Sibu’s Sweet Revenge... Or BL’s Glorious Achievement...?

After two years of defeat and another two years of practice and planning of the downfall of their rivals, the choir of SMK Sibu Methodist finally tasted their long-awaited sweet revenge over the only other choir with any chance of blocking their path which is the SMK Batu Lintang choir, posting a victory as the 2007 Sarawak champions for a place in the finals, where each state will fight it out for the top honours in Terengganu.
Some may say we were not good enough, Sibu Methodist were too good, or we were overconfident – but we know that we really kicked some choir butts with some guidance from our incredible teacher, Pn. Luk, mostly led by our peer, Ryner Lai who put to use all his experience and knowledge to bring out the best in us, so we should be as proud as anything that we made it so far!
Of course, we were hoping to make history by bringing down one of the strongest secondary school choir in Malaysia, not to mention one with full-time choir instructors as well as RM60-an-hour-per-member vocal training (or so we heard). Luck seemed to be on our side as we were drawn to be the first to perform in the icy air of the Wisma Auditorium, Bintulu, making it likely that the cold air would affect the other team’s voices, but alas, it was not to be. After many, many months of hard work and sacrifices, we managed to clinch second place, followed by Chung Hua Miri taking third place.
I daresay we lost to a team better than us for that day, although I trust, had we performed our best like we did in the evening practice on the eve of the competition, it would be hard to decide the winner.
Beware – the Rock of Horizon will be back – with a new zeal, and hopefully, Pn. Luk – thereby dubbed: the (re-)Rise of Batu Lintang!!
Wisma Auditorium - the Battle Grounds...
Ryner proposing to Cikgu Susie!!! ahahah
"The cool bulls...?"
Ang Wee Cheng, Aaron, Bong Yang, Hussein, Anthony and Dennis

Eng Kwang Methodist Church, where we practised the night before competition

A groggy conductor just after our performance

A rather cheerful BL choir after a rather disappointing loss
Outside the Wisma Auditorium

A choir of stags
At the Tumbina zoo/plantation/whatever it is

A choir of terapins (or God knows what they are - I have no idea)
At Tumbina

A wild choir at the beach
Akasyah, Izzati, Azizul
Run baby run!

Anthony n Yang
Feel the wind

UNO Stacko!
(Don't tell teachers but we were actually playing STRIP UNO Stacko....O.o)

Ralph The Madman
The terrific feet of The Terrific (Bus) Conductor

After the competition...

Hey everyone,

Well, I guess by this time most of you would probably know we got a decent 2nd place in the state level competition, with Sibu in 1st place and Miri in 3rd place.. Well, we did our best and we put up a good fight. I honestly felt we lost to a better team.
Through this competition, I'm sure we have learned a lot... We have learned what it means by competition now and the attitude and mindset required, and also the standard we need to achieve to make it to nationals. To the ex-members who might be wondering, the choir of SMK Methodist is at their best right now, and are far better than the standard I got to see them in the year 2004.. They are really tough competition now and they remind me in a lot of ways of us back then..
The SMK Methodist members were really humble and friendly... They were so disciplined and sounded so good but yet they were not proud in any way.. The teachers even greeted me and I just wished they stayed longer in the hotel so that somehow we could all get together and have a nice friendly chat over some roti canai or something... Haha... I can really see that the SMK Methodist team were in it to win it.. Very disicplined and I think they managed to give SMK Methodist an excellent image.. I honestly love everything about their choir this time..
Each phrase, each line is very well taken care of... The SMK Methodist team has obviously worked hard and must have endure a lot of no-nonsense practices.. I felt even in terms of discipline, they already deserved to win. It's not like we're not disciplined, it's just that we're not disciplined enough... I could feel a lot of the members didn't really have to spirit to win, they felt they could win hands down.. So after chatting with a few seniors, I concluded that our biggest setback was the members' attitude. If they had better attitudes, we would have undoubtedly been much better than we are now. During practices when I am talking some of them are also talking.. and some do not take comments and corrections in good spirit.. The condition really is not THAT bad, but it isn't that great either.. We will not tolerate anything more like that next year.
Participating in the competition at least gives us an idea of how things should go and I am sure we have learned a lot through this whole experience.. I, for one, have learnt a a whole lot from being the conductor of a choir without a proper vocal coach this year.. As you can imagine, being thrown into circumstances that no normal Form 4 guy would be thrown into, and having to be tough through all the bad times and the good times... Well, you really learn a lot through going through all that...
To the present choir members, I'm sure we all have learned a lot and are better ready for any future competitions. For those who are leaving, well, it does not necessarily spell the end of choir for you all.. You can still drop by and maybe even follow us on some choir trips, and we may still have a few choir activities coming up.. And for everyone, don't keep thinking about choir, although it must be an amazing journey, especially for the newer ones.. Set your mind to your studies.. Life cannot just stop at choir.. Of course you'll miss all the fun we had, but who says it's over for good? ; )
To the ex-members, I hope we did you guys proud.. The challenge set before us was not an easy one, and we did our best. I did my best, and I can honestly say that I have no regrets. There is only so much a person like can do.. If Sibu's standard was like back in 2004, we would stand a good chance in beating them, but like I said they have improved tremendously, and in a competition there are bound to be winners and loosers...
It has been a great journey, but I hope everyone will bear it mind it does not mean that it's over for good. Everyone just concentrate on your studies for the moment; for the seniors, it really is time to look to the future; for the juniors, it's all just beginning...
Peace out, everyone.

Sincerely,
Ryner

Go BL Choir GO!!! : )

Hey everyone,

My heart is just so excited right now... We have improved so tremendously in the final week that if someone came to listen to us two weeks ago, they probably wouldn't even recognize us now. I just listened to the July 14 performance recording and when I compared it to our singing now, the difference was simply miles apart. Our standard now can't even be compared to that of the July 14 performance!
As a new conductor in this whole choir business, obviously I'm very inexperienced although I have been involved in choral singing for a long time now. Many many thanks to Pn Luk for coming a few times in the final week to give some comments that were indescribably valuable... I've got to admit that most of the improvement in the final week before the state level choir competition came because we worked on what she said. You guys know, after the July 14 performance when I came down stage and I asked Pn Luk how it sounded, she gave a string of constructive criticism... The major things she stressed on was a brighter tone quality, not pushing too hard, the blending, the tempo...
Well, at least she did not, like others, kept telling us that we're so good. Instead, she gave us much needed criticsm and advice that helped us a lot. She even found time to come a few more times later, and that made a world of difference for us. Many many thanks to her!
And of course also to my mother and Mrs. Law who came and helped us out too... But I'll reserve all my 'thank you's only after the competition, should we win..
To the present choir members, you guys sang the BM song amazingly. And you know I rarely call anything in choral singing amazing. By shifting the whole song two semitones up and singing it a capella made it so much brighter and nicer. The middle section of the song was the sweetest thing I've heard in a long time... Leaves the July 14 performance eating its dust..
And with the English song, you guys sang it so much sweeter and nicer... So much more polished.. With the tempo right and the whole thing in tune, once again it makes the July 14 performance sound like some sick parody...
SOPRANOS: You girls have improved tremendously, many thanks to Pn Luk for that. She stressed so much on a brighter tone, and that made you girls sound so sweet that your charm can even be compared to that of St. Theresa. Just remember to hold the support until the end of the phrase, focus it and send the energy and the voice to me. I had a hard time believing in you girls, but right now you girls just wow me.
ALTOS: You girls remain quite strong, and sound pretty round and together. You girls sound quite nice, and for that we have to thank Izzati and Akasyah's efforts in helping you girls and singing.. Just be soft at the parts where you need to be soft, and watch out for your pitching too. Good job girls, keep it up!
TENORS: You guys have the most beautiful voices, honestly. Just remember to send the energy to me, and don't push too hard. Your 'ah'-ing at the middle of the BM song is just amazing. You guys can hit high notes with ease and you guys really have that sweet, gentle quality that when accompanied with a little smile would most definitely croon girls to fall in love with you...
BASS: Always the most powerful one, and also the least problematic one. You guys really have achieved singing well without sounding too harsh or pushy now. You guys compliment the others very well, just remember to lift your notes up and always be conscious of your intonation (aka your in-tuneness). I said a little while ago that you guys are about as good as the SMB Methodist guys already.. Now I can honestly say you guys sound better than them...
To the entire choir: you guys sound great! Just have more confidence, SMILE, allude more charm in your singing and we'll be alright. We all know that a SMB Methodist teacher flew all the way from Sibu to Kuching just to listen to us during the division level and that she reportedly went back relaxed... Well, she and the entire choir will be in for a great shock.. Because the standard of you guys now cannot even begin to compare with our division level standard.. I sometimes wonder, and I think that others who will hear you will wonder too, how is it possible for a choir to improve so MUCH in such little time??
Itwas always difficult for me as a conductor to believe that we can actually improve so much in such a short amount of time. But guess what guys?
You guys did it.

Step aside everyone, SMK Batu Lintang choir is back.

As Azrin puts it,

THE RETURN OF BL CHOIR

hie~

omg. i'm an ex-member now. ahhh!

so anyways, yeah. due to unforseen circumstances, i'm not going to bintulu, and yes. i'm not in the team anymore.. gah.

so. to all SMKBL Choir Team members

hey dudes and dudettes.. missed me? hehe. i sure do miss you guys.. despite all the tiring stuff, i miss joking arnd with you people.. ryner's weird expressions.. everyone own special thang which makes you guys sooo miss-able. how're practises going?

i heard you guys a couple of times and i must say you guys are doing greatt.. go kick some musical butss people! hehe. i've heard about the new stuff added.. looking forward to watch you guys sing and doing your own thang! weee..

i'm sorry i couldnt stay longer and be a lil more responsible towards the choir..

and i'm sorry if i ever offended anyone anyhow.. i'll be back next year.. i think. lol rock on SMK Batu Lintang Choir!

a proud ex-member,
Ruby. =)

One year

Exactly one year ago, on this day, we were on our way to Xiamen, China to participate in the 4th World Choir Games. Oh, how fast time flies.

The closing ceremony. Can you spot Madam Luk sitting on stage?

And with Madam Luk as your trainer, you are bound to find something like this on the plane.

Like what she did when we to KL for MPO

She gave us the kit-kats on our last day there heh

4 years in the choir, I made various trips with the team. But the most, uhh..'culture-shocking' moment was when I was in Xiamen airport. I paid a visit to the ladies' room and saw this:

???

!!!

Very nice, very nice.

Dedication and Attendance..

Hey everyone,

Practices are going steady... I can see you guys pay more attention and work harder. I just want to take this opportunity to apologize if I scolded any of you choir members for some reason.. For both past and future scoldings.. But I'm sure you all know how this goes.. We can't be good if we don't have discipline..
I found out there are only two things that I've ever wanted from you guys, and that is:
1. Dedication
2. Attendance
You can probably include 'quality' as a third, but then again quality comes naturally if the two mentioned conditions are met. And you all as choir members also know that I usually get really angry and upset because of people coming late or being absent or are not working hard enough to achieve the quality needed, thus lacking in dedication.
I hope you all act up to be responsible choir members and start working hard. You know it's only two weeks left, and you all can probably understand my frustration should you guys slack and start coming late.. It's just that practices can only achieve its maximum affect if everyone comes on time, is geared towards improving, and that everyone is happy. And the best way to make it happen is up to YOU guys..
REMEMBER: dedication and attendance.
Hope all of you choir members understand the extreme importance of the following two weeks.. Work hard.. Your efforts for the school choir will be remembered.

Ryner

My C.H.O.I.R Prayer

This is my prayer to the choir in SMK BL:

Dear God,
May You bless our
Conductor, Ryner Lai. Give him wisdom to teach and have PATIENT with the member.
Gives him joy, guide him in teaching the choir and lead us through the competition.
Secondly, may You give us the heart of
Humily and Harmony not only in our voices but also in our relationship between one another.
Straighten our relationship and help to bare our burden in our study.
Thirdly, may God You gives us an
Optimistic heart. Help us by taking the negative thought away before it pull us apart.
God, may You help us to
Improve in every practise, gives us a fruitful practise always. God, help us to improve the
attendance of the members by giving them wisdom to arrange time properly with the 24 hours
that You've blessed us.
Last but not least, gives us an attitude of
Respecting each of the sectional leaders, conductor and teachers. Take all their comments, no
matter good or bad, take it as a stepping stone for us to improve. Be silent when they are
talking.

Loves,

Aaron

Azrin... Goodbye My Fair Lady...

"I've grown accustomed to her face... She almost makes the day begin..."

"I was serenly independent and content before we met... surely I could always be that way again and yetttt..."

(Azrin and Sam)

"I've grown accustomed to her looks, accustomed to her voice, accustomed to her face."

Indeed, we have grown so accustomed to our dear friend Azrin, so close and so connected with our fellow choir member. Even through her ups and downs, the choir had always been with her, and she with the choir.

But now she is gone far away "Into The West" to Penang, unwillingly of course, but some things have to happen in their own way, so we wish Azrin best of luck.

AZRIN WE LOVE YOU AND ALWAYS WILL!

Contrary to the saying, "Out of sight, out of mind", we will always think of you fondly, as "distance makes the heart grow fonder"...

(Izzati, Akasyah and Azrin)

May you, Azrin, go forth in love, and never forget us!! Don't stop singing and don't stop cheering (and once in a while insulting) others!!

(some of the choir girls at Xiamen, China - Azrin at far left)