where thoughts materialise.

So we're into the sixth version of my blog after the last version hung around for a year or so.

Now, a bit of info on this image. This photo was taken one lovely spring afternoon, featuring the iconic Old Well from the UNC Chapel Hill campus. I would like to think of this image as a tribute to my time in UNC Chapel Hill, the awesome friends I made and the memories I now hold dear.

A milestone in my life indeed.

I've dropped the tagboard cos its useless and taking eons to load. But thanks to Angela who helped me set it up, I still do like and will miss the pink interface.

So yeah, it's the sixth one you fellas!

Yours.

27 April 2008

you know you miss my older entries

October 2004 November 2004 December 2004 January 2005 February 2005 March 2005 April 2005 May 2005 June 2005 July 2005 August 2005 September 2005 October 2005 November 2005 December 2005 January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 May 2006 June 2006 July 2006 August 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 December 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 June 2007 July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 December 2007 January 2008 February 2008 March 2008 April 2008 May 2008 June 2008 July 2008 August 2008

Tuesday, November 02, 2004

I had the privilege of catching the UBS Verbier Festival Orchestra at the Esplanade Concert Hall last night.

What's so special about this orchestra is the fact that the best musicians (aged 17 - 29) from all of the lands are assembled each year through a prestigious audition to form the UBS VFO. aka the dream team for the orchestral world. So they aren't old uncles trying to cover up bald patches, or aunties refusing to accept that they need a corset to squeeze into that dress.

33 countries are represented by the finest musicians this year, none of whom are from Singapore. We're just not up to that standard yet. Significant asian presence in the orchestra hail from China and Japan, and surprise surprise, even one violinist from Taiwan.

Some background info that i find facinating. Yearly, a new orchestra is formed for the Verbier Festival. Atlas check: Verbier's at the Swiss alps. (Hear that joseph? SWISS) Freedom, beauty and a sense of something magical - this is the spirit that mountains inspire around the world.
It is in that same spirit that the Verbier Festival was created - an alpine village where both artists and music lovers have the freedom to meet and share ideas and passions. That interaction takes a tangible form in the concerts and the festival brings together the finest musicians to perform in an environment that celebrates the ethereal beauty of music.

To get how big a deal this is, imagine Eminem, Shania Twain, Britney Spears, U2, Mariah Carey (i had to include her) and 40 more of pop's hottest acts gathering in an Alpine village to chew the fat, hang out and occasionally perform together -- for no fees and no charitable cause -- under a tent with a seating capacity of just 1,750. It could only happen in a pop-music fan's wildest dreams. But this time, lovers of classical music will see their equivalent fantasy come true.

Interesting huh?!

And after the summer festival, they go on a world tour in autumn.

Anyway, excellent performance last night. Most impressive was Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition (arranged by Ravel). Its grandiose multiform brought the audience to our feet. One encore later, the performance ended at 10.30pm, almost an hour past its estimated end.

* *

And tonight, I had the privilege of having dinner with my grandparents. I do not usually get to eat with them, cos they always prefer to eat last and scavage on the fish bones (which they claim to be the best way to appreciate a fish).

It's heartwarming to see that love doesn't change much even through the age. Seeing my grandpa playfully teasing my grandma over dinner made me smile. A pure innocent smile that came onto my face almost involuntarily.

Perhaps it was because of my presence, much of our dinner conversations were focused on reminiscing times when i was a little kid and times when things were, well, simple.
To them, I figured I was a stark (or painful?) reminder of how much time has passed, a representation that age has indeed caught up with them.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed dinner thoroughly. They are fun people with lots of stories to entertain and share. And i listen with much reverence and facination.

Two nights of bliss. I couldn't have asked for more.

nimgnoy let the night fall at 10:56 PM

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