ANGKLUNG GROUP'S SECOND PERFORMANCE OUTSIDE SCHOOL FOR 2016

Our second performance outside school for the year 2016

Date: Sunday, 1st May 2016

Venue: Sultan Iskandar Hall, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia

Time: 8:30 p.m.

Event: Merbauan Glory Award

(organized by Tun Hussein Onn Residential College)

We were at first having doubt whether or not to accept the invitation. I guess we made the right decision as the event was held at Sultan Iskandar Hall, the venue where grand university events take place. This should definitely a good experience for the Angklung Group members, to get the opportunity to perform on a stage of a huge hall.

We presented five songs, namely "Dayung Sampan", "Still Loving You", "Terukir di Bintang", "Wonderful World" and "Anak Kampung".

This was actually the second time for the school's Angklung Group to be here. The first one took place three years ago. Read about it HERE.

We just hoped the audience could hear us loud and clear as we were not quite happy with the sound system.

There will be a short break for the group after this as the exam is coming real soon, followed by the fasting month and the Eid celebration. We are planning to recruit and train new angklung players, most probably from the form one batch, after the school break.

A DIARY OF AN ANGKLUNG PLAYER BEFORE A PERFORMANCE

NOTE: Although we meet regularly once a week for practice, we still need to go for an intensive training session before a performance especially when there is unforeseen circumstances. There could be group members who could not join in the performance because of family issues etc. We have actually have a fixed player for certain angklungs but as there sometimes unavoidable issues, we have to make some changes here and there, and this would require more time spent practising.

8:00 a.m.:

People started to arrive. However, for some, to be punctual is something difficult to do.

To make people attend meetings on time is always a problem. There is still a long way to go to have a society who would appreciate and manage their time wisely.

9:30 a.m.:

We decided to have breakfast first and start our practice session right after. We had "roti canai" and sardine-filled curry puffs on the tables . 

10:00 a.m.:

Practice finally started. *sigh*

12:30 p.m.:

We had "nasi lemak" for lunch. Then we went for our "Zohor" prayer and had a short rest.

2:00 p.m.:

The practice session continued.

3:45 p.m.:

The van from UTM arrived and we left school. 

Performed our "Asar" prayer at the UTM mosque.

5:00 p.m.:

Trying out the stage and the P.A. system (which was supposed to be there).

The grand event in which we performed would be reported in another post. :)

TO BE CONTINUED...

ANGKLUNG GROUP PERFORMING OUTSIDE SCHOOL, FINALLY

Saturday, 6th April, 2013 - Creative Idea Competition and Bahasa Melayu Elocution Contest for International Students at Sultan Iskandar Hall, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.

We started our practice session early January and then performed for the Chinese New Year Celebration in school. When people decided there should not be angklung performance for the PTA Annual General Meeting, I knew the boys were a bit disappointed but the music must play on. And out of the blue, someone called me from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia asking whether we could play for an event there, I quickly agreed and the boys were excited to no end.

This however called for hard work from the members of the group. I calculated and we practised for less than 10 hours before the actual day and it was not easy when four of the group members were also involved in another district level marching competition held on the same day of the performance - so they were people who had to be running here and there, between the marching and angklung practice session.

still practising

We had a very bad rehearsal session with people making a lot of mistakes. With a few hours left, that was one of the moist nerve-wrecking moments I had ever experienced. However, after dinner and Maghrib prayer, we practised again and this time it was much better. And that was the biggest relief of my life, EVER.

getting ready with the costume

silat performance to welcome the guest of honour

two of the elocution contestants

So I guessed the performance was successfully done. There was one part when someone forgot to shake one main note but again, thank God, they did not stop in the middle. There were even audience who congratulated us for the great show. I guess all's well that ends well.

the post performance captures

the closing ceremony

watching the closing ceremony

there was tea for us :)

the senior members of the group

the fifth formers and an ex-student who came

with Maryam Shafie, an ex-student who is 
one of the members of the organizing committee,
I think

waiting for the bus to take us back to school, at 11 p.m.

So here is the video of the performance. We played two songs: "Terukir di Bintang" by Yuna and "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion, the theme track of "Titanic". Enjoy!