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