Aesthetique 2006 a Great Concert - THANKS and HOPES!

Dear CHSSB members, alumni, and CH old boys

It has been a most wonderful concert this Aesthetique 2006, a most satisfying concert, a most technically demanding concert, a most musically charged concert, and a most emotional and brilliant concert. The sounds, tones, shades and nuances, the colour, the resonance ... it felt great!

First, thanks to all the current students and old boys who turned up in your classes and batches to support our band's concert! It is great to see you again, and to know that your CH bonds are still strong! Hope you have enjoyed the concert as much as we have enjoyed putting it together for you.

To the Band: Well done! You have Done It! Again, this is the best sound and performance of the band so far. It's a culmination of your work this year. On a personal note, here's our fellow thanks and congratulations to each other for a great concert:

Thank you all our band members, for putting all the hard consistent and beautiful work in practising and rehearsal... all the early morning practices, all the afternoon late practices, taking all the demands and criticisms, taking all the scoldings, and believing in it and pushing yourselves on your own yet further and further, trying to improve on your music. Thank you for giving of your very best mental and emotional focus during the concert, and THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC.

Thank you all the band alumni, who over the years have never failed to come back and support, chastise, guide and push the band. As I always like to say, the current CHSSB is a culmination of the efforts of all the batches, past and present. Thank you for being such a strong support all these years. And thank you for always being there too at all the major rehearsals, competitions and concerts.

Thank you all the sec 4s, for putting in your best for this final year. Most significantly, many of you have significantly matured over this final year, and have really taken on the mantle of seniorship well. You have led and anchored your sections well. Thank you for having to manage your time so fine and well between the demanding studies and the gruelling hours of the band. But I am sure you will remember every moment with great fondness. Great!

Thank you all the admin committee members and section leaders, for coming together and gelling over the year. The smoothness of the band in terms of scores, instruments logistics, wardrobe, theory, music, audio, welfare, drill etc... everyone plays an important part, and that's what makes the band ticks.

Thank you all the 5 leaders, for believing, planning, leading, scolding, motivating, encouraging and urging the band on. Truly, you have given much much of your time to do all these additional things, and over the year I have seen the intellectual and administrative maturity developing in you, and this has helped you in helming the band. And thank you for taking all the demands that we pile on you, and the minute details we expect from you. Thank you too for all the work and support that you have done in your term of leadership - thank you for leading the band into the next phase! It would not have been possible without your dedication, and it has made this year of working together all worth it.

Now, I am sure the subsequent batches will all want to really work towards professional standards. 2007, aim for top 3 bands in SYF, and have a real public orchestral performance; 2008, have 2 performance seasons a year, 2009; aim for WMC 2nd Division gold. The sec 3s, 2s and 1s, you will be leading the way now. Believe. It is possible! It's all in the mind and attitude.
So you must look forward to even greater musical excellence ahead!

So, finally, my hopes for the band in the future in our pursuit to that exellence in music:
- To always believe and keep moving further, higher and faster, according to a long term plan.
- To always apply yourselves to the music with utmost musical professionalism, diligence and patience.
- To always do justice to composer and music.
- To always enjoy the music you play, and have that connection with the audience.
- And most important of all, to always stay as one united band, like our motto: One Band, One Sound, One Brotherhood.

Thank you for a most wonderful time, and I am certain that for each of us, it will be a most cherish part of our memories.