SPBAND Grad Party...
On Saturday there was a gathering for SPBAND alumnus and the current band members for this Graduation Day event. It’s a tradition of some sort which the band would held every year for the graduating batches. I was there with the alumnus even though I’ve already graduated like 3 years ago. I say it’s great to see the old faces there though most of the members from my batch weren’t there due to army or working commitments but nonetheless I still saw some of them there.
Before we attend the party, Derek and I went to Beach Road to get my army bag. Muahaha… Finally I got my army bag. It’s those black backpack which army guys carry for their field camp. I thought the bag is nice and very useful despite it’s compact size. I got a black one which cost about $28. I should have just bargained it to $20 but I forgot cause I was just ecstatic with the bag. Derek say it’s damn fugly. So now I don’t have to carry that Crumpler bag anymore. I think I should stop using Crumpler bags as most of my Crumpler bags are sling bags. It’s kinda tiring to carry it around especially if it contains a lot of stuffs. I even bought this Black & Red voodoo like doll to hang it on the bag.
We walk around Arab Street and decided to visit the Malay Heritage Centre. There was some sort of event going on. Like a carnival, nothing interesting to buy. We visited the antique shops and get the doll to hang on my bag. We were supposed to get something for the graduating band members and also the current band members in our section. Usually the section leader who graduated has to purchase these gifts for their members. As I wasn’t in Singapore during the grad party, I simply bought gifts from Dubai and a 3 Earthquake ice-cream treat at Swensens. Ouh you simply can’t imagine how we love Earthquakes at Swensen. Every year I would them Earthquakes since school days. Sad thing is that some members don’t like chocolate or mint. So we have to forgo this flavors when we order Earthquakes.
We end up in Bugis. Derek make me walk around Bugis Junction just to look for the gifts. He is damn fickle minded about gifts. So end up, we bought alot of junkie food as gifts and these Shrek head gear with that cute ears from Macdonalds for $2 and I have to buy at least 7 of it cause Derek is too embarassed to buy it. We bought 7 wine bags and place alot junk foods, chocolates, drinks and what's not. Like a hamper. It's better than nothing right?
Party starts at 7 but we planned to arrive late cause I doubt people would be punctual. We arrived and saw familiar faces. I think those who are there are hardcore members. What was odd though that the ‘Bitchy Gangs’ wasn’t there. I hate these bunch of people for being too loud and disruptive. I could imagine that if they were there, the party would be more havoc. Like any other years, it’s a potluck party where each section would have to cook something. During school days, I’ve started this really odd tradition where we would play prank on the food. Like once, my section made sushi. In some of these sushi contains lots of wasabe and we would place it among the rest of the sushi. The unlucky person would pick this ‘wasabe-load’ sushi. Some of the sandwiches there would be lots of chilli padi or salt or pepper. I’m delighted that the tradition went on for few years except that for this year, they did something different. Instead of letting the whole band get the prank, the current members only play prank on their section members which I think isn’t fun at all but nonetheless the ‘tradition’ still goes on. They made this disgusting sandwich which has tuna, egg, lots of ginger and pepper. They also made this Oreo Cheesecake which is so gooey but delicious though. Seriously in every grad party, I’ve never ate anything except to drink cause all the food look disgusting.
Gooey Cheesecake - Yum Yum -_-
Derek ate the entire cheesecake
These particular junior member forced everyone to eat his jelly. I just said I'm a vegetarian and I didn't have to eat it. So much me being a vegetarian when I just ate teriyaki burger earlier.The alumni in my section including myself played some music or rather noise to entertain ourselves and the current members. I’m glad that I still could pitch my high notes like high F and B and those low pedal notes. There is gonna be a section competition soon so the current members have been practicing on few songs like Yorkshire Ballad and Riverdance. I almost pick Yorkshire Ballad as our competition song few years back then but I realized that some members especially from the the Tuba section weren’t enthusiastic about it and not even practicing so to compromise. I picked Euphonium Tuba Quartet by Akira Toda for the competition. We got 3rd place initially but was dropped to 4th place due to certain ‘technical difficulties’.
With my beloved 'wife'.
Peforming as a quartet.
Euphonium Section 2007
From Top Left : Myself, Derek, Chingsi, James
3 Members missing : Peiyan, Brandon and Brandon Jr.
I also got to know that the band has purchased a 2nd hand contra-alto clarinet which cost about $10000. I'm surprised they bought one cause we hardly use it for most music scores. Nonetheless we are few of the bands in Singapore which has a complete family of instruments. So we could show off our stuffs. Anyway getting a brand new contra-alto clarinet cost about $24000. Imagine playing an instrument which cost more than a motorbike or your school fees. My euphonium cost about $4500 - $6000 or more depending on the brand, model and material. Oh well...
A Selmer (Paris) Contra-Alto EEb Clarinet : Model 40
The band would be going to Osaka, Japan in 2 weeks time for musical exchange and performance with the top finalist Japanese Symphonic Band. So good luck and have fun.
You know what? I think I really do miss the band days...
Sunday is gonna be the usual family day yippeee.....
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