A Tempo XVI

the second show of this year is RJC's A Tempo XVI,and of course my mum's used to my concert going routines.no sign of those headline-busters though

here's Concert Tip No 2:never show up late.the earlier the better.but there's a limit.45 minutes at most.gives you ample time to mill around and still saunter into the venue 10 mins before concert startsok...i'm very likely going to sound like some editor from Wine and Dine,so i'll try.of course i saw a whole gang of your kakis,or ex ones i mean.so the list include(in order of appearance) Yuan Ru(too bad she appealed back to IJC),the innova guy who appealed into HCl thru band,Samz,another Innova girl who's now in NYJC(apparently she knows about the rumour about Juliana and me),Ms Ng,my juniors from CCHSM who i miss alot,my CHC fren and Shortie(with her kakis as well) and a whole lot of AJC ppl

since i wasn't down for any council briefing,as a rich dude with money to burn,spending a night at the Esplanade is the ultimate decadence.so how,let's check out the repertoire.

there's a medieval theme for this A tempo,esp when i saw the promo posters on the day i crashed so the start goes like this

Huntingtower
that's a ballad,they say.but i think i find the insistent bass note emanating more like a opera.but anyhow that fairly exploded with rhythm with a few high points in between.apparently it seemed haunted to the person who wrote the programme,but not me.i find it more like a tragedy

Time to take back the Knights (The Chosen)
a contrasting piece that is quite boppy,and not another medieval ball theme.whereas the last piece was very solemn,this seemed more like the appetizer

Funiculi-Funicula Rhapsody
funny name.but nothing funny by all means.more cute than funny.winds around your eardrums in a brilliant rhapsody.quite cool

With Heart and Voice
inspired by an old spanish hymn,as they said.so how,they literally played this out with their heart and soul and letting the instruments do the talking

Pirates of the Carribean
cameo by the Raffles Winds(aka the Rafflesian Alumni band).
need i say more?quite a rousing piece that is conferred a brass cloak by the orchestra

St Florian's Choral
the composer wasn't popular at first,but this great choral piece retains its 18th century charm,updated with more grace.

Finale from Symphony no 5
whereas ACJC made it sombre,RJC made it sounded more optimistic

Celtic Folk Song Suite
the celtic elements are sorely lacking,but it more than compensated with the grace only brass can give.the middle one was more light,presumably to herald the next song that's just as heavy as the first

Evergreen 70s
you know what,the percussion men look funky in that one,obviously one to dance to,literallyand they are so forthcoming with encores they performed 2,one conducted by a student conductor and one by the in house Japanese counductor,and with the addition of unusual stuff like piano and electric bass,they aren't going to be toppled off their best band award soon

Oh yeah Ee jean (or simply Jean) saw me before she retired backstage.there rounded off a great night