Friday, April 21, 2023

The legendary man - Mr Joe Hisaishi's concert

The long awaited concert is finally here. 

Booking of tickets 
Didn't secure our favourite seats as we were 40mins late into the booking system.
We were in Japan then, on the 16th Dec in Udo to be exact. After visiting the shrine and tossing pebbles into the rock unsuccessfully, we were at the cafe buying her #number what Cremia ice-cream and a cup of sourish hyuganatsu for the adults. When she suddenly exclaimed in excitement that 久石 譲 is coming to Singapore and that they are selling the tickets NOW! What?! I stopped everyone in their tracks. Nobody moves coz there's wifi. And then I wondered how is UOB going to send me the OTP? I have Japan's SIM card in my phone. Thankfully I thought of Paypal and the purchase went through. So although nobody tossed the pebbles, no luck there but we certainly had luck scoring tickets to his concert. Although the seats are not our usual preferred seats.Nevertheless, it's still a dream to attend his concert again  

Day of concert
He never disappoint the crowd. We all love him. Hearing the vocal cheers,  applause and standing ovation from the crowd can attest that he is our man. A man with vision and beautiful compositions. 

The concert started with Ravel's pieces - La Valse and Bolero. I have this bad habit of not checking what are the pieces whenever I booked tickets. It's always the "hey! I've heard this before" eye-widening moments.  

So when it was the second piece - Bolero. I thought I heard very soft beating sound and I had that aha moment. I had an idea what's the tune but had no idea what's the song title. Percussionist did such a good job with steady hands and controlling the soft beating on the snare drum repeating that same beat the whole song. What? like 15mins. Oh man.... I would have lost the rhythm not even 5 minutes into the piece.  
There was a solo playing by an instrument which sounded like a saxophone. Since when there's a saxophone? Can't be I'm hearing things? Or do I really miss hearing my girl playing the saxophone in the school band? (she plays the sax well with feelings, and can hold the notes so long that I felt so breathless just hearing her) 

The highlight was Spirited Away. The stagea electone can produced almost the same sound as I imagined myself playing on the electone. But the best is to have all the instruments playing to the song. Now I feel like taking up violin classes. 

We were spoilt with 2 encores. A solo on piano - Ashitaka and San. And later the whole orchestra played the Howl's Moving Castle. I had a few short video recordings. Heck lah! I saw so many people recording it so I record lor... the staff also selected who to ask to stop recording. I saw a few people, who sat rows infront of us, probably had the whole song recording. Why didn't the staff stop them but the people around us? 

I left the concert hall so inspired to play his songs the next day.     
 
 

I'm so tempted to want to go to his concerts elsewhere. In Japan? Heehee....... maybe I'm really crazy.

Programme
Ravel
La Valse

Ravel
Bolero

- Intermission -
Hisaishi
I Want To Talk To You

Hisaishi
Spirited Away Suite

Duration: approximately 2 hrs (with 20 mins intermission)



Other ramblings : 
This is only our 4th concert for this year. The months are coming faster than I can count, she will leave for NY in 4 months time. Perhaps she'll take the opportunity to attend the Philharmonic Orchestra concerts? If only..... if only she tried to apply for London. (I would have flown over some time too! I miss the place, I haven't seen Terry and Karen for 21 and 18years respectively!) She should go for Royal Philharmonic Orchestra concerts as well as going for musicals after musicals. *clap hands* Thank myself for being so influential - able to rub classical works and musical interest in her.

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