談感受

So, besides thanking a bunch of people for helping with my recital 之外，都要談一談真正的感受ga。今次呢個recital真係有史以來最長、最多功夫、最多partner、又最seriously treated的一個，I can't believe I pulled that off. Therefore, really, truly, sincerely, wholeheartedly thank God.

講開長，今次recital成個半鐘，真係少D耐力都唔得。初時我choose pieces我成日以為會唔夠長，但it ended up to be more than the required time。知道夠長之後，就開始驚唔夠耐力，尤其是Rite of Passage─全首歌15分鐘都係得兩個bars of rest，仲要係playing marimba against three percussionists，點頂呀？而且去年我打Ilijas時我真係死頂到最後，所以今年有D驚。But wow, God truly strengthens me this year，而且如果唔係神的恩典，盼且我都唔會突然間有咁多力。神的能力真係無可限量。

講功夫，今次真係用了不少。淨係Cold Pressed個set up都攪左我幾日─搵instruments，make adjustments，build up個rack for cowbells and crotales，cut and paste music，making combo sticks (I actually bussed around town to find the right material to wrap the butt of my sticks)，etc. 跟住D人成日要拆我set up so I often need to resemble it。練rhythm又練到我死下死下。其他pieces我就一日到黑要換mallet (for the sake of sound)，淨係testing out mallets都用左不少時間，跟住又借又買，練technique又練到D mallets爛晒，仲手指起繭、頸梗膊痛。仲有，要每首練得好，就要一日到黑咁練。近呢個月我真係一起身就練到夜晚十一二點，仲要食野食唔停，因為percussionist又要用腦又要用身。感謝主我捱得過。

今年有5個人同我合作─Colgrass有FH，Piano Phase有AI，Rite of Passage有NJ、MM同BN。Recruitment都唔係大問題，雖然一開頭都唔係個個應承，但schedule rehearsal就真係大劑。首先除左呢D rehearsals，我仲有其他ensemble and church rehearsals；有時攪到一個禮拜十幾個rehearsals，每個rehearsal幾個鐘。之後，所有人都忙到死，淨係每次compare schedules都take up起碼15分鐘。同ROP D男仔set up rehearsal仲攪笑，我係逐個禮拜叫佢地send schedule over，but it always turned out that there was only one time slot when everybody was available. Set up schedule難，搵地方練仲難，Colgrass同Piano Phase都flexible D，but ROP就麻煩，book房book到D receptionists熟晒我，又有時book唔到大房要逼入細D既房，用唔齊樂器又逼到暈。But they were quite accommodating, and everyone worked hard. 搬搬抬抬就不用多講。Thank God, even though things seemed quite difficult, I know they could have been a lot worse.

買了上年的教訓，再加上我真是想做好，所以我今次一早選好歌﹝有幾首summer已選了﹞，而且meticulous D去take care of stuff。之前mention過關於練習既野，it's part of my serious treatment of this recital。而且所有"things to do" (a big list too) regarding my recital我都write down in my daybook since I know I can be very forgetful. My daybook was a mess these two months, and each page was COMPLETELY filled with words . I guess my effort paid off - I do believe this is by far the best recital I've put together. My teacher really liked the program I picked, and he was happy with my progress. Praise the Lord.

I am not trying to boast (at least I hope I am not trying to). I just want to state that being a musician, particularly a percussionist, is not easy. But since God chooses me to become a percussionist, I shall be a good one. Plus, thank God for taking me through the process.

I love what I'm doing though.

Praise the Lord for absolutely EVERYTHING. May all the glory and honour be to Him. Hallelujah!