My Concert with Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
I never thought I'd have the chance to walk through the door with this sign on it... and it happened...
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With this amazing bright shining light in front of me, it took all my strength to walk onto that stage, and believe I was actually going to be part of it...
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I remember sitting there could barely stop trembling due to both excitement and nervousness.
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I will share some short videos and more stories at some point. There were a lot stories. I was fully supported and being valued. Having Rob constantly gave me thumbs up in the middle of the concert, having John stood next to me as I took on principal snare drum part for encore, etc. It was a emotional experience, for sure... Especially hearing great things about my dearest percussionist friend from his colleagues.
More information coming soon...
The first piece for the concert was Peer Gynt Suite No. 1 Grieg. During the whole rehearsal, Rob has been sitting next to me and pretending to be a swan with his arm... As a result, these days whenever I hear the piece, that image of him using his arm moving around teasing me always came back to my mind...
Light Cavalry: Overture Suppe came after the first piece. I was meant to be on snare drum, but I certainly didn't feel dare to ruin the piece. It was a good piece, and Rob constantly encouraged me for what I was doing.
We did Swan Lake Suite afterwards. Only the Waltz part. It was an interesting part for a triangle player, especially a friend of mine at the concert joked about it and said he enjoyed the "triangle solo"...
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I was very touched when in the middle of the concert, as Rob put down the cymbal from right hand, he gave me a thumb up right in front of the music stand and smiled at me. I felt very touched by his encouragement. Then he decided to hold the other cymbal, and danced a bit along the waltz rhythm, and he kept looking at me to get my attention... it really made me laugh a bit.
Playing the Radetzky March as encore was an emotional experience for me. I took the principal snare drum part bravely. I was given the snare drum part, but I got a bit scared, and tried to turn it down. Then both John and Rob encouraged me to go for it, so I did.
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Then having both John and Rob stood each side of me to keep encouraging me throughout the whole piece, it was incredible.
After the piece finished, both Rob and John gave me big hugs and told me I done amazing job. It was such an privillage for me.
Here are some EXTREMELY short video clips from the concert I did with Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. The video clips are quite short and they are taken just by a phone from distance.
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I still remember the day I arrived at the venue, stood outside of the stage door, and trembling due to both excitement as well as nervousness. For over 5 minutes, I just couldn't make myself wake through that door, and the lady at the door eventually asked: "Are you playing? Can I tick your name off?" That's the time I had to nod and pull myself together.
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Then as I walked through the door, coincidently, John and Rob just entered from the other side, as they greeting me with lovely smiles on their face, they really helped me to bring some peace into my mind.