Sonic Landscape: Not Just Another Gig
As with other musicians who gig frequently(be it a cappella, pop/rock bands etc), there will come a time when we're asked to perform pro bono. Usually, it comes as an invitation to perform at a large event which promises to showcase our group's talents. Inevitably, most of our minds would immediately go: "no pay leh, should we do it?"
Amateur and semi-professional groups (VoCo being in the grey area that er, separates these 2 group) will empathize. We all(almost) have day jobs. Weijin is still studying, Audrey and Shuying have just embarked on their careers, and Ginny & I have been working for quite a while. So gigging for free doesn't just involve the ideal of passion. Fellow musicians in the know will understand that it also involves sacrifice. Sacrificing precious rest time, sacrificing time with families, as well as sacrificing time that can be used to earn money from paid gigs.
However, when I told the rest of VoCo about Alex's invitation for us to perform at Sonic Landscape, everyone's faces lit up. There was such a resounding "yes" that I felt silly to have asked about their availabilities in the first place. Why?
Now, VoCo's gig history can be considered rather wide. We've performed at weddings, corporate functions, government dinners, IMF, shopping centres and Christmas events to name a few, but none of these had the purpose of showcasing a cappella in its(quote from Vincent) "naked" form. The purpose of us being there at those gigs were mainly the same: to provide music and entertainment to different groups of people. So when we were offered the chance to sing a cappella for the sake of a cappella, to perform to a group of audience who know what a cappella is about, or wish to know more, how could we turn it down?
Through preparing for Sonic Landscape, we learnt and rediscovered many things. Things like how warmups are so important, esp in a cold place like Victoria Theatre. I'm sure some of you in the audience must have felt the chills, because even with the warm lights on stage, some of us were quivering(trust me, it wasn't from the stage fright). Things like how proper planning on our part is vital to minimise stress prior to the performance. That things like these are common-sensical, I do not dispute, but to understand it at a level where it can improve a group's performance is a totally different thing.
I believe that our performances for the past 2 nights have transformed us in many ways. We felt great on stage, we were more daring and creative with our audience interaction. And we're looking forward, with tremendous anticipation to our next gig at Blue Moo on the 28th.
In every sense of the word, Sonic Landscape was an experience.
-Simon the Baritone
Amateur and semi-professional groups (VoCo being in the grey area that er, separates these 2 group) will empathize. We all(almost) have day jobs. Weijin is still studying, Audrey and Shuying have just embarked on their careers, and Ginny & I have been working for quite a while. So gigging for free doesn't just involve the ideal of passion. Fellow musicians in the know will understand that it also involves sacrifice. Sacrificing precious rest time, sacrificing time with families, as well as sacrificing time that can be used to earn money from paid gigs.
However, when I told the rest of VoCo about Alex's invitation for us to perform at Sonic Landscape, everyone's faces lit up. There was such a resounding "yes" that I felt silly to have asked about their availabilities in the first place. Why?
Now, VoCo's gig history can be considered rather wide. We've performed at weddings, corporate functions, government dinners, IMF, shopping centres and Christmas events to name a few, but none of these had the purpose of showcasing a cappella in its(quote from Vincent) "naked" form. The purpose of us being there at those gigs were mainly the same: to provide music and entertainment to different groups of people. So when we were offered the chance to sing a cappella for the sake of a cappella, to perform to a group of audience who know what a cappella is about, or wish to know more, how could we turn it down?
Through preparing for Sonic Landscape, we learnt and rediscovered many things. Things like how warmups are so important, esp in a cold place like Victoria Theatre. I'm sure some of you in the audience must have felt the chills, because even with the warm lights on stage, some of us were quivering(trust me, it wasn't from the stage fright). Things like how proper planning on our part is vital to minimise stress prior to the performance. That things like these are common-sensical, I do not dispute, but to understand it at a level where it can improve a group's performance is a totally different thing.
I believe that our performances for the past 2 nights have transformed us in many ways. We felt great on stage, we were more daring and creative with our audience interaction. And we're looking forward, with tremendous anticipation to our next gig at Blue Moo on the 28th.
In every sense of the word, Sonic Landscape was an experience.
-Simon the Baritone
posted by VoCollision at 1:51 AM
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