hard. I cant promise tat we will get gold for sure, but if we worked hard together, at least we wont get a certificate of participation. If we want to get gold, we had to work hard, all of us cant talk while Mr samuel is talking. Althought we ae not involved, but it is good to listen. I hope we can see some improvment soon.

I now had a recording of Overture 1, I take it from my friend in AMK sec...i hope we can learn something from them. Fhaizmel said tat the song is a gold standard, therefore i hope eberyone can listen and learn from it.

If we wan to get a GOLD~we had to work hard. As for the Sec 4s...i noe it is hard for u all, cause 'O' lvls is coming, and u all had a lot of stress, but pls bear it for a while more. We are gg to step down soon. So, let work hard together and hope we can recieve a silver, if possible GOLD!!

BAND, I HOPE WE CAN SHOW TO OTHERS SCHOOL WHO WE REALLY ARE.

'ONE FOR ALL, ALL FOR ONE' I HOPE I CAN SEE TIS ONE DAY.

Here is the songs...hope u all enjoy

Repost by emily

Hi, Fhaizmel's here again.

SYF is around the corner, 8 practices en counting. Well, to tell you the truth, this band can make it only if you guys put your heads into the game. But anyways, i heard that most of you are fearing when performing due to experiences. I can tell you this, no matter how afraid you are, just be yourself. Look at the conductor, Mr Samuel is a experienced conductor. Never look somewhere else other than him, not even the score. I'll recommend you guys to memorise certain parts so that you can follow the conducting. From my two experiences of previous SYF participation, fear will definitely be there. Even i was afraid, but i push on. Memorise parts which requires attention. Just look on Mr Samuel. At the end of the day, nothing is regretted. So guys, i know its hard. Its parts and parcel of life. Gotta go through the hardness, nothing is easy. AND most of all, never be complacent.

Thats all for today, well. Good luck, next week onwards. Practice and strive hard.

Fhaizmel.

IMPORTANT!

THERE ARE SOME CHANGES MADE TO SYF 09 SET PIECE (OVERTURE NO.1 FOR WIND BAND)

CLICK HERE!!!
-------------------------------
FOR OUR CHOICE PIECE, TO CHALLENGE THE SKY AND HEAVENS ABOVE:

Points:
1. Figure 9, it's said to be described as a Woodwinds Choir with the French Horns. This part must be equally balanced.

2. Figure 20, the sections who stars at the first crotchet of the ar, should come in together, and trumpets should not rush, and should hold the 'crescendo' note longer. To get the effect, you might want to soften just a little on the quaver before the specified note above.

3. Figure 32, balanced.

4. Figure 48, no rushing.

5. Figure 76, play within 1 single breath. Do not breath in between the notes. It breaks the whole thing.

6. From 112 onwards, Tuba and Lower Woodwinds should not rush, follow conductor, and take note of Oboe solo.

7. Figure 140, the beginning of the finale of the piece, same as of point 2.

8. Figure 152, main melody sort of play softer, Trombones and Trumpets should play in tune, and not to rush at the 4 crotchets at bar 159 and 167. Never rush at bar 167. Stagger breathe into bar 168.

9. Bar 174, never blast as it will sound unpleasant.

10. Bar 177, those with pick-a-note should crescendo at the 3rd beat.

11. Bar 186 onwards, do not rush! It spoils the whole finale. Hold the notes in the last bar longer. (follow conductor)

___________________________________________

SINGAPOREYOUTHFESTIVAL.SG

-- BRYAN--

Heyy band! [:

{to add on what bryan had posted}

Personally i think what Bryan & Hafiz has posted has alot of meaning.
I have to agree that, we have to overcome our fear.
Do not compare ourselves to whitley you know. Because, the only one we are to compare with is
OURSELVES.
If we compare ourselves to others, its no use right? they can get any medals, but what has that got to do with us? Oh yes, mrs seah has said this to the lower sec. Each section can do well, but we have to make the music as a band, each section playing well, but the music is not harmonized, so it does not sound up to standard. And, never be complacent. Do not be afraid too.

Oh and delima passed a msg down rights? This is it.
She has highlighted to cut all jokes and be serious.
Have our own file and refrain from sharing,
To Add quality into our music, please have a pencil ready on your stands to jot down important things mr samuel expects in each and everyone of our parts.
In addition, please be punctual, and attend all band practices.
It is everyone's band. so we have to work together.

It makes alot of sense yeah? ,, and lastly, call up all your seniors if they are not around yeahh.
Everyone must be around, to make the band sound nice, play together as one.
We have another band exchange to prove ourselfs yeah. As what had happened in whitley, everyone's not happy right? so this tym, we have to do better. Work harder.
Adding on, lets hope rasman get better. The band sounds quite empty at the bass lines.

Basically, we have exactly 8 more practices to SYF. Everyone work hard!
We surely can acheive what we want. Do not be afraid to play out.
:D

Signing off,
allyson(:

Good Evening Band:

To: BPS Symphonic Band

i personally think you can play but you guys and gerls have to improve slightly
more and try to memorise the score by heart so you know all the accidentals and articulations,
the parts with crescendos and decrescendos and other parts thats important.
its important to remember the parts during the change of moods in the song, both
choice piece and set piece. solos and solis and another thing to take note of.
practicing hard is good. but practicing smart makes it even better.
practicing smart is by knowing your important parts. for example;

1. parts where you can be heard clearly,
2. parts where the band is in unison,
3, parts where the whole band change of mood in the piece TOGETHER,
4. parts where even the whole band stopped playing.
there are lots more but i cant seem to remember. just remember that wadever happens
reflects on your band. remember the "One Band, One Sound".
lastly,

Carpe Diem BPS SYMPHONIC BAND!!
_________________________________________
from our Alumni, Hafiz (tubist)

____________________

you guys should know what i am gonna say, so bear in mind what Mrs Seah said too..
(dont bother about the trumpeter who looked down on us.) just concentrate on improving our band. Nobody else can help us if we dont help ourselves...

Bear this in Mind and most importantly, WE HAVE TO OVERCOME OUR FEAR. Whatever we fear, Will happen. As long as you practice and play correctly, i dont see any reason why we must be afraid. To my opinion, A true musician does not ALWAYS think about their CCA points. Instead they should think that, why do people say that i cant play well? What is the problem?. Find out the mistakes we made and correct it. We still can make use of the remaining band practices to improve. We have all the elements which make up a good band, EXCEPT, the attendance, unision, band spirit. Try to come for band practices. We cannot excel if we always have a bad band attendance. We have to practice together, more. Maybe, we can do some combined practice during sectionals, and not just wasting time during sectionals... Yes, that's about all from me... Have a nice Day and practice hard. =D

23 days more to SYF 2009.


(Allyson might add on more)

-- BRYAN :) --

updates, SYF. exchange.

heyys :] ,

Yeahh, some infomation about our upcoming SYF.

BISHAN PARK SECONDARY, BAND #83 (day 5, 5th band to perform)
Date: 3rd April 2009
Time: 9.15am

Countdown: 25 days exactly to SYF!! ( about 9 band practice )

So, are we prepared? i guess not. we can do much better:D agree? there's many small details that we together as a band, have to brush up on. Yupps, so everyone has to put in effort.One band one sound, want gold right? Its really possible ;D hahas, nothing is impossible when there is teamwork. La. lols.

Oh & this thursday we are going to WHITLEY SECONDARY SCHOOL for an exchange. So please report to the band room by 1.45 pm and be ready at the foyer, by 2.30 p.m , with your instruments. Help your seniors who are having lesson. :D the main reason we are there is to perform our set and choice piece yah.
Inform those that are not around today for band practice yeahh. hmmm, alrights.
Hmmm, if you want to know more about SYF and other school bands, feel free to visit : http://sgbandfusion.com/index.php?page=76 .

Order of Appearence:

Day 5
-----------
Band #79
Greenview Sec

Band #80
Yuhua Sec

Band #81
CHIJ St Joseph's

Band #82
Jurong Sec

Band #83
Bishan Park Secondary

Band #84
Yishun

Band #85
Bedok Green Sec

Band #86
Hwa Chong High

Band #87
Jurongville

Band #88
East View Sec

____________
Results
____________

-ALLYSON:D!
- Re-edited: Bryan

Hi Band!

I have added a playlist of pieces that schools played for Singapore Youth Festival 2007. Please listen to the standards each school has and maybe learn from the good points.

Here is also a link : http://sgbandfusion.com/index.php?page=28
It shows all schools for Central Judging of Concert Bands (Secondary School [indoor]) from 1997 till 2007. Listen to the recordings and know the standard of the band which played the piece and got the award.

Listen to OUR Band play Merry Widow too. :)

FYI: Safari / Sunrise is the Set Piece for SYF 2007.


Signing Off,
Bryan