An ending to an era....

Yesterday night was the night the Chinese Orchestra held its 20th anniversary concert and to mark the milestone, the concert was held at the Esplanade Concert Hall.

Well, as a community centre orchestra comprising all amateur players, there are constraints on how much audience we can draw, even if it's held a professional venue like The Esplanade. But it was a fitting ending to an era, sort of.

In particular, it was the marking of an end to my personal era.... I was one of the pioneering members in that orchestra and yes, I've been in the troupe for 20 years. In fact, I've been playing my instrument for 22 years. Have seen a whole load of good... and crap that went on in the troupe through the years, and ups and down in my own performance "career path" too.

I started out as a rookie player in 1987, barely 12 years old and just out of my PSLE when I decided to follow my then-instructor to join the troupe. Afterall, I defied my parents to join Chinese Orchestra in primary school and having spent money on my own personal instrument, I was not about to give it up that easily. And over the years, have gotten to know a lot of friends, people in the orchestra, and in the learning process, developed better skills at it. Had the honour of learning from the best too.... the national "grade" players and representative of the instrument I was playing.... when they came to singapore to perform and also when we went to Beijing for the first time.

I think I peaked in my 20s.... when I was good enough to play solo pieces and was pretty much playing a leading role in the section. That was a decade of performances every year, sometimes two per year because I was in the Uni's orchestra as well.... and was really actively mastering my skills and playing new songs.

Yesterday I realised I've come down from that peak... sad but to think that it lasted 10 years, it was worth it. The young ones are picking up much faster than this old brain can... and work and other commitments that I have nowadays mean I don't have the kind of energy and time to devote to the practice like what I used to. And 10 years ago, the orchestra troupe started its series of annual performances with a solo performance.... mine. And this year, it ended its decade with another solo item from me.... sort of like wrapping up what I started... and there's a good feeling abt it. Considering my solo piece miraculously went smoothly without error only at the actual performance.... hahaha... what an end!