Have A Life!

HSBC Classics String 2007 Festival 10th - 14th July

2007-07-03T10:52:00.000-07:00

Philene is at the 3th row from the back.

The KLPac Sinfonietta, conducted by Lim Soon Lee with French cellist Valerie Aimard will perform during the two last nights of the String Festival.My cello teacher Johnathan Oh was taught by Valerie and through his connection we have this wonderful opportunity to hear a world class cellist perform at KL Pac !

Philene has the privilege of playing the cello in this orchestra and it is indeed a memory to treasure being given the opportunity to accompany a cellist of world class standard !

You will enjoy this concert as the music for the programme is so well chosen and is sure to move you.
I sat in all the rehearsals listening ( twice weekly ) and I have not for one single moment found it boring.This is the beauty of classical music - you almost could enjoy it for life !

Conductor Brian Tan works so hard ( and with lots of patience ! )to put the orchestra together in preparation for our guest conductor from Singapore Lim Soon Lee to take over soon.You could really hear the orchestra making some very "real music" in Haydn's very marvellous Cello concerto in C Major...This is quite exciting since it is such a new ensemble group playing this chamber piece.

PROGRAMME:
Waltz from Masquerade Suite - Aram Khachaturian
Cello Concerto in C - Franz Joseph Hadyn
Intermission
St Paul's Suite Op. 29, No. 2 - Gustav Holst
Pomp & Circumstance March No. 1 in D - Edward Elgar

Can you find where I am ?

The KLPac Sinfonietta String Orchestra under the baton of Brian Tan will be performing music from lands far and near, from lilting Irish jigs and exotic kabuki to Dvorak's New World Symphony which combines the folk music of the composer's native Czechoslovakia with American Indian influences.

I count it a real blessing to be able to participate in this ensemble.Although I have been so very busy for the past 3 months due to some biz,I take the practices in its stride and it is not uncommon to hear me practising into the wee hours of the night!My next door neighbour says " luckily it is nice ! " hehe..

You can imagine how serious I take my cello playing these days...

The performance is on 11th July 8.30pm in Pentas 2.

The rest of the Festivals are as follows

HSBC Bank Malaysia is proud to present
HSBC Classics String Festival 2007

Date: 10 - 14 July
Venue: The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPac)
- CLICK HERE for location map!

The annual HSBC Classics series is back again! Brought to you by HSBC Bank Malaysia under its HSBC in the Arts umbrella, this series "...is fast becoming the standard bearer of any form of classical music festival...", commented Jason Cheah (Star, 20 April 2007). Now entering its third year, this year's festival is dedicated to the sublime sound of the strings.

The HSBC Classics String Festival 2007 will showcase concerts by KLPac Sinfonietta, KLPac's very own orchestra conducted by guest conductor Lim Soon Lee from Singapore. Also performing will be French cellist Valerie Aimard and a Jazz Trio featuring Fung Chern Hwei, a New York based Malaysian violinist who recently performed in Carnegie Hall, USA. The KLPac Sinfonietta String Orchestra will also feature in the festival programme.

Despite it being a string festival, the Penang Wind Quintet, winner of the HSBC Classics Wind Competition 2006, will also be performing on the first night of the festival as part of their prize for taking first place last year.

The festival will also feature the semi-final and final round of the String Concerto Competition, various master classes and workshops as well as an exhibition of stringinstruments and accessories.

TICKETS ARE NOW ON SALE!
Special rates for HSBC credit card holders and concession rates for students, sr. citiens & the disabled
To purchase, call (KLPac) 03-4047 9000 or (The Actors Studio @ BSC) 03-2094 9400

For the full festival schedule & programme, CLICK HERE.

To download the application forms for the masterclass / workshops, CLICK HERE.

The Magic Flute performed !

2007-03-22T10:07:00.000-07:00

Mozart's The Magic Flute,concert version, finally made its debut in Malaysian theatrical scene with a truly made in Malaysia production from "top to bottom" (quoting from Music Director Choong Kok Ting ! )last night at KL Pac !The performers' glorious moments after the show and showers of bouquets in appreciation for their performance.Philene was playing the cello in the orchestra in the background.

Tamino(sung by Peter Ong),playing the handsome prince wondering how he stayed alive after passing out in an attempt to escape from a huge serpent....the story may sound like a page from a fairy tale, but the music Mozart wrote is timeless !Melodious and memorable...

Personally,I am utterly enthralled by Tan Sin Sim's rich and powerful voice singing the Queen of the Night which received the loudest applause.Aria 4 and 14 are some of the best known opera music pieces of the classical age.

The three ferocious ladies-in -Waiting of the Queen,( Kho Mei Ling,Janet Lee and Wang DiXia ) admonishing Papageno,the bird catcher for taking credit for saving Tamino's life.

Our very own young and very experienced conductor,Brian Tan who was educated in Britain and China !He has a true heart of a musician who is not content just to teach music in class rooms but believes that playing in orchestras and chambers will enable one to truly "experience" Western classical music to the fullest.

Because of his encouragement I was led into that wonderful world of orchestrating music that is truly a treat at this time of my life - when time is an available commodity in my hands.

I have discovered that listening to an orchestra in a concert is wonderful but playing in an orchestra is even more marvellous !!

Music Director Chong Kok Ting, an accomplished pianist who has won several awards in music since his college days in the UK takes his task here with utter seriousness worthy of his many acomplishments both overseas and here.

Joe Hasham,the Orang Puteh whose rich theatrical experiences makes him such an entertaining narrator in the Magic Flute, giving the performance a truly outstanding and professional standard.

Director & Executive Producer,Dato' Faridah Merican ,wife of Joe needs very little introduction in local theatrical scene.She puts her expertise to great use here in this new field of classical musical production.She considers directing and producing Mozart's the Magic Flute , a dream come true for her !

This show will never be possible,for that matter the KL Pac Sinfonietta if not for a very wonderful and capable lady whom I do not yet have a picture of.Acknowledging the true founder of this orchestra,Ms Marge Chew,General Manger of KL Pac whose wise decision to start the orchestra has benefited so many of us.I am glad to be a recipient of her wonderful vision.

Backstage - daughter Philene,packing to leave for home after the first night of performance.Take it easy mum... 4 more shows to go.....

Fellow cello player, Chong Siaw Wei whose sweet disposition makes her an endearing team player.I learnt a lot sitting next to her in my second rehearsal. Squatting down to close her cello case is Low Li Lian.

Then my sweet darling daughter whose very existence enables me to get into the world of music so I can grow together with her in the area I have interest in.
Philene,My lovely Princess of the Cello....

You can still make your way to the show - the tickets are limited as they are quite well booked.You will be surprised quite a number of people are interested in Mozart !

Call 03 -4047 9000 ( KL Pac )

Playing Mozart's Magic Flute

2007-03-15T06:21:00.000-07:00

Time for concert again this week ! Philene is in the small 40-member KL Pac Sinfonietta ,companying the concert version of Mozart's popular opera,the Magic flute.

I sat in all the rehearsals listening to an Opera seriously for the first time...

And I would have to say Mozart is truly a genuis - his music is so timeless !

Our conductor Brian Tan says it is a rare opportunity for him to be able to do an opera - and inspite of his busy schedule,conducting another orchestra concurrently in one of the Unversities,you really admire his utter commitment and patience !After some eight 3-hour rehearsals from January they are ready to perform ! Music director,Chong Kok-Ting,a serious matured pianist is taking his duty with an admirable committment too.

The singers are suprisingly a whole bunch of young but talented lot! Don't even think Opera is for old people - come and watch and you will be surprised as I am !

40 instruments playing together can be very loud - but you will be amazed to hear these young but powerful voices - any one of them can project their voice - soaring loud and clear over the entire orchestra ! This is done without a microphone during rehearsals ! The power of the human voice - Think American Idol's contestants ' great ?- don't go far - hear the one of our very own - Tan Sin Sim,award winner in several competitions- phew !- she sings the Queen of the Night - will beat them flat ! And will be sure to bow you over with her very beautiful and powerful voice singing some very,very challaenging passages several octaves above !

Here's more info:

The Magic Flute (Concert Version)
with KLPac Sinfonietta
Artistic Director & Narrator: Joe Hasham
Director & Executive Producer: Dato' Faridah Merican
Producer: Marge Chew
Music Director: Chong Kok-Ting
Conductor: Brian Tan
Featuring: Peter Ong, Tan Sin Sim, Irma Lailatul Munira, Janet Lee, James Long, John Tan, Kho Mei Ling and Wang DiXia

This March, KLPac will be staging the concert version of Mozart's ever popular opera, The Magic Flute. This was Mozart's last opera, first performed in Vienna in 1791 and thereafter performed to great success.
Directed by Dato' Faridah Merican and narrated by Joe Hasham, this KLPac production will feature young albeit extremely talented classical singers whose powerful voices will be accompanied by a 40-piece orchestra, KLPac Sinfonietta.
The Magic Flute aims to reach a wider audience by presenting opera in a more accessible and innovative form with the aid of visual projections and narration. Both, opera lovers and new theatre goers, should not miss this magical, multi-sensory experience!

Synopsis:
The wicked Queen of the Night convinces Prince Tamino to save her beautiful daughter Pamina who was kidnapped by Sarastro. In return, she promises Pamina to the Prince. Tamino sets out to save Pamina with a bird-catcher, Papageno. Three ladies-in-waiting of the Queen give Tamino a magic flute to help protect him from danger. They give a set of magic bells to Papageno and send three children to help guide them.
Meanwhile, Papageno finds a girl rather like him. Even her name, Papagena, sounds like his!
Sarastro is not the tyrant the Queen makes him out to be. He has kidnapped Pamino to save her from her evil mother. Tamino is put through tests by Sarastro for him to prove worthy of Pamina. The Queen tries to get Pamina to kill Sarastro but fails.
On the final day of their tests, Tamino and Pamina go through the Trial by Fire & Water. As Tamino plays the Magic Flute, they emerge unharmed, saved by the power of the Magic Flute.

Duration : 22 March - 25 March 2007
Venue : Pentas 1
Price : RM50, RM40 and RM30 (senior citizens, students & the disabled) - 10% discount exclusive for KLue readers! Terms & conditions apply. Call our box office to find out more. TICKETS ON SALE NOW!
Presenter : KLPac

Date
Time
Booking
22 March 2007 (Thursday)
08:30 PM
Book Now
23 March 2007 (Friday)
08:30 PM
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24 March 2007 (Saturday)
08:30 PM
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24 March 2007 (Saturday)
03:00 PM
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25 March 2007 (Sunday)
03:00 PM
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My New Vegetable Garden

2007-03-09T07:25:00.000-08:00

To enjoy the splendour of the garden,click on pictures for enlargement. This is one of the favourite hats I wear in life - the gardener's...

Picking lettuce for lunch and dinner and juicing them minutes before consuming has always been on my mind for quite some time...and I am no stranger to procrastination...

There are a thousand and one things we say we wish we can do 'someday'... Sometimes somedays never come...

The first 'serious' vegetable garden I grew was when I first got married and was lecturing in Kota Kinabalu,Sabah in West Malaysia.The second garden was in the corner yard of my house which I kept for about 10 years until I started the import of organic produce in 1996.

After stopping the business a few years ago,I found myself being blessed with time in my hand again ( hooray...! just love time...,don't you ?)

From the time I became a student of the cello 2 years ago by some divine appointment,I found myself unwinding quite happily through engaging in doing the things I had been postponing for so many years...I guess it is quite infectious because,about a year later I found myself taking classes in fine arts and finally learning the piano,all at 52 !

Then one fine inspirational day last October, in the midst of practising and rehearsing for my first ever orchestra with the KL Pac Sinfoneitta,I just made a firm decision to end all postponing and started this vegetable garden...

Just look how satisfying and fulfilling it is to plant a dream garden and see it grow.....

The two rows of young seedlings at the end of my vegetable plot have just been transplanted...

You watch in awe as they grow by leaps and bounds, and in two weeks they completely cover the earth below ! Ready for harvest !Even though I have seen this miracle happening countless number of times over the years,it never fails to delight me over and over again -

I am addicted to seeing things grow !

The Making of A Home Vegetable Garden

With a burning desire to start establishing a vegetable garden,Cheng Swee,my maid,Tess and I quickly set out to plough the earth on the empty plot of land in front of our house in Taman Tun Dr Ismail.Here 20 years ago,Cheng Swee planted several Angsana trees which have since grown to near Raintree size,making this a cool spot to picnic in.

First we clear the away the grass and we started to loosen the earth and heap them up in rows.It is difficult to grow vegetables successfully in Malaysia without raising the bed.The abundant rainfall here can easily cause waterlogging even in one heavy shower.

This is about the hardest labour you will experience in preparing a vegetable plot - it is actually easier than than it looks...

Then we dig a few pits to make our compost in.Even Philene appears to enjoy this activity...

In the first month the first 6 short plots looked rather pathetic ...

With a little patience,and the charm of the fresh morning beckons us to the field each day,the bed started to look greener...Notice the rainwater that collects on the right after a night of rain...

My 80+ year-old mom is an avid and fantastic gardener who does not waste a single thing in her life.She saw my month-old long beans and taught me to pick one leave out of each stalk of 3 leaves to encourage flowering and fruiting.And with the young leaves she plucked she cooked a soup with it !

Then the long beans soon bore fruit and now the garden is beginning to take shape ...

This is the first time in my life I have ever grown a purple-coloured long beans variety and they are very prolific producers !

This curly variety of long beans also makes history. This is by far the best long beans I have ever grown! Crunchy and sweet ! and almost double the size of the normal long beans! And they are expensive in the market !

This is the normal variety - and just how long is long !

Philene thinking aloud, " Would you grow quickly ,Cucumber ! We need you for salad ! "

While the soil is not extremely fertile yet - we did get an extremely successful crop of Kai Choi on the right.This is the bitter vegetable we use to do our Emperor's soup with the left-over Christmas roast turkey !

With some extra harvest, my mom taught me to cure them as kiam chai ! ( salted veg )

Curing Kai Choiin an earthen pot - after a week - they turn light yellow and taste delicious cooked with some meat or prawns! This is one of my favourite veg.Teow Chew porridge won't taste the same without this dish.

This foot-long ladies finger started off very promising but I had to fight a frustrating battle with tiny black caterpillars that attacked the buds every day on almost every one of them !! Finally I gave up ! I just let them devour the ladies fingers...and patiently waiting for bigger predators to eat them up soon...the ecosystem will balance itself,this is a fundamental principle in organic farming.( bad news for those who eat inorganic ladies fingers - they have to be regularly sprayed ! )

This is the second phase of our garden expansion - we made an additional 7 beds,each more than double the length of the first 8 beds we made in the beginning ! Tess is a patient and ardent gardener too.In her early 30s she is a most marvellous help and can make a bed in 2 mornings. We started some 20 over tomato plants,calculating that many of them may not survive - I was looking for just one plant that could survive...

All looked very promising until the first truss started to form and one by one they died of viral diseases of the roots...:(
I am not giving up yet - since the first tomato plants Cheng Swee and I grew in our first veg garden were such prolific producers they grew up to 13 feet long and lasted more than 8 months! I hunted down recipes in the library - making fresh and very delicious tomato ketchup,tomato paste, tomato sauce.And we were able to drink freshly pressed tomato juice everyday !

This is Ulam Raja - King of salad,the fragrant local raw vegetable,a favourite of the Malays.I bought some for my salad and patiently planted the stems until they produce seeds.These plants you see here have been raised from these seeds over a couple of months...

The patience pays off ...now I can pluck a handful of them in juice them with Granny Smith apples - delicious and full of zest!

This is the first time I have ever raised this variety of salad - Fire-Red variety and surprisingly they are quite easy to raise !

Look see how wonderful when they grow...

I potted a few and gave them as New Year 's gifts

Trying my hand on Sweet Corn at my daughter's request...while they are growing I transplanted some extra seedlings of veg in the bed.

Young Asparagus establishing itself. Radish in the background
Growing seedlings in modules - about 4 days old .

After about two weeks they are ready to be transplanted,with minimal damage to the roots.And they grow superbly !

Tess transplanting them on to the beds

Newly transplanted seedlings are best covered with dark aerated plastic for about 3 days to establish their root system

This is the longest row of lettuce I have ever grown in my whole life !There are 5 different varieties.

Watching a young Winter Melon grow day by day is a phenomenal experience...

Matured Winter Melon with powderly skin ! They are superb in soups !

These are Chinese Cabbage - Wong Nga Pak.Their seeds are so expensive.And they are very beautiful plants.Unfortunately they do not form heads in this tropical weather....

The centre row is White Stem Chinese cabbage with very lovely flavour.

A close up look at my green letteuce.

Look closely these are very delicious curly pak choy - I harvest them leave by leave so that we can have a continuous supply.

This is the first time I have been able to raise these Broccoli from seeds.They take 3 to 4 months to flower...( patience.....)

These dark green Choy Sam are so healthy and abundant and are fantistic tasting, harvest 2 weeks after transplanting !

This light greeen Choy Sam reach beautiful heights and size.They are a true joy to harvest !

The 3 plants are Ya Ch'e Chai,with a slight bitter taste.They can be used in soup,stirred fried.I use them in my green juice.

Brinjals are a great joy to grow - currently bearing thier first brinjals in the garden- I bag them with paper to prevent fruit flies from laying eggs on them...

Trying my hand on a beet root plant I bought from a nursery - 3 plants for RM8.They seem to grow quite well and doesn't this plant look glorious ?!I use their leaves for juicing.

Herbs used to be a challenge to grow.This is the first time I manage some decent looking corinader plants,one of my favourites in Salsa and juice.

These are cinnamon basil plants I bought from Cold Storage imported from overseas.I gave it a shot and I am not disappointed at all - they grow so beautifully and are so delicately fragrant.

They give a high note to my Vegetable juice concoction !besides being full of anti-oxidants.

Local celery - another first ....raised completly from very ,very tiny seeds ! I am so proud to see them grow each time.They transform a dish like Soup kambang or beef soup freshly cut in and they add fabulous colour to the dull dark coloured soups! I am raising a lot more seeds currently in modules so I can juice them regualarly.They are quite slow growers...patience....!

Red Basil - another live herbs sold in module in Cold Storage.I am waiting for them to be a bit more established before harvesting them.Cutting usually encourage the herbs to grow faster.

Live Celery Leaves plants bought from Cold storage - this variety is gorgeous and the plants establish themselves rather well in my composted bed.

French Beans - just starting to flower..They look very promising ! Love French Beans.

The garden at its full splendour...a gardener's joy and pride....

And time to pick lettuce for lunch ...... Bon Appetit !

Christmas Family Dinner 06 Photos

2007-01-11T08:43:00.000-08:00

To view any photo full-screen size,click on each picture

My son Aaron,wrote back from the US lamenting, " It is that time of the year again....and I'm sad that I am unable to spend it with the family...Miss the Christmas dinners we used to have ... I just want to take this opportunity to tell you all how much you all mean to me....."

It looks like it has been worth the running around whole week getting presents,the best price for turkey, cracking my head for new dishes,deco etc.....Making memories and creating blueprints for our children....part and parcel of family making....

With my mother-in-law and mom both in the their strong 80s

This year's colourful spread...

Pretty maidens making sure they make good pictures to be a part of Christmas 2006....

My younger brother,James with daughter Sarah,1+. Both should easily win in an Olympic Synchronising Smiling Event !

Ai Lin,my sister-in-law who adds so much deep joy to James' life has been one of the finest individuals I have ever met on lonely planet earth.We both share a deep affection for each other and would outdo one another in esteeming each other ! Her sacrificial love for her family and others is unsurpassed.

Digging in at last.... curving the turkey

The rest of the family clan

The beginning of the turkey story.....

The end of the turkey... at least everyone enjoyed this year's turkey,moist and juicy served with cranberry sauce and turkey gravy ! Wait...the carcass made a delicious Chinese Empress' Soup the next day with the Kai Choy I grew in my new Vegetable garden !

Till next Christmas !

Orchestra Performed !

2006-12-28T21:30:00.000-08:00

The orchestra accompanying the La Voce Youth Choir

Up to now I still wonder how Brian,the conductor got us, mostly first timers to do it ...with a total of 13 rehearsals spanning a period of only five and a half weeks we were set on stage to perform !!

3-night and 1-day performance - with the exception of Friday night we played to near full house! The family and friends support was tremendous !Their loud applauses drove the performers' adrenaline high...It is a marvellous sight to behold how the human spirit arising to the demands of the occasion...

Even an excellent professional orchestra/chamber cellist like Johnathan Oh who teaches us cello and plays the first desk in this orchestra was thrilled to bits by the third night of the performance ! For one who never praises for the sake of praising !

Final run -through just before the first night of the performance

We have come a long way from our first full-dress rehearsal 2 days before the performance...Directed under 2 watchful and professional directors,both are Who's Who in the theatrical circle in Malaysia - Dato Faridah Merican and Mat Salleh Artistic Director Joe Hasham who took us through the paces and gave us feedback that sent gales of laughter and broke our tension after the run-through. We were tense and dense in looking at our scores,fearing that we might miss a beat instead of watching for cues from the conductor...At one point,a young guy dropped his violin and music stand ! Another ran out of the rehearsal much to Joe's chagrin apparently suffering from a nervous stomach ache !

Rehearsal with artistic director,Joe Hasham

Joe's final and most useful advice for us - ENJOY making music on stage and it will be captured by the audience ! ( how true even in all areas of our lives ...)

With this,my brother who has never taken any serious interest in orchestra music and has been associating serious-looking players in performances on TV, commented that he was pleasantly surprised that ours was the only performance he had seen where performers smiled ! Sharing the same desk with my bubbly 11 year-old daughter Philene and expecting her to look glum throughout the performance is like expecting rain in deserts !

Peter Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite was generally well received with the exception of some uneven moments in Danse Chinoise where the young flutist faced some nervous moments playing very challenging passages.The string section of the orchestra played Wassail Song and the beautifully melancholy Greensleeves and Angels We Have Heard From High.These too were amongst the winning numbers.

Getting ready to perform

Here are some other comments we heard ...

Two of my friends liked the orchestra performance best and thought the 2 choirs sang beautifully but could do better with clearer diction.( that's Joe's comments too ).

My sister loved the synergy and the harmony the orchestra produced and she was so moved to see her sister ,a late-starter contributing to making the music here...:)

My brother-in-law couldn't help but noticed that I was the 'senior citizen' in a sea of young people...

Digging into the depth of music-making and Living the moments.....

Most of the audience were not people who have studied classical music.They would clap at the end of each piece within the Nutcracker suite instead of waiting for the whole movement to end at the grand finale.On the first night, Brian tried to help them by not letting his arms down at the end of each piece,signalling continuity but it was impossible for any one to catch it ! In the end he graciously bowed to acknowledge the audience's enthusiasm ! instead of trying to 'teach them to be serious'..haha...

In full appreciation of the opportunity to perform, giving my best with daughter Philene as my concert coach.....

Generally,most people 'enjoyed' the programme and appreciated the orchestra.On the last 2 days we even have several people including Mat Sallehs in the audience who stood up during the performance of Handel's 'Hallelujah Chorus'.It was a widely held belief that Handel's patron,King George II,stood up when he heard the Hallelujah Chorus performed in London and ever since then ,it has been a tradition for audiences to stand during this Chorus.

This familiar masterpiece is spiritually uplifting and more so when it climaxes with the sound of blazing trumpets and thundering timpani bringing glory to our Lord Jesus Christ - the Messiah,the Saviour of my life.

I remember as soon as we took our place in the orchestra on stage, the lovely voices of the children La Voce choir ( some as young as 6 ) singing 'the First Noel' in a Capella.As they were descending from back of the the audience area with a candle in hand each and walking towards the stage - my eyes were moist and my heart was so grateful to these mostly non-christian children who proclaimed the birth of the Jesus Christ innocently... my prayer was that the true spirit of Christmas bringing the Love of God and the hope of salvation for mankind would be felt amongst the audience and the singers...

One case I heard -a Japanese guy, client of my friend,violinist Twink,commented that he was "profoundly touched ... " by the performance.There could be more that I am not aware of...

The sweet voices of the Junior La Voce Choir

The last performance on Sunday - the audience gave us a standing ovation !
What a wonderful feeling admist shouts of enchos !

Happily acknowdging the audience's applauses ...I was rather sad at the same time that the performance came to an end...I was having such a wonderful time...I guess that 's the kid in me lamenting the end of something fun...even my daughter misses them.We still practice our pieces in our regular practice !!

Family support : me, sister Sau Kui,niece Esther,Philene and brother-in-law,Kee.

Husband Cheng Swee, our strong supporter

Celebration time with friend,Twink and another fellow violinist

KL Pac Sinfonietta Debut Concerts in December 2006 !

2006-12-07T08:36:00.000-08:00

The KL Pac Sinonietta is due to make its debut concerts come December 14,15,16,17.( next week !! ).Entitled Candlelight Christmas, the orchestra will be accompanying the the 30-member La Voce Choir singing several beautifully arranged Christmas carols as well as the angelic and majestic "Hallelujah Chorus" from Handel's famous "Messiah".For booking details http://www.klpac.com/.

Conducted by UK-trained violinist-conductor,Brian Tan,we will also be playing Peter Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite,a series of beautiful symphonic ballet music that's exciting and melodious.I truly love playing the pieces although they are greatly challenging.

It is the fastest way to appreciate classical music,I discover.That's because you are "involved" in the "music making".I come to appreciate composers even more for their brilliance to "see"how the music sound in their mind,like Mozart.

Every instrument is communicating with each other to fabricate a story with sounds in certain formats- when you can make sense of that, listening to orchestra music suddenly comes alive ! You learn to anticipate what's coming rather than just looking to hear a "beautiful tune". I attribute this very important key to appreciating classical music sitting in Ann Perreau's classes when she was teaching my son piano and music appreciation.

You will love the silky flow of strings in "Greensleeves",a lovely,melancholic English tune set to orchestrative rendition that will "kill" you with nostalgia...I 'die' and melt like butter,absorbing every moment of joy practising it with the orchestra...bath in the many-splendid sounds of the different musical instruments in harmony...The wonder of synergy when different musical instruments come together...

The performance will take place in this beautiful,modern and fully equipped theatre in semi-proscenium style that seats 504 people .

This is NOT some American campus ground....This is KL Pac ( Performance Arts Centre ),in Sentul West !! Come to think of it,this reminds me of Aaron's ( my son's ) varsity in the US which is surrounded by beautiful lakes...

If you don't believe this is KL Pac - I suggest you come for the concert and verify this beautiful Park exists in Sentul West!

This is a map to the Centre.Book your tickets early.Phoning the BoxOffice and paying by credit card is the easiest.You collect the tickets on the night of the concert and make sure you come with the credit card you used for paying the tickets.

Box office number : 03-4047 9000

Booking online : http://www.klpac.com

Be seeing some of you there !!

My Dear, Loving Significant Other

2006-12-05T21:22:00.000-08:00

This may sound like a cliche....but I'd like to think ...Behind every successful Dreamer is a dream supporter ! My husband Cheng Swee,a great provider and a true gentle "bodyguard" makes sure he reaches home on time to send us for the twice-weekly rehearsals...even though he has taught me how to get the KL Pac in Sentul !!

After each practice in the evenings (10 pm ) - he would make every excuse to take us for supper at the 24-hour Mamak stalls,no matter how tired he is ! After giving so many years of his life to doing a first-class service in one of the largest corporations in Malaysia, this General Manager, a Birmingham scholar,is looking forward to this retirement mid 2007.( I would like to give him a hammer for retirement hehe...read the reason at the end of this post hehe...)

When I saw how he longs to make his daughter happy eating her favourite toshi after 3 hours of "hard work" practising in the orchestra....,I can feel his tremendous need to unwind from the corporate world that moulds and conditions him to live life awakened each day by an electronic "cock".He is a brilliant strategist,great thinker and trouble shooter whose gentle,humble and unassuming ways make him a highly respectable and favourable individual.The last thing you can accuse him of is not doing a job well !

( A hammer for retirement ? Yes... so I can kill the annoyingly predictable electronic "cock"that disturbs his mornings and mine !! LOL ! )

Dream comes true at 53 !

2006-12-05T08:43:00.000-08:00

About 4 weeks ago I was encouraged by the conductor,Brian Tan to join a new orchestra,KL Pac ( KL Performing Arts Centre ) Sinfonietta he is leading.

He heard me play the cello while attending a class in Dominic's music shop in Plaza Damas a year ago.

Some flashback....

Two years ago,while scouting for a cello teacher,I chanced upon Johnathan Oh Ban Hin,a talented young professional NSO ( National Symphony

Orchestra ) cellist in a music shop where I sent my old violin to be serviced.I requested he played a piece for us.

For the next few minutes,I was completely mesmerised by the beautiful and mellow sound of the intrument.The music awakened something deep within me...it must been the deep longing in my heart as a child and teenager to learn the violin and the piano...

I could feel the pain of not being able to take classes in the 60's...Growing up in a cowboy town like Temerloh with migrant parents whose only

preoccupation was surving the poineering years and managing their 'kongsi' business started by grandpa,the grand patraich,I could understand my circumstances but I was not content to bury my dreams and accept my fate.

In form 2 I literally pestered my home Science teacher,Ong One One( see I can remember her name - brought up in KL )to teach me the violin or at least the theory of music.

Because I couldn't get an instrument,she agreed to give me a few lessons on the fundementals of music theory.

I promised myself that "someday" I will find the money and the time to do what I was not able to do while I was young....

Here I was at the age of 51,at the music shop - I immediately popped Johnathan the question if he would be willing to take Philene and ME as his students ! He was sure of Philene and after a slight hesitation, he kind of said okay with me....I think he was realistic about me starting the cello old....

As soon as he agreed,albeit a little lukewarm,I immediately ordered a good handmade cello to be made for me which cost nearly RM7000! I didn't even bother to know if I was going to be able to play it....I have heard one of Malaysia's best cellists,Tan Poh Joo (who was studying in the UK then) played a couple of years ago at Ann Perreau's music studio,it didn't occur to me to take lessons then,mainly because I was still busy with my home-based business then.

Paradoxically,there is a time in our life when we must grow up to face the child in us that hasn't grown up...

And I faced the child in me on that divinely appointed day in the music shop... and you know what,through whatever difficulties I face while learning the cello in the last 2 years,I have never once regretted making such a "rash' decision.

I had once spoken to Dominic about my desire to see my daughter learn a second instument ( piano first ) so she could play and spend part of her young life experiencing playing in an orchestra, a healthy recreation I thought.

Dominic was very positive and reassuring that it would not be a problem at all.And he had been most helpful in giving us lots of encouragement in our pursue of a music education...

6 months into the cello classes,he encouraged us to take up grade 2 practical exam.We did.Philene scored a distinction and I alas...fumbled in a couple of places...and scored 9 marks from distinction...haha...that was fun...I was prepared for the pieces but I wasn't prepared for the nerves of steel to perform - I didn't make provision to handle the slight occasional slips during performance :(

Surpringly the examiner commented that the first piece I palyed -

"You had the right intentions here despite one or two uneven moments in coordination.There was a firm tone and some effective contrast of colours and there was a promising feeling for the phrasing..."

On the second piece, he reported," This began well with firm,vibrant tone and notes were mostly well placed here - just the odd slip."

On the last piece," Generally a confident approach to this; the notes were mostly well placed and tone had character and interest...."

His overall comment : "Well done - a good all round result."

With such encouraging comments it gave me additional boost to my determination to play my cello well.

Back to the present...

And now that Brian had expected me to join the orchestra...

I thought I am living my dreams learning the cello.

Now I have been invited to play in a community orchestra...

hmmm...that's really more than what I am asking for... I certainly can't complain :) !