PY's museum visits

For the past two weeks, I have been visiting a few of the museums in Singapore. If you are patient enough, you will be able to read about my accounts of these visits soon enough.

Meantime, here is to share with you some snippets of my visits. I recommend that if you are currently in Singapore, please do check out these exhibitions at the museums.

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Maria Theresia - Mother Empress of Hasburg Austria
Venue: at National Museum of Singapore, till 31 Jan 2007

Last Saturday, I went to this exhibition yet again, for my second time. For my most recent trip, I finally managed to get myself onboard one of the guided tours. This is an exhibition worth visiting. If you would like an account of my first visit to this exhibition (in Dec 2006), you could check out this link. Do go for this exhibition before it ends on 31 Jan 2007.




Improving Life - The Design of Swedish Innovations
Venue: at National Museum of Singapore, Concourse, till 11 Feb 2007.


I don't drink, but it was interesting to know that the glass bottle of Absolut Volka is a Swedish design. The design of the glass bottle has made Absolut one of the best selling premium volkas in the world. It is amazing how design can influence the consumers' perceptions and buying choices.


National Museum of Singapore, Singapore History Gallery and Singapore Living Galleries.

Since I was already in the National Museum of Singapore, I decided it would be worthwhile to check out some of the exhibits found in the Singapore History Gallery and the Singapore Living Galleries. Museum visiting nowadays are getting more and more appealing for the technology-savy visitors.




NUS Museum

I checked out the NUS Museum before my orchestra rehearsal on a Wednesday afternoon. In particular, I spent quite a bit of time viewing the works by the late artist, Ng Eng Teng. Here's to share a work that I have found quite whimsical.




Mystery Men: Finds from China's Lost Age
Venue: Asian Civilisation Museum, Special Exhibitions Gallery,
16 Jan 2007 - 15 Apr 2007.

This is one block-buster exhibition that I would strongly recommend. Other than the interesting masks with protruding eyes and large ears, one can gain some insights to an early Chinese civilisation.



For more information on this exhibition, click on the following URL: http://www.acm.org.sg/exhibitions/eventdetail.asp?eventID=153

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For now, if you would like to read the accounts of my visits, please be patient, and stay tuned.

kiss goodbye

I blog-hopped to a^ben's blog while I was at Misti's blog. He is a violin major and flute minor studying in Sarawak, Malaysia.

This is a keyboard rendition of "Kiss Goodbye" played by a^ben for ah may. I think it is good playing for a non-keyboard major. I am sorry that I don't know who ah may could be. Anyway, enjoy.

Source: http://benmoh.blogspot.com/2007/01/especially-for-ah-may.html

Kontrabassist's post on A Journey through Time

Dress Rehearsal. Rehearsing Suicidal Tendencies. Photo taken by the Official Photographer of the chamber concert A Journey through Time.


Thanks to Emily in going an extra mile to obtain the photographs from the official photographer, I am pleased to share with you a link to one of her posts which contains photographs taken from the production of the chamber concert A Journey through Time.

Check it out:

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Related posts:
The Day: 10 Jan 07
Upcoming: 10 Jan 2007 - A Journey Through Time

Week Four of 2007 on the doublebass

Week Four has appeared to be a comparatively less productive week where practising on the double bass is concerned. Anyway, I figured that I have still managed to reach my target set, i.e. practising on the double bass at least four days per week, at least 15 minutes on each of these four days.

22 Jan 2007, Mon: I can only be thankful that despite the increasing workload and declining state of health, I can still find about 40 minutes to play on the double bass on Monday.

23 Jan 2007, Tue: Practised from 10.40 p.m. to 11.05 p.m. I realised that my thumb seemed to feel tensed, and decided that I have to consult my tutor on the matter so that I can play the double bass with a more relaxed and natural posture.

I did not practise very intensely, but I did managed to play the following:
fourth movement of Marcello's Sonata in G major, selected section of the second movement of the same sonata.

I had played through the third movement of Marcello's Sonata in G major, and I actually like the sound of the double bass playing this movement with a practice mute on it.

24 Jan 2007, Wed: If you would consider playing the double bass during my double bass sectional and the orchestra rehearsal to be a form of practice, then I could count whatever playing I have done on Wednesday.

For the one-hour double bass sectional, we worked on the fourth and last movement of Beethoven's 6th symphony. I especially found the fourth movement to be most challenging. It looks like I have to set aside more time to practise it. I love sectional with my orchestra's double bass tutor, GM, for it was enriching and intensive.

For the orchestra rehearsal, we continued to work on the fourth and last movement of Beethoven's 6th symphony. Technically speaking, I did not play on the double bass for the full 2.5 hours of the rehearsal. That day, about close to half of the time was spent waiting while the conductor rehearsed certain sections played by other instruments. I wonder if I would be right to say that being an orchestra player trains one's sense of discipline and patience?

By the way, the NUS Symphony Orchestra will be staging a public concert at the University Cultural Centre. Check this link for more information. I have a number of discounted tickets (i.e. $9 each, after discounts) with me and I am waiting for people to order those from me.

25 Jan 2007, Thu: I had double bass lesson with my tutor, MJ, from about 6.20 p.m. I felt pleased that my rendition of the third movement of Marcello's Sonata in G major sounded much better after we had worked on it for close to half-an-hour. We also worked on the second movement of the same sonata.

MJ shared some insights on how to reduced the strain and pressure felt by the thumb. He said I could consider using sandpaper to rub against the neck of my double bass for quite a bit of time. He claimed that many double bass makers aren't double bass players themselves. As such, while the neck of the double bass may look good, the neck isn't most effective for playing, especially the faster passages.

I would believe MJ. The double bass which I use in the orchestra (affectionately known as "my boyfriend") has his neck shaved off of its varnish, and it is comparately much easier on my thumb when I play on "my boyfriend" than my own instrument (affectionately known as "my husband"). Now, where on Earth do I find sandpaper?

MJ also recommended that when playing any sonata, while the different movements of that sonata should be different in tempo and somewhat different in character. The colour of the sound should transit well between the different movements and should remain about the same. This is so that all the different movements of the sonata could clearly sound like they are part of one single sonata when they are played one after another. I like this recommendation. I remember listening to one sonata but rather than it sounding like one sonata, it sounded like four separate movements each from different sonatas. I would want the different movements of the sonata that I play to sound like one single sonata.

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On Friday and Saturday, I was feeling too tired to practise. I hope that Week Five of 2007 would be a more productive week where practising on the double bass is concern.

Something to think about: Singapore's Rich-Poor Divide

Earlier this week, while I was browsing Tomorrow.sg, I came across an article titled Singapore Swing.

Here's the URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16725528/site/newsweek/

I have the honour to work with quite a large number of low-income families. Many of them actually works very work and strive to improve their circumstances, yet their financial situations remain challenging. Sometimes, I start to think that even if one works hard, putting in commendable amount of effort alone does not guarantee one merits. It just seems that if left unchecked, there is a tendency for the rich to get richer, but the poor to get even poorer.

These questions would be come to my mind many of the times:
1) How to empower those in the low-income to improve their income?
2) More so, what kind of changes in the system would be needed to address the issue of the rich-poor divide?

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Also see:
http://tomorrow.sg/trackback/url/6124

A look at: As it is..

I like this piece of the installation. It reminded me of a person looking at himself as a third party would. Self reflection, I suppose?

This post is a long overdued post that I hope to share with one of my friends, Mystic. I suppose she had been too busy to catch the site-specific installation, As it is... by Victor Tan Wee Tar, that was at the Esplanade Theatres on the Bay sometime ago (7 Oct 2006 to 7 Jan 2007). As such, this post is my humble attempt to share my sights of the installation with her, and the rest of my readers here.

Let the photos bring you some glimpses to Victor Tan Wee Tar's artistic talents. I love the way that he seems to inject a sense of life into his works. I think Mystic would enjoy his installation if she were free to catch it. Meantime, please enjoy.

I like the way that this figure above stands on the beam of wood. Taking risks can be exciting.

I was attracted to the figure of the baby in the foreground.

I like the seemingly air of innocence that was projected by this section of the installation. I noticed the rocking horse in the background.

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For more on the sculptor:
http://www.sculpturesociety.org.sg/artistlist.htm

Suicidal Tendencies (2005)

Composed by Emily Koh. Performed on 10 Jan 2007, at NUS Theatrette, Singapore.

(URL of video on YouTube : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Rt3S8QZs2k)

Emily Koh's Suicidal Tendencies (2005)

I have posted the YouTube version of Emily Koh's Suicidal Tendencies on my blog about several minutes, but it has yet to appear.

Whatever it is, here's to share a link to a performance of Emily's Suicidal Tendencies that has been posted up on YouTube for your pleasant viewing. This music is a piece of contemporary music. The more I play it, the more I grow to like it, for the bleak feeling and sense of despair that I seem to hear from its notes. Pardon me, I have a love for such kind of music. Perhaps all I ask is an outlet to release the whatever sense of despair and hopelessness that I feel of this world at times.

The URL is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Rt3S8QZs2k

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Credits for the performance:
Suicidal Tendencies (2005).
Composed by Emily Koh.
Performed on 10 Jan 2007, at NUS Theatrette, Singapore.
Performed by: Tang Tee Tong // Violin, Jeremy Chiew // Viola, Toh Huiwen // Violoncello, Cheng Pei Yun // Double Bass.
Video recording by Mr Lim S.L. Video edited by PY.

Reflecting on one of my favourite quotes

On 13 Jan 2007, I have posted on my blog one of my favourite quotes.

...Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate,
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us...

- Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love (New York: Harper Collins, 1992)


The above verses struck me most deeply.

Many questions came to my mind: What if we are powerful beyond measure? How have our fears hold us back? What will be the possibilities that are available but we have yet to realise? How can we use our power wisely and appropriately?

The night is dark, and I am feeling sleepy, but I shall leave the thoughts to the back-burner.

Do share your thoughts on the above verses with me.

News: SMRT Open House

Fellow blogger, Pinkie, sent me a link to this: SMRT calls for participants for record-setting SMRT Cram Jam!

I have absolutely no interest to be in a crowd, so I would definitely give the SMRT Cram Jam a miss.

However, the SMRT Open House on 11 Feb 2007 appears to be interesting. From 8 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. on that day, there will be a specially-chartered train from Ang Mo Kio MRT station that would take one to the Bishan Depot. There will be a guided tour of the Depot, and if you folks know me well, I like guided tours!

The best part is, while enjoying the novelty of visiting a MRT Depot, one can contribute to charity. All proceeds from this Open House will go to the SMRT Silver Tribute Fund.

If you are interested in the Open House, I read that you would need to register via email to stevenlim@smrt.com.sg or call Tel: 63311176 by 31 Jan 2007.

Click on this link for more details.

Singapore's First Fast Food Restaurant

What is Singapore's first fast food restaurant? Where is it located?

Unravel the answers to the above questions by checking out this post: Singapore's First Fast Food Restaurant written by Lam Chun See.

This is a post worth checking out for!

My tall baby husband needs nurturing

My instrument, the double bass, stands about 2 metres tall. If you have followed my blog closely, I affectionately refer to my double bass as "my husband". That makes me "his wife", won't it be?

I am starting to think of my dear "husband" as a baby who needs nurturing. "He" needs his "wife" (i.e. me) to spend time with him, so that "he" will sound well when his "wife" plays on him.

Time is precious. With work responsibilities and many other commitments, I realised that it is a challenge to put aside time to practise on my instrument. My hats off to the parents with young children and put aside time to nurture and guide their children. I think the children would demand much more of their parents' time than my "husband". "He" at least doesn't protest verbally. "He" simply gives incentives to his "wife" by sounding better if his "wife" finds time to spend quality hours practising on him.

Having said so, maybe I could infer why I could not dream about having children, at least not in the near future. I have no intention now to be willing to sacrifice the time meant for my baby "husband" just to take care of young children.

My hips have been hurting intermittenly today. While my mind has been fixated on the idea of practising so that I could realise those double bass tunes that have been ringing in my mind, my body has been feeling tired from the long day. Nevertheless, I shall give myself a pat on the shoulder for being self-disciplined enough to start my practising routine at 9.45 p.m. I took a short break after practising for half-an-hour. My total practise time today should be about 40 minutes. I decided to go slow today, and work on getting the rhythms of the first movement of Marcello's Sonata in G major right. Yeah, I was pretty close.

However, with a mind that was tired, my practise session on the third movement of the same sonata appeared disastrous. No doubt, I had played all the notes almost in tune from the first bar to the last. However, I could not hear any sense of music from the notes that I had played. I decided to stop just there. It looks like if I want a good practise session, I need adequate rest, and, more time!

Does anyone of you have non-living object that would need your nurturing too?

Week Three of 2007 on the doublebass

I am feeling awfully tired, mentally and physically. My hips are hurting from time to time and I can't figure why. For the past few days, whenever I sat down on the seats of the MRT train on my way home, I instinctively can't help but to take a nap. These appear signs of declining health, and I am not even in my thirties.

I haven't practised on the double bass today, even though I had planned to do so. Anyway, for week four of year 2007, I shall give myself the permission to take the necessary rest. If I fall short of my target (of practising on the double bass four days a week, at least 15 minutes on each of the four days), I shall give myself the concession to do so.

Anyway, for week three of year 2007, I have managed to keep up to my target where practising on the double bass is concerned.

Sunday, 14 Jan 2007, is the first day of week three. I was practising in the late afternoon and the night, working on the following:
- C major scales
- Marcello's Sonata in G major
- first half of Faure's Sicilienne
- the melody for Pachelbel's Canon in D major, scored for a double bass quartet, arranged by David Heyes

On Monday, 15 Jan 07, I was practising from 10.55 p.m. to 11.20 p.m., with a practise mute on my double bass, to mute the sounds from it.

Perhaps I had rather practise than to rest, I started practising on the double bass at about 11 p.m. on 16 Jan 2007, and only stopped playing at about 11.30 p.m.

On Wednesday, 17 Jan 2007, I must have been going crazy. Despite being awfully tired from the day, I stayed up beyond midnight to practise Faure's Sicilienne. Not forgetting, I had already played on the double bass during the double bass sectional and the orchestra rehearsal earlier that evening.

On Thursday, 18 Jan 2007, it was the day that I had double bass lesson. I had played on the double bass for at least an hour, if you consider that practice. Lesson went good.

I was too tired on Friday and Saturday to practice. These aren't too good signs. I can only learn not to push myself too hard. I shall take small but steady steps to work towards better health. Cheer me on.

Hainan 2006

In this post, I shall compile the links of the posts related to the trip I have made to Hainan from 9 - 13 Nov 2006.

I dedicate this post to Eastcoastlife's parents-in-law who are Hainanese. May the photos on a few of these posts bring them to see the various sights of Hainan. They may physically be miles away from Hainan, but I hope these posts will bring some parts of Hainan closer to them.

Snapshots of my trip
9 Nov 06: Setting off for Hainan
Firecrackers cracking
9 Nov 06: Lunch and dinner
The dog that did not like phototaking
The story of the house
They plough the fields
9 Nov 06: Trip to nearby town
The story of the mountain goat
The ritual
Preparation of the Feast
Nian Gao
The slaughter of the chicken
Lunch on 10 Nov 2006
The well that my grandfather built
The walk after the lunch
Hammock to rest after lunch
Night approaches
The story of the ants
The ride to a nearby town
11 Nov 2006: At the nearby town
The ride back to the house
Fresh vegetables
Yummy peanuts
Taking photos of the chickens
Leaving the village for Haikou
At Haikou
Breakfast on 12 Nov 2006
Postcard hunting in Hainan
At the cybercafe in Haikou
Five Officials' Temple
Five Officials' Temple Part II
Five Officials' Temple Part III
Lunch: 12 Nov 2006
The overhead bridges in Haikou
Bye Hainan
Hainan 2006, et cetera

(Note: I have placed a link to this post on the sidebar of this blog.)

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Here are the URL of some external Hainan-related sites:
http://www.hainandiscovery.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hainan