RP Wind Symphony heard in Taiwan

“Music, of all the liberal arts, has the greatest influence over the passions, and it is that to which the legislator ought to give the greatest encouragement.” -Napoleon Bonapart

Republic Polytechnic Wind Symphony (RPWS) took these words and brought their music across the borders recently.

RPWS’s mission was to participate in the annual Chiayi City International Band Festival, a prestigious event that invites bands from all over the world to perform alongside Taiwanese musicians in a series of concerts and outdoor parades. 2007 marks the 16th run of the festival, and it continues to grow in popularity and stature each year. RPWS represented Singapore and was one of the 7 international bands in the festival. The other 6 bands were from Japan, Korea, China and Thailand.

 The band was fired up and all ready to go on the very first day in Chiayi, Taiwan. The late morning was spent rehearsing in the Chiayi Cultural Centre’s Concert Hall – this would be where we would perform that evening. Before we knew it, it was show time!

Our very first concert in Taiwan was well received by the locals with strong rounds of applause and resonating cheers! Resident Conductor Captain Muhamad Yusri chose a great mix of songs for the evening, ranging from Classical Wind music and light-hearted sentimental pieces to Singaporean folksongs and familiar tunes of the late Taiwanese singer, Ms. Teresa Teng.

Having the audience clap to Dikir Putri (Malay Folksong) and sing along to The Moon Represents My Heart (月亮代表我的心) was a sight to behold. RPWS was no doubt the crowd’s favourite that night.

It was overwhelming for us to receive a standing ovation and encore request! There were even TV news interviews and high school male fans asking for autographs and photo opportunities with us. There were many “firsts” in this night alone, and it was most definitely uplifting for the band in many ways.

The following morning, we had some time to go on a short tour at an old sugarcane plantation in Tainan. The tour guide introduced us to the locality while we went on a short train ride on tracks which were used for transporting produce. We had our minds off “work” while we enjoyed ourselves there.

Later after lunch, we rushed back to the resort to prepare for our evening concerts. RPWS was scheduled to play in two outdoor performances, back to back. They were both Countdown concerts organized by the locals.

The first took place in a Stadium and we were the Opening Act. Some of us were terribly prepared – wardrobe-wise, that is! Despite donning up to 5 layers of clothing, wearing all our jackets and scarves, we were still shivering and chattering. The thermometer read 12°C but the strong winds made it too cold for us to bear. Nevertheless, RPWS did not let this deter us. We played to our best abilities and made sure we sounded as grand as we looked on the big stage.

Our second concert was held at the local shopping mall, NICE Plaza. We were scheduled to play right before midnight to welcome the new year for them. To add to that, our photo was used as the backdrop for the event. We played to a large crowd of people as we ushered in the new year. We were pleasantly surprised when we saw our high school male fans supporting us from the front row.

As the clock ticked and we crossed over to 2008, RPWS sounded the familiar tune of Auld Lang Syne accompanied with beautiful fireworks in the sky and a celebrative mood in the air. Yet another incredible chapter was added to RPWS’s history, an experience and memory which all RPWS musicians would hold dear in their hearts.

With that, RPWS ended the year on a high note and we now look forward to 2008 with fresh hopes and dreams. All the performers would agree that the best reward comes from an audience who truly appreciates what they do. We are certainly thankful for all that we have learnt and received on this trip.

We look forward to your support as RPWS continues to bring music to RP and the community in the years to come.

Our special thanks go out to:

Republic Polytechnic,

The Republic Cultural Centre (TRCC),

Office of Student and Graduate Affairs (OSG),

Create.Republic Club and Create Club Advisors,

IG Advisors, Mr Wilbur Tan & Ms Kelly Kuan, and

Chiayi City International Band Festival Organizers & Sponsors

for providing support and guidance in our journey of exploration and development.

* For RP Staff and Students – Click here to view the rest of the photos from this event

Words by Muhammad Hafizuddin Bin Mohamed Hanafiah, Willie Tan Wei Li, Hannah Han & Muhammad Nur Sadiq Bin Muzakir (RPWS Committee Members) Edited by Ms Kelly Kuan (Advisor) (LH)

Tags: Article, Overseas Music Exchange Programme, Taiwan

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