Tian Sang

A big thank you to our EMS Symphony Orchestra conductor David Reichman (left picture). I still remember that first day I played with EMS last year at rehearsal: stood at the back, held the triangle with a trembling hand, and missed the first note of Saint-Saëns Bacchanale...... David stopped the whole orchestra, looked at me, said out loud in front of the whole orchestra: "Triangle! Can you play? Do we know when to come in?" Everyone turned around stared at me, I couldn't look David into his eyes, couldn't even say a word, not even a "sorry", I just felt really bad for not able to play...... then the other percussionist Josef next to me replied loudly: "Yes! We are ok! We will be fine!" After that day, I practiced as hard as possible on all repertoires every single moment I could, and I wanted that to be the first time being told off by David for making such an awful mistake, but also the last time......

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Now, at last rehearsal right before this concert, once again, David stopped the whole orchestra after Dvořák's Carnival Overture, except this time, he looked at me, said out loud: "Percussion is amazing! So good! Brilliant work on tambourine! " Everyone turned around looked at our percussion section......

 

That brought a big smile and some happy tears into my eyes, from that first day "Can you play?" till today's "Brilliant work!", it felt like I've come such a long way. I appreciate so much that first day David treated me as a real percussionist, told me off when I made mistake, rather than giving me an excuse to let the mistake slip through just because I was new to the orchestra. Apart from that, David put a lot of trust on me on taking principal responsibilities, organise the parts for the section, take care of other percussionists' work, bring players in for the section...... etc. I would never be able to reach where I am today without that first mistake and that "Can you play?"...... I'm grateful for having David as a great conductor, who made me grow so much on orchestral performance.

 

I would like to congratulate David's recent appointment on director of the professional Southern Cross Philharmonic Orchestra. David is truly the guiding force behind our orchestra, never fearing difficult repertoires and always strident in realising our potential.  

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I also would like to give my thanks to our EMS Symphonic Winds conductor Murray Gillin (right picture). Firstly congratulate on Murray's promotion from the assistant conductor to conductor for EMS "Concert Band", then as a brilliant "show off" of the power as our new principal conductor, at our first rehearsal for 2017, Murray called us as "Symphonic Winds Tooters", so here we are, EMS "Concert Band" promoted into the awesome name along with Murray's promotion - EMS Symphonic Winds! 

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I appreciated so much on the day I went to Murray asking for the percussion parts for Piazzolla's Street Tango and Selection of Chicago, Murray looked through the pile, then pulled out a few pages and said: "Here you are, vibraphone and xylophone parts."...... A short moment of silence, I looked at him: "Me? Vibraphone and xylophone? Really? Are you sure?" Murray shrugged shoulders a bit: "Yeah, aren't you a pianist?"...... "But these are real tuned percussion pieces with a lot notes!" I tried to push the parts away. "Well, maybe nobody else can do it, don't you play the piano?"......

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So here was I, brought the music back to home, started my practice. I wasn't used to tuned percussion as I was new to it, so I had to try on piano first, then move onto the only thing I can practice on, a small glockenspiel...... It was hard to start with, especially with pretty fast Jazz style in Chicago. I complained and winging it many times : "Who said pianist can do tuned percussion? It is actually very different!"

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After couple of weeks practice, I went back to rehearsal, and many times I wanted to give up those tuned percussion parts and go for other parts, but I never did, and thought maybe, just maybe, I can make through it. 

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It was not until about a month before our concert, we finally got our percussion instruments back for the rehearsal, therefore, finally I got to actually play those parts during the rehearsal, for the first time..... I remember that day my hands were shaking and sweating madly, I was extremely nervous, even if that was just a rehearsal. Then as we finished the piece, Murray said to me: "That was pretty good! You did quite good!"......

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Then, the day we performed at our concert, stood on the stage, setting my hands first time on a real vibraphone and xylophone, it felt absolutely amazing. I remember after the concert, a musician friend said to me: "How did you do it? You looked like had so much training lately! Feels like you've been performing for years! You really surprised me!"

 

I suppose, it is not I surprised my friend, but more surprised myself. I want to thank Murray for giving me the opportunity to play on tuned percussion, I feel so grateful for Murray's trust and push on me playing on vibraphone and xylophone, and even telling me nobody else could do it but me. I probably won't get a chance to set my hands on proper tuned percussion piece without Murray's support. 

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Now, as I pick up a tuned percussion piece, I no longer have to try on piano first and then move to glockenspiel, I can confidently pick up my mallets and start playing. Even more, I have been enjoying playing some of my favorite piano music on tuned percussion, and I look forward to arranging them into nice percussion solo pieces. 

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So I suppose by the end of the day, Murray was right with his shrugging shoulder there: "Aren't you the pianist?"......

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Thanks once again, to both our dear conductors David and Murray.