NCO! A once in a life time course!
Day 1
NCO. I have always awaited for the time to come to attend this spectacular course ever since i stepped up. Perhaps a course that every single band member would want to attend. However, it was only for the Band Majors and Drum Majors to attend. To my surprise, some of those who attend were not the majors but were either Sectional Leaders or just normal band members.
Me and Xiangyi arrived without knowing what to expect. I was so excited and can’t wait for the camp to start but however, also feeling dreadful to come as I do not knoe whether or not I was able to fit in fast and well despite the pre-camp for band majors and the briefing session which got me and XY all wet.
Upon arriving, I met Belinda, a girl whom I never really talktd to at pre-camp at the entrance. Then, me and Xy went to sit down and just wait for the music studio door to open. After it opened, all the majors from all schools rushed in and took a sit. I sat near Belinda and Lydia. Then, I saw QianYing. Mr Ng told us to squeeze as all the majors/representatives were going to squeeze inside there. Then, we were told to split ourselves up into groups of 15 to play this “power station” game. We splited ourselves up and proceeded to the MPH to play the game. Then 2 groups combined. I remembered a few people distinctively in the 2 groups… Sijia, HwaChong guy who laughed at Sijia “Eh, aren’t u the actress? I still watch your show lei… the zhen zhen one.. hahaha.” And sijia giving the ‘yaya’ look. Haha. Somemore was Alexa, Nicholas, jolin and er…. Others. Then we played the game and found it quite lame so we change it.. to introducing ourselves. Then played games, games and more games. Then when everything ended, alexa so happened to be beside me. So, we started talking about our bands etc and how I wanted to play flute/oboe. Haha. Then went into music studio and start playing our pieces….
Fanfare, Fanfare and Salute, Anchors Aweigh, Abba Gold, Lao Duang duan, For the people for the nation, Semper Fidelis, grand march, The Merry Widow, Jericho. All the pieces were nice and some were very hard with notes reaching up to high A for 2 pieces. Practiced real hard. Then I made my click of friends which were…LYDIA, ROYSTON, QIANYING. The 4 of us kinda stick together and during lunch, ate together too at the corridor. Anyway, after lunch, we saw the history of Singapore band movement. The one Mr Fahmi show us on TK band one. And then, we headed to the field, needing to memorise Anchors Aweigh. We got into our formations and started doing the marching and playing with instrument for quite long until 5pm where the NCC instructors came to take us for basic footdrill. Our instructor for my squad is a very funny guy lo. He does not speak good English but is very nice. We learnt the BASICS on day1 of basic footdrills which was just ‘sadia, sanandiria and berhakan diri’. Learnt a lot of things lo. Then the day ended and went home with taxi to the Newton Mrt station. Oh ya, it drizzled on that day too. And I wore shorts… so wired cuz it was FREAKKING cold in the room but with the NCO band like a family, it was needless to say, cosy!
Day 2 NCO
The second day of NCO started with us having to be at the field already to march and knowing how to play Anchors Aweigh and The incredibles and some other pieces. We practiced and did our formations. Then, had the display band technique training where we looked like fools marching with the booklet. Then know this HaiSing guy. Haha. Then after which went to have the lecture on leadership. Just sat down there and slept cause it was really very tiring. After which, we had lunch and then, went into the room and was shown that we have to memorise quite a lot of pieces by the end of the day. Mostly is the march past pieces etc and The incredibles. Then we proceeded to the field where we started learning our ‘show’ and had the domino effect after the incredibles. It was so fun. Something my band would never get to do! Then we played all the fanfare etc. where I did not really play well cause I forgotten all that I had memorise. IT takes time and a lot of practice!. Then we did this till the end of the day. At 5, the NCC people took us again and we had to march. Then, it rained heavily and my instructor did the ‘squad satu, squad dua, squad dia’ thing. I think I should do that too! Marching-NCO style! Haha. After which, my father came and we went home.
Day 3 NCO
We wore our NCO tee today. It was nice and cool to see so many 32! Haha. As we were told to memorise well our pieces , I did some memorizing. And the day started off with playing some games. The teambuilding games. Was fun la… but boring. After the games, we had our conducting lecture. I could really see some good conductors up there and they were really professional even though its their first time conducting and infront of the majors! Also, everytime the lecturer called bedok, me and Joanne would look at each other and my legs would go numb. Haha. But I learnt a lot of skills at the end of the day. Then we had lunch and then again, went to the auditorium to look at overseas band performances etc. Also, had a talk on the history of SYF and while waiting to enter, I got teased of being very compatible with QianYing and I then realized that Royston has a girlfriend. So embarrassing. After which, we proceeded to the field there to continue our marching and show. Then I was in first squad for display formation. And had to do a lot of turning and my position was the obvious one. Then I met the dunman high girl and orchid park guy – emelyn and Shannon. I made friends with her and we kinda talked a lot after that! Haha. Then we did our marches and I seriously can’t get it. It is difficult to balance marching with playing with actions all at the same time. It was tough. Haha. Then did marching with the ‘kenan belok and kiri belok’. This was fun but my hand was aching a lot as we had to marching with the swinging of 2 hands – 90 degree, 45 degree. Then we did some thing that led us to tall to short etc. I am not that short afterall I realized and then had a talk cock session. Haha. About wanting to enter the pub etc. haha. Then, the day ended at 630pm which was super late and I took taxi home once again with Xiangyi.
Day 4 NCO
I started to think how much I would miss NCO already. Today, we started off at the field again where we were again told to memorise a lot of pieces. We went to the field very late… at about 850 where we were suppose to be there at 830. We juz loved playing Abba Gold! The building of the sound was so fabulous and cool. It was so united and I loved it man! Okay.. ya. So we went to the field and started playing and refining our performance. IT was seriously damn hot and I wore band tee that day. Was sweating and I think I stank. The oboes were so lucky as they need not play. Then the playing and marching was tough. Plus the kan kan movements… gosh! And I keep getting it wrong. Then up till lunch, we did the marching and then in the afternoon, we had our rehearsals for wet weather programme. We rehearsed and played and whoa… the sound in the mph was great and loud and fabulous. When the band played the resonance could be heard damn clearly! I had goosebumps man and even xiangyi said we were powerful. Did 3 such rehearsals in the mph then rested like 3 times.. cuz it was raining and we could not do any practice at all. Then we started playing the different instruments. I took the reedless oboe from dunman high first. Then the bassoon, then the flute form alexa where I faked vibrato :P and then the clarinet from the ACS(I) guy and then the trumpet from CHIJ. She damn cute lo. Everytime call her “CHIJ, CHIJ” then she will call “BV, BV” which sounded like “BB”. Haha. Then we practices again and then the rain started to clear and we went to the field but sadly, it started pouring again! Then we headed to the shelter. The DM was so good. They need not do anything but just rest whilst we had to play under the shelter and Mr Lawrence Siao got pissed sometimes… haha. And also we play wrong at times. Then we rested and listened to Mr Siao talk about the next day’s practice and the whole performance routine . As much as I tried to remember it, I could not. SO I just followed the crowd lo. So much things to remember! When to instrument down also must remember! Haha. Then we ran in the rain into the CCAB block and then start packing up and then we went home in the rain. Where we met this taxi driver who wanted the mase. Haha.
Day 5 NCO. POP
The last day. Gosh. I will miss all the NCO peeps and the playing and marching man! The Buddha joke told by the Hwa Chong DM and Nicholas saying that he can’t understand Chinese. They were all so funny. And the eating lunch where I always never eat finish. The laughing with QianYing and the irritation with Royston. The jokes we always make when Royton’s Dm came and the dancing music that Hwa Chong guy imitated. JunRong, a great guy. Jolin, a funny and loud girl. Lydia, the cool but still nice girl .Always keep watch of the time with her! Haha. The blur RI guy and the funny Melissa’s DM. MY horn section! Belinda, Sijia, Madelyn etc. haha. I will miss all of them.
The day started off with the mase playing where I finally was able to fling the mase up. Haha. Then a lot of fun and we went back into the music studio (me and Melissa) and then, we started playing in out practice area. Day 4 and Day 5 were the superb hot day. Day 5 morning practice was the time where I got tanned, Real tanned. We had to practice out basic footdrill still in the morning and I think MR siao and the NCC people not really happy with each other! Haha. Then the NCC guy keep saying Mr siao. And the Band majors were late and everyone was putting pressure on us. then we did our rehearsals under the super hot sun. The sun was really hot and it sucked when during the presentation of momentos part. We had to stand like idiots. There were two rehearsals and the dance was stupid lo. Lol. After the 2 reheasals which were kinda bad, we had to do another wet weather programme rehearsal.
Then it was lunch and then dress up and photo taking all the way up till 530om from 1230pm. We once again ate together with Cedar Girls too. Her twiler so cool and then we returned to play out instrument and play other instuments. It was practically slack time! Then I played the oboe with a reed now and trumpet! Haha. Qianying is so funny when I always disturb her. Haha. Then we took a lot of pictures. The we changed and then again, took a lot of pictures! Horn section pic, individual pic. Just too many to count. Haha. Then time flew as we took pictures as it was soon time to get ready. Then I heard thunder crashing and really started to pray it would not rain. Or else It would suck! And it did not. They give out the proficiency badges and we headed to the field soon after :P IT was a very nervous and exciting moment. I kept praying I would do well.
Then the moment came. We played well. then the display band one. Although I made a few errors here and there but at least I did enjoy myself and I believe that is the most important of all right :D haha. Then, the end of parade. It was the end!!! My friends… eli, yvon, xiangluan, Rachel, Darren, gino, sokyee, Amanda, chenchen, Audrey, weining, xiaowei, huijia, carin and MS ONG came! Thanks a lot to them. Got a sunflower. Took many pictures and really felt like a celebrity! Haha. Then went back to get my things and played changed. Took a lot of pictures on the way too.
It was the end. But it would always stay in my head. This wonderful camp that I have gone through! IT IS THE BEST! :D
