Wahhh... I'm so super-pleased!
Yes, I'm super-pleased. With what exactly? With the progress that I had made in my cello.
*grins*
Finally, with sheer determination & hard work that I had put in for the past 6 months and with so many of remonstrations from Guo Hao (I wised up even after his last one, upon which, I think it sounds more like a huge disappointment because he has placed such high expectations and I've failed him last month), I've waited for this VERY day to arrive...
This is what happened in the studio in the afternoon...
He came in late today for my lesson but it's understandable because he's preparing for the upcoming Singapore Symphony Orchestra concert this coming Saturday (and I'm going to attend.. in courtesy of the complimentary tickets that I have on my hands from the company) and considering that the conductor is an international conductor and I bet the rehearsal also involved the violin soloist, Daniel Hope too... so, I guess, it just speaks the obvious reasons.
So after settling down, tuning up my cello by using his cello (this is the FIRST time I've seen the Rin collection and his cello from the Rin collection is an antique-beauty! In case you don't know what's 'Rin Collection'... It is actually referring to this couple whom they do a HUGE collection of string instruments and they loan these instruments to well-deserving string players/musicians in Singapore. My cello teacher, is one of them. =D), I started playing the required scale technique that he had taught me a month ago by inputting whatever remastered techniques that I had learned from him, for the past 6 months.
I played, all slurred bowing... 2 notes, 4 notes and then following on, 8 notes in a bow. I did practiced (that's the reason why I scheduled my lesson on the 2nd week of May instead, so that I have ample time to practice and at the same time, to stop disappointing my cello teacher anymore) on that many times, even watched videos of the cello masters so this lesson is either make or break for me, for he had told me last month that the next time he sees me, he wants me to play all that requested from him within 20 minutes and anything beyond that, I am going to be advised to stay away from his class until I've mastered all these on my own.
=|
So after I've finished, with him muttering sounds of delight like,"Yes! That's it! Good, very good!"; "Very good! Now, I want more elegance!" ; "Yes! This is what I called elegance and grace!" (that happens only after I've started to turn in my right hand wrist even more) etc. etc... The next thing I knew, I'm internally jumping for joy...
"Well..." he trailed off, pondering for a second but at the same time, was smiling at me,"...there's really nothing much more in this lesson that I can ever go through with you anymore because you've already remastered on whatever I've already passed onto you. Did you bring your books?"
I shake my head because I didn't expect this to happen though as for the past few lessons, it is always the 're-mastering of techniques' part.
"All right. Never mind. Tell you what.. Bring the books, studies and Grade 6 scales & arpeggios. We'll take on Grade 6, since you've already finished Grade 5, skip Grade 7 and within a year, to complete your Grade 8. For your case, I know it's possible. Actually, quite of a number of my students just gave up halfway through because they can't take the stress of having to re-master all their techniques and basics from the beginning. The determination is not there so it's good for them, and it's good for me also.. Otherwise, it will be a painful process of learning and for me, teaching...
"But as for you, having to reach this far with so much of sheer determination inside you, is not easy and I can see that you've lots of that. Keep up the good work but at the same time, don't turn complacent, yes? Constantly have to make sure that where ever you are, be it whether you're in the youth orchestra or not, which can be quite detrimental to your progress (Note: I shall not say why but until now, I still don't quite understand why he says that, even though he'd explained to me that makes quite of sense... =X) to remember your techniques. If can, or if you see any of your peers playing but not accordingly to techniques, practice your right-hand wrist movement just to remind yourself of that... Because I don't want you to learn the wrong things all over again...
"Anyway, in future lessons, just bring all of your books, and we'll have a list of your own pieces that you can play. And using whatever you've re-mastered, to be as your final input in your pieces, yes?"
And then he just grinned at me so widely and then said his last final piece before the lesson ends...
"Congratulations! You've did it and you can finally move on. Keep up the excellent job!"
My mouth dropped literally for I couldn't believe what I'm hearing from him. Which means, this is official: I'm moving ahead!!! I've been given the green signal to move on. This is like.. a stepping stone. For the past 6 months, I've been 'sweating' like hell because Guo Hao is like a hawk and a highly-demanding cellist so even if I thought I did play accordingly to the newfound techniques, to him, it's always still not there.
I'm happy. Very, very happy. I walked out of the studio, announcing the happy news to the administration officers over there. I know it sounds a little stupid but this is just a happy announcement that worth to be announcing to the others. After that, I spread the good word to a couple of my friends and towards my Dad. I bet my Dad is happy to hear that too though.
This... is a stepping stone for me... a step closer to what I really wanted to see in myself for the past 8 years. I think, occasionally, I just have to remind myself... How difficult it is for me to be learning Cello by myself with only a minimal amount of help from my seniors for 5 years (and at my time, there were no proper cello instructors). How tough for me to bring Cello back home almost everyday to practice the most basics on my own (which also includes on the correct way of bringing the sonorous, deep sound of the Cello) and also to endure my parents' occasional nags at me on '..why do you have to play the Cello?'
So in total, it took me 2 years to master the Cello all by myself (including the wrong techniques that I've acquired unknowingly because at that time, I'm still so new to the instrument with no proper instructor in my secondary school), 5 years to play the Cello as a Principal Player in SACCO & in RP String Ensemble and 2 years to be taught by professional cellists (and it is in the end of 2007 that I was being introduced to Guo Hao by Dr. Yeo, and from there on, it changes my way of playing). In 2007, in the midst of still being professionally taught, I was awarded a Merit in ABRSM Grade 5 in Cello Performance.
Well, counting... it is at least 9 years now? I think so. One more year, I'll be entering the 10th year of me, this time round as a full-fledged, properly-trained Cellist.
What a great feat. Not an easy road... and this phrase is always true,"...There's no shortcut into learning an instrument in the right way..." Even as of now, I'm still brushing up, trying my very best to bring back all of my lost techniques for my Piano performance (considering that I didn't play proper Classical music for the past 4 years?). At least, now I'm seeing some improvements and some gradual change in my behaviour & attitude too (I'm going to have to thank someone in my life for that..).
I hope this story of mine will be somewhat an inspiring story to some of my friends who are musicians-in-training. Please, don't give up just because things don't get in your way. Challenges are there for us to conquer, not for us to give up. If we are giving up, which means, we're giving up on ourselves totally. I had almost once wanted to give up but I could remember what my Dad used to tell me that if I give up, I would be the loser. You won't benefit by giving up. You will only end up losing the benefits that you had.
I may whine. I may complain. But I will not give up on myself. No matter how tough the road it is, I won't.
You should not, too.
*winks* =)
*grins*
Finally, with sheer determination & hard work that I had put in for the past 6 months and with so many of remonstrations from Guo Hao (I wised up even after his last one, upon which, I think it sounds more like a huge disappointment because he has placed such high expectations and I've failed him last month), I've waited for this VERY day to arrive...
This is what happened in the studio in the afternoon...
He came in late today for my lesson but it's understandable because he's preparing for the upcoming Singapore Symphony Orchestra concert this coming Saturday (and I'm going to attend.. in courtesy of the complimentary tickets that I have on my hands from the company) and considering that the conductor is an international conductor and I bet the rehearsal also involved the violin soloist, Daniel Hope too... so, I guess, it just speaks the obvious reasons.
So after settling down, tuning up my cello by using his cello (this is the FIRST time I've seen the Rin collection and his cello from the Rin collection is an antique-beauty! In case you don't know what's 'Rin Collection'... It is actually referring to this couple whom they do a HUGE collection of string instruments and they loan these instruments to well-deserving string players/musicians in Singapore. My cello teacher, is one of them. =D), I started playing the required scale technique that he had taught me a month ago by inputting whatever remastered techniques that I had learned from him, for the past 6 months.
I played, all slurred bowing... 2 notes, 4 notes and then following on, 8 notes in a bow. I did practiced (that's the reason why I scheduled my lesson on the 2nd week of May instead, so that I have ample time to practice and at the same time, to stop disappointing my cello teacher anymore) on that many times, even watched videos of the cello masters so this lesson is either make or break for me, for he had told me last month that the next time he sees me, he wants me to play all that requested from him within 20 minutes and anything beyond that, I am going to be advised to stay away from his class until I've mastered all these on my own.
=|
So after I've finished, with him muttering sounds of delight like,"Yes! That's it! Good, very good!"; "Very good! Now, I want more elegance!" ; "Yes! This is what I called elegance and grace!" (that happens only after I've started to turn in my right hand wrist even more) etc. etc... The next thing I knew, I'm internally jumping for joy...
"Well..." he trailed off, pondering for a second but at the same time, was smiling at me,"...there's really nothing much more in this lesson that I can ever go through with you anymore because you've already remastered on whatever I've already passed onto you. Did you bring your books?"
I shake my head because I didn't expect this to happen though as for the past few lessons, it is always the 're-mastering of techniques' part.
"All right. Never mind. Tell you what.. Bring the books, studies and Grade 6 scales & arpeggios. We'll take on Grade 6, since you've already finished Grade 5, skip Grade 7 and within a year, to complete your Grade 8. For your case, I know it's possible. Actually, quite of a number of my students just gave up halfway through because they can't take the stress of having to re-master all their techniques and basics from the beginning. The determination is not there so it's good for them, and it's good for me also.. Otherwise, it will be a painful process of learning and for me, teaching...
"But as for you, having to reach this far with so much of sheer determination inside you, is not easy and I can see that you've lots of that. Keep up the good work but at the same time, don't turn complacent, yes? Constantly have to make sure that where ever you are, be it whether you're in the youth orchestra or not, which can be quite detrimental to your progress (Note: I shall not say why but until now, I still don't quite understand why he says that, even though he'd explained to me that makes quite of sense... =X) to remember your techniques. If can, or if you see any of your peers playing but not accordingly to techniques, practice your right-hand wrist movement just to remind yourself of that... Because I don't want you to learn the wrong things all over again...
"Anyway, in future lessons, just bring all of your books, and we'll have a list of your own pieces that you can play. And using whatever you've re-mastered, to be as your final input in your pieces, yes?"
And then he just grinned at me so widely and then said his last final piece before the lesson ends...
"Congratulations! You've did it and you can finally move on. Keep up the excellent job!"
My mouth dropped literally for I couldn't believe what I'm hearing from him. Which means, this is official: I'm moving ahead!!! I've been given the green signal to move on. This is like.. a stepping stone. For the past 6 months, I've been 'sweating' like hell because Guo Hao is like a hawk and a highly-demanding cellist so even if I thought I did play accordingly to the newfound techniques, to him, it's always still not there.
I'm happy. Very, very happy. I walked out of the studio, announcing the happy news to the administration officers over there. I know it sounds a little stupid but this is just a happy announcement that worth to be announcing to the others. After that, I spread the good word to a couple of my friends and towards my Dad. I bet my Dad is happy to hear that too though.
This... is a stepping stone for me... a step closer to what I really wanted to see in myself for the past 8 years. I think, occasionally, I just have to remind myself... How difficult it is for me to be learning Cello by myself with only a minimal amount of help from my seniors for 5 years (and at my time, there were no proper cello instructors). How tough for me to bring Cello back home almost everyday to practice the most basics on my own (which also includes on the correct way of bringing the sonorous, deep sound of the Cello) and also to endure my parents' occasional nags at me on '..why do you have to play the Cello?'
So in total, it took me 2 years to master the Cello all by myself (including the wrong techniques that I've acquired unknowingly because at that time, I'm still so new to the instrument with no proper instructor in my secondary school), 5 years to play the Cello as a Principal Player in SACCO & in RP String Ensemble and 2 years to be taught by professional cellists (and it is in the end of 2007 that I was being introduced to Guo Hao by Dr. Yeo, and from there on, it changes my way of playing). In 2007, in the midst of still being professionally taught, I was awarded a Merit in ABRSM Grade 5 in Cello Performance.
Well, counting... it is at least 9 years now? I think so. One more year, I'll be entering the 10th year of me, this time round as a full-fledged, properly-trained Cellist.
What a great feat. Not an easy road... and this phrase is always true,"...There's no shortcut into learning an instrument in the right way..." Even as of now, I'm still brushing up, trying my very best to bring back all of my lost techniques for my Piano performance (considering that I didn't play proper Classical music for the past 4 years?). At least, now I'm seeing some improvements and some gradual change in my behaviour & attitude too (I'm going to have to thank someone in my life for that..).
I hope this story of mine will be somewhat an inspiring story to some of my friends who are musicians-in-training. Please, don't give up just because things don't get in your way. Challenges are there for us to conquer, not for us to give up. If we are giving up, which means, we're giving up on ourselves totally. I had almost once wanted to give up but I could remember what my Dad used to tell me that if I give up, I would be the loser. You won't benefit by giving up. You will only end up losing the benefits that you had.
I may whine. I may complain. But I will not give up on myself. No matter how tough the road it is, I won't.
You should not, too.
*winks* =)