Hello, this is Ryan from 阮 typing. This is my first time typing here, and it will probably be my last time. I just want to talk to you all about something before I leave.

SYF is in April, which is less than if not about 4 months away and personally, I do not find the orchestra’s standard up to the GWH standard.

Your attitudes, from what I saw when I came last Wednesday, are not what people will expect from a GWH orchestra. Do you see a GWH orchestra play with their phones, talk, play other songs or even walk out during practice? Think about it. I understand that some of you are very good playing your respective instruments, but are you 100% capable of delivering an outstanding, if not perfect performance during SYF? And, can you memorise the 2 scores, in addition to the conductor’s requests (e.g. where to play louder/ softer/ faster/ slower, how to move to the music, how to feel the emotions of the song)? Kudos to you if you can. Go teach your instrument-mates.

To those with “not-as-good” standards, please ask yourselves why. Do you practice when you are home? Practice, as in at least one solid hour of playing both SYF songs again and again. Daily. If you don’t, the time to start is now. Not after Christmas, not after CNY, and most definitely not the month before SYF. Practice the portions you are not very good at and take note of movement and 大小声.

Practice and being good is not the only thing needed, but vital in being to be a team player and being able to play as a team, with the appropriate proportion of sound of each instrument in specific parts of the song. After all, there is no i in “team”, but there are a few in Certificate of participation.

Lastly, I don’t want CO to be a place where everything is about SYFSYFSYF. It is, to some point, but not fully. You all can talk, joke and have fun before practice starts, but once it does, everything should be serious. Everyone should sit up straight, half a chair and attention focused on the conductor, etc. During break and after practice, you all can “bond” again. Just give your 110% during practice.

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and good luck for SYF,

Ryan.

P.s. Saw that you all had a fun time @camp so I hope this doesn’t rain on your parade.