FOR ALL MAIN BAND MEMBERS!

To ALL Main Band Members (unless you think you are NOT part of the band),

I think it's quite pointless to keep on stressing that we are 12 days or 11 days apart from the SYF.

my point of posting here is I need all of you to co-operate with your SLs, Committee and Mr Chiang. I am not sure whether you all have sensed the urgency yet but for us we have sensed it since a few months ago. It is just getting worst as the days towards the syf getting lesser and lesser.

There are a few things I want ALL OF YOU TO BEAR IN MIND!

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1. All SLs will be conducting Sectionals with their own section soon or even a combine sectional for the upcoming week. I want EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU IN THE PARTICULAR SECTION TO CO-OPERATE WITH YOUR SECTION LEADERS, TUTORS, MR CHIANG AND MR LIN. When it is time for Sectional PLEASE BE ATTENTIVE and REALLY FOCUS ON THE PIECES YOU ARE DOING! I NO LONGER want to listen to ALL the bad things that all of you have been producing since the very first day! I WANT AN IMPROVEMENT IN ALL SECTIONS!

ALL OF YOU SHOULD ROUGHLY KNOW WHAT KIND OF STANDARD I AM EXPECTING. IF YOU THINK YOUR SECTION CAN'T EVEN REACH ANY BIT WITHIN MY EXPECTED STANDARD, PLEASE DO NOT EVEN COME TO TELL ME THAT YOUR SECTION HAS IMPROVED OR READY FOR SYF!

All SLs please distribute the NOTES that I asked from all of you to your members! I will check on those notes! ALSO I WANT TO SEE ALL THOSE MARKINGS BEING MADE ON ALL MEMBERS' SCORES!

I WILL PERSONALLY CHECK ON THE IMPROVEMENT OF EACH SECTION! ANY SECTION THAT HAS FALLEN UNDER MY FAIL CATEGORY, WILL "WIN" SOME SECTIONAL SESSIONS WITH ME!

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2. NOBODY IS TO LEAVE THE BAND EARLY OR SKIP ANY BAND PRACTICE (Unless it is a MC case, MC MUST BE PRODUCED) FOR THIS UPCOMING 2 WEEKS! I DON'T WISH TO SEE ANY PARENTS' LETTER STATING " XXXXXX NEEDS TO GO FOR DENTAL APPOINTMENT OR BLA BLA AND BLA BLAA! "

I've really enough of those things. For these 2 weeks, please RE-SCHEDULE your whatever appointment, tuition or whatsoever that will be preventing you to come for any band practices. I just need your co-operation for these 2 weeks. AFTER SYF, HOW MANY Tuition sessions, appointments that you would like to make, WE DON'T CARE!

Drum majors will be submitting the list of people that is absent from band practice. If you skipped band practice without ANY VALID REASON THAT I'VE STATED ABOVE (YES, ONLY MC WILL BE ACCEPTED AS VALID REASON FOR NOW!), you will face the disciplinary actions that we are going to take. We will also consider your participation in SYF and other events.

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3. PLEASE HAVE THESE 3 THINGS WITH YOU EVERY SINGLE TIME YOU COME FOR BAND PRACTICE!

PENCIL
ERASER
HIGHLIGHTER (assorted colours)

THOSE WITHOUT THE ABOVE MENTIONED ITEMS WILL BE PUNISHED ACCORDINGLY!

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4. Mr Lin and Mr Chiang.

Both Mr Lin and Mr Chiang have contributed and worked so hard for the main band. Don't you feel guilty if you are the one who shattered all the hopes and hardwork that both of them have on this band?

They've spent so much time to come down to work with you all. I don't really see people appreciating what they are doing now. Please don't take thigs for granted, they have the choice of not doing so much for this band.

Please think why they want to do so much for all of you in Main Band. It's NOT ABOUT THE MONEY, NOT ABOUT THE SYF. It is all about making good music and want to make all you PROUD of

Maris Stella Symphonic Band.

these 4 words, this band!

Please DO BEAR IN MIND THAT you are SUPPOSED and OBLIGED to sustain the GOLD that your seniors have attained in the last SYF!

This band has most of the good things that other schools may not have.

Mr Lin, our music director, someone who has lead his bands to achieve the top few positions of various competitions, came down every week to work with you all and try to teach you all the right things. if you think carefully, Mr Lin seriously does not need to do that. He may jolly well rest or even teach his the other schools or alumni band only BUT he take his time off to work with you all. Whether it is full band or sectionals, he spend his time on all of you and has never given up on this band.

Mr Chiang, the conductor of this band. I think ALL of you in Main Band owes Mr Chiang a lot a lot. He has spent countless hours in trying to squeeze out that very little nice sound from this band and yet majority of you don't even work hard and sustain what he has achieved. It is quite disappointing to see all of you do not really reciprocate to what he has contributed. You may think it is his duty, his job BUT I do think otherwise. Same as Mr Lin, Mr Chiang does not even need to spend so much time on so many individuals just to make sure they passed the auditions. Think carefully, Mr Chiang has actually allowed quite a large number of you to go for SYF even though majority of you failed my audition. THESE ppl better show me that you are worth the pass in audition, also let him know he passed you all for a good reason and his time spent on you are not wasted.

Furthermore, having an Alumni Band that has won Gold and Top Position in both International and Local competitions. Main Band has even more reasons to get a GOLD or GOLD with HONOURS back from the SYF.

I am very proud of my alumni band, Maris Stella Symphonic Band Alumni. My members are proud of it too. Probably some of you in Main Band are proud of the alumni band too

BUT

from now on, I want you to be proud of the Main Band. I do not wish to see anyone of you regret after the SYF. It's too late by then.

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Just give your very best for this SYF, I believe EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU IN THIS BAND can do it.

Just PLAY with your heart, enjoy the performance, play your best and no regret! That will be enough. Even if we have gotten something below a Gold, I will be proud of all of you, as I know all of you have worked hard and put in all the effort and give me your best performance.

So let me be proud of you guys, FOCUS and WORK HARD for these 11 days.

Don't let Mr Lin, Mr Chiang, teachers and all the alumni members down. We will always be there for all of you.

----

"only when you believe in yourself, everything you do comes alive"

fredy chia
President
maris stella symphonic band alumni

12 more days

Yesterday was the exchange @ Dunman High with Yio Chu Kang Secondary and Dunman High. If you guys think we played very well, you can change you thinking.
Our playing yesterday was not very well done, it is still very, very, very far from our Gold with Honours/Gold.
I appeal to everyone, we have only 12 more days left.

Repeat : 12 more days

We all want our band to maintain the Gold standard that we have set for mssb 2 years ago.
Please, we do NOT want to see that standard dropping.
We believe that you guys are mature and have enough common sense to do what is right.

I repeat again, we have only 12 more days.
and we still have not even reached a low gold standard.
Think we are good?
Think again.

Please, i appeal to everyone, just WORK HARD for this short period of 12 days.
You may not want our Gold, but there are 40+ other people in our band, who have WORKED to try and get our gold, and yet you guys are slacking. You are letting down those who have worked for it.

Remember : It is not because of you, that there is a band.
It is there's a band, that there is you



Announcements to MSSB:

• Please note that there will be yet another exchange next Saturday, 7th of March, at Maris Stella High School's Shaw Hall. Schools such as : St.Gabriels, St.Joseph Instituition, Whitley Secondary School, Bedok North Secondary, Monfort Secondary and a few other bands would be coming to our school for the exchange programm.

• This applies to everyone in mssb: Be reminded that if you do not have the Maris Stella whtie long pants, please go and buy it AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. This note is directed especially to the Lower secondary band members. Also, if you do not have a Long-sleeved white shirt, also please buy it ASAP. As this will be our dress code for SYF along with the blazers, which sizes would be taken soon.
  

• Before combined practices, take some time to tune yourselves. Do not waste time running through both pieces as i believe that we are all very familiar with our pieces and need not waste time on them. Instead, our main problem now is the INTONATION problem. People who are not in tune and not 'agreeing' with each other in your own section or even the band. Please take the time to tune every single note of yours before official band practice hours and not waste everyone's time by tuning you during full band prac.

• Final reminder: We have only 12 days left, and we are NOT, i repeat: NOT yet at our Gold with Honours/Gold standard. Please work hard, not for Mr Chiang, not for me, not even for yourselves, but for everyone in the band.
  

Upcoming Events

March 31st( Friday ) - Exchange Programme @ Dunman High School
April 4th (Wednesday) - John Boyd Session 3
April 12th - SYF SYF SYF

Thats the main events for you.
Everyone, I said this and i shall stress it again.

14 more days
14 more days

I shall not say much as I believe you guys know what to do by now,
Band room is open everyday except for Sundays.
Please do come back. If not,
Be prepared to face the consequences if you are not even serious about SYF.

14 more days
14 more days

Extra Practices

As Mr Chiang said, the band room, will be open everyday, from now, till SYF. this includes the non official band day practices. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday.
In other words, open every day except for Sunday.

I hope to see everyone come back everyday, and just practice for 30 minutes. It only takes up 30 minutes of your 24 hours a day. I don't see why you come back and practice just for that short while.
And when you come for extra practices, please write your name at the whiteboard in front of the band room, attendance will be taken. For those who can't be bothered to come back for extra practices. We will see what to do with you.

For your information, we have exactly 23 more days to SYF. today is the 20th of March.
Everyone, this is the last lap, come on, We will, we can get what we want.

John Boyd Session 2

Today, before Dr John Boyd came.
And Chien Teng was trying to run through the March pieces.
You people were talking NON-STOP.
non-stop.
The same when Shawn was doing warm-ups.
You guys didn't bother to listen to him and all your warm-ups were played like rubbish.

We are disappointed in the band.
Here we are, Have you guys even that feeling of RESPECT towards your majors, seniors, or even Mr Chiang?
You people better reflect on what you have done.
We have only 3 weeks left.
And this is the shit you guys are giving us.

When Dr Boyd came later in the afternoon, it wasn't any better too.
Although when he came, you guys were slightly quieter,

Trumpet section, you guys very well know how badly you conduct was today.
For goodness sake, when Dr Boyd was talking to you.
you guys didn't even have the manners to SIT UP AND LOOK AT THE PERSON WHO IS TALKING TO YOU.
MOST OF YOU WERE LOOKING AT THE FLOOR.
FOR WHAT?

On the floor got the Gold with Honours medal that we will get for SYF is it?
On the floor got Dr John Boyd is it?
On the floor got your bloody scores is it?

And the WHOLE BLOODY SECTION WAS TALKING TALKING AND TALKING.
Trumpets, do you know that you are the weakest section in the entire band?
You have only 3 more weeks.
Isn't it time to wake up and realised what all of you are doing is entirely
pure
shit?

trumpets, go reflect on yourselves.

And for the rest of the band.
Don't think you did very well either.
Even though you hardly made any noise.
Your body language gave you away.
Yes trombone section, i am talking about you.

When Mr Chiang or Dr Boyd asks you to play only 1 section of a song.
You play that paticular section only.
AND DONT CARRY ON.
And when Mr Chiang stops.
you STOP.
Either you don't have eyes to look at people or you are just plain attention-seeking.


We are disappointed in today's band prac.

3 more weeks

Friendly reminder to all MSSB-ers.

There is only 3 weeks.

repeat

3 More weeks

to SYF.
I hope everyone will feel the rush and know how to set our priorities right.
Anyone who is absent for these practices during the 3 weeks
Their participation for SYF will be seriously considered.

As Mr Chiang already said.
PRACTICE.

I expect the best 100% from everyone.
If not, better

Cleaning "rules"

Duty Roster Rules of the Band Room

The section on duty is responsible for:

- CLEARING ALL LITTER IN THE BAND ROOM

- Returning all instrumental accessories and TUNERS to respective QM’s and places.

- Returning all section files and scores to the respective places.

- Ensuring the STATE OF CLEANLINESS of the band room.

- Stacking chairs according to SECTION, eg. 1 stack of chairs for trumpets, another stack for clarinets, etc. Each stack of chairs should be at the SL’s seat to avoid confusion of arrangement of band room. Each section’s stands should be AROUND the stack of chair per section.

- If unsure of the numbers of people in a section, the numbers per section will be written on the white board.

Punishments for the section on duty if duty is not properly carried out

- 1 piece of litter found on the floor = 5 pumps

- 1 on any file found stand = 5 pumps

- Messy arrangement of chairs and stands = 5 pumps

- Any chair not stacked up = 1 pump

- Anyone on section duty who does not stay back = 30 pumps

TO SUMMARISE:

- ABSOLUTELY NO LITTER should be seen after band practices.

- FOOD IS NOT PERMITTED IN THE BAND ROOM

- Valve oil, tuners, etc MUST BE RETURNED to appropriate places or to QM’s.

- NO files should be seen on stands after band practices.

- Chairs to be arranged neatly.

- Cleaning up will not need to be done on Saturdays where there is alumni practice OTHERWISE informed. On weekdays, THIS PROCESS SHOULD BE DONE AUTOMATICALLY.

- THE SECTION ON DUTY AND THE SECTION WHERE A PIECE OF LITTER IS FOUND WILL BE PUMPED.

IF MORE THAN 5 PIECES OF LITTER OR 3 FILES ARE FOUND, THE SECTION IN CHARGE WILL RE-DO THE DUTY FOR THE FOLLOWING WEEK.

John Boyd Session 1

I must say,
i was quite impressed, or VERY impressed with your behavior today during the session.
You guys were well behaved.
And had great discipline.
KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK mssb!

If we have good discipline, we are quickly on our way to Gold with Honours.

Singapore Youth Festival 2007

Only 4 WEEKS away!

Come on everyone, lets work hard for what we want!
4 more weeks!

6 more weeks

Special thanks to Ken, for editing.
Well, if you can't see what it says: Maris Stella High Band. 2007 : Gold with Honours.
I really hope to see that, and i am sure all of you want it too.
But you guys know we have to work hard for it.
Very Hard

Only 6 weeks more to SYF, everyone please buck up and take the initiative to have sectionals even when it is not a band day.

We can do it. GO MSSB!

United

The main big problem with our band now, as I see it. Is how we are very much 'distant' from each other. People only keep to their sections and hardly talk to others.
Well, obviously i would like to see you guys bond more with each other and well.

If you guys talk to each other, get to know each other better. Make friends, you can talk more and understand each another.
I don't like a band where, people keep to their own.
I'm also trying to make an effort to get to know you guys better.

Lets all try,
together