Quotes on music

(These are taken from Musical Wit by Vicky Edwards.)

I wish you music to help with the burdens of life, and to help you release your happiness to others. - Ludwig van Beethoven

Jazz washes away the dust of everyday life. - Art Blakey

Music is your own experience, your thoughts, your wisdom. If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn. - Charlie Parker

Master your instrument, master the music, and then forget all that crap and just play. - Charlie Parker

I would teach children music, physics and philosophy; but most importantly music, for in the patterns of music and all the arts are the keys of learning. - Plato

I am a servant of the music... and if I get caught up in ego, I'll lose everything... it'll burn and that's a guarantee. - Eric Clapton

The piano is the easiest instrument to play in the beginning, and the hardest to master in the end. - Vladimir Horowitz

The piano is able to communicatate the subtlest universal truths by means of wood, metal and vibrating air. - Kenneth Miller

I'm an interpreter of stories. When I perform it's like sitting down at my piano and telling fairy stories. - Nat King Cole

If I look a buffoon while I'm transported by a piece of music, then so be it; I don't care. - Sue Perkins on training as a conductor on the BBC's Maestro programme.

Anyone who thinks conducting is just waving their arms around is going to get a rude awakening if they try it out. - Bradley Walsh on training as a conductor on the BBC's Maestro programme.

Being a conductor is kind of a hybrid profession because most fundamentally, it is being someone who is a coach, a trainer, an editor, a director. - Michael Tilson Thomas

Where words fail, music speaks. - Hans Christian Andersen

Music is love in search of a word. - Sidney Lanier

My heart, which is so full to overflowing, has often been solaced and refreshed by music when sick and weary. - Martin Luther

Music is the key to the female heart. - Johann G. Seume

A love song is just a caress set to music. - Sigmund Romberg

Musicians don't retire; they stop when there's no more music in them. - Louis Armstrong

To stop the flow of music would be like the stopping of time, incredible and inconceivable. - Aaron Copland

Angels given to me at various positions

Each time I sing at a different position for Mass, I am given angels to motivate me to sing to the best of my potential. Sometimes too, in the process of thanking them, I am used by God to affirm them. :) I know however, that it is the decision of my conductor that aids in this privilege.

Last evening's position was one of the best because it was really convenient for me to go to my seat and then to my position. I did not need to exert myself so much in comparison. :) It also provided an alcove for me to be alone with my thoughts and apart. :D I am aware that it is a temporary position for me but I am thankful for the chance to have stood at it.

A true sacrifice of praise

I have always been told to carry out the "sacrifice of praise" at mass as a choir member. I was given the opportunity to fully do it for these past two weekends. :)

I had a throat infection last week but still had to sing my best for mass since I am usually right in front of the microphone. I was asked to sing more when I tried to hold back while singing, as a reaction to my infection. It truly was a sacrifice.

It was the same yesterday. I had a really bad headache but still gave my best in singing for mass. I had to make up for my absence at choir practice, I felt. It was a little easier yesterday though. My section leader was deployed to sing with me and I had a greater motivation to sing because of her presence. :) It brought out my usual singing techniques :)

Learnt this new hymn which is absolutely melodious and meaningful

You Alone written by Sarah Hart and Dwight Liles

Refrain: You alone are holy, you alone are Lord. You alone are worthy to be honoured and adored. Mercy you have given, kindness you have shown. Love is you alone.

Verse 1: Who of us is sinless in this place? Who of us deserves your saving grace? Who of us is good at all without your blessed love that falls upon our hearts to heal our brokenness.

Verse 2: What is there to do but thank you, then, for the gift that we might call you friend? Greater love has not been known than that for which you gave your only son, that you might see us, pure and blessed.

(I love the tune and the third sentence in the refrain really speaks to me. Many a time, I get blessings which are definitely due to His mercy and not by my own efforts.)

Tests in preparation for competition

Something unexpected happened to me last night. I thought I would never cry again over a performance piece but I did. The tears just came and did not fully stop till some time before bedtime.

It is a piece that is my favourite and my best. I tried to focus more on the technique of singing and was grossly unaware that my volume had been terribly compromised.

I don't want to be the cause of obtaining a COP for it. At the same time, I think that this happened as an answer to a prayer. I need purification especially from my sense of pride and judgement. This was a strong form of humility from God, I guess. However, in the process of being refined into gold, God granted me angels to comfort me. Thanks Altos, Arthur and Nat!

It was not so good on the next night(Saturday night) too. I was still feeling small over my lack of timing as some members sang the pieces out of fun at a gathering. I didn't join them as I felt that I would have spoiled things. When I went home, this problem kept bugging me and I cried myself to sleep :S I really didn't want the next morning to come(Sunday)when there would be another test.

I woke up and after having relaxed my muscles, something I learnt on Friday, I decided to just sing out loud so I could be heard. I know that I know my music. I have to work on my confidence which is a major flaw, notwithstanding other musical flaws too. I did it with prayer and angels who prayed for me too. I succeeded. My choir conductor recognised my improved boldness and verbally acknowledged it. That and the applause of the choir were a huge encouragement. For the second song, he remarked that I was the only one in the quartet who did not lose my part :D He also said that he could hear me for the third song. Praise God and the Holy Spirit for having helped me and given me courage :)

I still need time to completely conquer my musical demons. My timing and rhythm is way off in comparison to others'. My weaknesses make me lose confidence in my ability.

Prayers before singing

I found myself being unable to project my voice and to mean what I sing for yesterday's warmup before Mass. It was, to me, a bad thing.

I said my usual Chorister's Prayers before Mass and without being initially aware of it, I discovered that I could do the above for Mass. These prayers have been used by God to reveal His power unto me and to once again instill in me the realization that I am singing merely on a borrowed voice. All glory goes back to Him!

SIngapore Idol 2009: can Singapore ever be devoid of racism?

When Sezali won the competition, some viewers were unhappy with it. They brought in the fact that he won because the Malay community voted overwhelmingly for him, but more disturbingly that the competition was a Malay-based one. This is due to the fact that he and the past two Idols are Malays. That is a rather unfair statement to make. It smacks of underlying racism. I am not a Malay, incidentally.

I was watching the finals and I feel that Sylvia sang the required Idol finale song in a dull and inexpressive manner. Touched by an Angel expresses the joy and awe at having received blessings and graces from God. Her rendition was devoid of such feelings. It was blatantly felt. She may have been a freethinker but that does not mean that she cannot attempt to imagine how it is for a non-atheist.

Singing a song with such a profound title requires the singer to understand the real meaning of the lyrics and bring out the emotions associated with it. This very reason made me feel that Sezali deserved to win the competition, because there was clear expression of such feelings in his rendition.

I concur with his comment that "Here we are all Singaporeans. There is no Chinese Idol or Malay Idol." His critics may still think that he may have been saying it to justify his win, but I think there is complete truth in it. It seems to me that they are just unhappy that Sylvia did not win instead. Anyway, the official statistics stated that she secured 39% of votes while Sezali secured 61% of votes. Enough said.

Art Fazil wrote his take on this issue. I like his ending sentence: " His victory was the triumph of talent over mass appeal." This is a very telling and irrefutable statement :D