5th Guitar Alive 2010

Wednesday, 05 January 2011 21:59

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Guitar Alive 2010

Lee Ji Xuan / Simon Cheong

Guitar Alive 2010 was held on the 26th of September, which is a day after Hari Raya Aidilfitri (the Muslim New Year), at the Mini Auditorium in MTC (Malaysian Tourism Centre), Jalan Ampang.

What is Guitar Alive about? What is its purpose?

Guitar Alive was an idea brought about to provide students of the guitar an opportunity to perform in public as an ensemble. It offers many advantages for the students learning, namely, the experience of performing, learning to play together as a group, meeting new friends, etc. If a student has taken part with the right attitude, the wealth of experience and learning is indescribable.

As for the teachers involved, Guitar Alive provides an activity to look forward to in the year. Choosing and gathering the students to take part may be a task for the teacher as this require time and effort. The timing and venue for practice - with some coming for the practice and some not turning up for one reason or another...yet!...the teacher has to make sure he is available! The teacher is giving not only his time but will be teaching the ensemble and not getting paid for it! All done with the love for our beloved instrument and students. It is a labour of love, putting in the extra effort yet having to endure the setbacks of unwilling students and/or parents who do not understand. Well, fret not, as in the end, fulfilment in this endeavour when they finally see their own students on stage would make them beam with pride. More so when some students come running after the teacher to say what an experience they have had! All this work is also necessary for the individual teacher to do his or her part towards the industry as a whole, creating enthusiasm and interest, the very sustenance of the music profession. Not least is the relationship they have built with their students.

For the music schools which encourage their students to take part and provide them with a place for the teachers to have their ensemble practices - Thank You! Thank you for your support and understanding. Apart from the music schools' yearly concert, we provide an extra activity for the students - helping to create enthusiasm and interest. This creation of enthusiasm and interest, the very core of the music industry provided by an independent group of professionals from the Society, merely enhances and not competes. No hidden agendas and whatever problems that may arise out of our activities are accidental and not preconceived. The Society corrects and make amends as we go along, making sure that there will be no conflicts of interest and whatever we do, we do for the betterment of the classical guitar in Malaysia. With this understanding, we hope that the music schools will put aside competitive business practices, which is necessary for businesses, BUT, not towards the Society. Please, provide us the support that we need. In fact, make our activity your activity. In Guitar Alive, if a representative of the music school can be present, we would like to invite this representative to give out the certificates and announce this honour to the audience (and on these web pages). The names of the music schools (in the case of a private guitar teacher - the guitar teacher's name) is also printed on our certificates of participation.

For those who would like to take part and have no contact with us, unfortunately, we will not be able to accommodate an individual without permission from your own guitar teacher. So, the best possible way to participate is to get your guitar teacher or music school to get in contact with us. We do welcome the teachers and music schools to take part.

Participation in Guitar Alive 2011(usually in August/September), will require the teacher/music school to prepare an ensemble of 6 or more players. We recommend a minimum of 6 in the ensemble as there will be 3 to a part, if the ensemble is playing a duet OR 2 to a group if the ensemble is playing a trio. To play a quartet, 8 is a preferable number with 2 to a part... I will leave the math to be figured upon... The teacher will need to provide a practice place and time once a week for at least one month if the ensemble is playing easy pieces (2 or 3 pieces is best if the pieces are not very long and the students are proficient). Teachers and students who have taken part usually take much longer than a month to prepare. Some form an ensemble that practices throughout the year! How much preparation is needed will depend on the individual teacher - such as how much time and effort he/she is willing to give or can give. Further details can be obtained from us to clear whatever doubts the music school/guitar teacher may have. Just get in contact with us.

For Guitar Alive 2010, we would like to take this opportunity to thank the music schools for the use of their premises for the practice sessions - YC Music Sdn Bhd, Sonata Music and Art Sdn Bhd , Metro Music and Art , Victoria Music Academy; Viva Music Studio, Seanly Music and Art, Pusat Music Fortepiano, Pusat Music Desa Jaya, VE Educational Centre, Sri Irama Sdn Bhd, ABRSM Music Centre and UiTM.

The concert starts - the first half