Wow. I reached a new record in work life.

Five shows from 9am to 9.30pm.

I tell you, I am bloody shagged.

And one more to goe tomorrow (luckily it's only one).

I seriously need a soak in a tub.

Online review of the Brahms' Requiem two weeks ago.

http://themadscene.athenarts.com/?p=551

Whoa, harsh on the soloists. And the last movement being the best...? Actually I think we knew better ^^;;

It was a long loooong day today. I'm totally dead. What happens when you're being forced to do extra stand-in work :( And gosh, I only had eight singers to lead, wtfb! I rather not have the monies.

Just... frustration.

And more depressed, when I dropped my lappie bag and realised, I had injured my left hand. Hopefully it'll take only a week to recover if I still continue to insist working (not that I have a choice).

But what a coincidence. I was reading Miyamoto-sensei's blog in school today. Seems like something happened to her left hand as well, but it was way worse than my situation:

"左手の怪我で、ご心配をおかけしてすいませんでしたm(_ _)m
おかげさまで化膿することもなく、肉がもりあがってきてます。
実は、包丁で指先を爪ごと削ってしまったのです…(涙)。
すごく痛かったですが、もう大丈夫です～。
まだ傷口はグロいですけど…もう見せたいくらいキモイです(笑)
爪が伸びるまであとしばらく我慢しなければ…。"

Oh my... >.< Take care sensei!! Your hands are as important as a pianist's!!

Nyahh... When was the last time I felt the need to take time to chill out?

It works simple for me. Good J-pop music, Internet, silence in the house and nighttime. Easily appeased? Ahaha.

Erm, which I'm doing now? Kimochii~~~

Wokay. Glad I survived today. It was passionate teaching today. The whole day - no idea why I was so enthusiatic today haha. Choir rehearsal at a school in the afternoon. Omg... the kids like... remembered and missed me? It was like all chaotic in yaaaaaaaaays disrupting the choir practice when I entered the room. I was not overwhelmed at all; I just went WTH is going on @___@???? Lol.

Nyaahh... Feeling so relaxed now... but for how long...? Now something boggling me at the back of my mind. Act Two is not yet memorized! Arrrrrgh!!!!!! I FINALLY got the words right for the opening number (it's fbloody so wordy!!! >:EE) but still not fluent enough! And it's only the opening number of Act Two... So in deep shit. Tomorrow's rehearsal is still on Act One, but come Friday and onwards... the dreaded Act Two. Shit! Coz I understand there's gonna be a lot of movements... T____T

I can't even sleep in trains or buses, I'm always tearing the score apart while waiting for the buses... blah blah... I think right after work tomorrow I should return home to burn and drink the music before evening rehearsal... instead of dining with Mum? Bleh. Obviously, eat sleep La Traviata; anything else - there is no life.

[Crazy work rehearsal schedule, yet I'm posting crap instead of pics! Gomen ne... You'll have to wait till Feb? Or at least till after 29th Jan. Whaha.]

If I am asked to count down, I would say I've 6 hours more of work to go.

:D

So the rest of the one week's time is used up for meeting up with old friends, since I'll be missing them on Christmas. Hmm hmm. I dunno? My heart is no longer here with me anymore, lol.

Especially after tonight.

My last rehearsal of the year. And I'd so say, the proudest one I've ever done. I get to play both the conductor and the pianist today, but from my performance tonight I think I've changed over the past year. Er, in the "professional" aspect I mean (whatever). I used to be afraid of these situation, since taking an adult choir means having the guts to command people over twice my age, lol. I did go through this before in my past seasons with this choir, but it was mostly due to the conductor being late, and not the conductor being absent.

Anyway, I hugged a bouquet home. :) My favourite flower!! Lilies, that is. The scent is an addiction.

So while on my way home I laughed at the fact - I wished I do manage to count down how many bouquets I receive in a year. It is a good sign, no? So people around ask me why I have a change of plan for next year, they don't understand how distracted I am by my career right now. Though friends will always leave my side one day and my heart broken, I might be where I'm standing again.

Now to memorize some Italian I can't comprehend. >(

So I was at the doctor's just before work, getting some medicine for my long trip away. She still did the basic procedures (checking blood pressure and all), though I wasn't there coz I was ill?

...seemingly?

She checked my temperature and went "you're having a fever, you know?"

...eh?!

But I did went ahead with work anyway. Since it's someone's exam duh. Fever + work = No mistakes in playing! Lol. But for once I'm knocking off before 2am. Ha.

Firstly: Bon voyage, Shen!

Speaking about rehearsals, I pulled through Mahler! I was so afraid of it (technically it's bloody demanding, and to think one shouldn't even drown out the soloist when my part goes right down to the lowest octave of the piano) just the neighbours got sick of it these few days, I guess. Imagine individual bars played in infinite loop.

Hah hah.

And wee, "crashed-course" all the pieces within two and a half days, and I pulled through. Turns out Handel was the killer instead. Wokay, so now I think Handel is the most difficult-est. And prrrrresto. x__x And I think I patched up the relationship and pretty much love Mahler again. Lol.

So far I'm gonna draw a random difficulty-list. For fun, and out of boredom while online-ing.

Top of the list:
Barber (Yeah, HIS is the worst worst worst. Kowai. Ich habe grosse ANGST dafuer.)
Wolf

Second from the top (because these composers' work varies, depends how unlucky you are to end up on which of their works):
Mahler
Handel
Rossini
Purcell (his is totally ensemble-wise challenging)
(Schubert and Brahms also goes here, but theirs are totally random lol. If it's not chicken-feet it's gonna kill you. And maybe I should throw in R. Strauss' as well, but I hadn't played anything from him before :D)

Tsuman ne. Tsuman!!

*returns to tackle Handel* :(
Last round to goe tomorrow. And then asobi again. Buahaha.

WTF. WTF right? Ya, I knew it after coming across the Newtype scans, but undesired things can be easily forgotten in a span of a month. I really... wish that it wasn't true. Not that I'm not a CLAMP fan, just that I'm really tiring of the crossovers... =__=;;

Sigh...

And this week? Just gotten WORST. (Note superlative.) I don't know why I can/want to still squeeze in more assignments when I can foresee me braindead. And the funny thing? I managed to clear out FOUR DAYS next week all to myself, and because of the phone call this afternoon? I got half of this Sunday killed and my preciousssss four days eaten up. Now I'm working seven days a week. Next Wed happens to be hellhole - early rehearsal, followed by choir-instructing, then ends the night with a first rehearsal. You know first-rehearsals are the worst. Okay, no need to practice since there's no scores (I don't practice anyway even when there's scores XD) but to sightread six staves or more when I'm already driven half dead by the first half of the day. And better - no time to chomp anything down till the end of my day! Whoa, I'm sooooo looking forward to this. x__x

And hopefully I get steal some time off in the last week of this month. Time to resist anymore assignments! I wonder if it's actually Mum's workaholic genes sinking their teeth into mine. >(

Two consecutive off-days, and I think I'm already refreshed! :D Yo, I think I really deserved it, after slaving for months. It's back to work tomorrow, but next week doesn't look too bad at all. Next month looks WORSE. Three performances and two auditions - I'll make sure I slack off the next week as well.

So beware of A LOT of posts for the coming week. >D

La Traviata
Bulky envelopes in my mailbox meant shigoto (work!), but one of the stacks contain A3 size scores... Oi... o_O;;; So in the end I had to penknife every piece into half... Extra labour... >:EEEE

I kept mixing up Verdi's and Puccini's opera, but La Traviata is by Verdi, and although the notice I got is short, I think it will be alright. Playing Verdi is easy, I tell you, in comparison to Puccini. I think a couple of rehearsals with the soloists will fix everything. Puccini one'd need months. And a lot of recitatives this time so less playing weeeee so my ears will once again accustom themselves to Italian, lol.

Lehar's melodies are more beautiful than Verdi's though.

From memory
I realised my ears are not diatonically trained. Or that they prefer not to be. Out of the many pieces I'm preparing for, only one is totally not tonal, Debussy's Chromatic Etude that is. Memorisation was easy! I succeeded in putting three-quarter of the work into me brain, all within half a day. The fingers knew where to place themselves, similar to the occurance when I attempted to memorise the composer's last movement of Estampes last year. The notes and "tonality" came naturally. *grins*

My brain is hay-wired, as usual. :)

Kiniro no Corda Primavera 1 DVD
Nyaaaa~~~ Now back to my fandom, lol.

Having Jun Jun talking in front of the big screen, was just so amazing. *blushes* Better than the Bleach event from 2005, hohoho~~~

Although Taniyama can definitely sing (but I usually sense that he's always overdoing it, so I kinda hate him), looks like down to the instrumental side Konitan is more musically-inclined! Taniyama and Konitan voiced characters from Kiniro no Corda who are violin students. So I guess the staff arranged for the two to take violin lessons o_O;; and I was laughing so hard at the segment. LOL!!! Konitan was playing a fool at the beginning but has a better sense of pulse! Though he faltered when playing the descending scale, lol, and both boys men giggled, ahaha. I think Konitan's playing is also more in tune, de.

Oh yes, I just discovered a voice that really caught my attention. Kishio Daisuke desu. I'm already aware of him but never really take note of his voice, till watching the DVD. Dunno his nickname; I'm going to do some homework XD Anyhow, Kishio's voice is beautiful. No wonder he's working as a seiyuu. Much on the silky side, in my opinion. Oh noes, this might develop into another seiyuu fandom!!! O___O *pulls hair*

One segment had Morita (Masakazu) and Kishio filming their own PVs (promotional video) for their own character songs. The Morita one made me lol-ed. Ishikawa was the judge and he remarked that Morita's filming felt like a PV (private video). LOOOOL!!! He gave Morita a 40 marks (awwwww *sympathises*) while awarding Kishio 80. But he was laughing even harder at the latter's work, screaming and trying not to choke on his coffee and snacks: Dare? Dare ka?? OMAE, DARE YA???? (trans: Who? Who? Who are you?????) when there's this mysterious guy in a stupid-looking red costume in the video. I predicted he was going to laugh at that part anyway, lol.

Also, what's with Kishio and his ultra-bomastic superman hand gestures, and also his 王子 plastic drinking cup?! Lol. But so far from all the seiyuu events I've watched, Morita's band major "LOVE" gesture from the Bleach 2005 event is the most hilarious. Jun Jun must not have forgotten it, but perhaps it's wise to not bring it up. Lol. The cast is already crack, not to mention the insert clips with Morita jumping with the other casts in different ways; Jun Jun on the sofa, one of the female cast behind the chair, Ishikawa who then hurt his hips, Taniyama who did a star jump as well, and the craziest of all, Itouken on the stairs. o_O;; Oh yes, mentioning about Itouken, I can't help but think him hooligan in every way. Lol. *sigh*

I'll continue with the last part tomorrow. Time to sleep! Oyasumi...! ♥

It's been a year since my last syf, and I witness it first-hand how my circle of acquaintances has grown. The person to give the biggest surprise happened to be that person from the youth choir (which I played for last year for a competition). I really, really never expected him there; and honestly I had even forgotten about him. Whoa. Too small a world is here.

De.

On with the lengthy narration. I won't write too much, just the highlights, because the rest is not worth mentioning. Finally watched the renowned N conduct - his choir is really strong, and not only that - you could feel "dignity" oozing out from the singers' presence. Dignity as part of their school choir. That's really hard to instill in a student, so that's admirable. There was another choir with, er, an excess of choreography, so much that it left my jaw dropping. Chotto, was I witnessing a dance competition or something? o_O;;; Another "wonder of the day" happened to be the conductor of the last choir - okay, it seemed that the music really moved him, so he moved as well... Only thing is that his movements from the audience point of view is... in my opinion... rather obscene... o_O;;; That was at the beginning. Then around the end he became a clown, an entertainer. Nani o, sore wa...? o_O;;;

I was just spent. Totally spent before I started the usual evening rehearsal. But I was crazy at the piano. Totally. How the hell did I manage to play at such an impossible speed? I mean, I was supposedly tiring right? I should be at least much more unresponsive, no...? Anyway the conductor was so kind as to offer me a lift home - I guess he judged from how I dressed today and guessed I was probably involved in the earlier engagement this afternoon. Haha, it must have been odd - for someone who always wear sandals every week, lol.

Ne, drifting off to sleep le. Rehearsal with my pianist tomorrow... How will my voice take an early workout...? =___= Plus all these cramps I'm having... >_<

Okay, okay... Sleep....

SLEEP...

So now you want some real life rants? I'll give you one.

Because I'm totally bitchy about what happened before tonight's rehearsal.

This chorister (a French woman) was approaching my direction (I was sitting at the piano as usual) when I was in the middle of a casual conversation with some others who were early as well. The conductor had not arrived yet.

I thought she was one of the soloists and wanted to catch me early for some rehearsal first hand, so I nicely asked if I could be of some help.

And there she was, asking "Ehm... I forgot to bring my music scores with me today, so is it possible I borrow your scores?"

This is the look I gave.

o_O

What?!

This got to be the world's most idiotic idiot ever.

Of course I didn't tell her that! But I replied with a you-gotta-be-kidding tone "Well, if you get my score tonight the entire choir wouldn't be able to rehearse."

Seriously, if you wanna borrow a score, would you actually borrow one from the conductor or the repetiteur (rehearsal pianist) when they are the ones responsible of leading the rehearsal? Wouldn't sharing one from a neighbour singer be more rational?

This lady was confused why I refused to do so. "But I thought you have already memorized the score." I was trying so hard not to look ridiculed.

Yes, my dear no-brainer, how does one memorise her piano part TOGETHER with four voice parts simultaneously? Like if you know your part well enough not to be helped by me everytime. Seriously I wasn't being haughty or proud; every rehearsal I ended up playing the voice parts instead of solely my piano part. Yes, that's how choir rehearsals work even till the run-though before a performance, and that's why nobody ever rob a repetiteur of his/her scores unless there is the intention of ruining and killing the rehearsal. Alright, little woman? Kthxbai.

I bring great news tonight! Ach! Finally a post without any of my fuming bad moods or vulgarities!

Glad tidings! - at least to/for me.

I slept in but still managed to arrive at work on the dot. Phew! That was a close one. I think I'll return to my original sleeping position from now on. The current one makes me dream funny dreams and fail to wake up punctually. Lol.

Sectionals were goooood today. I wonder how I felt so inspired to coach today, although this whole week had been early mornings and hence lack of sleep for me. My darlings altos and baritones were very much inspired by me today - well, for the first time I can find the right words in time, and they in turn gave me what I want. A few more times of results like these and I think I might really have the confidence to teach voice privately. [o_O;;; Did I just say that?]

Renee Fleming concert tonight! Mum had convinced me that I've chosen the wrong date to attend her recital (Fleming is performing tonight and tomorrow) because I seemed so overworked through the week, especially when I have to coach full day today. But I realised it's not so - KB was there, and I had thought firstly, ach! Finally someone to entertain myself interact with! because I was more than half hour early. Then I abandoned her (oh man, now I'm feeling very bad...) when I caught a glimpse of Marion... together with Sharon...!!! It completely slipped my mind that Sharon would be there tonight. It's not a surprising thing to see her in such huge events, but I've completely forgotten about it. If that wasn't shocking enough, Sabrina was the next person I met. Yes, I knew Sabrina will be coming tonight, but finding me mingling with Sharon and Marion..., that's just much glee. I can stand aside and glance at them, and tell myself... wow, these are my circle of music friends... I'm going cosmopolitian! Then more company - Alvin, a handful of the SSC guys (Tom was there! *surprised!*), plus the tenor that I never got the chance to speak to in the past. :) Oh, AM was there too, but I think she might have forgotten about me; so is the ignorant Fraulein. Ha!

And I got a lift from Marion close to home. Danke!

I got home. Duh. And... Mum said my parcel arrived this afternoon. *gasp* YAAAAY!!! The nicely protectively wrapped air-mailed books are finally here - all the way FRRRRRRESH from Germany!!!!!!!!!!!!! It killed my heart to cut open the secure-band and the cardboard... T_____T But if I don't, what did I order those books for in the first place? *______________* And those stuff cost me a BOMB. A huuuuuge one. Oh well, they're motivation for me anyway. I'm going to study, study, study! And munch books. Yum yum.

Okay, I'm high, and tired. I was so inspired by Fleming that I can't wait for self to reach home before I exercise my excited vocal cords; I started already on the bus. o_O;;; But in any case, Mum is reading the Count and is hooked by it - I'm now jealous and ashamed because I'm stuck twenty chapters away from the end, and man, she's a fast reader not only coz she has all the time in the world, but that she can read through pages very quickly and forgot the details... o_O;;

Stupid rant: *gasp* Eiji is voiced by Sesshoumaru-sama!

Old stale news: Me hair wet, eyelids heavy.

Even more stale: Dumas is a genius. I scrrrrrrreamed, in excitement, in anticipation, and in hope.

A loooot of boring memes. Because I'm bored, tired, and drunk.

( mememememe*hic*mememe )

Yes, after the first german class of the year - I'm surprised that our class got Ulf back as our teacher!! Now he's the one that gotta weglaufen from the girls, haha. That was one piece of good news in the morning. I have to play for a wedding in the afternoon, and was invited to the dinner after the ceremony. Love playing for weddings now - imagine when you are paid and then fed. Wow, I really got myself quite drunk. And the food was gooooood...

Oh yeah, did I mention weeks ago that my last assignment of the year falls on 21st December? Well, it has been extended to the 27th. I believe it runs in the family - just like after Mum, I can be considered her succeeding workaholic. Meow.

The music director tonight was a big bully. Lol.

I always felt so shameless when I have to send emails that opens with:

Dear/Hi who-and-who,
Just to inform you that I have not receive payment for >blah blah blah<...

This one dates back to the month of September. *feels even more shameless* And seems like I sent a lot of work emails tonight. Man! It's supposedly off-working hours now! *sweatdrops*

*still confining herself to her room*

Whoa. Another phone call regarding work. This year's Christmas season is surely something! My concert engagements now officially extends to 21st December (the latest update). o_O;; Which is like days before Christmas Day itself. Wonder if I'm going to get more calls that extends my performing schedule till Christmas Eve. *hopes not*

Out of point rants: *needs a more portable organizer*

Finally the time to read everyone's blogs. Luckily enough Emily's lesson is scheduled for tomorrow, meaning I feed enough sleep to brain.

Das ist gut.

Pandora's blogspot is getting very quotey, especially on this particular one:

mors certa, hora incerta

Ouch! That hurts my brain, lol. Poked it real bad. Yes, I've forgotten the meaning apparently, so went to google the phrase. Guess what I got?

"der Tod ist gewiß, seine Stunde ungewiß"

Why the first link was the German translation I have no idea. But seems that I've fallen in love with its German counterpart.

Ah, süßer Satz! So bist du, du wunderschöne Sprache... Du wirst immer von mir verliebt!

To rant on a little more, last night's dream was... er, pretty gothic in content. o_O

And look who's got a huge present from my precioussssssssssssssstudent. *loves all to death*

I even surprised myself. Tonight was the start of a choir's Christmas season, and I fear I'm working myself to death on Wednesday.

I work from 8am to 10.30pm on this day.

And... I thought I will under-perform for this choir's rehearsal, since it was the first night and everybody (including me) got new scores. New scores only mean sight-reading. The conductor has much to ask from me this time. It's my sixth season with this choir and every start of a season was the conductor's demands (from me) increasingly demanding. This time round it was assumed I can read four staves at once (the usual SATB choir scores), and hence I have to do it. Conductor's the boss you see?

And I managed, very very well. Rather proud of myself; my SATB sight-reading has unconsciously improved before I realised it. And that I'm not sleepy and distracted is another unexpected factor.

Very very happy with myself. Wonder why I feel so high tonight. Ahaha. These years of sight-reading during work; I think this might be my peak yet!

And happier still, the rehearsal ended early tonight. Which means I was panting at my door steps at 10.58pm. Yay for Gankutsuou!