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Budak Pantai 'In Your Face'

What can I say.. the performance jitters, the breaking vocal chords, the frantic preparation before we went on stage, the last minute warm-ups outside the changing rooms..

The exhilaration of performing on the esplanade concert hall stage, the fascination with the disco ball and the acoustics panel thing that Michael said could adjust all the way to the ceiling, the laughter and hilarity in the changing rooms (what we call sectionals), the choir's (esp. the altos!) admiration for the magnificent changing rooms (lol), the gulping down of dinner (chicken rice) just to rush back to touch up make up, the surprise when we got an invitation to tea with budak at Raffles City Convention Center soon, the interaction with one of the most skilled a capella groups around, the anticipation of a smashing performance, having a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to perform in the world class esplanade, being part of the magic of a capella singing with budak.

That sums up sat's concert. Would I trade anything for that experience? Over my dead body. Never. The feeling of singing and smiling and dancing on stage with the choir, watching the choir and sections bond, enjoying the company of the wacky sop2s in our personal changing rooms, having our sectionals and chanting in the dark, singing alishan for the billionth time.. wow.

Sop2 -ball family: You guys truly deserve the Most Off-the-wall Wacky award. It was crazy in the changing room, us chanting in the dark, me walking around poking people in the stomachs testing our diaphragm support, everyone practising our megawatt smiles in front of the mirror, slapping on foundation in a pathetic attempt to cover up blemishes (ouch), trying to apply lipstick while laughing like there's no tomorrow.

And then there's us on stage, belting out our little "solo" part of alishan, and then seeing ms loo give us the thumbs up and mouthing "beautiful". That's the whole spirit of performing. Our hard work really pulled off! I love sop2s!

Now that it's over.. Post-concert blues as usual. But what can I say. It was a Cool Night, most definitely! All hail RGS choir!

I love Budak Pantai. (:

"The key to the mystery of a great artist is that for reasons unknown, he will give away his energies and his life just to make sure that one note follows another..
and leaves us with the feeling that something is right in the world. "
-Leonard Bernstein
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