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Today we visited Yichang High School and it was truly an eye-opening experience ! Although they were much younger than us, but their musical skills are still up there :) There was this 12 yr old girl that could speak English really well and play all the running notes which really amazed us despite her young age !!! Just like TJC Symphonic Band, they had many clarinet players ! We learnt to unite as one and play good music despite the differences in us ! We also learnt that practising long notes is really important in order to play with good tone !

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Germerio_Preston_Day 6 in Taiwan_Dec 4th

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Germerio_Preston_Day 6 in Taiwan_Dec 4th

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Today, We went to the Yichang Junior Junior high school for combined school concert. We were glad that the school was only 2 minutes walking distance from our hotel. When we arrived, more than 50 band members from the school welcomed us along the way to the classroom. We went for a sectional with a Trombone tutor. Although Germerio does not understand the Mandarin, he could understand every instruction the tutor said, which clearly shows music is really the universal language. From that we could learn how our sectionals could be improved. After that we had our lunch. Similar as in Jing Mei Girls High School, they separated all the paper plates and cutleries for recycling. After the meal, we went for the last rehearsal. We were surprised that the children from Yichang Junior High could play very confidently, even though they were so young. When our turn for the rehearsal came, we realised that all the environment of the stages are not familiar such as stands, chairs and lighting as well. From there, we learn that musicians need to be very adaptive.

During the concert, we could hear the Percussion and Clarinet Ensemble for the first time. It was really amazing, and we could see how much effort they have been putting for the performance. Generally, our concert was not bad. Although we only combined the ‘Red Rock Mountain’ only once before, we could managed to blend in all our sounds and make music.

Straightly, after the concert, we needed to rush to the train station in order for the bus driver to reach Taipei as fast as possible. Although we wanted more interactive time with the taiwanese friends, we knew the priority is the rest of the trip. The train experience was quite refreshing, as there is no such a train. We were very tired and just fall asleep throughout the journey. When we reached, we were rather shocked that the bus driver actually reached earlier than us. We could feel the driver’s strong responsibility.

We were rather sad that we are leaving Taiwan tomorrow. As we really enjoyed Taiwan a lot, and we could get more bonded with our band members as well.

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I hoped to meet some lasting friends but unfortunately for me I didn't. The similarity between  Yichang Junior High and TJCSB is that the band members are of a wide range of ages, which is pretty much the same as ours. Some important takeaways from the three exchanges were that the structure of band practices have to have the right balance of self-practice, sectionals and full band, which is quite difficult to accomplish in academics-focused Singapore. Another takeaway is that if individual players are expected to be very competent in their instruments and music in general, they really have to be exposed to music and their instrument of choice from a young age, not to forget that it is crucial to have an appropriate experienced tutor to guide them from the very first step. This was noticed in Yichang Junior High where every section was showered with competent tutors to guide them from the very basics, giving them the perfect nurturing environment to learn swiftly, explaining the fact that they were almost as well-versed as us despite the age gap.

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Noelle: The Taiwan students I felt the most connected to would definitely be those from National Hualien Commercial High. All of the members of the horn section recognized us immediately at the combined concert and it was surprising how conversation flowed so easily! The other students were incredibly outgoing, welcoming and funny, despite me not being from their section, and I would definitely like to remain in contact with them! :)

One similarity we share to Yichang's band was that we both have a variety of players with different levels of experience. It was extremely inspiring to see those students who had less than a year of experience try very hard to improve, and I can definitely learn from them in order to keep improving my own sound :)

My main takeaway is that all the bands have players with different levels of experience with their instrument. Even though many of them have not learnt their instrument for a long time, they still put in effort to match up to their section. None of them have complacent attitudes, even those with more experience. Their perseverance is definitely one of the key values they possess, a value that we should all model after.

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1) Lu Yang from National Hualien Commercial High School. When we got all awkward during sectionals because we had difficulty communicating, he was the one who manned up and tried his best to talk to us in English despite it not being his mother tongue. His welcoming smile made the time we spent there more comfortable and we are grateful for that.

2) They had a lot of percussion players like we do so sharing parts with them during combined was a hard task. However, their percussionists were very good and they had this talented dude who was excellent at playing and is an inspiration to us.

3) We should practice even harder and be extremely focussed while playing as our percussion ensemble was not as good as we wanted it to be.

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Li Zhong_Zhi Hao_Performance Day_Dec 4th

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Li Zhong_Zhi Hao_Performance Day_Dec 4th

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Both of us met some students at Jing Mei Girls High School that we both wanted to remain friends and in contact with. We got to know those students as they were allocated as our partners for our band exchange with their school, and although there was a difference in the social media that we used, we were interested in knowing each other better, and sharing about the difference cultures of our two countries.

Li Zhong:

My buddy was really relatable with, since we both played the tuba and could find similar points of discussion. From there, other topics for conversation like school or cultural differences was easy to talk about and till this day we still talk regularly about many various things. (She claims that getting lost is a special point about her.)

Zhi Hao:

My partner was a very outgoing and cheerful person, and it was very interesting to get to know her. It was easy to strike up a conversation with her and share with each other, the perks and quirks of both of our cultures.

A similarity that we noticed between the bands of both schools, was how all of us, no matter how long we had to practice playing our instruments, as well as practice the pieces that we were playing that day, we were all trying our best to play to the best of our abilities, with our shared love for the music we were playing. Even when we kept encountering difficult parts to play, we kept trying, so that we would eventually be able to give a great performance together.

In conclusion, we have learned much from the three school exchanges that we had in Taiwan. One of it was how much more important, perspective was in trying to enjoy our school life. Due to this being the first time we combined bands with another band, we realised how really important it was, for a band to practice together, to be in tune and in sync with each other’s playing, and get listen out to the conductor’s instructions together.

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Performance day! But before that we are going to have another exchange with our last school, YiChang Junior High School, and that's where the performance will be held. The school was just a minute walk away and when we reached we were warmly welcomed by them. We had sectionals with the students there with a Clarinet Tutor. The tutor was really experienced and taught us many fundamentals and warm up exercises that we feel it'll be good bringing it back to Singapore! The students were younger than us and we exchanged contacts. They gave us cards with a little self introductory of themselves. They were all so kind and nice, we'll definitely stay in contact with them!

One thing we noticed similar was that both schools, ours and theirs have great passion and interest for the music we play. And that was enough for us to communicate and break all barriers as it was music that brought us together.

Takeaways from these exchanges are that we shouldn't take our instruments for granted. From the schools we visited, the instruments they were using compared to ours, we really shouldn't we complaining. Instruments that we condemn and call lousy, to them it's good. So this really led us to a whole new level of appreciation for the things we have. Discipline and modesty is really the key to making a band sound good. Many of them have little practice time, but they manage to effectively utilise the little time they have and really learn what their teachers/conductors tell them. We should all do the same for our sectionals and full band practices so that TJCSB can further improve and reach greater heights!!

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Lance Wu_Ryan Chung_Performance at Yi Chang Juniot High_4th Dec

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Lance Wu_Ryan Chung_Performance at Yi Chang Juniot High_4th Dec

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Lance:
1. I would still keep in touch and remain friends with my buddy at Jing Mei a high, Min Jia. We were able to communicate with each other (despite my broken Chinese) and even exchanged Ig accounts.

2. Both of the bands share a strong passion for excellence in music. The tutoring sessions thought me quite a bit about my instrument and my musical ability as well.

3. My takeaways would be that I learnt to work more effectively as a band member and that I play a key role in the band as well and another takeaway would be the close bonds that I have forged with my fellow band members.

Ryan:
*Day 6*

1. Yes I met 薛律方 from Jing Mei High Girls' School.  She was my partner in the exchange.  She was really friendly and hospitable,  and tried to find similar interests between us to break the ice.

2. Both dedicate themselves to making music and are keen to further improve on their skills in the band.

3. We should strive to continuously improve and not get complacent from good results.

We should always dare to try new things or meet new people when there is a situation which calls for it.

If we are willing to work hard, results will come quickly.

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Zixi_Huiwen_Yichang Junior High_ Dec 4th

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Zixi_Huiwen_Yichang Junior High_ Dec 4th

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Today was the day of our concert and as we walked to the Yichang Junior High, I was a little worried for our performance. As we entered the school, the students were lined up in 2 lines and were cheering and welcoming us. THEY WERE SO CUTE HAHAHA.

We then split into sectionals and had a tutoring session. I FINALLY HAVE A TUTOR YAY. He was really nice and really talented. There was definitely a difference between having a tutor and not having a tutor. I believe with great guidance, they will definitely grow up to become really good players.

1. I have met many new friends and despite my limited Chinese, they were able to understand and communicate with me. I will definitely keep in touch with the girls from JingMei because they were really cute and lively.

2. Both bands have players who have different backgrounds. Those who are unable to play as well are just as hardworking as those in our band.

3. Don't always rely on the tuner and always listen to each other and across sections. Playing scales are really important especially when we are playing high notes.

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Today was almost our last day in Taiwan, and was our most important day - performance. We suited up, brought ties along, wore concert shoes and tried to make ourselves look as proper as possible.

The first moment we stepped into the school, we were so honored to see so many people waiting for us, and as we walked in they were clapping to welcome us. We also overcame the language barrier during sectional, since some of the students cannot speak English at all. The sectional was fruitful and interesting since the teachers were all very experienced in teaching us how to play the instrument.

In my opinion, Yichang Junior High really puts lots of attention to the band, as shown when every section has a private teacher, and their instruments are really expensive. Therefore, even though the students are young, their skill are applaudable for their age. Nevertheless, some sections are stronger than the other.

One thing I really regret in the actual performance was that I was affected by the player next to me, and that I did not manage to follow our conductor. Thus, I could not play at all some parts that I normally could, for example the long running notes part, and I also did not play the solo part properly. I was actually disappointed at myself cause I know I have been practicing hard for the song.

After the trip, I learnt that practice makes perfect. No matter how hard is the song, if you practice it often, and practice in the correct way, you are sure to be able to play it when time comes. I also learnt that it is essential to look at the conductor, and not just stare at the score when I play. Today, due to a lack of stand, I had difficulty looking at the conductor and some parts I could not follow the score at all.

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1. We met a few people in Taiwan that we wanted to remain as friends. The first would be the buddy we have in Jingmei Girls' High where we spent time having combine and an art lesson to get to know each other better, even though we felt awkward at times. We also met people from Yichang Junior High School and were impressed by some of the member's skills, so by keeping in touch, we could share our experience and maybe even learn from each other in the long run!

2. We discovered that in both Singapore and Taiwan, the band shares a rather strong bond and all of them, just like us, display the passion to play as a band and as a result working together more easily to achieve better results

3. We learnt that it is important to work together as a team, as a band. Also, we should also listen out to instructions attentively, as we realise on the last day that it is hard to receive information due to the large group of people involved in the concert.

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1) we got to meet this pair of twins who are both in the saxophone section. They were very friendly and easy to talk to, and we had a lot of fun exploring the school along with them an as well as with the rest of the section.

2) we both have a variety of players with different musical background, with some having at least 5 years of experience in music playing while some only had a few months of practice, so they could not really play the pieces provided. However, they still manage to come together as a band and teach and guide each other, and work together as one. Just like our band, with so many different people with different musical background.

3) takeaways: always listen to each other even if you are in tune
Warms ups are crucial especially if you have not played for a very long time.

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Caiheng
1. I got to know a pair of twin sisters who are from Huashang’s saxophone. Like me, they also just started to learn saxophone this year so we had a lot of common topic. They were very curious about so many things such as the punishments for crime in Singapore and their opinions were very interesting and cute to me. We got along pretty well, we took pictures(imagine those two pictures, I took with two people that look the same, I still cannot differentiate them) we shared our contacts as well.
2. They have good players but some sections are relatively weak as well
3. Takeaway: Foundation and practice is very important,
Need to learn to listen
Need to help each other

Anjali
1. I have 2 people in mind!!!!!!! Firstly, its my buddy You Xin from Jing Mei! She's very much alike me and we share many common interests!! Until today, we still keep in touch! (we have been talking everyday!)
Another person would be the tomboy from the commercial high school, her personality seems pretty interesting, especially how she looks like a tomboy but internally is still s shy girl, she's really cute! But i guess we would have a language barrier between us so communicating with her might be hard (nevertheless, we follow each other on instagram now i can like her pictures :))

2. Yichang has similar players who have just started playing the instrument, hence they are less confident JUST LIKE US with mastering there pieces. They have a really really good clarinet tutor hence they really dont have to worry so much, the tutoring session was really useful and it reminded us about the importance of warm-ups (which we have been neglecting due to the lack of time during sectionals)

3. WARM UPS ARE REALLY IMPORTANT, (clarinets) we really need to warm up all 3 octaves HAHA
We shouldn't be overconfident and neglect those small rituals aka analysing our pieces. I felt that the clarinets should have sang our ensemble piece in the hotel before the big day like how the percussions had ensemble practice everyday.

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Today was the day of our big performance! Before leaving the hotel, we both felt extremely nervous and worried we wouldn't perform well. We brought our instruments and walked over to nearby Yichang Junior High School and commenced with our practice. We had an intense sectional session with our tutor as well as a quick run through of our ensemble pieces before we headed off to lunch. Similar to TJCSB, the players there were not as confident although being able to play through the whole piece. However, one vast difference we saw was that the students here had obviously practiced a lot at home as shown by their skill and technique. Seeing the ensemble pieces Yichang Junior High School percussion section had prepared, we were definitely intimidated and scared as the quality of sound they produced was phenomenal and surprising for such young students. They demonstrated exemplary skill which was no where near ours...(GGWP). Walking with our tails between our feet for lunch, we calmed ourselves as well as discussed our plan of action for the performance later, particularly the ensemble pieces. It was finally time for the performance. We held our heads high and performed our ensemble and combine pieces. Despite making a few mistakes here and there, we came out feeling proud that we were able to put on a good show for everyone. Overall, we learnt that confidence is an extremely important factor when it comes to performing, and that it definitely helps in improving our playing skill and showmanship. Throughout the trip, we managed to meet many new faces in the 3 schools, however, on student particularly caught our eyes during the exchange. His name was  lu yang. He is from National Hualien Commercial High School and was very welcoming and open to all of us. He really inspired us to be more open and outgoing when it came to meeting one another and we really hope we can stay in contact when we are back in Singapore. Overall, we had a great trip so far and we can't bear to leave tomorrow :(

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"Do good deeds when young, and you will be a saint when you grow up." :)

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1)         Did you meet anyone in Taiwan who you would like to remain friends with when you return? Describe this person and how you got to know him/her.

2)         What is ONE similarity between Yichang Junior High School and TJC Symphonic Band?

3)         What are your takeaways from the three school exchanges in Taiwan?