Friday, September 25, 2009

PractiCe and PractiSe (just for fun ^.^)

I always see “practiSe” in YSTCM. On the other hand, my timpani teacher in Malaysia, a native British, always send me sms using “practiCe”. As a result, I always think that “practiSe” is American English and “practiCe” is British English.

I just found out that they should be another way around!

PractiSe = British
PractiCe = American

How amazing??!

p/s: I was having a great time in Malaysia with Paul and my family during this short term break ^.^

Saturday, September 19, 2009

Comment on Qi Zhang's playing

Wow! It is such a cool organ concerto! Musically and technically demanding! I like Qi Zhang’s playing very much.

Without doubt, her organ playing techniques are very virtuosic. She can play every sound of the orchestra with only 2 hands and 2 feet. This is truly amazing! I enjoy her instant change of mood with the music very much. For example, at 1’20”from the clip, her transition from a fast flowing string tune to the playful, Mozart-like woodwind tune is very clear and significant. Besides that, her musicality is strong as well. She did not treat this music as notes on the page only. She tried to express them musically through her playing. She put in many appropriate nuances and dynamics to make the music sound different! Her body movements change accordingly to the music as well! For me, it shows that she enjoyed what she was playing. As a live performance, what she did visually is essential. Audiences enjoy seeing performer move with the music more than just sit or stand straight in front of the instruments and play.

There are only 2 little things I don’t like about this video. They are not about her playing. Firstly, I do not like the electrical music instrument sound. Moreover, this organ did not react naturally in music sense! For instant, at 1’12” of the video clip, the sound of clarinet just chopped off. It would sound better if the clarinet sound can sustain slightly longer while the string sound came in. Besides that, I was wondering why the camera man never shoots anything of her feet. Both feet play an important role in organ playing!

Saturday, September 5, 2009

What does music mean to me?

Hmmm … this is a very good question….

Music means everything to me!

Music is my interest. It is my soul mate. It is also my career!

I really like to listen to music because it evokes different emotions in me. I feel sad when I listen to a solemn and grave music. On the other hand, I feel delight when I listen to happy music such as Mozart’s music. When I feel stress, a light and easy Richard Clayderman music will ease my tension.

For me, music is a gift from god. I always believe that music can purify a soul. I am not a Christian, but I appreciate Christian sacred music very much. This genre of music, normally sang by human voices, is like a natural medicine for me. It makes me feel pure and fresh. All my negative ways of thinking will disappear after listened to this kind of music. I love the music sang by Libera, a famous boys choir. Do watch the videos below and listen to them! They are young, great, fantastic, excellent singers! They sound like angels!





Music is the greatest treasure in this world. I can’t imagine this world without music…