The Reunion - An Intimate Concert for AJCAACO...

The concert was excellent...

The performers were skilled...

The repertoire was splendid...

The venue was high-class...

The applause was loud...

But at the end of the "Ruan Ensemble in Concert" directed by Zhang Rong Hui Laoshi, I prefer our own reunion concert held just a day before. I have come to realize that the success of a concert cannot be weighed simply by the usual emphasis on the professionalism of performers, the venue setting etc. Intimacy can form the most crucial factor determining a concert's success.

The Reunion - A concert held in the cheapest venue ever - AJC school auditorium. Despite that, the concert is a huge success. The neighbourhood, the down-to-earth and the grassroot culture of AJC is something special; something not many other JC students can experience; something that has brought ex-AJCians together to watch a simple concert specially put up for them. As a part of the AJC family, this distinctive culture applies to AJC(AAC)O as well. It is this culture that creates an intimate bonding among the (former) AJCO members.

(Top): AJCAACO performing "Euphony of Bonds Across Time".

(Top): Lena and her 'grapes' performing 葡萄熟了. Performers like Peijun (14th Batch AJCO Yangqin player) has never touched Yangqin for almost 5 years but yet came down to help.

(Top): See how happy both the audiences and the performers of AJCCACO and ex-AJCO members are. Wonder what we were shouting? 要拼才会赢 in Hokkien!!! This is the first ever photograph that depicts AJCO batches ranging from the 8th to the 23rd AJCO. A very special moment captured in time within the borders of a photograph.

An Intimate Concert:

An oxymoronic feeling of bitter-sweetness can be felt on the 18th August 2007 - the bitterness of missing the fun we had in AJC(O); the sweetness of remembering the times we used to have in AJC(O) and reminiscing the happy memories. Browsing through the old photos and the CO room antiques on display, it is just hard to forget the times we had in AJCO. A bunch of CO alumni (Xinyi, Xueling, Cai Hong etc) came down with their graduation gown and (re)capture CO memories with their cameras.

Throughout the entire day, many self-initiated activities were going on. Some of them were playing the retro game "大风吹" during the break between the matinée and the evening concert; Some of them were doing weird 'rituals' (like Siqiang practicing 玉女神剑); There are even CO Alumni torturing people (Tat Kuan and Lijia were trying out 两马分尸 on Qi Ling)； Performers taking a "五连拍" etc etc. There was even a last minute sabotage on Chen Laoshi - asking him to sing 要拼才会赢 on stage.

Pictures show a thousand words... Here they are:

(Top): Kah Yong didn't get enough sleep at home as usual (probably arranging/composing songs for some other orchestras). Poor Kah Yong! He wasn't spared to just take a short nap. Siqiang (13th batch Zhongruan Player) took hold of the cello bow and practiced his 玉女剑法 on Kah Yong.


(Top): Poor Qi Ling... Another victim of two martial arts experts... Lijia and Tat Kuan just mastered the skill 两马分尸 and Qi Ling became their guinea pig.

(Top Left and Right): Serene practicing another unknown, long-lost martial arts. Biao Yi and Qi Ling copying Serene? They look scandalous in this pose!!! Definitely intimate!!! YUCKS!!!

(Top): 第零拍... Look how cute we are! Muahaha!!!

(Top): 第一拍... Still very cute right?

(Top): 第二拍... Cute? No! Disgusting for those who stuck their fingers into their nose. Creative though...

(Top): 第三拍... Look at Siqiang... He 走火入魔 after intensive practices on his 玉女剑法.

(Top): 第四拍... So many people still obsessed with saluting... Haiz... Siqiang is still a bit sot sot de!!!

(Top): 第五拍... We are SCO... Spastic Chinese Orchestra!!!

The Reunion:

A Simple and Intimate Combined Concert... A Down-to-Earth Cultural Performance... A Day of Nostalgic High (I quote Xiuqin)... A Bunch of Special Friends (Like a Bunch of Grapes)... A Special Marriage Proposal... A Euphony of Bonds Across Time...

@@ AJCAACO - An Intimately Bonded Chinese Orchestra @@
~ Ah Liang ~