Eyes

Date : 20 August 2008
Location : A train terminal, Western Australia
Weather : Chilly
Objects : Two hot guys in hoodies

The first time I went on stage to actually perform a musical act was when I was seven. For every firsts, I as a child was as nervous as a trainwreck despite being soothed by my mother for the umpteenth time with her whispering in my ear, 'Just play well, I love you. Okay?'. Dad was nowhere to be seen. Work was boggling him, perhaps? But you know how it is when it is your first time playing the piano in front of a crowd who probably isn't at all interested in knowing who the kid whose hitting the notes irregularly is. What more when you know that your performance is only watched by your mother.

But I pulled through. The hall was quiet and still as I attempted hitting the right notes on the grand piano. Oh yes, I forgot to mention that it was indeed my first time playing a grand piano, and boy...did it feel grand. It was placed in the centre of the stage with the rest of the mini orchestra shadowing my notes and the rhythm I initiated. Somehow, as much as I wished it could be over, I felt satisfied and pleased because for the first and last time, I could play the piano without sweaty palms, I was able to not fidget but remain poised in my seat and I myself could enjoy the performance albeit first-time nerves.

The crowd clapped, mostly for their own children who performed along with me. Surprisingly, the rest of the class were assigned to playing the organ, while I was given the privilege to actually play an actual grand piano. No boasting intended, but somehow...I just feel like being teleported back to that day, where my piano teacher, Mrs. Chua patted my back and told me what a good job I'd done, and how my other class friends were turning green because of that.

I might not be very much musically inclined, but I believe the history of piano and I go back to the days before it all began. I don't impress people by doing much of Mendelssohn, Beethoven or Haydn. In fact, I suck terribly at them. Going through Grade 8 was definitely a struggle, but I thank God for the existence of miracles. Sigh, like most people I know, why is it that we enjoy playing the piano only after we've finished completing our Grades? I realised that I turn to the piano more often nowadays compared to 2006 where the sight of it just repulsed me.

It is definitely understandable when one expresses his love for music and piano...although as of now, all I do is just play whatever I hear from the airwaves onto the piano by ear, no more classicals or stuff like that. I hate sight-reading!

I have a list of song compositions and whether or not I decide to do anything about them, I guess it'll take some time to tell lah.