10 Pains of Being in a Music CCA During Secondary School That Can’t be Forgotten


Advertisements
 

Last Updated on 2022-09-20 , 3:14 pm

If you were in an ensemble or in the band, you will know the pains of being in such a performing arts CCA.

Weekly practices aside, you have all kinds of other shit that you would have experienced at least once in your secondary school lifetime.

Having to lug your instrument home
If you want to practise (or at least make an appearance of practising), you need to bring back your instrument. This is especially annoying when you have to take public transport home.

Getting scolded by the conductor
The most embarrassing thing that can happen is probably getting reprimanded by the conductor for your abysmal playing, who was the monarch of the ensemble. That feeling of shame is irreplaceable by any other.

Fearing the individual assessment
Every year, there will be some form of individual assessment whether it is held by your section leader, the instructor or the conductor himself. The end-goal is to participate in the full practice for SYF, so if you can’t pass, you will be relegated to lonely self-practice again.

Having to replay a section over and over again
Whether it’s your section’s mistake, or another section, or simply the conductor’s anal requirements, there’s always bound to be a few sessions where 80% of it is spent on the same passage of music.

Staring daggers at another section
There could be two reasons for this. The first is when the section does not have anything to play while the rest of the ensemble are slogging it out. Damn it. Otherwise, it could be because that section couldn’t get their part right, so the entire ensemble has to play their own parts until they pass.

Praying that you are not selected for section leader
One, it means more responsibilities like taking attendance. Two, you get the blame when your section doesn’t perform well.

Full practice when the conductor is absent
Usually, a student conductor or a secondary conductor will take over. No matter what, it’s just damn boring and unproductive, since they can’t point out any significant mistakes.

Join our telegram channel for more entertaining and informative articles at https://t.me/goodyfeedsg or download the Goody Feed app here: https://goodyfeed.com/app/

SYF period
This is probably the busiest and most dreaded period. Endless rehearsals and higher-than-the-sky expectations, coupled with the usual schoolwork, are the nightmares of every CCA member.

Freezing temperatures
The practices are usually in air-conditioned rooms. It might seem like a godsend in the hot and humid weather, but after 4 hours inside, you turn into an ice-cube. Not to mention, you can’t even play your instrument properly with frozen fingers.

Dropping your instrument
It’s like the end of the world. You will hear the collective gasp that resonates through the room while you slowly pick up your instrument with a face full of shame. Also, if there is a dent on it, it’s truly the end of the world for you.