Oprah House Performance

Canberra Choir performed Beethoven's Ode To Joy along with choirs from New Zealand, China, and US.

Rehearsal in St Andrew's Cathedral

Choir coach, Jeffrey from Seattle, giving some advices. Very charismatic. Like Paul Chen.

Mass rehearsal in Angel Place Recital Hall

I present you, Linn Weeda with his 64-piece orchestra from Alaska! Linn has a classic look of a historian.

See what I mean?

And he sweats profusely due to some vigorous conducting movements.

This choir group was an enthusiastic lot. They warmed up by singing/talking to the person next to them.

In fact, the man at the bottom left, even talked to his imaginary friend.

Roughly 24 hours before the performance began, we received a notice to perform a Chinese song, Shi Jie Bo Lan (World Expo) with the Chinese Choir. I think they wanted us to help fill up the stage and also, they wanted to reflect unity.

So we were provided with this han yin pin yin which interestingly has another line of english translation since most english native speakers may not be able to pronounce han yin pin yin that accurately.

"I want you all to go out there with some excitement and do your best. I know you haven't rehearsed this before but I've looked at the chords. The melody's simple. You are performing in the finale of 20th Australian International Music Festival! This is gonna be the night that you'll never forget. I'm actually jealous! And don't be afraid to speak to the Chinese Choir. Be friendly. They know a little bit of English too."

One of them: "How to you say hello in Chinese?"
Me: Ni hao
Students: lol..miao miao...lol

After lots of funny moments and a few short rounds of rehearsal, we were set to go on stage with the Chinese orchestra and choir, following a breathtaking umbrella dance by the Chinese contingent.

It all went well with the song, after which all of us waved this flag with enthusiasm. I then found out that this song was meant to promote the World Expo in Shanghai next year.

It was about half an hour before the Beethoven performance began so we had a short break.

Look at the huge cellos!

I have to say the Oprah House Concert Hall didn't look that superb from the stage. But I'm sure it will be so from the audience's angle.

Half way through the interval, we re-entered the stage and got into position. The mass choir started off performing Gloria (before Beethoven). And since a few of us didn't know that piece, we have to pretend as if we did, by moving our lips and flipping pages.

Linn then introduced the four solo singers for Beethoven's piece and the mass choir gave it their all.

After the performance, we received a huge round of applause.

We shook hands.

It felt great. Months of hard work finally boiled down to this moment and we weren't disappointed. It is indeed a moment of our lives which will not be forgotten.

Oprah House Performance

Canberra Choir performed Beethoven's Ode To Joy along with choirs from New Zealand, China, and US.

Rehearsal in St Andrew's Cathedral

Choir coach, Jeffrey from Seattle, giving some advices. Very charismatic. Like Paul Chen.

Mass rehearsal in Angel Place Recital Hall

I present you, Linn Weeda with his 64-piece orchestra from Alaska! Linn has a classic look of a historian.

See what I mean?

And he sweats profusely due to some vigorous conducting movements.

This choir group was an enthusiastic lot. They warmed up by singing/talking to the person next to them.

In fact, the man at the bottom left, even talked to his imaginary friend.

Roughly 24 hours before the performance began, we received a notice to perform a Chinese song, Shi Jie Bo Lan (World Expo) with the Chinese Choir. I think they wanted us to help fill up the stage and also, they wanted to reflect unity.

So we were provided with this han yin pin yin which interestingly has another line of english translation since most english native speakers may not be able to pronounce han yin pin yin that accurately.

"I want you all to go out there with some excitement and do your best. I know you haven't rehearsed this before but I've looked at the chords. The melody's simple. You are performing in the finale of 20th Australian International Music Festival! This is gonna be the night that you'll never forget. I'm actually jealous! And don't be afraid to speak to the Chinese Choir. Be friendly. They know a little bit of English too."
One of them: "How to you say hello in Chinese?"
Me: Ni hao
Students: lol..miao miao...lol

After lots of funny moments and a few short rounds of rehearsal, we were set to go on stage with the Chinese orchestra and choir, following a breathtaking umbrella dance by the Chinese contingent.

It all went well with the song, after which all of us waved this flag with enthusiasm. I then found out that this song was meant to promote the World Expo in Shanghai next year.

It was about half an hour before the Beethoven performance began so we had a short break.

Look at the huge cellos!

I have to say the Oprah House Concert Hall didn't look that superb from the stage. But I'm sure it will be so from the audience's angle.

Half way through the interval, we re-entered the stage and got into position. The mass choir started off performing Gloria (before Beethoven). And since a few of us didn't know that piece, we have to pretend as if we did, by moving our lips and flipping pages.

Linn then introduced the four solo singers for Beethoven's piece and the mass choir gave it their all.

After the performance, we received a huge round of applause.

We shook hands.

It felt great. Months of hard work finally boiled down to this moment and we weren't disappointed. It is indeed a moment of our lives which will not be forgotten.

SGI schoomates, read this =)

Imagine not seeing a high school senior for at least 5 years. Then all of a sudden, you spot him in a foreign country. He looks a much buffer than before.

A Keanu Maybe?

The threat human poses to environment is real, everyone knows that. Perhaps it’s due to this exact reason that many of us do not even bother doing anything about it anymore. Strong advocators of environmental issues are deemed as nagging individuals who has nothing better to worry about (chiak pa boh su cho, sek pau tang si oh).

We owe it to our future generations for not being able to think on their behalf, for letting them reap what we sow. Development has always been occurring with the expense of the environment. The balancing point is a grey area that is forever up for debate. In a matter of decades, the next generation will face the horrible consequences of our selfish actions.

Just today, a Star article “Conserve water from now, Klang Valley folk warned” caught my eye. The first sentence goes, “Water rationing could start next month for Klang Valley residents if they do not conserve water from now”. Typical Malaysians would’ve had their jaws dropped at this point till they glance through, “At the moment, the water levels at most dams in the country have not reached the critical mark.” With a sigh of relief, it’s business as usual for them from then onwards.

Drainage and Irrigation Department Hydrology and Water Resources Director (longest title ever), Datuk Lim Chow Hock advises Malaysians to, “water your garden less frequently, do not let water run when you are brushing your teeth, use pails instead of a hose when washing your car.” While all those are sound advices, I can’t help but to wonder if he actually practices that himself or is he just saying it because he’s the director of (the longest name).

Our lists of priorities are growing day by day so much so that ‘taking care of the environment’ is never anywhere near the top. It takes a lot of effort and commitment for someone to be environmental friendly. For firms, it also involves money and typically, ‘being environmental friendly’ means increasing cost and shrinking profits. I guess it’s fair for us to assume that environmental-friendly policies are one of the last things they’ll accept with open arms.

Of course, there’re lots of responsible companies and individuals, fighting for the betterment of mother nature and I’m proud of them. I see lots of shoppers in Supabarn using green bags, MASCA NSW introducing a refreshing “We Are Going Green, So Can You!” concept, Bruce Hall initiating a four-minute shower effort, Shell finding a way to safely store CO2 underground, Honda producing hydrogen-driven cars, Readers Digest printing a blue issue specially devoted to water matters, Times publishing a list of food that requires lots of energy of produce, etc. Whether or not they’re doing it for the sake of good image, I choose to be optimistic. I pray that we won’t be outnumbered by profit-driven companies and short-sighted individuals who may ultimately offset these noble efforts.

It never stopped occurring in my mind that we need a Keavu Reeves to come down to earth and threaten humans, ending our fragile existence on the poor Earth. By that time though, it may have been too late.

Gardening

Doing gardening with Bruce Green has been an eye-opening experience. Cleaning the Green House, planting onions and baby carrots, setting up the irrigation system and touching dirt again reminds me so much of Kemahiran Hidup. Here are some interesting things I saw:-

ANU's organic garden

A cool garden car

A compost bin made to breed worms

Another version of scarecrow (note the marble eyes)

I even ate a flower

But I guess one of the best thing is the range of people I'm mixing with.

This is a new German friend of mine holding a pumpkin partially eaten by a mouse. Today's probably the last time I'll be seeing him since he's on exchange for this semester only.

I've also befriended my very first Mexican friend and had a shock when he pronnounced his country as meh-hee-ko instead of max-see-ko. Last Monday, when Jun Sang said meh-hee-ko and made the whole class laugh, I thought he was merely making fun of the country. Now I know it's actually the local way of pronouncing it.

Hit Hard By A Change

This is something you'll usually ignore in lecture, thinking that it's just another policy a hopeful candidate is trying to put forward in an upcoming election to fish for votes.

However, when you stare at this bad news for a couple of seconds and realise that it is actually for real this time and there's nothing you can do about it, it feels awful.


I guess that's how a firm will feel should its investments turn obsolete someday.

Btw, an important announcement that ANU students must read, http://timetable.anu.edu.au/H1N1Flu.pdf

I Couldn't Sleep So I Sat Down and Posted This

I felt pretty sick yesterday and decided to call it a day at 9.30pm. Instead of sleeping soundly through the night, I struggled in my dream and woke up at 12.30am, mentally exhausted.

In my dream, my sis was driving me around in Penang.

Instead of being in the car, I was actually on the outside with both my legs tied on the bonnet. Can't remember why.

The horror started when the road suddenly went vertical and super narrow with cracks everywhere. I was shouting to my sis, "No, no, no! You're not driving up there! I'm gonna fall...even you're going fall". I think she couldn't hear me. Anyway, she kept driving but surprisingly, the car didn't fall. Me on the other hand, hung on to the car the best I could.
Minutes later, my arms began to shake and were about to gave way. I imagined myself hanging in the air with my legs tied up the car...

Then I woke up. And couldn't fall back to sleep...btw, the vertical road was shaped like an intestine and linked the highway to the Penang bridge.

Living It!

Picture at times, exaggerates the true beauty of nature or even human. You scrolled through some awesome photos of destination you were about to visit only to be disappointed that the real place didn't live up to your expectations. You would be standing there thinking, "Darn, I could've sworn this place looks a hundred times better in photo!"

But when it actually does, you'll start to feel as if you're living in a dream. It soothes your emotions and temporarily deviates your attention away from whatever stress you're having. Cycling through campus every single day during autmn has been such a wonderful commute. I'll be riding my bike saying, "Wow..it's like I'm living in a poster...everyday."

ANU is currently experiencing its very own version of Sakura Season. It doesn't take an observant student to notice how quickly the colour of the leaves changes from green to red/yellow/orange, and finally brown, sometimes only in a matter of days. Soon you'll start to notice that the leaves start to fall and the tree that took your breath away yesterday is starting to balder and balder. Looking at the pile of leaves on the grass makes you feel like lying down on them and make a swimming action =p

As time goes by, you'll start to notice any particular tree that stands out amongst the rest.

And you hunt for the sole leaf survivor when most of its "colleagues" are already on the ground.
Aw..how I wish Taiping Lake Gardens could experience autumn.