Darius Lim

www.dariusmusic.org

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Its been a year since I last blogged! And my oh my how time flies- a year has passed, so many concerts, competitions, new musical experiences, new friends and new environments, while the old ones mature and blossom. Its been an amazing year.

This year's Singapore Youth Festival Central Judging of Choirs proved to be an amazing and yet memorable experience for me. All my three primary school choirs clinched Gold and Gold with Honours awards.

I am especially happy for my new girls' choir, Paya Lebar Methodist Girls' Primary School Choir, with which I took over in January 2012. They achieved their first ever Gold with Honours in just a mere span of 4 months, singing Nancy Telfer's Swallow and my Puppet's Dream.

Am also very proud of Junyuan Primary School for sustaining their Gold with Honours award. The entire journey and experience towards this SYF has been most enjoyable and fun. The choir learnt dozens of songs in just the past year and decided on my two works- The Magic of Wizard Davinza and The Fire Dance of Luna. They were amazing on stage! They always are. And i'm so proud of them.

Bedok Green also clinched a Gold award at this year's SYF and with a mere 33 members in the choir, I reckon they're the smallest gold choir so far in the competition. Well done bedok green! They really made such great music on stage.

After all, to me what is more important is the whole process of SYF- not the competition itself- is it the process of the training, discipline, enjoyable and memorable experience that help cultivate and mould good personalities in choristers, and increasing choral and musical knowledge of the singers that really matters.

And now, the music making begins...

In the end it doesn't matter how many breaths you took, but how many moments that took your breath away...

The Singapore Youth Festival Central Judging of Choirs 2011 (Secondary Schools) has finally come to an end. 8 Days of performances from 129 choirs; 8 days of nerves; 8 days of joy and tears.

I am thankful all went well and my choirs managed to clinch awards of what they aimed for. Most importantly we enjoyed ourselves so much during the whole process and journey towards SYF. It has been the most amazing experience.

Also, Temasek Secondary School Choir has been filming with OKTO during the past two weeks of preparations for SYF. They will be featured in a full documentary on OKTO Channel in june as part of the "Celebrating Youth" series. More updates on that soon!

Congratulations and well done to all my choirs!


Temasek Secondary School Choir awarded the GOLD WITH HONOURS



East Spring Secondary School Choir awarded the GOLD


Pei Hwa Voices awarded the SILVER



Greendale Secondary School Choir awarded the SILVER










In the end it doesn't matter how many breaths you took, but how many moments that took your breath away...

In the end it doesn't matter how many breaths you took, but how many moments that took your breath away...

In the end it doesn't matter how many breaths you took, but how many moments that took your breath away...

In the end it doesn't matter how many breaths you took, but how many moments that took your breath away...

In the end it doesn't matter how many breaths you took, but how many moments that took your breath away...

FROM THE SACRED TO THE SECULAR- A Chrismtas Festival of Choirs


















In the end it doesn't matter how many breaths you took, but how many moments that took your breath away...

Another wonderful concert.











In the end it doesn't matter how many breaths you took, but how many moments that took your breath away...

In the end it doesn't matter how many breaths you took, but how many moments that took your breath away...

In the end it doesn't matter how many breaths you took, but how many moments that took your breath away...

Its unbelievable how long I have not blogged for... don't even know where to begin.

So much has changed in the past year, though some things remain the same; friends and family mainly.

After graduation my focus has shifted from piano to choral music- not like it was never so. Trying hard not to think about the fact that I have hardly any time to touch the piano.. let alone practice.

I have ten choirs now- The NUSS Graduate, A junior college, A polytechnic, The DMC, 4 secondary schools and 2 primary school choirs. And of course, loving every moment of making music with them. I guess it is sharing the passion for choral music and also the drive for improvement in every aspect of the musical form that stirs me on and keeps the adrenaline rush alive and fresh, but of course the end result sometimes might not be as expected, be it better or worse. One can only hope for the best.

Two successful choral competitions this year- SYF 2010 Primary Schools' Choir where Junyuan Pri was awarded the Gold with Honours. Also at the Orientale Concentus International Choral Competition in Taipei where Greendale Sec was awarded the Gold award and Category winner of Youth equal voices. Moments I will never forget- from the preparations to the results- a small yet sweet taste of victory through countless hours of hard work and sweat, not as an individual but as a team- an ensemble. Most importantly, the satisfaction in the knowledge that the road you're taking will always be remembered by the lives you touch.

Shifted house three months ago and loving the new place. Its big, airy and really cosy. Has two halls and the best thing is I have my own music room- a great place to work when I write.

Taking strolls to the beach with parents are happening quite often these days, since its just two minutes walk from our new home. Its beautiful! And the surprise bonus is the horse ranch at the beach/park area that comes with a Cafe bistro. Probably the only one in Singapore! Amazing.

Well have to run now. That's all for now folks. Oh yes, if its anything I wished for now, it would definitely be MORE TIME in the day so I could catch up with some of my friends whom I haven't seen in ages!

Out*


In the end it doesn't matter how many breaths you took, but how many moments that took your breath away...

Greendale Chorale (Greendale Secondary School Choir) winning the Gold Award and also the Youth Equal Voices Category Champion at the 2010 Orientale Concentus International Choral Festival in Taiwan, Yilan City.










In the end it doesn't matter how many breaths you took, but how many moments that took your breath away...

Junyuan Primary School Choir was awarded the Gold with Honours at the Singapore Youth Festival Central Judging of Choirs (Primary Level) and was invited to perform at the Singapore Youth Festival Choral Presentation.





In the end it doesn't matter how many breaths you took, but how many moments that took your breath away...

With Dr Maurine Tsakok and Mrs Goh Chok Tong


NUSS Choir Ladies



In the end it doesn't matter how many breaths you took, but how many moments that took your breath away...

Light of the Night


Voices of Winter



In the end it doesn't matter how many breaths you took, but how many moments that took your breath away...

Choristers from my different choirs making new friends.



In the end it doesn't matter how many breaths you took, but how many moments that took your breath away...

In the end it doesn't matter how many breaths you took, but how many moments that took your breath away...

Though I've not spent much time with them yet, its hard to see such a wonderful batch of seniors go.

Remember to visit the choir in the near future!

All the very best!





In the end it doesn't matter how many breaths you took, but how many moments that took your breath away...

Queenstown Choir's Honours Day performance. All the best to my graduating seniors and great job!






In the end it doesn't matter how many breaths you took, but how many moments that took your breath away...

Temasek Polytechnic Choir Concert- "HEAVEN AND EARTH"


























In the end it doesn't matter how many breaths you took, but how many moments that took your breath away...