the orchestra camp




Last week was another phase of my journey as a trumpet player.

I've entered the five days of music camp for the youth orchestra!
I was the eldest, mingling with these young musicians who are really skillful in their respective instruments.

I am happy that I am now even more adept towards people.
I've learned to give up my notion that I couldn't mix around with the youngsters- and I found myself fit really well with these musicians! It's just the matter of how I relate to them, seeing them within their potential.

The music camp is well organized.
We were being fed with sufficient food,
and also sufficient practice schedule.

In this whole music camp I've also gained the benefit out of the breakdowns I've got.

First story.

As a whole brass section, we received a good bashing by our tutor.

Literally, he said,
“You guys did not apply a single thing that we did yesterday.
This is a government project, and you have wasted the government's money.
Which means, you wasted my money because I also paid tax.
In this camp, do not expect the tutors to give you the “happy”.
Don't expect the camp itself to give you the “happy”.
You yourself have to create the “happy”, by checking your intonation with your friends,
by practicing the scores within your section.”


We were not playing at the best level that we could, and by that we didn't take the responsibility of gaining the maximum out of the camp. We expected the tutors and the camp itself to give us the benefit, but we did not take the initiative to take action and extract the skills by being proactive.

In other words, we were not hardworking enough.
In the midst of being triggered by what he said, and feeling bad about my progress,
I took it as a treasured advice as a trumpet player.
Find the “happy” myself instead of expecting it from people.

Second story.

There was this sectional practice and the two leading trumpeters were absent.
I was left with another junior trumpet.
There were a few series of high As, and I failed to played them well.
Instead, I was blowing funny squeaks and boy I was embarrassed.

When I looked back into that, I feel a bit better- I failed not because I was not confident.
No matter that it was scary being left alone to play it out, I still do it.
I think it's okay for me to feel personally bad when I failed to play my notes,
and still work hard for my progress.
And I now need to play for at least two hours per day to get myself improved more and more.

Third story.

At the final rehearsal just before the concert,
I was scolded by the principle trumpeter who is years younger than me.
Literally he said,

“Your sound volume is overpowering mine.
I can always top up your volume but this is classical music.
So who is the principle player, you or me?”


Conventionally, I will automatically say that this person is being rude.
But when I see the core of it, it was me who at fault.
I did a mistake of being too loud, and I can now restore that- I learned to apologize.


All in all,
the real concert was good.
The brass section was well balanced,
especially the trumpet.

I really valued this experience.

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