Heh! 1st post!

Hello everyone. This is the first time I blog using PROPER English. Why? Why not Singlish or Manglish? The reason is very simple. This blog is part of my assignments of the English course in Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music. Everything here is graded. Otherwise, I would wish to blog in mandarine…

First of all, let me introduce myself. "Ahem!" I'm Yap Siu Yan, Malaysian, currently pursuing a Bachelor Degree of Music in Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, Singapore. My major instrument is percussion. I love cats. I used to have 3 cats, 1 white, 1 grey and 1 black. Both white and grey cats have passed away quite a long time ago. I love my grey cat more than any other pets. He is very intelligent. He only obeyed my instructions but ignored the others. Besides that, I like to swim, and thankfully, there is an Olympic-size swimming pool near the conservatory! I just had my 5^th swim here!

Next, I would like to share my music influences with you all. I started to learn music formally by 6 years old. My mum enrolled me in the Yamaha JMC (Junior Music Course). After a year of playing and having fun in music, my JMC teacher recommended me to take private piano lessons. At the age of 13, I joined the school band of my secondary school, the Chong Hwa High School Band. There, I started to learn percussion. 3 years ago, I was lucky enough to join the Malaysian Philharmonic Youth Orchestra (MPYO). Under the tutelage of Paul Philbert, the principal timpanist of Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO), I was given a chance to get into this competitive and famous conservatory.

Paul is the best teacher I ever met. His professionalism of being a musician has inspired me to follow his path. Moreover, he is caring and hilarious. All his students love him very much, including me!!!

For the next 4 years, I will do my best to improve myself as much as I can!

(Paul and the MPYO percussionists)