So... Let me see.. My friend had already written about the concert, so might as well I write my own too. =P
Hmmm, where should I start? Well, it just simply started with an idea for a chinese concert. And this time, grander than the first few that my music school's committee (and I'm in it too) had organised. And I've gotta tell ya, it's by far the toughest show ever organised! Phew!
Let's come back to that day. It was Sunday, 17th of July. Woke up, kinda prepared (with the pieces I'm supposed to perform), wore my casual clothes as the committee was to help out to do some stuff in the morning. So me and my best friend went there together, and started helping out. Knowing Malaysian weather, it was so damn freakin hot, we were forced to go back to shower again (seriously, the only day i showered so many times, and washing my hair 3 times that day! that's crazy!).
The concert started at 3pm, and audiences started to pour in about 15 mins before. Well, it wasn't as many audiences as I expected, but like they say, the show must go on! I wore (finally!) a nice chinese shirt that I bought just 2 days before the concert, and got ready at the backstage till my time came. My first programme was to accompany a small boy, around 11, to sing 2 chinese songs. I find those two songs really nice, if you know the connection between the song lyrics and the music itself. That was the fifth slot.
Then came intermission. My best friend and I were supposed to play some nice and slow contempary pop songs on the piano outside. Everything were so impromptu. Well, at least we had already found some nice songs in the book itself already, so it was a matter of choosing suitable pieces on the spot. My friend just played one solo piece! Gosh.. I'm not letting you get away with it. Haha! Well, that lasted 10 mins.
The second half arrived. My programme now was the 13th (the intermission was places between numbers 7 and 8) , and my solo performance can be considered as the last show on that day. Why am I always placed the last??? Oh well.. Wow, before mine came, I panicked so badly (the accompaniment went really badly cuz I started panicking and my legs trembled while pressing the pedal). I didn't want anything to happen to my playing, and come to think of it, it was a solo! Sighs, I thought, I didn't want to go up the stage. All the while, I thought I had long past gotten rid of stage fright, considering that I actually played in a Chopin competition in front of so many people and judges from so many countries. I needed that thought. I tried to conquer that fear right before I stepped up on the stage.
I stood up right next to the piano, and bowed. I adjusted my seat, inhaled in a really long breath, closed my eyes, and played away.
I was sucessful in defeating my fear, and played succesfully, but with a few memory slips here and there, and some mistakes (it was, of course, obvious to me, but what I learnt later, it wasnt noticable).
I was greeted with so many people when I went down the stage, and congratulated me on my playing. I put on a smile on my face, and hid my pride. I had to admit I made mistakes. And I needed the strength to stop being proud and remember I've still much to learn. It's the only way to improve oneself.
Below is a picture taken right after the end of the concert. On the left to right: Kenneth (one really good friend and a fantastic pianist who is currently studying in Russia who came back here for his holidays), Me (in my shirt. Happy!), my piano teacher (one who I respect the most. we had some conflicts when I started to learn from her, but she taught me SO MUCH, and I am deeply touched with what she has done for me) and my best friends, Wen Ching (my best friends that I was mentioning about all the while).
Credits: My teacher (of course), some teachers in the music school who helped give comments on my playing and made me enjoy my time learning music, my best friend (who gave me helpful advice before my solo piece, and i really give thanks to you and I really appreciated it), Kenneth for making it, a FEW of my friends (namely Steve, Simone, Samantha) who ONLY came to watch me perform and supported me (I haven't gotten over with the treatment I got from all the others!), and finally, my family, who continuously given me support since ever.
Thank you everyone!
