Penang Symphony Orchestra (PSO) - TYT Concert, 17 Oct 09 at Dewan Sri Pinang

When ever I go to Penang it will be all about friends gathering, FOODs, rehearsals, and concerts

KL and PG friends gathering at Nyonya Cafe

the food here is just awesomely delicious

Programme for Konsert Utama 2009 by PSO

The Butterfly Lovers Concerto for Double Bass

by He Zhan Hao and Chen Gang

performed by Yung-Chiao Wei

Symphony no.35 "Haffner" in D major, KV385

by Amadues Mozart

conduct by guest conductor

David Wen

INTERVAL

Zampa Overture

by Fred. Herold

Malay Medley Festival

arr. by Woon Wen Kin

Polonaise from Eugene Onegin

by Peter I. Tchaikovsky

Procession of the Sardar from Causasian Sketches

by Ipolitov-Iivanov

conduct by music director of PSO

Woon Wen Kin

I only went to Penang for PSO rehearsal two days before (Thursday) the actual concert (Saturday) and thank God that I was not there on Wednesday because Wednesday's rehearsals was canceled last minute.  Well, this is PSO we are talking about here.

As usual the rehearsals were in a mess and we were still rehearsal 15 minutes before the concert on the concert day.  Hmmmm ... what a rehearsal, some of the audience I met on the concert day was shock knowing that we were still rehearsing 15 minutes before the concert start.  Well, I've no comment on this.

What is the purpose of a rehearsal?  How many rehearsal do we need for a concert like TYT concert by PSO?  The thing here is, a rehearsal must functions with goals and during that particular rehearsal we need to achieve the goals that we've set or I should say here the goals that a conductor have set.  Unfortunately, the conductor for this concert was just running throught the entire programme again and again blindly and without any goals.  Does this mean that the conductor didn't know the music well?  or just simply didn't how and what to listen during the orchestra playing.  That is why we were going no way if we keep doing like this and no wonder we still rehearse last minute.  Is this the way?

Some of the players even joke about the way the conductor conduct the orchestra, for example, Zampa Overture, 'Tong Sampah' Overture for me because we played like 'rojak' and the conductor que the orchestra into the music with a steady tempo but the orchestra can play with other crazy fast tempo.  That is how bad the orchestra was for this concert.  Aren't the musician in this orchestra trained to understand basic conducting techniques or ideas?  I strongly believe that most of the musicians in this orchestra don't know that we have to play the same tempo that the conductor gave us.  Most of the time the conductor 'syok sendiri' during both the concert and rehearsals. Allegro NEED NOT and doesn't mean FAST!!! but the Zampa Overture we played and rehearsed was in a STUPIDLY  FAST tempo, like crazy musicians play without any brain and just simply play with FAST, FAST, FAST (Allegro) tempo.  This is STUPID!  The even more stupid thing was each section has their own FAST tempo and honestly I don't even know how to play with this orchestra and the only thing I did during the concert for this Overture is to start with the first note and end with the last note.  This is SHIT!!!!

One thing I learnt for this concert is I was very in control when come to my solo part especially in Malay Medley Festival.  It is a total new experience for me to play the first flute part and the unison-solo part with clarinet at the beginning of this piece.  I've tried to achieve good intonation and in tune with the clarinet but the rhythm went wrong in the concert.  Well, just keep moving and play.

The Butterfly Lovers Concerto for Double Bass - simply love it and simply marvelous!  During the rehearsal, I barely hear the Double Bass 'voice' when I was sitting in the orchestra  ....