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Three years ago, 12th April 2008. That was one of the most memorable days in my life.
Though this wasn't exactly a package that could live up to the show in 2006, I must admit it still gave me goosebumps will watching it. Those goosebumps must have came from our execution of our drills, music and gimmicks. Seeing the outcome of our few months of hard work or memorising our steps, music and making sure we do everything with precision makes me feel really proud of myself because I knew that I gave it my best and it was my best (I didn't make any mistakes hehe). And I guess our 2008 French Horns can pride themselves in successfully pulling off what I could call the most difficult repertoire as it had really high notes here and there and we managed to play it so awesomely. I mean like, hello, who plays high B-flat during outdoor performances??
I was really proud of my juniors. I felt so proud of them that they put in their best, and put up a spectacular performance even though there were screw ups. You can't fathom how much I love them, seriously.
So when the results came, TK was announced to have got a Gold With Honours. But when Deyi got it too, my heart totally just sank. I knew something bad was coming. I was prepared for what was coming next, but I totally could not control my emotions and tears when the emcee said, "And the Best Display Band award goes to....Deyi Secondary School!"
I don't think I had cried so much before. Seeing my juniors and batchmates crying around me made me cry even more. I was crying because of the hopes that we had pinned on that title which had accompanied us through 10 years. I was crying because it just disappeared like that. I wasn't crying, though, because of disappointment. There was nothing to be disappointed about, for we had done our best. It just wasn't enough.
But looking back, my stint in TK Band was definitely the most memorable in 2008. It was also the most agonizing year. But we had our fair share of fun. Being in TK Band is an experience that can never be surpassed or replaced. It was the place where I spent the best four years of my life, and I never regretted going to a school whose cut-off point was 14 points below my PSLE score just because I wanted to join the band. (I saw them in 2002's SYF and since then I've set TK as my ideal secondary school) Who knew that 4 years, and 6 years later, I would be part of the show in the band that I had watched when I was Pri 4 at the National Stadium?
Mr Azlan once told us, "No Regrets", and that has been my motto for everything that I do ever since. Those two words led me through the whole of my band life in TK and even till now, before every competition, I still tell these two words to my juniors. Cliche as it may seem, the title really is not everything. The saying that "the process is the most important" is so true, at least to me. I will never ever forget the scoldings from my seniors, me scolding my juniors, all of us having fun marching on the field and playing music together, getting punished together, all the motivational talks and lastly, but definitely not the least, the band spirit.
Alas, changes do happen and the culture of TK Band now and then is totally different. I miss the old TK Band.
To the juniors who took part in the recent SYF, don't let a Silver put you down. Learn from this. Lose the ego and arrogance and learn how to lose. Never over-estimate yourself because you will only seem like a douche to others. Only then, can you taste victory.
One Band One Sound. Anoneh Pakukeh.
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