Teamwork - it's about working together

On my own, I can do many things. Yet there is just a limit to what I can do all on my own.

Secretly, I have a need to assert a sense of independence. At times, at the expense of forgetting that we are interdependent too. I am just learning, to accept that it is alright to ask for help from others at times. I have to learn to accept that there are simply certain things that I cannot do on my own.

With my recent practice schedules, it has been rare that I get to have meals with my friends. As such, it was a nice to look forward to having lunch with JY, even though I had initially fear that I may not have appetite due to stress from the upcoming exams. We had lunch at Shimbashi Soba. The soba there is good. While eating, I could see the soba master making soba noodles. A word of caution, the lunch sets are filling. The service there is good. The staff there helped to find a place to put up my "big baby", the double bass, so that I can have lunch with JY in peace.

Having lunch with a friend took my mind away from the exams for a while, and that was a good thing in itself. Otherwise, I think I would soon be found guilty to be fixated on the exams, won't I?

Special thanks to JY for helping me carrying my double bass stool which I needed for this afternoon's practice at the music studio. It would have been a great challenge if I had to carry my double bass and the stool all by myself at the same time. Not forgetting, I have a bagpack containing scores etc to carry on the shoulder. These are some of the times that I needed a hand.

When I was entering the lift, the passengers in the lift were so kind and patient to wait for me to carry my instrument into the lift.

The practice today was held at the studio where I will be having my exams. It was Tuesday, and for some reasons, the music school was quiet. I was quite disappointed that not a single other room will be available for booking on this Friday, but Emily told me I could find alternative spots to warm up before the exams.

Emily is fabulous. This afternoon, during the practice session, she gave me some tips to refine my fingerings for playing the excerpt from the last movement of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. That was helpful. So aside from being my dear piano accompanist, I think I owe her a big favour for being a critical, yet kind, ear to my playing. There are quite a lot of things to learn from her. Thanks a million, Emily.

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Now, rosin does matter. MJ, the tutor, said that Carlsson rosin is better for dry environment. If you could guess, the exams studio that I will be playing in on Friday is a fairly dry one. Even the position where I face while playing matters. I needed to face one of the corners of the studio squarely, and then my playing would sound more resonating.

By the way, if I remember correctly, Emily said that this studio is quite good for folks taking double bass practical exams: My Inspiration Music School. Something for me to consider in the future.

Meantime, I have MJ to thank for helping me to prepare for the exams. He has much interesting ideas on how to play my programme. I am quite amazed at his sight-reading abilities. Today, he gave us insights to playing the double bass solo from the third movement of Mahler's First Symphony. He reminded me that sometimes, we can strive to play music for ourselves, and play in a manner that makes us feel comfortable. Sometimes, we don't have to stretch ourselves too hard to play good music. I guess I have learnt a lot about ways to approach life simply by learning to play music.

And I conclude here that while this post may seem scattered in its organisation, the many examples are to serve as reminder to myself that sometimes one does not have to be all alone. Teamwork can bring about synergy, that brings results beyond what one can do alone.