Have you ever considered joining a Chinese orchestra? What are the benefits? Is it worth it? In this Chinese episode of EM Live! we discuss the benefits of joining a CO for developing young talents with our special guest, Joyce! Joyce is a wonderful dizi player and alumni of Singapore Polytechnic. She is also here with us today to bring our audiences auditory satisfaction with our mid-autumn festival special – 花好月圆！Stay tuned and scroll along to see what we have in store!
Should I join a Chinese Orchestra?
If you are an experienced player, Joyce recommends that you at least give joining orchestras a try! Students who are grade 7 and above should challenge themselves further by joining external orchestras to expand their horizons. You might realize that playing in an orchestra is not as easy as one might think! The nuances of following a group of musicians and blending sound is difficult but rewarding.
What Benefits are there to joining a Chinese Orchestra?
By joining an orchestra, one can expose themselves to a wide range of orchestral repertoire, which serves as a lesson in rhythm, pitching and teamwork.
Aspiring musicians can learn advanced counting techniques, which are seldom required in solo repertoire. One can also learn how to follow a conductor, which is a crucial skill in one’s potential professional career.
The orchestral environment also encourages and trains one’s sensitivity to pitch in relation to that of other players. It encourages one to pay especial attention to one’s musical tone, as blending sound with other players is of crucial importance.
One can also become more conscious of one’s musical interpretation and adapt it accordingly to suit the needs of the conductor and orchestra, developing our sense of musical awareness.
Furthermore, reading orchestral pieces improves one’s sight-reading skills. The demanding instantaneous nature of sight-reading in an orchestral setting pressures one to upgrade their sight-reading capabilities to top-notch levels.
Lastly, attending an orchestra can foster camaraderie and forge strong bonds.
So, what does it take to join a Chinese Orchestra?
Well, it’s not necessarily as hard as you think!
Of course, one must first pass an audition. However, it’s what comes after that truly matters!
Students must balance their studies and rehearsal to further their endeavors in both studies and CO successfully. This calls for good time management and prioritization skills.
Students might feel discouraged and despondent if the difficulty of the pieces are too high. Resilience is a keystone value that is needed in heaps. However, don’t be discouraged! It the process of developing resilience in the orchestra that truly matters. By overcoming challenge after challenge, one slowly builds up perseverance and grit.
How do I know what Chinese Orchestra to join?
You can watch concerts and youtube videos to understand more about the standard and professionalism of the orchestras that you might be interested in! Of course, you can always ask us, Eason Music, for recommendations!
Biyu says: You can also ask your music teacher if they can recommend any possible orchestras to join!
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