It was 4 weeks ago when I received an e-mail from Agnes about a Song Writing Workshop. Agnes is someone I have in my facebook for quite some time but we don’t know each other, plus, we don’t even have 1 mutual friend, so it’s a random add. Anyway, I’m quite interested and I scrolled through the details and there’re some problems. It takes place at Royal Bintang Hotel which I have no idea where it is, and payment must be made by banking in the money to their Standard Chartered Bank account. Plus, there’s only space for 40 people! Even I’m having these unsolved hardships, I made a call to the organizer and registered myself, and they told me to bank in before the deadline so that my registration will be complete.
Haha, last Friday after class, I followed Hinn back to PJ because it’s near Tzuu Yao’s place, more precisely Bandar Utama. All other housemates went home too, tossing poor Audri home alone. I left Nottingham at 3.30p.m and guess what, after a long journey of Nottingham bus, KTM, and Rapid KL, we finally arrived Bandar Utama at 8.30p.m, WOW! Then, Tzuu Yao brought me to dinner and I spent one night at this house.
KTM madness:
After KTM, now bus:
Snapping around Tzuu Yao's house:
After KTM, now bus:
Snapping around Tzuu Yao's house:
The view outside Tzuu Yao's balcony:
Woke up so early and ready to walk:
The next morning, I woke up at 7.00a.m and left the place. I walked to One Utama, and noticed there’s no taxi because it’s too early! Then I walked to a nearby hotel. I asked for taxi and they said there’s no taxi at the moment, but one might arrive soon. Out of desperation, I called Agnes, she said she just woke up and asked me to wait for awhile, she’ll be there for me soon (she’s really a nice person isn’t she). Just after waiting for 10 minutes, a hotel staff came to me and said the taxi is coming, THEY CALLED ONE FOR ME! The taxi picked me to The Curve (RM5.20), and I arrived at Royal Bintang Hotel which is just next door.
I was the 2nd to register in the workshop, and Brian John Yim (instructor of the workshop) arrived shortly. Before the thing started, he grabbed the chance to speak with some early birds to understand our music background. I noticed most of the people here either learn piano or organ, and some are already composers and we have a vocal trainer too. There’re so many marvelous people here, and I just said I started learning keyboard last year, that’s all. There're 23 people participating the workshop (they can't get 40 people full). Throughout the workshop, Brian presented slides about the fundamental of writing lyrics (which I’m not really interested but I need it) and composing melody (which I knew most of them). Besides learning new things, my main objectives are meeting similar people and expand my network in this industry.
In the conference:
Brian John Yim, instructor of the day, and his Roland keyboard:
Refreshment:
At the end of the workshop, we have to work in groups of 3 to compose a song, an ENGLISH SONG! After that, we have to present it and Brian will choose the 3 best songs. My teammates are Agnes and Vincent, Vincent is a new friend that plays guitar and also just started learning keyboard last year. I can say that I’m very impressed by them, Agnes set out the whole theme of the song, and illustrate the outline of the lyrics and feelings. Vincent can provide the right English words and sentence structures to fit in to the song, and what else? I’m gonna do the melody, my best part. However, I get the usual feedback again, many said that my song… very “Chinese” or “Korean”. Somehow, Agnes is the first one who said that it’s a compliment, it seems that I had established my “personal style”, so... congrats. The time limit is one hour (plus plus plus), and we cannot use any instrument during composing. It’s quite a new challenge, but I enjoyed it.
All the groups are getting serious with their song:
I need to gambateh too:
It’s time to present our songs, I’m surprised that we are the only group that goes sentimental (cause I compose de mah), others are like lively, energetic and bring hope (what we called fast songs). Our song title is "I'm Not the One", listen also know is break up song. Wah, so nervous… I have to play a song with the right chords that I imagined without testing on the keyboard. Somehow Brian says he likes the chorus. Not bad I guess, but just like every friendship competition, in the end… “everyone is the winner.” …duh… The workshop ended with some group photos. I really wished to show Brian my songs, but it’s quite embarrassing. Agnes encouraged me, and I did it. He said he’s impressed, and he asked me to make demos of the song, so that he can do something (Gosh, when he explained how studios charge the price, I *gulp* freak out). One thing that really stuck in my mind is… Brian told me personally, there’s not many churches which have their own songs for worship and praise, and he hopes that I can make a difference in my place. For all of his teaching on that day, this sentence somehow shaken me.
Workshop graduation:
Agnes is willing to send me to the nearest LRT/monorail (whatever) station, so I hop on her car. She’s trying to understand my music background more, so I told her I went to church and started playing keyboard, also have some songs composed but lack of lyrics writing ability. Then, she told me her sister also compose songs, and she herself are quite good in Chinese, but she has a friend who excel in lyrics writing. The things that I’m very impressed is, she even analysed the market of music industry, in what year, what kind of music is the hottest, and predicts the coming era. She also explains how composers sell songs and the hardships (no wonder people say working in music industry will starve you till death). Unfortunately, we took some wrong turns (KL road, you know la), but I enjoyed the conversation with her. She says she will keep me update if there’s something similar going on. Something funny is, me and Agnes chat a lot through online before this, so we can just talk when we met. We told people it's the first time we met, thye couldn't believe it, some even thought she's my sister. Haha.
Me and Agnes:
This trip, seems like just a weekend, but it makes my direction clearer. There’re so many people out there still trying their best to be what they want to be, no matter what age they are. There’re also many hidden talents, like a flower bud awaiting the time to bloom. What I am now is not enough, but giving up is not an option, oh God please give me the determination to hold on, as You will give me the best and I know Your timing is perfect. By the way, I met Cherry (one of the workshop candidate) at KL Central, what a small world. We exchanged contact too, and she even told me my songs are nice. *sweet*
Brian's album and he signed for me:
Today’s chapter is Psalm 141, “Keep me out of the traps they have set for me, out of the snares of those who do evil.” There’re so many different teachings outside, the greatest wisdom is to be able to differentiate good from evil, let false apostles who dressed in lamb clothing fall. Lord, there’re a lot of needy souls recently. Dami is stroke by Denggi fever, Emily’s father is hospitalized and it sounds like something serious, Teng (my housemate) also get infected by some “wabak”, he’s not staying with us now until he recovers. Tze said he hoped to be employed by IBM in One Utama, as he’s going to graduate soon, I hope he’ll get it. Charles is facing his final year project, graduate soon too, hope that it’ll be a success. Corvina just moved to her new house, wish that peace and safety will be with her during her study in HELP college. Jason is working hard for his practical in Lahad, may he learn much and make full use of it in his future, and worries less about girls. Lastly, thank you Uncle Chan, Aunt Elizabeth and Cheryl to pray for our new house! Lord, let you almighty blessings come upon your children, Amen.
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