Cooperative Conducting Workshop
- Apr 23, 2018
- 2 min read
*PDF notes under "Workshops" link
Attended a workshop by one of the SYF judges (from Finland) mainly because I wanted to learn more about choirs from a conductor's point of view.
I distinctly remember that particular day being one of frustration because i initially intended to leave at 2.15pm but got held up till 2.20pm and decided not to risk being late (cos you have to go in by the front for this Auditorium and its quite rude to disturb everyone else) by Grabbing.
It was $9 but i decided to pay for it anyway since it shaved off more than half my travelling time.
The app announced that the driver was "3min away" and after 20min he was still "3min away" and I was really a bit pissed.
I cancelled that Grab (no response to my messages either but refused to cancel) and was toying with the possibility of just not going, but decided to see it through. I booked another one, now at $11. The time was 2.42pm and the driver was 4min away, dropping off another passenger.
He arrived at 2.54pm.
I was REALLY frustrated at this point in time, mostly because I was thinking that now I was definitely going to be late. Coupled with the realisation that if I had just walked out at 2.20pm, I would have reached at the same time (or even earlier) anyway and also saved a substantial amount of money.
Thankfully, I had the kids to temper my frustration. Mya, Alannis, Adrien and Keanne were talking to me at various points (first two just really talking incessantly about all the happenings in school; Adrien asking me for piano and K asking for my ML acc LOL) and when I was really getting frustrated, I remember saying something like "UGH, seriously I wasted my time. 40 min waiting!!!" and Mya piped up saying "its okay, we got to spend time with each other so its not wasted!".
I know its cliché and stupid and she was probably just joking but God really used it to make me feel the potential impact of a seemingly insignificant thing like a teacher's presence.
ANYWAY,
I didn't regret going for the course although the people I talked to said it was irrelevant and inapplicable to SG context. I think nothing can be applied wholesale, but we learn what we can, and see if we can adapt it to our context. Sure, our choirs may never be like the Tapioca Children's Choir (his choir) but if we can improve to a certain extent by applying his methods, why not? We never know until we try.
I hope I don't ever lose this.
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