NUS Piano Ensemble

Post Patrons of the Arts

2012-02-11T15:52:00.002+08:00

I think we all learned a lot from Nicole's insightful sharing about this module offered by our conservatory. A simple search will lead you to all GEMs under the music department. I guess it is not a bad idea at all to take some of their modules and let our passion for the art grow. Interesting enough, many separate music from art. It seems that music holds a special position after all.

Beethoven's Third Symphony in which a lot of us showed vast interest.

My recent obsession, Bach's BMV 1061.

Shimin

Session this Friday: Music Quiz

2012-01-25T18:10:00.001+08:00

Hi Everyone,

Rare post from me. This coming Friday we will be having a music quiz, but don't worry, not the kind where you are given 45min and have to complete a test paper! Our music quiz is probably closer to a game show than a test.

Questions range from the obvious to the weird and wonderful to the ridiculous for categories such as musicals, game/cartoon music, world music and others. Be prepared to 'tikam' your way through the 'ridiculous' questions! You will get to answer questions as a group though, so pool your knowledge!

Do come down to Studio 7 this Friday to join us! Hope to see everyone there :)

Kelvin

Piano Pants

2012-01-18T00:41:00.004+08:00

I couldn't help but post this.

We've been searching for inspiration for a group jacket and asked for design submissions. There were some nice souls who gave suggestions and some who were pure disappointments...

Anyway I chanced upon these 'piano pants' by Fernando Frisoni. I would put this up for a vote as part of our new group attire if it didn't cost US$450. ~sweet

But it's always fun to dream and share about it. By the way the piano pants come in one color only - black/ivory.

Calista

P.S. We are still searching for creative spirits and clever designs for a NUSPE hoodie. Do submit your design if you have one!

Crash Course in Science of Music

2012-01-18T00:24:00.002+08:00

Hey everyone!

We have a special treat for you this Friday. Not only are we having a change of scenery to Studio 7, there will be a crash course in Science of Music (SoM). This should be useful to those who are taking the module this sem, whet the appetite of those who failed to bid for it and be generally interesting for those who did not consider taking it as a module.

We'll explain why Bach's 'Well-Tempered Clavier' should be renamed the 'Equal-Tempered Clavier' and yours truly will explain about how to create a digital sound (not covered in SoM). Looking forward to session this Friday yet?

Remember, the party starts at 6.30pm in Studio 7. Be there or be square (wave).

Calista

13th Jan Session + SMU Ivory Keys presents: Spectrum

2011-12-30T01:04:00.001+08:00

Hi everyone,

Sessions will resume with the semester on 13th Jan (Fri), PR4, 6.30pm. We open this semester by performing our repertoire from Melodias - expect pieces from Debussy's Petite Suite, Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite, and well-loved works such as Schubert's Serenade and The Stars and Stripes Forever. See you there!

-------------------

SMU Ivory Keys has invited us to their upcoming concert, Spectrum.

Date: 15 Jan (Sunday)

Time: 5pm

Venue: SMU Arts & Culture Centre, SMU School of Economics

Price: $8

You can order tickets at https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dFNnRlNrQTh3SzJnMVQ5ZHFpNlkxQUE6MQ

Concertino VI Countdown

2011-10-26T21:49:00.004+08:00

Hi NUSPEians, (2 days to Concertino)

Yes, this Friday, our semesterly Concertino will be held on this Friday during our weekly session. We would like to invite your friends to come down as well since we are having it in a large studio. So what are you waiting for? Join us for the musical evening with your friends to conclude NUSPE session series this year!

When: 1830 hrs, 28th October 2011, Friday (Wk 11)

Where: Practice Theatre, CFA Studios

Tentative repertoire:

Prelude and Fugue No. 14 in F# minor, WTC II
Johann Sebastian Bach

The Wind of Life
Joe Hisaishi

Waltz No. 19 in A minor (Posthumus)
Frederic Chopin

Rapsodia Nusantara No. 3
Ananda Sukarlan

U.N. Owen Was Her?
From a PC game under Touhou Project

Spring Dance
Sun Yiqiang

Toccata
Aram Khachaturian

Jeux d'eau
Maurice Ravel

Impromptu Op. 90 No. 2 in E flat Major
Franz Schubert

Two Pieces for Six Hands
Seigei Rachmaninov

My Neighbour Totoro
Joe Hisaishi

Discover who the talented pianists are on Friday!

Shimin

SMD@NUSPE

Sign up for Concertino IV now!

2011-10-21T23:52:00.000+08:00

Hi NUSPEians,

With Desplat's minimalist spirit, I present to you a short piece of concertino sign-up reminder again.

CONCERTINO IV

When: 1830 hrs, 28th October 2011, Friday (Wk 11)

Where: Practice Theatre, CFA Studios

Registration deadline: 2359 hrs, 23rd October 2011, Sunday (Wk 10)

To sign up, please complete a form* at https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dG81UXBDMnhNTlR5YXp2VXVuVjFjc2c6MQ

*Only the representative of each item needs to do so.

You may play solo, duet and whatever pieces you like =)

Shimin

20th Oct Music Appreciation

2011-10-20T19:53:00.004+08:00

Hi NUSPEians,

I hope you can still recall Mr. Ku's teachings last Friday. If you missed it, you may read about it in the previous post below. (=

At tomorrow's session, our music subcomm members Jia En, Khoa and Si Ling will make an exhilarating session on Alexander Desplat and his film music.

See you all at 18:30 in PR4!

Cheers,
Shimin

Session on 14 Oct

2011-10-20T00:58:00.001+08:00

Last Friday’s session saw a special ‘guest’ lecturer. He was none other than our Mr. Ku. (Sorry no pictures of him but I assure you he would have looked absolutely passionate about his topic de jour)

No one expected the topic to be about death or more precisely Dies Irae. Dies Irae is 'Day of Wrath' in Latin and was a hymn written in 13^thC. (Refer to picture for theme in alto clef) Many composers have been inspired by this morbid theme and created great works based on it. You might not recognize some of them but therein lies the true genius.

Mr. Ku promptly gave us an auditory sample of these works:

1. Brumel – Sequentia dies irae dies illa

2. Pizzetti – Messa di requiem 2^nd movement

3. Liszt – Csardas macbre S.224

4. Liszt – Totentanz paraphrase on dies irae S.126

5. Rachmaninov – Vocalise Op.34

6. Rachmaninov – Rhapsody on theme of Paganini Op.43

Shocked right? Most people (especially the one currently writing this) will not draw the link between the 6 pieces above. The composers made use of different amounts of the theme; some taking the first 4 notes, others like Rach taking the first 5 and changing the rhythm for Vocalise. He later did an inversion in Dm for variation 18 of Paganini. Listz was the rule breaker. He teased by using the first 3 notes in bare fifths which according to Mr. Ku would get you a big red cross for harmony!

There was a short biography of Rach the ‘six foot six of Russian gloom’. The poor fellow had to pick up performance again in his 40s and made no effort to spare the audience his pain. Somewhere in this short history lesson Mr. Ku said: “If Rach turns on the metronome to play a piece of music, why shouldn’t we?” Got it everyone? The metronome is your best friend.

There was a feedback session before the lecture on Dies Irae about EMCC – Images. Everyone was a little quiet maybe because they had no comments or Mr. Ku was there or both? A few things came up though. Generally there was a need for more practice time and the pairing of a senior with a junior member made a positive difference musically.

I shall end of this already too long post with a parting shot from our ‘guest’ lecturer. “Composers are human. Don’t take the score too literally.”

Calista :]

P.S If you look at the picture you’ll notice the dates of upcoming concerts are there too. Gentle reminder that Concertino is coming in 28 Oct and see you for session this Friday!

Concertino VI

2011-10-16T11:31:00.003+08:00

Hi NUSPEians,

It's the sixth time NUSPE is having its Concertino. Happy 6th birthday, Concertino =)

When: 1830 hrs, 28th October 2011, Friday (Wk 11)

Where: Practice Theatre, CFA Studios

Registration deadline: 2359 hrs, 23rd October 2011, Sunday (Wk 10)

Again, it will be a wonderful stage (no stress!) for you to share your joy or sorrow through your piano playing or music making. Sign-up is open for ALL NUSPEians. We are looking forward to your performance!

To sign up, please complete a form* at https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dG81UXBDMnhNTlR5YXp2VXVuVjFjc2c6MQ

*Only the representative of each item needs to do so.

We welcome music performances from a big variety of all sorts, including not only piano ensemble playing (duet, duo, 6 hands etc.), piano solo, violin sonata, but also opera, a cappella, piano comedy, and many more. While classical music will be encouraged but if you do have the desire to perform pop, jazz, traditional music, please sign up as well! Also, it is perfectly okay if you want to invite non-NUSPEian friends to join and watch your performance.

However, please ensure a certain standard of your work. The bottomline is, you have to be responsible as a performer in Concertino and try your very best to polish your music.

Still, piano ensemble playing is highly recommended. Please try to at least have a taste of what ensemble playing is all about. If you need help in looking for recommendations or scores, use the Music Talk message board at the right of this blog page. I am very willing to help you =)

FYI, the previous Concertinos, Concertino III, IV, V repertoire can be found here.

http://nuspe.blogspot.com/2009/10/nuspe-weekly.html

http://nuspe.blogspot.com/2010/10/concertino-iv-this-friday.html

http://nuspe.blogspot.com/2011/03/concertino-v_22.html

So, why not present the best moments of yourself in NUSPE family? Start preparing as early as possible. Registration is simple, please complete the aforementioned form by 2359 hrs, 23rd October 2011, Friday (Wk 10)

Your student music directors, are glad to offer you any help you would need so that you will sound better in Concertino. Just sign up for a help session with us. The link is available below.

http://www.doodle.com/puqywd8ht63bur6d

Übung macht den Meister!

(Practice makes perfect!)

Cheers,

Shimin

SMD@NUSPE

14th Oct session

2011-10-12T18:42:00.002+08:00

Hi NUSPEians,

Our Music Director, Mr. Timothy Ku will be coming down this Friday to conduct a enriching music appreciation session. Past topics varied from the undiscovered life of a composer, to a particular music genre. If you have any questions regarding to any piano playing technique, it will be a good chance to consult him too.

Want to find out what he will be sharing? Let's meet again this Friday, 18:45pm @ PR4! (15 minutes later than our usual dating time).

Ground Rules

2011-10-07T08:16:00.002+08:00

Dear NUSPE members,
Lately, the Exco and CFA staff have noticed several “unfavorable” behaviors of our members abusing the studio booking system, and also abusing the use of our studios. Our practicing studios and pianos are a privilege. We hope that members would take care of our studios and abide by the following ground rules:

· Only current members of NUSPE are allowed to book and use our studios for practice. Please do not give your friends access to our booking system and book under your name. This is unfair to our members and performers.

· Please be considerate to others and avoid booking long hours of practice at one go. We note that several members are guilty of this. Booking a block of 4-5 hours is a stretch, even for performers. Please note that the Exco reserve the right to cancel your booking in peak performance/practice seasons.

· Do not turn the lock twice for Practice Room 1, CFA is looking to fix the lock but until it’s done, please do not turn the lock twice, or even lock it at all when you’re using PR1 to practice. Otherwise you’ll lock yourself in and we’ll have to rush down to rescue you.

· Food and drinks are supposedly not allowed in studios, but internally we recognize that many of us do bring them in. Please make sure that you disposed of them properly and do not leave them behind in the studios.

· We’re facing a global climate crisis- Please turn off the air conditioning when you have finished practicing. We’ve received feedback from CFA that the AC has been left on for several occasions. Sometimes the signal from the remote is too weak - take it out of the holder and point it directly at the unit.

· Please return the key promptly after your practice. Do not hang on to the key after your practice slot and even bring it to class with you. It is extremely inconsiderate as we will need to call and track you down to make sure that the key is safe, and CFA does not allow groups to hold 2 keys to the same room - so the next person who wants to use the room won't be able to get in. The same goes for loan of metronome.

Be considerate! And make the experience at CFA pleasant for everyone!

7th Oct Session: EMCC Runthrough

2011-10-03T23:41:00.003+08:00

Hi NUSPE,

We will be holding a full run of EMCC Images this Friday, 7th Oct, 6.30 - 8.30pm at PR4. Attendance will not be counted but everyone is more than welcome to sit in.

Part of the ExxonMobil Campus Concerts series, EMCC Images is our first performance for AY2011/2012. Event details are as follows:

11 Oct 2011 (Tue), 8pm

UCC Theatre, NUS

Free admission

Limited tickets will be available at the door one hour before the show on a first-come-first-served basis. The audience capacity for UCC Theatre is 400.

The repertoire for Images consists of piano duet (piano four hands) works and will run in the following order:

Ravel Suite from 'Ma Mère l'Oye' (1908-10)

Edward German, Gypsy Suite

-- intermission --

Maze, an original composition by Chau Yi Ting

Rachmaninov, 6 Morceaux Op.11

A short word from the Pubs comm

2011-09-28T06:11:00.003+08:00

Hi awesome NUSPEians

Last session, Shimin and Sokmui demonstrated duet playing – Russian, Arab and Chinese Dance from Tchaikovsky. It’s really not that difficult, our two brave souls who tried the Canon on the spot would know. *thumbs up* The most important thing that you should keep in mind is to communicate with partner. For example, give your partner a clear cue either by a sniff or a nod before you start the piece. (Those with flu please skip the former)

We learnt how to be good pageturners as well. Zhi Quan showed both the proper way with his good posture and using the correct hand to turn. This varies with which side you're on. Basically right use right and left use left. He also showed a negative example by doing the most glamorous squat while pageturning. *your butt should leave the seat when you pageturn*

Calista and Nicole meanwhile were having fun doing a negative example of their own - being inconsiderate audience. They chatted loudly and incessantly, did the classic "excuse me!" (in not whisper like whisper) and Calista's phone rang in full glory. One of the authors cannot help but pause and chuckle.

Back to the point. There is session this Friday, 6.30pm at PR3. NUSPE members are encouraged to find a partner and play an ensemble piece(s) during session. Those who are interested, register with Shimin asap~ J

Ashley & Calista

Internal performances

2011-09-17T23:00:00.004+08:00

Please note that there is no session during recess week - our next session will be on 30th Sept at the usual time and place. If you're looking to perform during sessions, why not seize this chance to partner up with someone and rehearse over recess week? (:

A message from our SMD, Shimin:

Dear NUSPEians,

We just concluded an exciting session yesterday. Quite a number of the new members have registered with me to find a partner and play a ensemble piece! As I demonstrated during the session, it is not that hard to play a duet or a trio. What it takes are just P&P, partnership and practice =) We encourage you to play your piece(s) in our session but of course, it is not compulsory to perform.

I understand some of you did not know there was session this week. If you want to experience ensemble playing with another NUSPEian, please let me know so that you can work on a piece as soon as possible!

Service that I provide:

1. Pair you up with another passionate heart;

2. Find you a nice piece to play.

Looking forward to hear you play =)

Shimin

SMD@NUSPE

Once again, our general gatherings are on Fridays, 6.30pm at Practice Room 4, cancellations will always be announced. If there is no announcement, assume there is session as usual.

Klaviesta 2011

2011-09-14T22:47:00.001+08:00

Last Saturday night saw the success of Klaviesta- Tri University Concert at SMU.

Great job all performers and hope everyone of you who turned up for the concert had a good time!

The saying goes that behind every successful man, there's a woman.

NUSPE says, behind every successful concert, there are:

painful soles (most females')

wrecked nerves

crazy acts required to de-stress

alot of lazing about in various degrees of undress

1st NUSPE Session

2011-09-08T00:30:00.006+08:00

Last Friday we had our first session in Amazing Race style. We were first divided into groups and introduced ourselves to each other. After that the groups broke off to different stations around school. Yueming's group got familiarized with the rooms in CFA and Calista's group trekked to YST (where we encountered a grumpy security guard).

The third station was next door at UCC. We sat in a circle and played games that helped us get to know each other better, for example to remember the other person's unique hobby. Besides bonding and icebreaker games, the purpose of going to UCC and YST was to visit places around school where NUSPE is holding performances later this year. (We'll be at the UCC Hall for EMCC in Oct and YST for our annual Touch in Mar.)

The crazy fun and games were estimated to end around 7.30pm but we ended up playing till 8pm. It seems we had a lot to say to our new friends. Yueming's thoughts: "It's really nice to meet new friends, especially those who share an interest in piano and other hobbies. I've met new friends from Thailand, Vietnam and Singapore in this first session. It widened my horizon and I got to know more about other cultures."

All in all, it was a fun night. It can be hard to make friends when we only have one partner per semester most of the time. A bonding session to kick off the year right is just what we need. Calista says: "Mass dinner/supper after session next time? :]"

~Yueming & Calista

P.S Remember that there is no session this Friday. Go to Starbucks at U Town to support your fellow musicians!

Next week's events!

2011-09-03T12:36:00.000+08:00

9th Sept

There will be no session on 9th Sept; instead, we highly encourage everyone to attend the following performance on Friday evening for some light entertainment:

Utown Starbucks

7-7.30pm

There Will Never Be Another You

Songs From a Secret Garden

Beethoven Sonata, Op. 10 No. 3, 1st mvmt

Debussy Petite Suite, No. 1 En Bateau

A piece by Ravel

There will be other half-hour performances after ours from NUS Jazz Band and NUS Wind Symphony Clarinet Ensemble, who (like us) are also members of CFA.

10th Sept

As part of a collaboration between the piano ensembles of the 3 local universities, NUSPE will be performing in Klaviesta!2011's Tri-University Concert, announced previously here http://nuspe.blogspot.com/2011/08/tri-university-concert-2011.html

Again, details are as follows:

Tri-University Concert

10 September 2011 | 8.00 pm | $16 | SMU Arts & Culture Centre

Please email Jia Hui (jiahui.nuspe@gmail.com) if you want tickets.

Subcommittees 2011

2011-09-01T23:27:00.009+08:00

Concert Management (under Juit Lian, our production manager)

Chen Peilun
Chua Wei Jian
Evan Laksono
Lim Fui Yan
Nazrana Khaled
Neo Jie Ying Jacklyn
Putri Wijaya Salim
Quek Li Ting
Rachel Quek Aik Tiam
Simeon Choo Enyi
Stella Ellyanti
Xie Tianyu
Yan Rusi

Publicity (under Joel & Calista, our publicity/publications secretaries)

He Yuhang
How Tien Fat Jonathan
Lum Sui Yun
Poh Yee Hui
Teh Zhi Li
Xu Yueming

Music (under our student music directors Shimin, Sokmui & Michelle)

Chen Junting
Chen Min
Chen Zhongheng
Erin Tan Hie
Felisa Tirtawinata
Gong Jiayue
Ji Jia Yi
Josephine Lee Pei Hwa
Lee Jia En
Liang Yingzhi
Lim Xuan Qi Clara
Malte Thodberg
Ngo Nhat Khoa
Tan Si Ling
Tay Chu Luei
Tham Kai Sheng
Xu Jinzhou
Zhou Xun

Normal members*

Angeline Deepthi
Fei Peng
Li Jiabao
Nim Tri Hieu

*You were not assigned a subcommittee because you did not indicate a subcommittee preference (e.g. blank, or "just a member"). This will subsequently affect your priority and weekly time allowance for booking our studios. We will elaborate more on this during our room booking briefing at session tomorrow.

2nd Sept Session

2011-09-01T17:58:00.002+08:00

Hi everyone!

Thanks for coming down for sign ups last Friday. Tomorrow marks our 1st official session for NUS Piano Ensemble this academic year. Do remember to come down for it to receive your membership cards, which you'll need to book our studios, and find out more about the room booking system. In addition, it will be a great opportunity for you to make new friends within Piano Ensemble, and get to know other like-minded members who share the same passion for piano music!

Please be on time as we will begin at 6.30pm sharp, and dress comfortably as we may be moving around for a bit. See you tomorrow! (:

Venue: Practice Room (PR) 4
Time: 6.30pm - 7.45pm

Warmest regards,

Nicole

NUSPE President

P.S. From this point onwards, feel free to assume these Friday sessions are regular. Cancellations if any will always be announced in advance. (:

Meet the Ku Session

2011-08-27T13:07:00.000+08:00

Non-Performers who happened to be early for session yesterday would find a very intriguing sight: our elusive Coach, Mr Timothy Ku, giving a talk to our new performers in Practice Theatre. Those who wandered in by mistake, we hope that the session was interesting and enlightening. Here we share some of the highlights of the session so that both performers and non-performers can benefit and learn from the Great Ku!

How do you shape and express your music?

NUSPE Coach Mr Timothy Ku talking animatedly

To start off the session, Mr Ku threw the new performers a question

"How do you shape a piece of music?"

And of course, the answer that most people offered was:

"Intuition"

In NUSPE, we recommend that you not shape by intuition but go about it systematically, marking the accents and dynamics on your score to aid you in better expressing your music. No matter whether you are performing in a ticketing event or just simply infront of friends, all of us will suffer from nerves and often than not, we often forget to do what we set out to do. Markings on your score will remind you and give you something to focus on, thus both having a calming effect and also help you to give a better performance.

Using 3 examples, Mr Ku explained how understanding of rhythmic structure is essential to pianists and will aid you in expressing your music. Simply following the contour of the notes (e.g. going crescendo when the notes are ascending) will result in very predictable shaping and you don't want to be predictable! Many of us tend to decrescendo when the notes are falling, however this can sometimes be a mistake; you might want to put in some effort and do a crescendo instead.

Our coach also emphasized the importance of learning your piece right the first time round. If you learn it properly the first time, things would go much easier from then on. Similarly, if you learn it haphazardly the first time, it's been proven that it is often difficult to correct your mistakes after that. Mr Ku shared with us 3 methods of practising that can aid you in learning your score accurately:

1. Off beat Accents

Try this, play your C major scale, accenting on the OFF BEATS. This is not as easy as it sounds and the challenge is to sound smooth even with the accents. Challenge yourself further by going quicker. Use this to practise running passages and you'll find yourself more comfortable with the passage and it'll sound smoother and more manageable.

2. Grouping - 4+1, 8+1

Those of us who have suffered from graded examinations will know that scales are grouped in notes of 4 quavers. This practising method requires slow work, playing 4 notes + 1 extra note at a time and then piling it up. For e.g.

playing CDEF+G, then DEFG+A and doing it all as smoothly and quickly as you can. Up the challenge by going for 8+1 after you've conquered the first one.

3. Backward Piling for Stamina

For loooong running passages (those that look disgustingly black on your scores) this is a really painful but useful exercise. Start with the last bar of running notes and then slowly add notes to the front till you can play the whole passage through smoothly. For e.g. (C major scale) playing FGABC, then E+FGABC, as a person who's suffered by this method, I can tell you for sure that this method requires you to confront your weakest points and you will realize that certain parts are tripping you up because of the turning, or fingering, or something else. Highly recommended but be prepared for some slow and painful work!

Split your piece up into phrases, or even sub-phrases, practice one phrase at a time for about 7 times. Close your score and see if you can play the phrase from memory. Congratulations and move on if you can. If you can't, time to open the score and figure out what is causing you problem.

If you find that you still have problems learning up a piece, it's probably either your fingering that's causing you trouble, or harmony. The former will require you to sit down and work through and find a more manageable fingering; the latter will require you to sit down and study the harmony and chords patiently so that you can find a pattern and and learn it up quicker.

For performers in NUSPE, Mr Ku also mentioned the importance of learning your own part before coming together to practise with your partner. Do not rush into sight-reading with your partner because, like we've said before, learning it wrong the first time can cause you to be stuck with mistakes that you'll find hard to correct after wards.

Some trivia:

Warm up using E major scale

Why is down beat called "down beat?" Hint: Observe orchestra conducting.

That's all from me! Hope everyone benefited from the session (I certainly did) and these little notes!

Sokmui

SMD@NUSPE

26th Aug Session: Membership Applications

2011-08-23T23:40:00.001+08:00

Do you

- love piano music

- want to meet other people who love piano music

- need a place to hone your skills as a pianist on campus?

We'll be recruiting this Friday, 6.30pm at CFA Practice Room 4! Sign-ups will be on the spot; we have no minimum requirements for joining, but prior experience in concert management or publicity/marketing is a plus. The exact types of membership and the different roles available within NUSPE will be explained during the session by the current exco.

For those more familiar with us:

If you were a member of NUSPE in previous years, you'll need to re-apply for membership.

If you are a performer, we will take your response to our last concert-planning effort as an indication that you are still active with us.

See you on Friday!

Nicole

President, 24th Exco

Tri-University Concert 2011

2011-08-21T23:51:00.003+08:00

Hi everyone,

Klaviesta!2011 is here! This year's Klaviesta! will feature the Tri-University Concert and the Artiste Series.

Tri-University concert is a collaboration between the 3 piano ensembles of NUS, SMU and NTU while the Artiste Series feature esteemed pianists Low Shao Yin & Low Shao Suan.

Details are as follow:

Tri-University Concert

10 September 2011 | 8.00 pm | $16 | SMU Arts & Culture Centre

On Vacation

- Artiste Series by Low Shao Yin and Low Shao Suan

11 September 2011 | 8.00 pm | $18 | SMU Arts & Culture Centre

You may also visit http://www.ivorykeys.smusa.sg/klav2011.html for more details.

Please email Jia Hui (jiahui.nuspe@gmail.com) if you want tickets.

Do show your support by coming down to watch NUSPE perform! :)

Audition Results

2011-08-21T21:37:00.002+08:00

Thank you all auditionees for Thursday and Friday. Here is the list of successful auditionees, in no order of merit:

Ang Yan Sheng Mark

Chen Xi

Chua Soo Min

Kwek Jia En

Lee Ya Wen Cheryl

Lim Si Wei Samuel

Lim Ying Hong

Michael Pernpeintner

Michaela Vania Sutoko

Ng Si Ning Tryphena Rachel

Tan Ai Lin

Thong Wei Qi

Yu Qianqian

Zhang Jia

Congratulations! We will be sending out emails to all successful auditionees. Please read and respond to the email as it contains important details on upcoming performance schedule and other details.

Additionally, please fill out the following form for future performance preparation purposes:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?hl=en_US&formkey=dFhWTlYtZ0dnU3I3cmx4NE9tNklQMEE6MQ#gid=0

Please check this blog regularly for updates on coaching and performances.

To those who have not been successful, do not be discouraged! We hope that you will join us in our weekly Friday sessions and continue to pursue your love for piano music. Our weekly sessions feature internal performance platforms and insightful masterclasses and presentations. We are also open to inviting outstanding members to represent NUSPE and perform at fringe events.

This Friday 26 August, we will be holding membership registration during our session from 1830-1930. We hope that NUSPE is a venue where you can meet new friends with a common passion so please do come on down and join the NUSPE family =)

As a start, we welcome everyone to drop by our upcoming Tri-University Concert:

Tri-University Concert

Date: 10 September 2011

Time: 8pm

Venue: SMU Arts and Culture Center (Dhoby Ghaut)

Admission: $16

(For tickets, please contact our Treasurer Chng Jia Hui at jiahui.nuspe@gmail.com)

Thank you all for your hardwork and we hope to see you around in NUSPE!

Sokmui,

SMD @ NUSPE

Audition sign-ups closed!

2011-08-15T00:02:00.003+08:00

Dear auditionees,

Thank you for signing up to audition! Your set piece is C.P.E. Bach's Solfegietto. You do not have to memorize it. Practice hard! (:

Audition FAQ:
It's here.

Audition schedule:

This was released via e-mail to all auditionees 15 Aug 8.24pm. If you did not receive the e-mail, contact nus.pianoensemble@gmail.com

Practice for auditions:

If you stay on campus or have no access to a piano to practice for auditions, please contact Yunjing, our Welfare Officer at yunjing.nuspe@gmail.com with your available times next week, and we will try to arrange a practice session for you.

"I was too late!":
Sign-ups were open since 29th July; priority for audition slots (and practice slots) will be given to those who registered within the sign-up period. But if you reeeeally want to audition, drop us an e-mail at nus.pianoensemble@gmail.com.

Here's hoping I've covered everything. If you have any further questions, you can either use our tagboard on the right, or e-mail us at nus.pianoensemble@gmail.com.

Please note that we will not be holding a general session this Friday due to auditions.

- Nicole

Audition sign-ups / Welcome Tea 2011!

2011-07-30T14:56:00.003+08:00

Hey everyone,

If you're keen to join us, these upcoming activities are for you!

1. Auditions

Looking to perform for NUSPE? Click on the "Auditions" tab above for the form! You may also wish to read up on the FAQ under the FAQ tab. The set piece and schedule will be released after sign-ups close on 14 Aug, Sunday, 11.59pm. Updates will mostly be through this blog and e-mail, so watch this space!

2. Welcome Tea

To find out more about us and meet our coach, join us at our welcome tea!

When: 12th Aug, Fri, 4.30pm

Where: CFA Practice Theatre (from the main lobby, walk to the end of the passage opposite the vending machines)

We will also be showcasing pieces to demonstrate what we do as a musical performing arts group.

Additional clarification:

Auditions ≠ Membership registration ≠ Welcome Tea

If you are currently a member of NUSPE or want to join us but not perform, membership registration (and re-registration) will open after auditions on 26th Aug, not during Welcome Tea.

If you are currently a performer, we will take your response to our previous performance planning efforts as an indication of whether you are still active with us.

Cheers,

Nicole

President, 24th Exco

Calling all freshmen!

2011-07-18T18:37:00.005+08:00

NUSPE will be setting up a booth at the upcoming matric fair from 9am-5.30pm on Thu and Fri, 9am-3.30pm on Mon and 9am-5pm on Tue. See floorplan below to navigate your way through the chaos.

We'll have a listening booth where you can listen to our past repertoire and feel free to ask us any question that is not already on our FAQ section.

If you want to see/hear what we're all about, visit us and leave your name and contact so that we can update you on upcoming concerts/events. Feeling extra enthusiastic? Indicate that you're keen to audition and we'll follow up after matriculation fair.

Non-freshies are also welcome. :]

Calista

For your reading pleasure

2011-07-16T19:51:00.003+08:00

We've updated our FAQ!

Split into a General FAQ for general information on NUSPE, and an Audition FAQ for information specific to auditions, the FAQ is accessible through the last tab in the menu bar above.

If you have any further queries, feel free to use our tagboard on the right, or drop us an e-mail at nus.pianoensemble@gmail.com .

More updates on recruitment / open house / welcome tea to follow after Matriculation Fair.

- Nicole

Chisato Kusunoki Piano Recital

2011-06-30T08:30:00.003+08:00

Hi everyone

How's the holidays going? If you happen to be in a musical desert or simply miss good old piano, here's the event for you. Chisato Kusunoki's piano recital 'Romancing Russia' is happening on 12 and 15 July, 7.30pm at LASALLE. We can turn this into a NUSPE outing as well!

Since we can get 10% off if we order 10 tix or more, can those who are interested leave a comment? I propose going on the 15th because it's a Friday and getting the $22 tix. Please reserve tix by tomorrow (1st July) as I'm afraid that tix will run out.

Feel free to call any other NUSPE members or music aficionado friends too! :]

Calista

Chopsticks!

2011-06-04T23:25:00.004+08:00

Feet Pianist Liu Wei

2011-04-09T10:59:00.000+08:00

Be sure to click on "cc" if you can't view the english subtitles.

Let's make it a point not to complain or give up when playing the piano, or when life doesn't go well; because while we struggle to perfect our scales, someone else is struggling with life itself.

And always smile when you play the piano! Because not everyone is as fortunate as us, to have 10 intact fingers that wringle (is there double Gs here?) this flexibly =)

-contributed by Shimin

Chopin and Liszt! (i'm not sure whether it's actually funny...)

2011-03-29T14:30:00.003+08:00

http://www.harkavagrant.com

Concertino V

2011-03-22T19:21:00.003+08:00

Dear NUSPEians,

Concertino V is finally coming. Take a look at the exciting programme!
Time: 1830, 25 March 2011, Friday
Venue: Practice Studio 4 or Practice Theatre, CFA Studios

The Humiliation of Drupadi
Anada Sakarlan

Lotus Land
Cyril Scott

Tune from Beijing
Liu Ding

Memory from Departure
Joe Hisaishi

Caged Bird
Miyamoto Shunich

Towards the Faraway Land & My Neighbour Totoro
Joe Hisaishi

Sleeping Beauty Waltz
P. I. Tchaikovsky, arr. Sergei Rachmaninov

Serenade, Op. 96
Conelius Gurlitt

Prelude in G minor, Op. 23, No. 5
Sergei Rachmaninov

Special Item
Tze (our alumni)

Alright, see you on Friday for the last gathering of NUSPE =) Ask you friends to come along too.

Shimin
MC@NUSPE

24th Executive Commitee

2011-03-19T01:51:00.007+08:00

Hey NUSPE,

Elections are over, and here are the results!

24th Exco

President: Nicole

Vice-Pres: Zhi Quan
Secretary: Kelvin

Treasurer: Jiahui

Publications: Joel

Publicity: Calista

Welfare: Yun Jing

Production Manager: Juit Lian

Student MDs: Shimin, Sokmui, Michelle

New year, new beginnings, greater achievements :)

cheers,

mich

Update on List of Nominees

2011-03-16T22:59:00.002+08:00

Here's the updated list of nominees for the respective exco positions:

President: Nicole
Vice-President: Zhiquan
Secretary - Zhi Quan, Ploy, Kelvin
Treasurer - Jiahui
Publicity (writes) - Sokmui, Calista
Publications (draws) - Zhili, Jingwei, Joel
Welfare - Joel, Yun Jing
Production Manager - Juit Lian

Speaking order:
Juit Lian
Joel
Yun Jing
Zhili and Ploy
Jingwei
Sokmui (proxy: shimin, she is on exchange for this sem)
Calista
Jiahui
Kelvin
Zhiquan
Nicole

Anyone else running in a team besides Zhili and Ploy? Unfortunately, there will not be a projector on Friday because CFA has to use it for NAF performances, so only speeches please :)

That's all from me, please inform me if you decide to run in a team :) Nominations are now closed!

Cheers,
mich

24th Exco Nominations and Elections

2011-03-14T00:48:00.003+08:00

Hey NUSPE! Here are the nominees for the 24th Exco, as of now:

President - Nicole
Vice President - Michelle, Zhi Quan
Secretary - Zhi Quan, Ploy
Treasurer - Vann, Jiahui
Publicity (writes) - Sokmui, Joel
Publications (draws) - Zhili, Jingwei
Welfare - Joel, Yun Jing
Production Manager - Juit Lian

The posts of president and production manager are currently uncontested. We will be open to online nominations, to make things slightly more exciting on election day :) In order to qualify for online nomination, you have to be seconded by a current exco member, or an alumnus, unlike our nominations in session last week where anyone could second nominations.

Election Day reminder!
Speeches for president and vice president should not exceed 5 minutes, and 3 minutes for all other posts. If you are running for more than one post, go by the highest time limit.

If you are running as a team with other people (max 3), or if you plan to use a powerpoint presentation or visuals (e.g. showcasing your past work), let me know in advance!

Online nominations close on Wednesday, 9pm. I will post the updated list of nominees then :)
Speaking order will also be announced!

Everyone else: please come down to support our nominees! Your votes will determine who forms the next exco :)

Cheers,
Michelle
Soon-to-be-ex President

Exco Nominations 2011

2011-03-09T22:21:00.000+08:00

Dear NUSPE,

It's drawing near to the end of the semester, and we will be holding nominations for Exco this coming Friday, followed by election speeches next week!

Please try to attend session for these 2 weeks as it is important that you make a contribution in deciding leadership for NUSPE in the next year! :)

For those who have people in mind you would like to nominate, you may do so this Friday. And those who are thinking of running for Exco, it is even more important that you turn out, as we will not be allowing online nominations. We will also have a briefing regarding what roles are available and also the job scope of each role.

Thanks and see you all!

Cheers,
Michelle

Concertino V

2011-03-05T17:11:00.004+08:00

Yo NUSPEians,

It's the fifth time NUSPE is having its Concertino. Happy 5th birthday, Concertino =)

Date: 25th March 2011, Friday (Wk 10)
Time: 1830 - 1930 hrs, during our NUSPE weekly session
Registration deadline: 2359 hrs, 17th March 2011, Thursday (Wk 9)

Again, it will be a wonderful stage (no stress!) for you to share your joy or sorrow through your piano playing or music making. Sign-up is open for ALL NUSPEians. We are looking forward to your performance!

To sign up, please complete a form* at https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dG81UXBDMnhNTlR5YXp2VXVuVjFjc2c6MQ
*Only the representative of each item needs to do so.

We welcome music performances from a big variety of all sorts, including not only piano ensemble playing (duet, duo, 6 hands etc.), piano solo, violin sonata, but also opera, a cappella, piano comedy, and many more. While classical music will be encouraged but if you do have the desire to perform pop, jazz, traditional music, please sign up as well! Also, it is perfectly okay if you want to invite non-NUSPEian friends to join and watch your performance.

However, please ensure a certain standard of your work. The bottomline is, you have to be responsible as a performer in Concertino and try your very best to polish your music.

Still, piano ensemble playing is highly recommended. Please try to at least have a taste of what ensemble playing is all about. If you need help in looking for recommendations or scores, use the Music Talk message board at the right of this blog page. I am very willing to help you =)

FYI, the previous Concertinos, Concertino III, IV repertoire can be found here.
http://nuspe.blogspot.com/2009/10/nuspe-weekly.html
http://nuspe.blogspot.com/2010/10/concertino-iv-this-friday.html

So, why not present the best moments of yourself in NUSPE family? Start preparing as early as possible. Registration is simple, please complete the aforementioned form by 2359 hrs, Thursday, 17th March 2011 (Wk 9).

Übung macht den Meister!
(Practice makes perfect!)

Shimin
MC@NUSPE

Touch 2011

2011-02-16T00:54:00.004+08:00

Touch 2011 will be held at the Esplanade Recital Studio. Tickets are $18. To order tickets, please email nus.pianoensemble@gmail.com, or contact Yin Ngai at 9672 5893.

Masterclass tomorrow! (11/02/2011)

2011-02-10T11:43:00.003+08:00

Hey NUSPEians,

We have invited our Music Director, Mr. Timothy Ku, to conduct a masterclass during tomorrow's weekly session. It will be a good opportunity for everyone of you to take a snippet of our performers' life, as well as to learn from our beloved Mr. Ku =)

See you all in Practice Theatre at 1830 tomorrow!

Shimin
MC@NUSPE

Announcement

2011-01-23T00:31:00.002+08:00

Hey NUSPEians,

As I mentioned in the previous session, non-performers who are interested in playing a piece for "NUSPE Live!", part of NUS Arts Festival 2011, are welcome to indicate your interest through an email to me, gu.shimin@nus.edu.sg. Again, this year's focus is Asian music. It can be Japanese anime music, Chinese traditional music etc. If you for whatever reason did not become a NUSPE performer, this is a perfect chance to even outshine the performers who will also be performing with you!

More details of the show:
NUSPE Live!
NUS Arts Festival 2011
Time: 1900, 27 March 2011, Sunday
Venue: University Cultural Centre Foyer

Please send you an email even if you are only a little confident of your playing. Don't worry, we will guide you along. Queries are certainly welcome.

Other than that, Music Subcomm members are encouraged to take over a few sessions in the future. Please send me an email to gu.shimin@nus.edu.sg with what you want to talk about and your name before I randomly choose some of you to do the presentation or sharing. Come on, it's sem2 now and you are expected to know many NUSPE friends. Don't you want to make our session better and better? Also, don't worry, your friends and I will work closely with you.
Possible topics for you consideration:
1. Upcoming interesting concerts/performances in Singapore
2. A certain genre of piano music that you like
3. A composer who you admire (e.g. the year of 2011 marks the 100th anniversary of Gustav Mahler's death)
4. CDs, films, books, websites that will interest other NUSPEians!
...

Please check our blog regularly for updates!
Shimin
MC@NUSPE

Session on 21st jan

2011-01-20T14:26:00.002+08:00

Hi all, NUSPE sessions will resume this friday 21st jan. We will be holding sessions at the Practise Theatre from now on.

For this week's session, the Music Subcomm has come up with a special topic, the structure of the piano. You will be amazed by the complicated but elegant design inside this beautiful instrument. Rest assured that this will not be a physics or engineering session. Our main speaker, Zhongheng will lead you throught the history of piano making and explain how numerous parts work together in an interesting way.

The second half of session will be a screening of a film called Impromptu starring Hugh Grant and Judy Davis. The film is about Chopin as played by Grant, and his love story.

See you all in session!

No session on 14 jan 2010

2011-01-14T16:08:00.001+08:00

Hi all,

CFA studios are once again open for booking should you wish to practice, rooms are available from today. Booking procedures and rules are unchanged.

Finally, there will be NO session this Friday 14th Jan, as CFA is still in the process of moving and the new building is very dusty.

Our usual sessions are expected to continue next week.

Thanks!

Session- Concertino

2010-11-05T11:09:00.001+08:00

In case you still have no idea who I am (to be honest I don’t even know who actually checks our NUSPE blog for updates) I am the exco member who had the (un)fortune to page-turn for our Music Coordinator Gu Shimin during NUSPE’s internal concert last Friday, Concertino.

Regardless of whether you know me, let me first applaud all members who performed for Concertino last Friday. It’s definitely not an easy feat and we really appreciate you taking the time and effort to prepare a piece for all of us =)

The concert started off with cute idyllic pieces like Joe Hisaishi’s Summer (Shanqi) and Mozart’s Turkey in the Straw (John and Chu Luei). I’m sure a lot of us find these two pieces familiar and are delighted to hear them performed live again. It reminded me of the fact that music is to be shared and to be delighted in, that even simple music has the greatest capacity of being able to entertain, and to give joy to the audience.

Loumin: My favorite piece in this session is Summer, Joe Hisaishi, played by Shan Qi. Actually it is one of my favorite pieces composed by Joe Hisaishi. It is cool and refreshing to hear it once again.

Lanruo: I have to say that the first one, Summer, performed by Shan Qi was a great “starter”. Good choice, Shan Qi!

A word of caution, this entry is going to be a little long since there is just too many things to be grateful for and too many people to thank =)

We move on then, to the more serious, more demanding masterworks. And here of course, of course, I’ll have to spend a little more time praising our finale items by Nicole & Michelle, Shimin & Kiwan. It isn’t my first time hearing these two pieces but hearing it for the Nth time (I’m not exaggerating) doesn’t diminish the music at all.

Loumin: The most memorable piece in the Concertino IV for me is the last piece, Tarantelle, played by Shimin and Kiwan. I am not only impressed by their exquisite skills, the power delivered by this piece is also quite impressive. They successfully expressed the strong emotion of the propulsive rhythms. Especially for Kiwan, the energy from this small girl is really remarkable.

Lanruo: The highly acclaimed performance offered us an extravaganza. One should never miss this change to indulge in such mesmerizing music. Do come back again next semester Shimin and Kiwan!

Sadly, no one credited the page-turners aka me and Michelle. Perhaps next time we should get other members to page turn during Concertino so they can understand the enormous pain and worry that accompany the role of a page-turner. The notes were squinty-tiny-small and if you recall, the piece was a fast huge fury of sounds. If you don’t believe me, check out the Youtube video that somebody uploaded and you might catch that little glare Shimin shot at me when I failed to turn the VERY FIRST PAGE.

In any case the exco has to apologize for the slight delay at the start of the concert. And for the amusing discoloration to the PowerPoint slides painstakingly done up by Shimin and his music sub-comm. Some members had commented that late-comers are a little disrupting to the concert so next time, perhaps we shall bar late-comers from entering! You’ve been warned!

Special thanks too, to the following:
Zhuang Yan, Zhongheng (Programme notes)
Zirui (Powerpoint slides)
April, Qian Kun (Emcee)

Study hard for final exams and we hope to see more of you, audience AND performers, during our next Concertino =)

Sokmui, Lanruo, Loumin

Session- Games and Validation

2010-10-28T07:40:00.001+08:00

I really had a great fun in the last session. I do not need to sit straight quietly and to only think about the concert issues and activity issues. In this game session, I can relax myself and have more fun after studying whole day. More importantly, I can know more about other members in this club, and become closer while playing the games.

The two games that we played are very interesting. In the body twisting game, I found that a guy who looked very serious before was actually very interesting and easy-going. The members in our group cooperated very well and took a nice photo at the end of the game. In addition, in the taboo game, I really think that I should study more knowledge about music, composers and the technical terms of piano in English. When I listened to the description given by the players, I only know the answer in Chinese, but not in English. Through this game, I obtained more knowledge about music.

The most impressive part, to me, is the last part of the session when we watched the video "Validation". It is a very romantic love story. It tells a story about how a girl who does not like to smile eventually opens her heart, smiles again and finds her true love. Although we may encounter many problems that make us depressed or mad, we should try to look at the positive side, and jump out from the bad mood. Every day is new. Smiling is not only good for yourself, but also good for everyone around you.

-Zhao Ke

Concertino IV this Friday

2010-10-26T19:40:00.006+08:00

Dear all,

This exciting Friday we will finally have our Concertino IV! The concert will be promised to be short and sweet. You will be able to delightfullly listen to the followings.

菊次郎の夏. Summer
Joe Hisaishi

Country Gardens & Turkey in the Straw
Traditional Folksong

Funeral March
Frédéric Chopin

Nocturne Op. 9 No. 2
Frédéric Chopin

Etude Op. 25 No. 2
Frédéric Chopin

Suite II for two pianos. III Romance
Sergei Rachmaninov

Suite II for two pianos. IV Tarantella
Sergei Rachmaninov

As a tradition, names of the performers will not be released. Please come to our usual place at usual time, CFA Activity Room, 1830hours, Friday =) On a side note, there will not be chairs in the room due to CFA renovation, so please wear comfortable pants or shorts (no skirts) and enjoy the more casual setting there.

See you all!

Shimin
MC@NUSPE

Old Links

2010-10-10T22:10:00.001+08:00

In case anyone's wondering here are some of the old links that were posted on nuspe.blogspot :)
NUSPE Photo Album: http://s196.photobucket.com/albums/aa6/nuspe/NUSPE%20Photo%20Album
Potpourri Photos 1: http://http//crf.teenzoit.com/gallery/v/nuspe/?g2_page=1
Potpourri Photos 2: http://http//entertainment.webshots.com/photo/2533645880064823221ppEVml
SMU (Klaviesta 09): http://klaviesta.ivorykeys.smusa.sg/

In addition, if you missed the old quotes, here they are:

“They afterwards took me to a dancing saloon where I saw the only rational method of art criticism I have ever come across. Over the piano was printed a notice- 'Please do not shoot the pianist. He is doing his best." - Oscar Wilde

"Play the music, not the instrument" - Author Unknown

"The pause is as important as the note. " - Truman Fisher

"Silence is the fabric upon which the notes are woven. " -Lawrence Duncan

No session this Friday / EMCC Melange

2010-10-04T16:08:00.000+08:00

Please note that there will be no session this Friday - we will be holding a final runthrough before EMCC. Only the performers and exco directly involved need to attend.

On a related note:

Both our crew and performers have worked hard for Melange. Do come support them next Wednesday, 13th October, 7.30pm at UCC Theatre. Tickets are free but first-come-first-served, so arrive early if you want to get the best seats. :D

Music Appreciation 2

2010-09-20T21:38:00.001+08:00

Hello again,

This week’s MA session covered two topics, Arts in Singapore and Concert Halls in Singapore.
The theme seemed boring but turned out to be rather useful for all our members who now know exactly where to go for a FREE music lecture or for a FREE nice concert (We’re cheapskate Singaporeans after all).

Some of us found the presentation helpful and intriguing, even cute, and now I know what kind of competition in Singapore is suitable for my piano level and how each concert hall has its own exquisite design and advantages. Some others though, turned out to be slightly less easily satisfied; there were a couple of “shushes” during the session and even though the audience was restless at times, John and David shouldered on with good professionalism and humor. It was not a sumptuous meal but quite a delicious cookie and I enjoyed their session very much.

Art activities are regularly conducted in Singapore all year around, ranging from annual arts festivals, competitions to music lectures. Remember National Arts Festival and Huayi- Chinese Festival of the Arts? They totally blow your mind! The National Piano and Violin competition is conducted every 2 years, so why don’t you give it a shot; making a fool of yourself can be fun haha. If you are eager to know where to obtain professional lectures, NUS has both basic and advanced music modules, and free recitals are held at Noon every Monday at Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music.

Personally I am only aware of Esplanade and NUS UCC as concert halls in Singapore. That means I must have missed many other exciting musical events! Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall, La Salle and NAFA are also good choices for you to explore and satisfy your music cravings.

Go Hunt~

Shen Tong

Concertino IV

2010-09-18T20:33:00.003+08:00

Dear NUSPEians,

(You may have heard or received information about the upcoming Concertino, but please refer to this post for important dates and procedures =)

Our long-waited internal concert, Concertino IV, will be held on 29th October 2010 (Wk 11) during our NUSPE weekly session! It is promised to be a wonderful stage for you to showcase your talent. Sign-up is open for ALL NUSPEians. We are looking forward to your performance!

To sign up, please complete a form* at https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dG81UXBDMnhNTlR5YXp2VXVuVjFjc2c6MQ
*Only the representative of each item needs to do so.

We welcome music performances from a big variety of all sorts, including not only piano ensemble playing (duet, duo, 6 hands etc.), piano solo, violin sonata, but also opera, a cappella, piano comedy, and many more. While classical music will be encouraged but if you do have the desire to perform pop, jazz, traditional music, please sign up as well! Also, it is perfectly okay if you want to invite non-NUSPEian friends to join and watch your performance.

However, please ensure a certain standard of your work. The bottomline is, you have to be responsible as a performer in Concertino and try your very best to polish your music. Once you sign up, we do not entertain withdrawal from the concert unless a valid reason can be produced. Failure to comply will result in the awarding of demerit points.

Still, piano ensemble playing is highly recommended. Please try to at least have a taste of what ensemble playing is all about. If you need help in looking for recommendations or scores, use the Music Talk message board at the right of this blog page. I am very willing to help you =)

FYI, the previous Concertino, Concertino III repertoire can be found here.
http://nuspe.blogspot.com/2009/10/nuspe-weekly.html

So, why not present the best moments of yourself in NUSPE family? Start preparing as early as possible. Registration is simple, please complete the aforementioned form by 2359 hrs, Friday, 15th October 2010 (Wk 9).

Übung macht den Meister!
(Practice makes perfect!)

Shimin
Music Coordinator

Session Reminder

2010-09-17T14:09:00.003+08:00

Hi everyone,

Here's a gentle reminder that there'll be session today (17 Sept).

Session - Concert Etiquette

2010-09-07T23:00:00.006+08:00

The First MA session of the semester, given by the Great Gu Shimin…

…was attended by huge crowds of people (they were there not because he had great popularity but because they had to be there) half of whom, sadly, had no seats. One of my assistant writers for this week, Yuhang, had lamented that despite trying his best to sprint to CFA after class, he STILL couldn’t get a seat:

“So bad, this is my first session.”

I’m sorry Yuhang, but be it first, second, or last session, we’ll continually run out of seats and members have to continue to play musical chairs (to grab the seats) unless John from Welfare steals some from other rooms. But obviously being morally upright I’m not supposed to advocate that…ahem.

In any case, both Yuhang and Zi Tong reflected that not only was the session informative but also funny and engaging. They were both surprised, since Concert Etiquette seemed to be a rather factual, preachy topic, but I knew better; how can the session be boring when we have our resident clown Gu Shimin giving it?

The use of a video illustrating the dire consequences of bad page-turning had members cracking up. But the dramatic video served its purpose and members now understand why page-turning is so important:

Yuhang: It is really easy to make mistake when you are not a professional page-turner, because it’s hard to always use the correct hand to turn the page AND to estimate a proper time to turn the page. I half expect the performer to be hurt by the page-turner’s arm…

Hmm, maybe that’s why when Shimin called for volunteers from the exco to demonstrate page-turning, everyone mysteriously disappeared (I made a rush for the toilet)…

The session also covered several interesting tidbits that I’d almost forgotten myself. Zitong and Yuhang noted down several that they didn’t know before the session:

Zi Tong: I was pleasantly surprised to have learnt many new and really interesting aspects of concert etiquette, such as shouting “Bravo” for male performers and “Brava” for female performers, and “Bravi” when they perform together, and when to stand, cheer or clap during concerts…

…How performers should prepare themselves physically and mentally before concerts, which I think was relevant even to myself and other non-performing members as we all have an interest in piano music and might aim to be performers in the future.

Yuhang: As the audience, I feel so nervous when I found out that I have to notice so many things; never dress in shorts and slippers, never be late, never talk during a performance, never eat and drink in the concert hall, and never clap between movements. It seems like the only thing that we CAN do is to appreciate the concert, hah hah.

Let me tell you guys a secret, remember what Shimin said about how he wouldn’t be around to catch you if you eat or misbehave during a performance but some other person might? Well~

That would be…our dear coach Mr Timothy Ku! Take it from me that you DON’T want to be caught misbehaving by him; no one would be interested in the performance on stage anymore, because everyone would be watching YOU being reprimanded by him. You’ve been warned =)

That’s all for today, hope that you guys had a good time despite the aching legs (those of you who had to stand) and aching eyes (those of you whom like me, had to roll your eyes so many times at Shimin’s dry humor). A great thanks to Shimin though for putting up a great session!

Yuhang: The speaker Shimin is quite a fun guy!

Zi Tong: I also felt that Shimin did a great job of presenting everything to us in a light-hearted way, and by the end of the session, I felt I possessed a much better understanding of concert etiquette, and more importantly, how it contributes to making concerts much more enjoyable and a fulfilling experience for performers and audiences alike.

Sokmui, Zi Tong, Yuhang

Tri-University Concert

2010-09-01T21:58:00.002+08:00

TRI-UNI CONCERT IS HERE! this is a collaboration between the 3 piano ensembles of SMU, NTU and NUS.

do show your support by coming down to watch us perform!

Details of the concert:
Saturday
11th September 2010
7.30pm
SMU School of Economics, Arts and Cultural Centre
Tickets: $14

Please email michelle.nuspe@gmail.com if you want tickets!

In addition, we will be having our weekly session this Friday, 6.30pm, at the Activity Room.
See you there!

NUSPE Subcommittees

2010-08-27T15:20:00.003+08:00

Hi everyone,

Thank you for your patience! Here are the namelists for NUSPE subcommittees.

Music

Chen Zhongheng

Christine Liwang

Chua Wei Jian

Dale Chrislene Mathews Prabhakaran

Devendra Goyal

Elizabeth Lim

Ge Yue

Guo Jianfeng

Guo Pei

He Ruiqi

Ho Yee Ann

Hu Yuxin

Le Anh Phuong

Lee Jia En

Li Wei

Li Xiaohan

Mao Yinan

Michaela Vania Sutoko

Ng Siew Wai

Prarthini M Selveindran

Qian Kun

Tham Kai Sheng

Tiffany Febrin

Wu Keyu

Zhao Xiahong

Zhong Kailun

Zhuang Yan

Concert Management
Brigitta Septriani

Chen Panpan

Chen Xiaoyang

Chew Shi Hao

Christine Lisun

Chu Jing

Fu Weilun

Goh Wai Kuan

Jacklyn Neo

Lee Chien Wuan

Li Lu

Li Wu

Li Zirui

Li Zitai

Lin Shu Wen

Liu Chengzhao

Liu Pan

Liu Zhe

Lu Kunzeng

Ma Bing

Mi Yang

Pau Xi Ling

Ren Deyang

Shi Chen

Tian Chao

Wang Lin

Wang Weibin

Wu Yue

Xu Zixian

Yang Siqi

Zheng Ya

Welfare/IT Management
He XI

Jiang Hongchuan

Jin Cun

Liau Li Ming

Liew Nyen Khong

Liou Heng

Low Jin Huat

Madhu Maithri Parvataneni

Pang Danyang

Pok Shu Hui Jocelyn

Sun Fangxu

Tay Chu Luei

Wang Nana

Yu Yuan

Publicity
How-Tien-Fat Jonathan Christopher Yen-Fook

Lou Min

Wan Lanruo

Zhao Ke

Wu Jiaqi

Tan Zi Tong

He Yuhang

Teh Zhi Li

Shen Tong

Ren Xiaoyu

Liau Yung Siang

Ren Xiaomin

Teo Khai Che

We thank everyone for their applications, however we are sorry that we cannot take all our members in to the sub-committees. Ordinary members are still welcome to join us for sessions, concert outings or other NUSPE related activities.

Thank you, and see you at session later. (:

Audition result + Member registration form + Tri-Uni Piano Ensemble Camp

2010-08-21T21:23:00.021+08:00

The following NUSPEians have passed the audition with flying colours. Congratulations!

Annisa Dewi Utami Rakun
Chan Hui Min Jaclyn
Chng Jia Hui
Geng Yang
Joel Leng Song Yang
Kwan Yee Ching
Lee Yun Hong
Liu Limin
Ploy Thampipattanakul
Tan Weilie
Tan Xiao Ying Kimberley
Tan Zhi Quan
Wu Shasha
Xu Jingwei
Yeo Yun Jing
Zhao Manting
Zhou Ang

Now, let's give a round of applause to all of you who attended the audition. Though some of you were not successful this time, I believe we can develop our piano skills together. Perhaps after one year of solid practice, you will be able to perform on stage as a proud NUSPE performer! =) Please do not feel discouraged because our first internal concert, Concertino, will be coming up soon. Do sign up and make good music to our fellow NUSPEians!

Subcommittee sign-ups are closed, but if you're interested in joining us as a normal member, please send the following details to nus.pianoensemble@gmail.com:

Name:
Contact No.:
Gender:
Nationality:
NRIC/FIN:
Matriculation No.: (copy from your matriculation card; it starts with a letter and ends with a letter)
Faculty/Year:
DOB:
NUS email:
Alt. email:
Complete address: (ATTN: "Ridge View Residences" is NOT a complete address)
Next of kin/Relation/Contact:

You will not get any CCA points as a normal member, but you will still be allowed to book our studios for practice based on your attendance.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On a separate note, we would like to invite everyone to attend the Tri-Uni Piano Ensemble Camp, organized by SMU's Ivory Keys! The camp aims to bring members of the three university's piano ensemble together through fun, games and music workshops. It seeks to promote inter-varsity interaction amongst students who share similar interest and passion for the piano.

Event Details

Name of Event: Tri-Uni Piano Ensemble Camp
Start: 28th August (Saturday), 10am
End: 29th August (Sunday), 12pm
Venue: SMU (majority of camp), NUS (for brief activities only)
Camp Fees: $10 for meals and transportation

Those interested, please send the following details to nus.pianoensemble@gmail.com by 24th August (Tuesday), subject title "Sign Me Up for the Camp!":

Name:
NRIC:
Contact No.:
Email address:
Next-of-Kin:
NOK Contact:
Food Preference:

For food preference, please indicate if you have any special dietary requriements.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

That's pretty much all we have for now. Thanks for reading, and see you at normal session this Friday!

To: NUSPE Seniors

2010-08-18T18:13:00.000+08:00

This announcement was made through our google group, but it's being reposted here for those of you who didn't join it.

Dear NUSPEians!

Hope you have all been settling down well in school. Its a new semester again, and hope all of you can come down to join us for our weekly NUSPE session this friday, 6.30pm! We'll be having our freshies join us, and we will also be having nuspe and subcomm sign ups, hence it is important that you all come down to refresh your knowledge about subcomms so that you can make a decision if you would like to switch or stay in the subcomm you were in last semester! we'll also be introducing our new exco and more information about our subcomms.

Looking forward to seeing all of you at the AR, Friday, 6.30pm!

Cheers,

Michelle

NUSPE President

23rd Exco

Audition sign-ups CLOSED

2010-08-13T20:34:00.006+08:00

Please note that this post and the form apply only to those who want to audition to be performers. If you wish to join us as a non-performing member, member registrations will open next Friday during regular session, i.e. 20th August, 6.30pm, at the Activity Room.

16th August 2010
Edit: Audition sign-ups are now closed, the auditions schedule will be out by tonight.

Please refer to the FAQ below before e-mailing nus.pianoensemble@gmail.com with questions. Thank you.

The FAQ

2010-08-13T19:55:00.005+08:00

General FAQ

1. What do non-performing members do in NUSPE?

Contrary to what most people think, the show is not just about performers. Without these two support functions, our performers would have no stage to perform on and no audience to perform to. (:

Crew:

Backstage crew works behind the scenes to ensure the concert runs smoothly, while technical crew handles sound and lighting for the stage. Both answer to our Production Manager, who is a member of our Exco.

Front-of-house greets the audience at the door, accounts for ticketing and ushers people to their seats. This is particularly important when house lights are down and the theatre is dark.

Finally, let's not forget our wonderful emcee, who introduces the show as well as the performers and pieces.

No previous crew experience is required. We will provide training, and you'll have lots to learn! Crew signups will be held before concerts, with priority given to active members with good attendance.

To potential crew members: Signing up is a commitment. Anyone who does not show up for training/rehearsals/concerts will be dealt with harshly and blacklisted from all future events.

Publicity:

Our publicity committee designs our flyers, posters, program booklets and other promotional material, and takes care of our website and blog. They answer to our Publicity and Publications Secretaries, who are members of our Exco.

2. What concerts / performances does NUSPE hold each year?

NUSPE holds 2 major concerts a year:

* EMCC, (ExxonMobil Campus Concerts), a free concert. It is traditionally held at the University Cultural Centre, UCC (within NUS).

* TOUCH: our annual ticketed concert. It will be held in March/April next year.

NUSPE is also regularly invited to perform at external concerts, such as Da Capo, at the Esplanade Library.

We also hold an internal concert, Concertino, to provide performing opportunities for non-performing members. We especiallyencourage those who wish to share their favourite piece of music or gain feedback on their examination pieces to sign up for Concertino.

3. When are your general sessions?

Weekly sessions are every Friday, 6.30pm - 7.30pm, in the CFA Activity Room (same venue as Welcome Tea).

4. What happens during these sessions?

Session activities change from week to week; typical examples include Music Appreciation, Music Sharing, Concertino (our internal concert), Music Quizzes, Concert Run-throughs, Feedback Sessions, Masterclass with Mr Geoffrey Saba.

5. CCA Points?

Regular member = 8, Member + Crew = 11, Member + Performer = 13. These points are subject to change based on the commitment level of the individual.

6. I want to learn how to play the piano...

We DO NOT teach people how to play the piano. However, some of our other members provide piano tuition externally, and we will gladly send them your way.

7. What music do you play?

Our core repertoire is classical, with a strong focus on duo piano. Duets and (rarely) solos are featured in the smaller concerts. We also perform other types of music such as jazz and contemporary, and also collaborate with other instruments/voice.

8. Are there pianos in school to use?

There are four piano studios with a total of six pianos available for use in CFA (do the math... do the math...). They are only open to members, performing and non-performing, who fulfill a minimum of 80% attendance. There are also certain rules and procedures surrounding the room-booking process. Priority will be given to performers with upcoming concerts.

The studio booking system is handled by our Welfare Officer, a member of our Exco.

9. Is there a membership fee?

Nope, NUSPE is free.

Auditions FAQ

1. Why audition?

Auditions are for us to select members to perform for NUSPE's concerts. They are not compulsory.

2. Will I still get a chance to perform if I am not taken in as a performer?

Yes! We organize Concertino, an internal concert that all members may sign up to perform for. This year, we are holding two Concertinos, one per semester. Performers who are not accepted for one audition are welcome to reapply at the next audition opportunity, as we believe one year is sufficient time for someone to improve.

3. What is the commitment required for performers?

* Private solo practice, and with your partner(s). Minimum of ~ 1 hour per week.

* Attend all concert rehearsals.

* Weekly coaching by our Music Director Mr Timothy Ku, ~20 mins per item. Be punctual, and be prepared (i.e. learn your notes, and practice with your partner before coaching.)

Performing for NUSPE entails commitment. We will pull out performers who do not play up to standard, and/or have behavioural problems (for example, sight-reading during coaching.)

4. I missed the Welcome Tea / needed time to think, how else can I sign up?

Email nus.pianoensemble@gmail.com by Monday, 16th August 2010 with the following:

* Full Name

* Faculty

* Matric Number

* Contact Number

* Frequently used email address

* Types of Instruments learnt: (i) (ii) (iii) etc.

* Highest qualification attained: (i) (ii) (iii) e.g. Piano ABRSM Grade 8, Violin DipABRSM, (instrument) LTCL, Grade 10 (China) etc. Do note that anyone of any grade can audition. Do also note that just because someone holds a high-level cert, doesn't necessarily mean they will pass auditions. Your "golden ticket" to becoming a performer is really the audition itself.

* Performing experience for the past 5 years: e.g. solo/duet/duo/venue etc., need not restrict this to musical performances

* Your free times on: Thursday, 19th August and Friday, 20th August

If you reeeeaaaalllly cannot make it during these times, let us know via email asap.

5. What will I be playing?

2 pieces:

* 1 Set piece: -removed-. If you cannot complete the set piece, play just part of it. We'd rather you play a section well, than struggle through the whole piece. You don't have to play at actual tempo, play at a speed you're comfortable with.

* 1 Own choice piece: 2-3 mins max. You can play any section of any piece (you can start and end anywhere). Prepare something that A) you're comfortable with and confident of carrying off well and b) You feel is most representative of your musical abilities. Exam pieces are ok :D DO NOT SIGHT READ.

For those with duet/duo experience, you can opt to play a 4/6/8 hands for your choice piece.

You do not have to memorize your pieces.

6. When will the results be out?

Results will be released via email and through the blog a few days after auditions.

Thanks for reading (see, it wasn't so hard!). If you have further questions which have not been addressed in this FAQ, please e-mail us at nus.pianoensemble[at]gmail.com, and we'll get back to you as soon as we can. :D

This FAQ was made with love and care by 23rd Exco (2010/2011) with help from

Sherilyn (alumni)

Mark (alumni)

and various other alumni who contributed to the predecessors of this FAQ. (:

Welcome Tea 2010

2010-07-25T23:09:00.023+08:00

Hi everyone, the new academic year is arriving soon and we hope to see of all you when school starts. If you have any friends who are interested in joining NUSPE or if you're a freshmen yourself, then this post is for you!

To find out more about who we are and what we do, please visit www.nuspe.com for a more comprehensive overview.

Also, do catch us at the following events and experience NUSPE yourself.

1 ) CFA House Party
When: 11th August 2010, 730 pm
Where: University Cultural Centre, Foyer
This is a showcase of all CFA groups and NUSPE will be presenting Schumann's Pictures from the East Op. 66

Directions (UCC)

Bus A2
Get down at the stop after CFA bus stop. You should be at the Office of Estate & Development which is the same side of the road as UCC. Walk past YST Conservatory of Music, to UCC

Bus B
Get down at the stop after CFA bus stop. You should be on the side of the road opposite UCC. Cross the road to UCC.

Bus C
Get down at the stop after NUS staff club. Cross the road to UCC.

2) NUSPE Welcome Tea
When: 13th August 2010, 430 pm
Where: CFA, Activity Room, Ground level. (Opposite Yusof Ishak House)
The Welcome Tea will feature a number of performances and more details on joining us will be provided. Those who wish to perform with us should attend this welcome tea as briefings on auditions would be held.

Directions (CFA)

Bus stop at YIH

Bus stop outside CFA

and exeunt 22nd.

2010-03-27T18:19:00.002+08:00

Hi NUSPE,

As the outgoing committee, we would just like to say a few outgoing words :p

It has been a humbling privilege to serve NUSPE in this way. Working with our exco as well as the various subcommittees, performers, and CFA, in attempting to ensure that it continued to run smoothly (or not), has been an unforgettably special experience.There has been a lot of work involved (to varying degrees for everyone), and we acknowledge and appreciate your hard work and effort!

Thank you, each and every NUSPEian, for bearing with us through the bumpy ups and downs of this past year - each blog post, every yahoogroup message and announcement, all the music games videos and sessions (both the interesting and not-so-interesting ones!)... not forgetting our performances in welcome tea, TTSH, EMCC:Appassionata, Concertino, Da Capo, Touch (did I miss anything out?).

Though it was not always successful, we've had some really good times, and we hope you've had good times as well :) Hopefully, you will give NUSPE your continued support (as you have done) as it keeps on growing in the future.

Presenting to you the NUSPE 23rd Executive Committee!

President: Michelle Yeo
Vice-President: Vanessa Loh
Secretary: Nicole Tew
Treasurer: Sum Yin Ngai
Music Coordinators: Gu Shimin, Zhang Zhongkun
Welfare Officer: John Soh
Publicity Secretary; Lim Sok Mui
Publications Secretary: Calista Lee
Productions Manager: David Raj

All the best to the 23rd Executive Committee in the upcoming year, and all the best in studies for all other NUSPE members!

Warmest regards,
On behalf of the 22nd NUSPE Exco
President and Vice President
Kelvin and Merilyn

Elections on Fri 26 March'10

2010-03-25T18:17:00.003+08:00

Hi NUSPE,

The list of nominees for the NUSPE 23rd Exco is out!

All candidates please prepare a speech not more than 3 minutes long, telling us about yourself, your qualities/abilities, your experiences and of course, why we should vote for you. For each candidate, your speech will be followed by a Q&A session.

For President and Vice-President candidates, your speech may be longer, about 5 minutes. There might be more questions during the Q&A as well.

Candidates running for multiple posts, please combine your speeches into 1, we will allow you to speak for an additional minute.

Order of speaking will be determined on the day of elections itself.

[name list taken down]

The posts of Treasurer and Publications Secretary are currently uncontested. For uncontested posts, members will still vote whether they think the candidate should take that post, i.e. vote "Yes" or "No". If a majority vote "No", the next President and Vice President will decide whether the candidate gets the post, or whether they would like to appoint a different person for the post.

If anyone would still like to run for Treasurer or Publications Secretary, please email me (kelvin.nuspe[AT]gmail.com) or notify any other members of the Exco.

Other NUSPE members, please come for the elections, the candidates need your support. Have your say in who will be the people to lead NUSPE in the coming year!

Regards,

Kelvin

Latest updates

2010-03-21T22:37:00.000+08:00

Nominations close on Wednesday 24 March 2010, at 12pm NOON.

Elections are this week on Friday!

Please log-in to your Yahoo mails to check for the latest Yahoogroup updates coming this week :)

Signing off,
Merilyn

(Time passes really fast eh...)(In Chinese we say "光阴似箭，日月如梭." :P)

Getting to Touch'10 Concert

2010-03-05T01:02:00.002+08:00

Touch 2010 is in 3 days!!
But... where is the performance, and how do I get there to watch it?

The concert will be at the Lee Foundation Theatre, within the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) Campus 3 building.

According to gothere.sg, and publictransport.sg, many combinations & permutations of buses&trains may take you to the venue. I've compiled a tentative list of pathways below. If you have a shorter, more convenient way, do let me know!

Click on the light blue bus icons (representing bus stops) to view the buses that stop there. You can drag the map around as well.

1) You may take buses which stop at Fortune Centre, across the road from the venue: 56, 131, 147, 166, 857, 980, NR6.

By MRT, you may take to
a) Novena MRT station on the (red) North-South Line. Exit on the same side of the road as Novena Velocity (opposite United Square), and board 56, 131 or 166 or 980 from the bus stop.

b) Little India Station on the (purple) North-East Line. Exit on the same side of the road as Tekka Centre (Zhu Jiao Market), and board 56, 131 or 166 from the bus stop. Alight 2 stops later.

2) Buses stop opposite Burlington Square, which is located before the campus building: 64, 65, 139, NR6.

a) This 65 travels from Tampines MRT --> Harbourfront MRT.

b) You might consider taking 139 from Toa Payoh MRT / Bus interchange, but this is quite long (unless you live along the way!).

3) Buses also stop outside Peace Centre: 64, 65, 131, 139, 147, 166, 857. From Peace Centre you'll have to walk along Selegie Road --> Middle Road --> Bencoolen Street. From Middle Road, turn left into Bencoolen Street. (refer to the map)

4) You may also consider taking 56 from the bus stop right outside Esplanade Mall (the one opposite Marina Square), and alighting 4 stops later. Cross Middle Road and walk towards Bencoolen Street (the direction away from Sunshine Plaza, and towards Fortune Centre/Prime Centre). The venue is on your left.

5) To go by MRT, do refer to the map. You may choose to alight at Bugis MRT. From there, find your way to Middle Road. Walk along Middle Road (away from Hotel Intercontinental). Turn right and walk into Bencoolen Street. This way is rather long but walkable.

Tell us if you have problems viewing the map!

NUSPE weekly

2010-03-04T20:15:00.000+08:00

Hi everyone!

1) Thank you for supporting Touch 2010 enthusiastically!

If you you have tickets that you really really cannot sell, you may return your tickets (limited to 1 ticket returned per subcom member), latest by Friday 5th March 6pm.

Please meet Yin Ngai tomorrow, outside AR at 6pm to do so.

2) There will be no NUSPE session this week, in lieu of runthrough for Touch 2010. Sessions will resume next week, Friday 14 March. Same time same place!

It's the middle of midterms for (mostly) everyone; hang in there...

Regards,
Merilyn

A little nightmare music with Igudesman & Joo

2010-02-28T13:43:00.002+08:00

written by Fahad

With mid-term exams, lab reports and paper submission deadlines ahead, attending this week’s NUSPE session seemed definitely to be an extra load to many. In fact, I thought the same at first. However, ever since I stepped into the activity room I could feel that something was different in this session. As I looked at the TV screen in front of the arranged chairs, I saw the words “A Little Nightmare Music.” That was when I knew that this session was going to be interesting but little did I know that it would turn out to be something totally opposite to what I thought!

In this week’s session we got to watch the hilarious “A Little Nightmare Music” by Igudesman and Joo. Instead of listening to and appreciating serious pieces of music by the great pianists of all time, we took a break and had some fun laughing over parodies of the famous works of the same great pianists we respect! All of us were laughing our hearts out at the hilarious activities of the two comedians while appreciating their awesome skills as musicians. One of the funniest moments of the show was when Richard Joo says that he has small fingers and plays the piano like a person with short fingers would play and then stops suddenly to clarify to the audience that only his fingers are small!

Photo by Julia Wesely - www.julia-wesely.com - © 2007

Overall, it was an extremely entertaining show that kept us laughing all the way. In fact, it was so entertaining that time flew by really fast. After all, the session did not seem to be like a burden amidst the academic workload. Instead, it turned out to be a nice distress session that was extremely necessary at the moment for most of us.

Watch Touch 2010!

2010-02-25T21:05:00.001+08:00

Presenting an ever eclectic programme, Touch 2010 by NUSPE will feature well-known works for two pianos such as Saint-Saens' Danse Macabre & Milhaud's Ox on the Roof, alongside seldom-heard composers like Tcherepnin, and quintessential favourites such as Holst and Debussy.

This year's concert also presents 2 Singapore premieres: Martucci's Fantasia in D minor, op. 32, & the Coronation Scene from Mussorgsky's opera Boris Godunov.

With something for everyone, from the curious listener to the music connoisseur, join us to hear the world of sound two pianos can create. Touch by NUSPE promises a wonderful night of musicmaking that will surprise and delight!

All tickets are at $15. To order, please email nus.pianoensemble@gmail.com, or contact Yin Ngai at 9672 5893.

For directions to Lee Foundation Theatre, you can take a look at:
1) http://www.nafa.edu.sg/location.htm
2) http://bit.ly/acpOtg

Details:

Date: Sunday, 07 March 2010

Time: 19:30 - 21:30
Location: Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (Campus 3), Lee Foundation Theatre
Street: 151 Bencoolen Street

Session tomorrow

2010-02-25T09:18:00.003+08:00

TOUCH countdown: 9 days!

Fun session tomorrow! *hint hint* It's related to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jiu0RNizU8

No session next week (5th march) NUSPE performers will be working hard for TOUCH, all the best everyone :)

Oh yes, remember to bring money for TOUCH tickets tomorrow, else Yin Ngai will have to stalk you *evil grin*

See you!

Sherilyn

Bring-your-own-music (BYOM) - 5 Feb

2010-02-18T10:26:00.001+08:00

If you're wondering why this post is so late, it was because the author was putting it off till after the long Chinese New Year break. (This is a negative example, do not follow!)

Anyway, happy Chinese New Year! Hope you have had a good rest over the long weekend :)
Hope this might help you relax amidst the studying/ preparation/ nothing-to-do-at-all before school starts again next week.

The bring-your-own-music (BYOM) session allowed NUSPEans to (literally) bring their own music, whatever they loved or wanted to share, and not caring about instruments or genres.

Xi Ling was the first to present one of her favourites, Heart & Soul. A piano version and vocal version by forever plaid, (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9_vXOzFT50), it was a song that was quickly recognised as a familiar favourite (it's that song that's always played with 2 people on a random piano when they find it!). The left hand is a simple series of four different chords, while the right hand plays a lovely melody that can run into improvising.

Next, Wee Siang played the piano version of one of his favourite songs, "Nothing's gonna change my love for you". As he performed on one of the AR pianos, I sensed that everyone quietened down to listen to his rendition of the well-known classic. Here is a lovely recording: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGvYevCoJEw.

Then it was Jia En's turn to present the theme music from Schindler's List, a piece which she felt was very touching. It is the main soundtrack from the well-known movie made about the horrific Holocaust during World War 2, where many people suffered and died under the Nazi rule. There were 2 versions that she presented: piano solo, and orchestra with violin solo (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPoRZ2ZS4wo). Jia En compared the two versions, and brought us through the modulations of each piece. I had heard this piece before, and I was glad to see it presented.

Christine came up next to share Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, 3rd Movement. A fast and passionate piece, it was precious to her because it evoked fond memories of her playing it together with her brother. This is the work she was talking about: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqSulR9Fymg&feature=related

Nearing the end, Nicole played a section of the music from the movie Spirited Away on the piano. Composed by the famed Japanese composer Joe Hisashi, the music we heard was quietly gentle and sometimes full of sweeping emotions. I've watched the movie animation and I thought the music was a lovely depiction and accompaniment to the scenes drawn. Hisaishi = good composer :D

Last but not least, John shared with us Beethoven's 9th Symphony using poignant scenes from "Copying Beethoven", a movie made about the (possible) life of Beethoven. Nearing the end of his life, Beethoven became deaf. With the passionate music in the background, we watched how Beethoven, trapped in the complete absence of sound, was fervently conducting his 9th Symphony (with the help of his assistant to hear the music). I felt moved by his dedication to music and how he persevered relentlessly to push the musical boundaries of his day. John also pointed out to us some funny moments, such as when the orchestra's chorus opened their mouths wide to sing the well known "Ode to Joy".

(as a side note, here is a funny version of Ode to Joy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpcUxwpOQ_A)

If you find better links of the music, or have your own favourite pieces to share, please continue to post them on the blog (under comments) or in the yahoogroups (thanks to those who have*!). We would love to hear them :)

*e.g. sengkiat75 posted a video of a piano quartet "playing" Gershwin's "An American in Paris" at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRZMJQnSw1s

No session this Fri

2010-02-08T22:53:00.000+08:00

No session this Fri (12/2), enjoy!

Happy CNY!

Performers, remember to turn up, and bring $120 :) Jiayou!

Sherilyn

Tickets for Touch 2010

2010-02-03T12:45:00.003+08:00

(posted on the nuspe & nuspe09 yahoogroups too)

Hi everyone =)

The tickets for TOUCH 2010 are now out!

This year’s concert will take place on Sunday 7 March, 7.30pm, at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) in the Lee Foundation Theatre (view the map here or here). All tickets are $15, with free seating.

Now's your chance to experience NUSPE LIVE! Come listen to 2 Singapore premieres of two-piano works, a lively Milhaud, a ‘magical’ Uranus, a 'creepy' Saint-Saens, and an exhilarating 8-hands work... We are working very hard to make TOUCH an enjoyable music experience for you!

All you need to do is bring along your friends/family (or more!), and yourself, to the Lee Foundation Theatre on Sunday 7 March, 7.30pm.

Note to Performers and Subcommittee members:

We need all members to help us make it a successful/sellout concert!

Hence, we would like all performers to bring $120 this Friday (for 8 tickets each), while subcommittee members can bring $30 (for 2 tickets each).

Do bring along the $$$ for this Friday's (5th February 2010) session. Ticket payment and tickets will be given out after session, together with attendance taking :p

NUSPE alumni? Regular member? Any NUSPE-ians who want more? Simply email Yin Ngai at his email address: kuailegongren[AT]hotmail.com. State “Tickets for Touch 2010” in the subject, and include the following details-

Name:
Contact number:
Number of tickets:

You can also purchase tickets during this Friday's session.

If you would like to help in publicising this concert to your friends, flyers for TOUCH 2010 are available this Friday too.

By the way, Yu Hang has prepared a beautiful poster for the event, which you can view here:

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=4496510&o=all&op=1&view=all&subj=4273111271&aid=-1&id=626158689

Invite your friends to TOUCH 2010 by Facebook too! http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=283040030748&ref=mf

Let's make this a sellout concert!!! :) Watch, listen and indulge.

Best Regards,

NUS Piano Ensemble, 22nd Executive Committee

Chopin in week 3

2010-01-30T10:19:00.000+08:00

Written by Danyang (sorry it is posted super super late)

Frederic Chopin was a Polish composer and virtuoso pianist. He was considered as one of the great masters of Romantic music. In today’s session, Yin Ngai, our treasurer shared several of Chopin’s well-known pieces with us as well as some of this great composer’s anecdotes.

Fantasies-Impromptu (Op. 66) is a solo piano composition and one of his most well-known pieces. In fact, Chopin himself never named an instrumental work beyond genre and number, leaving all potential extra-musical associations to the listener; the names by which we know many of the pieces were invented by others.(1) The second piece shared was the Revolutionary Etude played by Richter. At the time the Etude appeared, Chopin was unable to have a strong participating role because of his poor health, and allegedly he poured his emotions on the matter into many pieces that he composed at that time. Upon conclusion of Poland's failed revolution against Russia, he cried "All this has caused me much pain. Who could have foreseen it!"(2) Another piece that Yin Ngai shared with us was the Minute Waltz. It has long been known as the "Minute Waltz", but despite its nickname, a typical performance of the work will last between one and a half and two and a half minutes. An interesting video was showed during the session showing that someone try to play this piece in exactly one minute, no more second less or more.

In conclusion, as Hedley described, Chopin had the rare gift of a very personal melody, expressive of heart-felt emotion, and his music is penetrated by a poetic feeling that has an almost universal appeal.(3) Every member participated in this session enjoyed the contribution from Yin Ngai. We really appreciate the chance to have a deeper look at Chopin and his works and had a good time as well.

Here are the links for you guys to review the videos we watched in this session:

YouTube - Yundi Li - Chopin "Fantasie" Impromptu, Op. 66

YouTube - Richter plays Chopin Revolutionary Etude

YouTube - Chopin's Minute Waltz in one minute!

References:

(1) Fantaisie-Impromptu. (2010, January 15). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 22:38, January 30, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fantaisie-Impromptu&oldid=338072939

(2) Étude Op. 10, No. 12 (Chopin). (2009, December 27). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 22:46, January 30, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=%C3%89tude_Op._10,_No._12_(Chopin)&oldid=334361222

(3) Frédéric Chopin. (2010, February 5). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 15:10, February 5, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fr%C3%A9d%C3%A9ric_Chopin&oldid=342066919

An advertisement!

2010-01-27T19:47:00.004+08:00

So... what's up after this Fri's (29/1) Chopin MA?

Looooove a 'special' piece of music? Can't stop humming it? Interesting in sharing it with other NUSPE-ians?

Now's the time!

Bring Your Own Music Session, 5th Feb, a time for all music lovers to get together and share their favourite piece!

Any genre, any instrument, any medium (live performance? recordings? videos?)... anything and everything goes!

To participate, simply email me at NOT the yahoo groups), by 31st Jan 10pm:

1) Your name and subcomm
2) Handphone number
3) A few details about why you looooove your chosen piece (what piece? :p)
4) Check your email on Mon/Tues

Proudly brought to you by,

The Music Subcomm!

See you this Fri for Chopin!

NUSPE Weekly =)

2010-01-27T12:18:00.001+08:00

Greetings Earthlings,

This Friday, Yin Ngai, our treasurer will be conducting a Music Appreciation Talk about the composer Frederic Chopin. During the talk, he plans to share some music along with anecdotes about Chopin's life. You probably will not get a more passionate rendering about the beauty of Chopin's music anywhere else - Yin Ngai is hardcore classical music all the way.

So anyway, same time same place. 6.30pm in the AR this Friday. See you guys soon!

PY

(sent by Merilyn on behalf of Pei Yee)

No session this week (Week 2 Friday)

2010-01-21T14:52:00.007+08:00

Hi all,

A gentle reminder that in lieu of the CFA Open House tomorrow (Friday 22 January) from 11am to 6pm, there will not be a NUSPE session. We'll have it next week, Friday 29 Jan :)

Below is more information regarding tomorrow's open house at CFA. Hope to see you there!

---------

Get (re)acquainted with the arts lah ! This one whole day extravaganza allows you to interact with all our performing groups.

Always wanted to learn hip hop ? or does contemporary Malay dance incite your interest ?Maybe u wanna try something exotic ? Strum the guzheng, tap the tabla (ethnic stuff is cool, no ?) or stick to something u know, like a guitar, or jazz it up with a piano duet. What’s more, at the end of the day there's an amazing lineup of performances from some of our groups, and a lucky draw with a cool grand prize to be won, with several consolation prizes.

What it is, is an 'Amazing Race' style contest where you've got to complete various (musical or dance) tasks to progress. It’s very simple : visit our booths at CFA studios. Follow the instructions given by our student groups to participate in some very cool and fun activities to get rewarded. The more activities you complete, the more stuff u get the chance to win.

We have lots of Free Food and Drinks for those of you who are brave enough to try your hand at all this stuff that we do.

Get 2 chances at the lucky draw when you pre-register! Email us atcfaregister@nus.edu.sg with your

(1) full name
(2) matric no/IC no
(3) contact no.
(4) Fill in the blank: FreeFlow____________!

Be creative with the missing word(s)!

Open to all NUS Students and ANYONE who is interested in the arts. Grab your friends and join NOW!

Visit the Facebook page! http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=196301789333&index=1

If the image is not viewable, access it online at http://bit.ly/57HDr9

NUSPE's 1st session

2010-01-12T02:35:00.002+08:00

Dear fellow NUSPEans,

Happy 2010 to all! :) For this friday's session, we'll be having an M.A. (Music Appreciation) talk by our music director, Mr Ku. It will be held in the Activity Room, from 6:30 pm. ALL NUSPE members are invited to come down!

Mr Ku shall be sharing with us the music of Charles-Valentin Alkan and also unveiling some interesting aspects of this French composer's life. A composer at the beginning of the 19th century, Alkan was one of Chopin's contemporaries (one example) and was also Chopin next-door neighbour whilst living in Paris.

As with many musical virtuosos, colourful myths surround this reclusive figure. (One of which was that Alkan's death was caused by a falling bookshelf!) Despite being somewhat elusive during his lifetime, Alkan music was admired and championed by others after his death. His works are often very virtuosic and technically VERY demanding. The music does leave a haunting impression. (e.g. La Chanson de la Folle au Bord, Symphony 1st mvt Op. 39 No.4)

Voila, see you there and do be punctual! :)

Have a great semester ahead.

Ciao,
Nerissa

P.S: Please note that as we will be having coaching for TOUCH performers before session, the doors will only be unlocked at 630pm. While waiting, please keep your volume down. Thanks!

Performance @... Library@Esplanade

2010-01-01T22:25:00.004+08:00

Happy New Year NUSPE-ians!

NUSPE's first concert of the year, at Library@Esplanade!

Where? Esplanade Level 3

When? 3pm, 9th Jan 2010 (wow my first time writing 2010 :D)

What? Fun duet repertoire! Debussy's Petite Suite, Schumann's Etudes in Canon form, etc.

A special highlight: an original piece composed and soon-to-be-performed by our very own NUSPE-ian, Clarissa!

How much? It's FREE!

Come one, come all!

See you there!

Deliriously happy from the New Year,

Sherilyn :)

SMU Ivory Keys presents - Reverie

2009-12-18T15:38:00.001+08:00

Dear NUSPE,

SMU Ivory Keys has invited us to their upcoming concert in Jan 2010, Reverie! (link provided)
Here are the details:

Date: 18 Jan 2010 (Monday)

Time: 8pm
Venue: Esplanade Recital Studio
Price: $16

For convenience, we will collate NUSPE's ticket orders first.
Hence if you would like to go, please send the following details to Merilyn [nuspe.merilyn[at]gmail.com] -
your name, contact number and the number of tickets you want.
Also please state the subject as "Tickets for Reverie."

You must confirm your ticket orders by 12 midnight on 8th Jan 2010, the Friday before school starts.
We will then collect payment for the tickets on the following Friday, during the first NUSPE session of the semester.

Do go! It'll be a great chance to experience a different, not-to-be-missed piano ensemble. :D

Regards,
Merilyn

Coaching Schedule

2009-12-05T17:34:00.004+08:00

Decided to post here just in case, because there've been too many changes and emails/sms/facebooking flying everywhere :)

Confirmed schedule for 8th dec

All solo coachings, in PR3
9 ee ghim
915 vanessa
930 tze ning
945 sherilyn
10 kelvin
1015 merilyn
1030 rachel
1045 nicole
1100 enqing
1115 clarissa
1130 Sok Mui
1145 Calista

Tentative schedule for 11th Dec Fri, AR
Tentative Schedule on 11th Fri
240 merilyn/rachel
3 nerissa/sooty
320 sokmui/callista
340 nicole/aaron
4 vanessa
415 michelle
430 clara
445 8 hands
515 kelvin
530 BREAK
550 sherilyn/chengwei

Please note changes in room booking timings, in Merilyn's post below :)

Happy holidays! Happy practicing :D

Room bookings (2nd-3rd weeks of Dec)

2009-12-05T13:39:00.002+08:00

Dear NUSPEans,

Thank you for bearing with the non-room bookings these two weeks for the CFA instrumental exams. There are more room booking changes for the coming two weeks (only).

For the next two weeks, our room booking slots at CFA studios are different because of mass bookings by CFA groups. NUSPE's slots are as follows in the gif. This schedule has been uploaded on the room booking website as well. There are some ongoing changes, please bear with us for a while.

Meanwhile, happy holidays :)

TOUCH repertoire and pairing

2009-11-23T15:50:00.003+08:00

Hi NUSPE-ians!

TOUCH repertoire and pairing has been confirmed, and emailed to all TOUCH performers.

Practice hard!

Happy mugging!

Sherilyn :)

last session... for now!

2009-11-13T21:03:00.001+08:00

Written by Pei Jun

Last Friday evening was our last session, and it was quite a different session compared to usual. Most of the time, we are dealing with piano and classical music. However, Shu Heng, Jia En and Xin Ying brought us something new & special.

Has any one imagined what Persian Market, Bumblebee, and Beethoven’s Pathetique have in common? Has anyone related classical music to pop songs? Games? Or cartoons? Indeed, Shu Heng showed us a new face of classical music. Do you play classical music with piano, violin and other western musical instrument? Then you are surely out-dated. Some can even play it using electric guitar and wine. WINE? Yes, wine, inside different-sized wine glasses!

After that, Jia En and Xin Ying led us to another new area, that is traditional Korean classical music. Overall, this is divided to three main parts: instruments, vocals and dance. There are few instruments were introduced which are Gayageum, Goemungo, Daegeum, Haegum and Salmunori. Jia En did a very pretty job in explaining the history, the structure and the way to play the instruments. Besides that, she also introduced the two types of vocals: pansori and arirang. We also watched the videos which showed these instruments are played as well as the vocals.

Of course, the music instruments and vocals are not for solo performance only. It can integrate into dance as well. And here we had Xin Ying showed us sword dance, court music with drum and mask dance.

I believe most of all are not familiar with these and cannot even tell the difference between a Gayageum from a zither. But thanks to the presenters’ explanation, I believe the last session is an “eye-opening” for us. Applause to the presenters!

Editor's note: Apologies for an overdue posting, there was some miscommunication... Also, here is a video of the Samulnori that was introduced (correct me if I'm wrong!): Samulnori - Korean drum performance

All the best for everyone's exams :D

NUSPE weekly

2009-10-28T23:59:00.001+08:00

Hello fellow NUSPE-ians!

It's week 11! Why is that special? This Fri's (30th Oct) the last NUSPE session for the term! After this Friday, NUSPE will be having a break for all NUSPE-ians to have fun mugging :D

Coming up this Friday: a Music Appreciation session conducted by our very own music subcomm members Jia En, Xin Ying and Shu Heng!

Ever wanted to know more about Korean music? Korean classical music?

What do Persian Market, Bumblebee, and Beethoven's Pathetique have in common?

6.30 pm, Activity Room!

See you there!

Check your yahoogroup emails!

2009-10-28T23:32:00.000+08:00

Dear all,

There are two new and important announcements that we sent out on the yahoogroups today, please take note of them ya.

1) Masterclasses this weekend by a local music school, "My Musical Chamber" with Dr Catherine Lan. More details of the masterclass can be found in the attachments in the yahoogroup email.

If you would like to go for the Sunday masterclass, we need your responses by tomorrow, Thursday 29 Oct 09, so we can submit a namelist. Urgent urgent!

2) Room booking for the last week of November and first week of December.

The CFA Chinese Instrumental Examinations will be ongoing during this time. Please DO NOT book any studio rooms for practice during this two-week period, specifically from 21st Nov 2009 (Sat) to 6th Dec 2009 (Sun). These rooms will be used by the examiners and those taking the exams.

Full details are in the email :)

Do check your nuspe email accounts frequently!
Also, all the best for CA2s/ term papers / assignments/ etc. :D

Cheers,
Merilyn

Reflections on Concertino III

2009-10-28T00:00:00.001+08:00

By Yuek Ling

Last Friday evening's session was an “ear-opening” one, with NUSPE Concertino III showcasing some unrevealed talents who did not have the chance to perform in other major concerts. Quite a variety of repertoire was presented, ranging from Bach to Tan Dun and even Final Fantasy. In contrast with other piano concerts, music of various genres was presented in Concertino III; not only the conventional piano solo and duet music were performed, but also music that was accompanied by voice and violin.

Of course, the evening was an “eye-opening” one too. I’m sure that the audience members were relatively attracted by the powerful and enthusiastic performances, such as Suggestion Diabolique that filled the Activity Room with tension and thrill, and O Polichinelo that stunned the audience with speedy finger-sliding (glissando) across the keyboard. Concertino III reached its climax when the last piece The Jupiter was performed. It was both entertaining and enjoyable to see the duet pianists swapping their seats while the melody flowed on.

To conclude, Concertino III had served its purpose of being a platform for music lovers to perform on stage while the audience soaked in the appreciation of piano and other instrumental/vocal music. Let’s have another round of applause to all the performers and organizers!! *clap clap*

NUSPE weekly

2009-10-21T15:12:00.002+08:00

Greetings earthlings!

Hope all is going well in Week 10 for everyone. 10 is a special number. Why? Because it means you're just 3 weeks away from the end of semester.

To take your restless minds off essays for awhile, everyone (invite your friends :D) is officially invited to Concertino III this Friday in the AR. This is an internal platform concert that takes place once a semester and a great opportunity for you to check out the hidden talents in NUSPE that have not had the chance so far to perform.

The concert which starts at 6.30pm, and ends at 7.45pm(our usual session time) features what looks like a majorly interesting programme:

Waltz in Ab Major, Op. 34 No. 1
Frédéric Chopin

Nocturne in C Minor, Op. 48 No. 1
Frédéric Chopin

Blumenlied, Op. 39
Gustav Lange

Suggestion Diabolique, Op. 4 No. 4
Sergei Prokofiev

Hungarian Dance No. 1 in G Minor
Johannes Brahms

Ave Maria
Johann Sebastian Bach (arr. Charles Gounod)

Final Fantasy X: Sad Romance
Thao Nguyen Xanh

Schwanengesang: Ständchen
Franz Schubert

Toccata in G Major - Allegro e Presto BWV 916
Johann Sebastian Bach

Capriccio in G minor, Op. 116 No. 3
Johannes Brahms

Capricho Catalan from España, Op. 165 No. 5
Isaac Albéniz

Sonata in E-flat Major (3rd movement) Hob. 16 No. 52
Joseph Haydn

Staccato Beans from 8 Memories in Watercolor, Op. 1
Tan Dun

O Polichinelo
Heitor Villa-Lobos

The Jupiter
Gustav Holst (arr. Yasuhide Ito)

To find out who is playing, you'll just have to come down. *winkwink* So, don't forget! This Friday, 6.30pm in the AR.

- Do be punctual, we'll start at 6.30pm SHARP and will only admit latecomers during suitable breaks in the programme. If you need to leave halfway, also please do so only during the breaks in the programme.

- As in keeping with an actual recital, do be quiet while the performers are playing. Hope you haven't forgotten the lesson in audience etiquette during the 3rd session! :p

PY

Events

2009-10-19T00:04:00.000+08:00

Alrighty, as noted,

Here's a couple of piano-related events in the next few days!

Emanuel Ax Piano Masterclass

Mon, 19 Oct 09 (if this is not too late for you by now...)
3pm, Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music
Free admission

Students from YST will be performing for those of you who are big fans of the Conservatory. Some of us might have heard Emanuel Ax perform Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 2 with the SSO earlier this year and I'm sure we'll agree it was one of the most beautiful things on earth.

You can find more October events at YST at this place: http://music.nus.edu.sg/02_whatson_oct.html. :)

The Joy of Piano

Tue & Wed, 20 & 21 Oct 09
8pm, UCC Theatre
Free admission, but limited tickets will be available at the door at 7pm.

Winners of the Hong Kong Piano Competition Jinsang Lee (Tue, 20 Oct 09) and Ilya Rashkovskiy (Wed, 21 Oct 09) will be performing.

Please click this link http://www.nus.edu.sg/cfa/artzone/EMCC_JoyOfPiano.html to find out more.

If you'd like to go (and invite your friends along too), maybe you can let us know (via the comments, the blog's tagboard, yahoogroups, any exco member or via email nus.pianoensemble@gmail.com) and we can make it a NUSPE group outing :D

The Macabre Music Quiz session (16oct09)

2009-10-18T23:45:00.003+08:00

Contributed by Yingbo

“Classical music is enough for life, but life is not enough for classical music.” This was the most sophisticated and interesting sentence that we heard from this session.

It was such an enjoyable session that when it ended, most members left the activity room with a smile on their faces. Usually, talking about the composers can get quite boring. However, the organisers from the Music subcommittee came up with a bright idea - to talk about the death of these composers, which makes for an attractive topic. (Editor’s note: It also ties in with Halloween ;) ) During the whole session, the people around tried to make some guesses about how these composers died. Luckily most of us got the correct answers. Of course, this is not a session to talk only about deaths. After telling us how these composers died, John and Mark also told us interesting stories about them to help us understand their life more deeply. We learned quite a lot about the composers from this whole session. It was really a great session~~~

The composers we learned about today were and still are all great people in the history of classical music. However, some died at a relative young age and in relatively strange ways (such as shaving cuts and insect bites). Perhaps these composers devoted all of their time and enthusiasm to classical music. They used their limited lifetimes to compose unlimited beautiful pieces. Thanks to them, we can still enjoy their great pieces as well as the idea behind the music today~~~

To sum up, this session was really great. We do appreciate the efforts the organisers put in. Hopefully we will also have an enjoyable session such as this the next time~~~

Edit: We've uploaded the powerpoint slides & answers on the nuspe & nuspe09 yahoogroups (:

'cos it's e-learning week... :D

2009-10-08T11:45:00.007+08:00

As planned, this is THE blog post for the piano videos that we feel are awesome!
Anyone in NUSPE can suggest videos in the comments for this post - members from the present, past (and maybe future). Even if you're overseas (like.. eehiang :p), or if you're a random Earthling who happened to pass by and likes piano too.

Here are some videos to kick off our online session...

(Evgeny Kissin playing 'Rage over lost penny')
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mtVHTqmB_c
- Kelvin (Mr President '09)

(Rachmaninov's Prelude in C-sharp minor, very funny)
>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifKKlhYF53w
- Cheng Wei (Empress '08)

>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JA-0dMs1wbs
Just because he's Hamelin you know. And playing his own Etude too. Amazing technique serves musicality
- Pei Yee, our Publicitee secretaree

>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYGqnxI1Kpo
It's of Li Yundi playing the 3rd movement of Chopin's 1st Piano Concerto in the 2000 Chopin Competition. It's a difficult piece, but he makes it look easy (I guess those pianists always do that), but what particularly impresses me is how beautifully he played. His tone is never harsh, and he's a tad slower than usual, but it all works well.
- Yin Ngai, Treasurer

Looking forward to all your videos! Click on "Comments" below to post :D

NUSPE Weekly (7 Oct '09)

2009-10-07T14:00:00.000+08:00

Greetings earthlings!

In the spirit of e-learning week, NUSPE has decided to cancel this Friday's session in the AR. Instead, we will be holding session on our blog at http://www.nuspe.blogspot.com/ (this website!)

This Friday, we will be posting a series of YouTubes by legendary pianists in a single blog post. To get the ball rolling, some members in the committee have suggested a few videos. However, we do look forward to YOU participating and sharing with us videos of some of your favourite piano performances that are available online.

To participate, all you have to do is click "Comments" on the blog post and share your thoughts and links. Anyone and everyone is welcome to comment. However, do use your real name when commenting so that everyone will be able identify you.

Have a happy e-learning week!

PY

Session 3 2 Oct 09

2009-10-05T23:04:00.002+08:00

Reviewed by Fahad

The session started off with feedback on the EMCC concert Appassionata! held the previous Wednesday (30 Sep 09).

The concert performers, audiences and stage crew members aired their views and gave suggestions on various aspects of the concert: stage crew efficiency, pieces played, dressing rooms, practice theatre, etc. Quite amazingly, nearly all the feedback turned out to be very positive. In fact, even the length and speed of pieces played were also perfect according to the opinions of the members present at the concert!

However, the feedback session ended soon as we were too impatient to wait for the exciting games session next where we played the game of Taboo. All the members present were split into four teams, namely teams 1, 2, 3 and 4.

In each round, a representative was randomly chosen from each team to go to the front, pick up a random piece of paper from a bagful and tell his or her teammates what was written in the paper without the use of the “tabooed” words within fifteen minutes.

Teams 1 and 2 started out extremely well; however, teams 3 and 4 seemed to lag far behind. Both teams 1 and 2 put up a tough and a very entertaining match indeed. Meanwhile team 4 managed to catch up to a respectable defeat!

The whole atmosphere of the session was something totally different from other sessions; even NUSPE members with no background in music or piano whatsoever were extremely excited.

The most interesting part of the game was the innovative way in which each representative tried to convey his or her message to the other team members without using the words that were not allowed. In one of the rounds, a team representative described Pachelbel’s famous piece “Canon” as “the name of this piece is the same as that of a camera!”

After the last round, teams 1 and 2 proved to be equally awesome. As a result, we had to end that day’s NUSPE session with a tie-breaker round where team 2 proved that they were simply just better.

NUSPE (late) Weekly '09 (2nd October)

2009-10-02T11:48:00.000+08:00

Dear NUSPEans,

NUSPE will be in session this evening, 6.30pm at the Activity Room (usual time, usual place!).

We've planned a post-concert evaluation (i.e. share the comments/feedback/opinions you may have or heard from others) regarding wednesday's concert, in terms of music, production, acoustics, etc.
After that will be a short time of games! :D Yay!
(even if you didn't go for the concert, you can look forward to this.. you could also see it as a short break in the midst of studying)

Apologies for an extremely late email, it may have inconvenienced some members... :(
We will send it out latest by Wednesday in the coming weeks.

Hang in there if you still have midterms on. (:

Cheers,
Merilyn

Concertino III Update

2009-09-28T16:04:00.000+08:00

To all Concertino III performers who have signed up with me,

A reminder that the above event will be held on Friday, October 23rd, 6:30-7:45PM at the Activity Room. Also, apologies, but you will not be allowed to change your piece once you have signed up. Our Music Subcomm members will be contacting you soon with regards to updates and other stuff. :)

All the best for your mid terms everyone, take care and have a good week ahead!

Mark

Appassionata!

2009-09-27T11:56:00.000+08:00

Greetings fellow NUSPEans :)

The programme lineup for Appassionata, emanating LIVE from the NUS UCC Theatre this coming Wed, 30th Sep, 8-9PM. ONE NIGHT ONLY:

Bizet: Children's Games(Petite Suite)
- Trumpeter and Drummer
- The Doll
- The Top
- Little Husband Little Wife
- The Ball

Mozart: Sonata in B-flat K358
- II. Adagio
- III. Molto Presto

Villa-Lobos: Bachianas Brasileiras No. 4
- I. Preludio
- IV. Dansa

Saint-Saens: Carnival of the Animals
- The Elephant
- Kangaroos
- The Swan
- Fossils

Rachmaninov: Waltz for 6 hands

Brahms: Nos 1, 2, 11, 14 and 15 from Waltzes Op. 39 arr. for 2 Pianos

Dvorak: Slavonic Dance Op. 46 No. 5 in A Major arr. for 8 Hands 2 Pianos

Hiromi: Tom and Jerry Show

At the high risk of sounding cliche... be there or be square! :) Tickets available at the door, one hour before showtime.

Have a good week ahead ^^

Mark

TTSH Art of Healing Programme - Captivating Ballads

2009-09-24T01:25:00.000+08:00

With photographs taken by Tze Ning (:

We thought it might be a meaningful way to give back to the community when Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) approached the Centre for the Arts to collaborate on their Art of Healing programme, and so we participated. :D

With TTSH's aim of "using the arts as a form of therapy to soothe patients' mind and body and help them on the path to recovery" in mind, NUSPE presented a series of solos and duets we hope the audience that afternoon enjoyed.

Opening with Georges Bizet's Jeux D'enfants, our three pairs of duet players brought some charm and guileless exuberance that was followed by seven piano solos performed by new members who joined the ensemble this semester. Composers heard in TTSH's Atrium that sunny afternoon include Claude Debussy, Adolf von Henselt, Frederic Chopin, Johannes Brahms, a Rachmaninov piano transcription and an original composition titled Rainbow by our own NUSPE member, Clarissa Chow.

Though the Atrium was abuzz with the chatter and activity of the lunchtime crowd, the performers of this programme agreed that it was a meaningful and musical way to spend an afternoon of our recess week. We do hope the patients and staff enjoyed the show!

P/S: Just in case you can't get enough of NUSPE (wink wink), we will be performing at the University Cultural Centre next Wednesday for our annual EMCC concert. The concert titled Appassionata is open to the public and begins at 8.00pm in the UCC Theatrette. Admission is free.

TTSH & EMCC

2009-09-21T10:32:00.000+08:00

Dear NUSPE,
Recess week is finally here!
Most of us will be looking forward to catching up on sleep, with friends and with studies (I know I am!).
In the meantime, there are some exciting events lined up these few weeks for NUSPE, that you can go for while catching up with your friends over lunch, or after dinner :D

(in chronological order)

a) Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) - Art of Healing Programme - NUSPE Performance
This Wednesday lunchtime, come listen to uplifting music played by the NUS Piano Ensemble at the Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

As part of their Art of Healing programme, TTSH has collaborated with NUS Centre For The Arts to reach out to the community. They hope to transform the hospital into a warm, welcoming and enriching environment for patients, families, staff and visitors through the arts, using it as a form of therapy to soothe patients' mind and body and to help them on the path to recovery.Some of the music performed include works by Debussy, Chopin and Brahms, plus an original work by one of our performers. Don't miss it!

When: Wednesday 23 September 2009, 12pm (about 45 minutes)
Where: Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Level 1 Atrium [http://gothere.sg/directions#:Tan%20Tock%20Seng%20Hospital] - free admission!

The nearest MRT station is Novena, on the red North-South Line. Buses that go nearby are: 21, 56, 57, 124, 131, 166, 851, 980. It's a bit of walking, but exercise is good :p

The performance will be at the Atrium of TTSH, level 1. They have a lovely white Cristofori grand piano there, and it's a place surrounded by food shops, so you can have lunch before or after that (:

b) NUSPE's ExxonMobil Campus Concert (EMCC) 2009: Appassionata!

This is the one of NUSPE's two annual ticketed concerts, happening on the wednesday of week 7 (the week directly after recess week). It is sponsored by ExxonMobil, hence the title. (this is what you can tell your friends if they ask you why it's known as EMCC)
Above is the lovely EMCC poster designed by Yu Hang (Wilson).

Below is the synopsis:

From playful flights of fancies to works of roiling passion, NUSPE presents a night of music with a diverse programme that traverses Bizet's fanciful Children's Games, Rachmaninoff's lithesome Waltz for Six Hands and the raucous Tom and Jerry Show for solo piano. Why don't you join us on a whim?

When: Wednesday 30 September 2009, 8pm
Where: University Cultural Centre Theatre, NUS (map can be found here- http://www.nus.edu.sg/cfa/information/CFA_Map_Colour.pdf)

Cost: Free admission as well :D
However, you will have to collect tickets at the door. Tickets will be released from 7pm onwards, so make sure you get a seat by going early :p

Even though some of you may have heard the music already, many of our performers have put in (and will continue putting in) a lot of effort into practising for these events, so do come to show your support!

Hope to see you there :)

Concertino III- Deadline Extended!

2009-09-17T11:30:00.001+08:00

Good morning everyone! :)

Yup, this is to inform you that the deadline for Concertino III signups has been extended till TOMORROW, Friday, 18th Sep, 2300 hrs.

We've had quite a few signups so far, and the repertoire for the concert looks pretty exciting and varied indeed! Albeniz, Brahms, Chopin, Lange, Prokofiev, Schubert, Ravel and Tan Dun... there's really something for everyone!

We'll be releasing the programme lineup as soon as it's been finalized. For those who've signed up already, please note that you are not allowed to make any changes to your repertoire. Do practice hard! :)

Mark

Session 02 (11 Sep 09)

2009-09-14T15:08:00.000+08:00

Reviewed by Yuek Ling

Last week’s Music Appreciation session was truly an eye-opening and attractive one, with Yin Ngai and Mark sharing on the topic: Great Pianists of the 20th Century.

First, there was a Powerpoint presentation that introduced several modern pianists, such as Vladimir Horowitz, Claudio Arrau, Martha Argerich, Sviatoslav Richter, Vladimir Ashkenazy and Maurizio Pollini. Yin Ngai and Mark shared with us on these great pianists’ backgrounds, outstanding talents and some interpretation on their music work. It was not just a presentation or sole play by Yin Ngai and Mark, but involved interaction among other nuspe members. There was a short while of hoo-ha when it was mentioned that some of these great modern pianists like to do improvisation during their live performances, for instance Martha Argerich.

Besides those wordy Powerpoint slides, nuspe members also got a chance to watch some of the interesting (and exclusive) videos of the modern pianists. Horowitz with his flat but beautiful fingers sliding across the keyboard; Argerich’s passion while having a duo with Nelson Friere; Richter with his “power to crush” the symphony orchestra; the videos had portrayed the astonishing and distinguished features of these great pianists.

This MA session had indeed brought about a better understanding and appreciation towards the pianists of the 20th Century, and their music.

Concertino III

2009-09-13T11:33:00.000+08:00

A very good morning to one and all, and hello once again NUSPE!

Concertino III
Date: 23rd October '09, Friday
Venue: Activity Room
Time: 6:30pm - 8pm

1) What is Concertino III?
Concertino III is a concert by NUSPEans, for NUSPEans. :)

2) Who will be playing?
Any NUSPEan can sign up to play for Concertino II. If you have other people in mind to perform with, and they are not NUSPE members, it is perfectly fine. Just have one person who is from NUSPE to sign up.

3) What can/will be played?
Any genre is fine. Solo piano, piano duets, piano duos, non-piano works and collaborations (piano + non-piano instrument) are all okay, and good variety is always heartily welcomed. Show us your interests and talents! The sky's the limit! Okay, not really. A few requests:

- No monster works! This means that your piece should not exceed 5 min. This is so that we can give opportunities to more people within that short 90 min worth of concert time.

- In the spirit of Ensemble performance, duets and duos are encouraged. In the event we have too many signups, we might have to pair people up to perform duets and duos.

- Just do your best! We do not require anyone to play like Horowitz, nor will we disallow anyone to perform on grounds of their skill. However, we do need you to give your best shot, and this includes preparing for the piece(s) beforehand, so don't end up sight reading on the day itself - respect your audience and they will respect you back! Please play something within your means. If you're picking up something completely new, make sure you can learn it in time.

- Consider the setting up required. This probably wouldn't be important in most cases, but for anyone intending to do collaborations, please make sure that your pieces do not require too much set-up time. We're not going to bring in a drum set so that you can perform on it, for example, so use your discretion.

4) Who will be watching?
Concertino is also one of our 'sessions' so to speak, so basically the people you've been seeing around you will probably be your audience if you do sign up. Mr Ku might be there as well, but there's no need to be worried. In addition, we are encouraging everyone to bring their friends along for this session. Tell them... "Free concert!" or "Come watch me play!". In any case, Concertino will be open to the public, just like our normal sessions. No password required. In fact, we might be publicizing this in some way too, so you should probably expect quite an audience on that day! :)

5) How do I sign up?
Email me at vladmark_1984@yahoo.com.sg by 2359hrs (11:59pm) on Wed 16th September '09. Late submissions will NOT be entertained.

N.B. Also, unless for a strictly valid reason, you may not back out after signing up. Please understand that volunteering to perform requires commitment and responsibility on your part. By backing out, you inconvenience all involved in the organizing of this event. Failure to comply will result in the awarding of demerit points.

Please follow the procedures below to sign up for Concertino III:
IMPORTANT:
- Subject of your email should be "RE: Concertino II Registration" . This way I can search out everyone's registration emails easily.
- State the full name of your piece, as well as the name of the composer, arranger etc. Decide what you want to play before emailing me.
- State who you are playing with. Don't email me before you've found a partner if you need one. I do NOT provide matchmaking service.
- State the duration of your piece. If you have no idea, check an mp3 or Youtube. Or just time yourself playing it.

Given the really enthusiastic response NUSPE has been getting this year... just in case we have too many people who want to perform and there is not enough time for everyone to perform this round, we also seek your understanding and respect of our decisions if we may have to request that you try signing up again the next round. We will try our best to be fair!

If any of you have any questions, feel free to contact me via the same email address that I have supplied above.

Righto! I eagerly await your replies. Have a good week ahead. ^^

Best Regards,
Mark

NUSPE Session 01 (: (28 Aug 09)

2009-09-02T14:54:00.000+08:00

Reflections by Bingyu

We had the first session for the year 2009-2010 for NUSPE. Each exco member gave a brief self-introduction to all the new sub-committee members. You can find the list of Exco in this blogpost: http://nuspe.blogspot.com/2009/04/22nd-executive-committee.html
In this year, they will lead all the members to hold meaningful and interesting activities :D

All new members were divided into their respective sub-committees and met the exco in charge, as well as their fellow sub-committee members. An introduction about performance etiquette was also shared with the new members.

You can find the slides for the session (Music Awareness – Performance Etiquette) in the nuspe and nuspe09 yahoogroups, under the Files section (:

In the introduction for performance etiquette, we learned that for performers, preparation would never be enough. Good performers should always treat their audience with respect and treat themselves as salesmen when it comes to their performance. It is very important to keep smiling, and never forget to dress properly, sit properly and so on. We also learned that being good audience can help the performers to put up a good performance for us.

For those who came, thank you! Hope you have known and made friends with the exco and your fellow sub-committee members. And please remember the very useful performance etiquette which will help you to be a good performer or a good audience in the concert. ^_^

For those didn’t manage to attend, you are welcome to ask what you want to know from us. ∩_∩~

NUSPE Subcommittee

2009-08-26T22:37:00.000+08:00

Hi Everyone,

Here are the namelists for the NUSPE sub-committees.

Concert Management
Shum Pey Mun
En Li Lian
Christine Lisun
Michelle Chee Yen Yen
Swe Swe Aye Han
Chu Jing
Nang Mo
Wei Huan Yu
Cao Xiangyu
Erfan Mahmood Bhuiyan
Lam Pey Hua
David Raj
Shakifur Rahman Chowdhury
Liu Zhiyuan
Yang Si Qi
Ruan Wenbao
Ji Lin
Cao Lin
Wang Liwei
Li Zibai
Liu Chengzhao
Pau Xi Ling
Jiang Jiaxin
Ong Li Yong
Tan Kian Hui
Aw Yong Wee Wee
Ma Bing
Grace Pohan
Liu Pan
Kirin Kumar

Music
Wu Yue
Koh Shu Hua
Saw Cheng Ee Elizabeth
Wham Aaron
Lee Jia En
Lee Xin Ying
Christine Liwang
Chiang Wee Siang
Low Mei Fang
Ong Si Hui Melessa
Song Ke
Khor Shu Heng
Zhao Xiahong
She Junhu
Shi Zheng
Ho Yee Ann
Lim Kher Yang
Le Anh Phuong
Soh Weng Keong John
Siow Suyi
Ng Siew Wai
Yeh Siying Lisa
Tay Chu Luei
Guo Pei
Deng Ziwei

Welfare
Tan Siau Yong
Ying Ke Sin
Low Jin Huat
Tan Jun You
Li Zhemin
Yang Yao
Teo Jian Hui
Nguyen Dinh Song Anh
Nguyen Viet Linh Chau
Gong Yefeng
Cao Hoang Dang
Wan Lanruo
Jiang Tian
Shen Yange
Wu Yao

Publicity
Liau Yung Siang
Nguyen Minh Trung
Gao Wenjuan
Liu Huan
Sankar Eswara Sarma
How-Tien-Fat Jonathan Christopher Yen-Fook
Ren Xiaoyu
Sridhavan Vathsalyan
Lou Min
Lim Yi Rong
Ramana Shyam Krishna
Chen XiaoYang
Wu Fan
Guo YiLin
Gokula Krishna Banumurtny

Website
Li Lu
Pang Danyang
Wang Bingyu
Fahad Ibn Azam
Iyong Pei Jun
Zhan Yingbo
Chai Yuek Ling

For those in the sub-committees, we will be dividing you into your respective sub-committees this Fri, where you will get to meet the Exco in charge and also your fellow sub-committee members.

We thank everyone for their applications, however we are sorry that we cannot take all our members in to the sub-committees. Ordinary members are still welcome to join us for sessions, concert outings or other NUSPE related activities.

Thank you.