“ I want to learn the cello 🎻”

15th May (Fri)

The sudden 讲到做到 message from her on a  Friday. She suddenly “woke me up from the monotonous afternoon ”. It came as a surprise coz she hasn’t mentioned about wanting to learn the cello (跟妈妈讲也等于没讲）for a long time. 

Let’s dig up the past, the history

2nd Oct 2015 - Infact this isn’t the first time she mentioned she wanted to learn cello. Turn back the clock to 2015 when she’s in Sec 1 (thankful that that I’m able to trace back the date in FB).

I wasn’t going to let her learn coz we don’t print money, need the money for tuition, school CCA already take up so much time + tuitions + piano x2 kids I don’t have day to slot in a cello lesson without me getting more exhausted with all the chauffeuring around different places. And honestly it was a “what if she doesn’t stick thru this”? What are we going to do with the cello? I had to throw the violin away after 8 years before moving house just coz she didn’t even bothered to open the case and touch the violin. Gave me the hint that she wasn’t going to bother with violin anymore.

27th Apr 2016 - Then she tried asking me and I didn’t reply her 我假装没听到她 😌. I don’t want her to play me out again. 

This photo was taken in 2007 and so coincidentally the only photo I took of her on stage was with a cellist not a violinist. But seriously I have no idea why she likes the cello.

Does she have musical talent? 🤭 mummy buay paiseh to pass this comment

In her short stint aka distinguished guest appearance in violin class, we attended one recital put up by Ms Low for her students. Che-che was selected as one of the two students in her little class to bow a few strings. Haha! Ok lah a few notes better than nothing at all, the rest of the class only have the chance to sing 🎶 “AAAAAAEEEEEE111111EEEEEE.” 

That means my daughter has some talent right? I had to deliberately buy her a white dress just for that one recital. Sigh…. If she continued maybe she can wear it another time. 

Can’t remember when but years later during one of our convos, she mentioned that I should have made her continue playing the violin when she was younger. How am I suppose to have the patience to coax her when she’s adamant to stop the violin? How to tahan? She’s basically complaining “I want to stop violinnnnnn…”, “my fingers are painfulllll….” Complains when I made her practice at home, when I’m sending her 🚗 to MParade Yamaha from Tampines and then from MParade to all the way home 🚗 in Punggol. Non-stop 唠唠叨叨听了都很烦 😡。

Tell me who is so patient? If you hear this all the time would you put a stop to it? But yes, I felt it was quite wasted in that short period of time. She was the one who requested to learn the violin AND ALSO the one who wanted to quit. Has the 三分钟热度. Do I dare to let her learn the cello or not? After 被骗一次我不要被骗第二次。

Screenshot from blog entry on 24th Feb 2007 https://athenamummy.blogspot.com/2007/02/massive-update.html?m=1

Haha! Think she’s like me, more interested in music than dance. She yawned and proclaimed “so boring” after accompanying her sister to watch Nutcracker back in 2017 🤣.

Two scenario that may materialise years later - she could have blamed me for letting her continue the violin/destroying her smooth fingers with calluses if she hated it OR in her case asking me why I wasn’t firm and insists she continues (afterall I’m a Tiger Mom). If it’s the former, I would have regretted like crazy over the amount of money wasted just like that. We aren’t rich people. If it’s the latter, I’d ask her back the question if she is in my shoes will she pull her daughter out of the class. 

Yes over time I did think about the cello afterall it’s good to learn music, tho I have no idea how I’m going to squeeze out money for her. It’ll be nice to do duets with her (but I need to practice piano very hard first 🤣).

As for saxophone, I wasn’t going to pay for her when she mentioned after stepping down that she wanted to buy a saxophone.  

So if she plays the cello, will she practice that often at home? She hardly plays the piano after she started work. Only the last 2 weeks she sat down and started tinkering the keys with classical pieces. Everytime she plays the classical pieces I will secretly record 😂.  

I’ve never really love the sound of violin (I only like the sound) until she picked up the instrument. So for me to crazily think I want to learn is really a stupid idea. I’m not willing to cut my nails extremely short. But if I’m allowed to daydream, it’ll be so nice to play duets. 

Learning the cello now means she’ll have to take the responsibility to pay on her own coz 她已经赚钱了 💰. When she comes up with the money herself she will feel more 心疼 and ensures she pulls it thru. So it’s wise for me not to give in to her request back in 2015.

She contacted the tutor, a reputable cellist, and a day is set. 

18th May (Mon)

She must be excited / looking forward to the lesson, she has waited for 11 years to finally hold a cello. She wfh today, I sent her to the tutor’s place and waited elsewhere for her until time for pickup.

Logistics

Decided that I will pass her the car in the future if it’s possible. Quite silly to idly wait for her when the time can be used to do something at home. 

Tutor loaned her a unique Japanese cello, not that I can tell 😬

The week 

I secretly audio recorded a little of her practices. Hubby saw me snooping around outside her room door and asked what I was doing. 🤫 Mammarazzi in action. Recording so I have something to keep. 

On Saturday. I requested to sit in her room to watch her practice. It might be my one and only time to sit in; the one and only time she allows me in. As I watched her an overwhelming sense of pride radiated thru my chest. 虽然不是我还学费, I’m just happy and proud of her. 

25th May (Mon)

Lesson started earlier and she had to return to office. The idea of asking her to drive herself cannot be done today. Not wanting to return back to the mall (we had our dinner there) after dropping her off, Che-che asked tutor if we can sit and wait for her in the house. I finally got the chance to see the studio room. 

Tutor is very encouraging. Although che-che is a fast learner there were few times when it sounded funny he encouraged and praised her. I will be the most critical person to tell her off lor! But since I wasn’t paying the money I shall keep my mouth shut and let her feel sim-tia if she continuously don’t put in effort and her progression is slow. He decided to photocopy another song for her since she moved quicker than he expected, was saying “shall let you play from Suzuki. I chuckled, he looked up from the music stand smiled and asked “why”? Explained that she learnt the violin using the Suzuki Method. When he asked her if she remembered which was the last piece, che-che sat there looking blur 🤣. I hummed two tunes coz I wasn’t sure which was the last piece. Now that I checked the songlist for Book 1, she only played 4 songs. 4 songs and keep complaining 😄. 

Nevertheless I’m looking forward to her first cello recital. 

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Old links related to violin :

Her first violin lesson, click HERE 

21st Jan 2007’s Children Mozart Festival, click HERE

Children Mozart Festival thru che-che, click HERE

Les mis

I’m culture-ly busy this year which also left me very poor-ly - a huge hole in my pocket 🤭 When I learnt that Les Mis is coming to Singapore again I know I have to go. They came in 1994, 1996 (didn’t go for this), 2016. It’s time to go again to re-watch with che-che who is now 24 and probably more mature and should understand and appreciate musicals more now than before. Last time was probably I drag them to musicals to expose them to the theatres. Need to rub this expensive influence 😂 on them. Later I noticed that only Che-che appreciates so I only buy tickets for the both of us. 

Bought the tickets last year and waited so long for this. I really love Les Mis. 

After checking thru the dates in Mr Google

All the time I kept thinking Les Mis was my first musical but it’s not! Les Mis was the second musical I watched with my friend Clarence after watching Cats[1993]. (obviously Cats was the wrong choice coz it didn’t leave much impression on me. I hated Cats coz it came to behind us and the aisle and the thick makeup scared me. The plot was also super boring about some street cats) I know I went for three musicals (Phantom[1995] was the 3rd) with him coz we both like musicals. All musicals at Kallang Theatre 😂. It was that long ago!  That time it’s not easy to find friends who have the same interest, unlike now I can just bring che-che with me. 

But probably because I was a little disappointed with Cats that I went with low expectation. I was super WOW-ed with Les Mis. Frankly it’s the only musical where I took the effort to get the scores and find the lyrics. 

Loved this that just for Les Mis, this is the 4th time I’m watching this (twice in Singapore and once in London when I was flying.) BUT the first time for this arena concert style. It is going to be a new experience for us.

This is how I keep all my e-tickets. Printed and left infront of study table, somewhere visible so that this forgetful person will know where to find it when I need it. 

The Day - 9th May (Sat) 2pm

Taking out today’s tickets. We can use the pdf tickets from email for entry. But coz I hate to fumble for the phone. I have too many emails from Sistic (ahem ahem) so will need to sieve out. Lazy lah! Also worry what if my phone die on me suddenly. So it’s always good to have the hard copy as backup 😉.

Next one - Jesus Christ Superstar in August. 

Had to set countless reminders that my tickets include a drink. Can you believe that I had forgotten to claim a programme booklet in Miss Saigon? (edited : found out on date of publishing this blog entry that we had a collectible to claim in Sunset Boulevard as well!  🤦🏻‍♀️

With the Dream Premium ticket we have a dedicated lane for entry. 讲到很好听而已. When we decide to go into the foyer there was no queue anywhere 😝, no special red carpet laid on the ground doing the Cannes walk of fame. If there was a long queue in 3 other lanes, I will strut in with nose in the air in our dedicated lane and do the royal wave 👋. We went in earlier coz we weren’t sure if we can bring the drink into the hall. If we can’t, we need time to gobble down the drink. 

For the Les Misérables Arena Spectacular in Singapore 2026, the "Dream Premium" and "Freedom VIP" ticket packages include a complimentary themed drink before the show begins.

Wasn’t sure if che-che will take it coz she doesn’t like carbonated drinks, but she did. Even if she didn’t, I don’t mind lor… it’s not like some expensive drink. But I’m glad it’s non-alcoholic.

🎶 “Drink with me to days gone by

To the life that used to be 

At the shrine of friendship, never say die
Let the wine of friendship never run dry
Here's to you and here's to me”

The concert commenced with the startling snare drum, timpani, trombone, horn and dunno what else two notes that had everyone in shock🤣. All of us were caught off guard coz it took them longer than usual to start after the whole hall is quiet. All shoulders lifted upwards in sync. Haha!  The starting of the story and music is harsh and heavy. Umm…. Dunno how to explain but maybe you get what I mean. 

I wasn’t sure if getting third row was a good choice. I was worried about tilting my head up if I had chosen the first row. Then Jean Valjean tore his paper and threw it on the ground. The first row people, a group of chinese teens, ran to pick up the papers. The people around us were laughing at them. I wonder what’s on the piece of paper? If all of them friends picked up, they can piece them back together. Maybe it’s just a blank piece of paper?

Although I’ve watched Les Miserables musical thrice, sometimes I may forget certain scenes in the musical. In this concert when Bishop covered up for Jean Valjean’s theft and gave him the two candlesticks, I cried. 

“But remember this, my brother

See in this some higher plan

You must use this precious silver

To become an honest man

By the witness of the martyrs

By the passion and the blood

God has raised you out of darkness

I have saved your soul for God.” 

This is the turning point, the time for redemption. The time Jean Valjean turned to be a good man. I used to ask che-che why she needs to buy books and why she has to re-read them? Her explanation was “sometimes you may miss out certain things if you need it once, read it the second time I may have a different interpretation.” Not her exact words but something like that lah! So now it applies to musicals. Haha! Meaning I must watch it many times. Wah! So expensive story telling. I shall pick up Victor Hugo’s book and read.  

Of course story is also about the socioeconomic disparity in France. So many important lessons we can learn from this story to apply to our daily lives. Of course I’m not suddenly going to be Mother Theresa Lily. So yah, I think I should read the book to have a deeper understanding. Victor Hugo wrote this book when he was in exile so maybe he was approaching story in that direction? I may be wrong. Hmm…..will I get to finish it? I have e-books in my iPad and I haven’t finished reading the book I was reading 🤣. I definitely cannot read the same book twice or thrice coz I already have problem finding time to finish the first time.

I’m not sure if anyone goes to the musical as blindly as I do. Haha! I usually don’t read what the story is about prior to it (just like I go to SSO concerts blindly), so I have to keep my eyes and ears open to see and listen carefully to the lyrics. But Les Mis coz I’ve been a few times I get to see how (1) the kiddos 被枪毙 at the barricade and (2) Javert commit suicide. He just walked away! Haha! I thought they would use the stairs and make him jump down from the 5th step. Anyway the theatrical staging has to do it that way with this concert version, just walk away. This new experience doesn’t take much away, all compensated with the staging the lights. Not forgetting the projector to see the casts faces clearly. I was in third row so can still see their faces. But I hate to think that those people sitting at the first or second level may be blocked by the whatever setup and lights. 

How he commit suicide in this Arena Spectacular?

https://youtube.com/shorts/A-0wRTtdMUw?si=-Sy41pBB0tB6z346

How is it that people can secretly record? In SIN, the ushers will go out quickly and stop. But I must admit that so far I haven’t seen audience around me stopped by the ushers coz I’m usually in the front few rows 😂. Not sure if those people at the furthest away seats sneak video taking or not.

Throughout the whole concert, the lady next to me was singing along to the songs. Wasn’t a nuisance but it goes to show that she knows alot of songs, she must be a much bigger fan of Les Mis compared to moi 🤭. But I was really irritated with this chinese ah-boy in first row when clapping after songs would raise his hands up above his head to clap. So 夸张。 I wish I can use a rubber band, fold a paper and shoot his hands. Luckily during curtain call he didn’t do that coz he was busy filming. Haha! 

Finally it was curtain call. As usual in any Les Mis the Thénardiers steal the show with their comedic acts, a break away from the emotional cry story. I need time to clear my blocked nose, if not cry somemore I must breathe thru my mouth. Lea Salonga played the role of Mrs Thénardier with Red Concepción as the greedy manipulative innkeeper. Seeing the way he played the comical character, I thought he is suitable to play The Engineer role in Miss Saigon. And lol! He did play the role before 🤣, not in the ones I watched tho.

Somehow his name sounded familiar, now I know l may have come across his name somewhere before. 

As for Lea Salonga, I was lucky to see her when she was playing Kim in Broadway. Seeing her twice is not a lot but just glad to see her in different roles.

Nathania Ong, our fellow Singaporean

I like Na-Young too!

Gerónimo Rauch (Jean Valjean) and Jeremy Secomb (Javert)

Need to give credits to the orchestra 

Heard the harp but was looking for it. So it’s blocked where I was seated, now can be seen during curtain call. It was blocked by the high platform all the time, which makes sense so that it will not be visually distracting to the audience. 

Such mesmerizing and transcendent music by Claude-Michel Schönberg

Do I like this? I think I still prefer the musical style where the stage keeps changing and people move around. It’s more visually interesting. For this concert style because of the lack of props most scenes are scaled down. Singers also sit and then come up to the mic and sing.

*********************

10th May :

Still in this Les Mis craze. Promise, this is the last post on Les Mis. 

Came across this on YouTube, click HERE

Will I watch it once more if they come to shore? Not sure if che-che remembers what she saw in 2016, how the stage and people walking on a huge lazy susan and moving from one scene to the next. She might be keen to watch it again.  If it took them 10 years to come back with this concert style, will it be another 10 years later for Les Mis to return? If so, at 61 I need to wear adult diapers coz sure cannot tahan holding bladder anymore 🤣. Maybe by then che-che can pay for my ticket instead of me bringing her.  

So cute!

Received this in my email today. 

I like Miffy just coz it’s a rabbit 😬 and of coz I’m born in the Year of the Rabbit. So happy to see this airline exclusive. Have to resist, cannot buy coz no space no need for them.

But I do have lots of miles to clear. So how? Buy or fly somewhere with the miles? 

SSO

Seems like forever since I last stepped into Esplanade going for SSO concerts with Che-che. Has it been that long? 2yrs plus? Started when she left for US until now, when she started working it was difficult to find time. Think recently this year che-che has been going with her friends who also appreciate classical. While I’m happy that she has companion apart from her old mother, I’m sad that I lost a companion. Thus I was elated when she jio-ed me for one of Hans Graf conducted concert. 

It’s not our first time to concerts conducted by maestro Hans Graf. He came on just about the time che-che and I were more active in attending SSO concerts. 

This May, SSO honor the tenure of Hans Graf (as he concludes his term as Quantedge Music Director 😩 with 3 farewell series that will keep his loyal supporters busy for 3 weeks.

Saw Lynnette Seah, the previous Co-concertmaster in SSO, 我的偶像 

Queuing up for this before the concert

Wristband for autograph and photo session after the concert

Hans Graf Farewell Series: Scheherazade

Programme includes: 

(1) The Rock, Op. 7 (by Sergei Rachmaninoff)

(2) Violin Concerto No.2, Op.61 (by Karol Szymanowski)

I    Moderato - Milton tranquillo

II   Andantino sostenuto

III  Allegramente - Molto energico

IV  Andantino - Molto tranquillo 

(3) Scheherazade, Op.35 (by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov)

I    The Sea and Sinbad’s Ship

II   The Tale of Prince Kalendar

III  The Young Prince and the Princess

IV   The Festival at Baghdad; The Sea; The Ship Goes to Pieces on a Rock

While queuing for the autograph and photo session I told the girls I thought the last three pieces were more lively. Then they said the first of the third piece - The Sea and Sinbad’s Ship - was played slow by SSO. It’s suppose to be faster. 🤣 as if I know. Che-che gave me that look “you nvr hear this before?” Ok, I think she’s more well versed in classical pieces than me now. Always go in concerts blindly 🤣. I’ve never heard of the tracks before or maybe never paid attention when it’s in the background. 

Thank you, Maestro. 

I will certainly miss your presence on the podium. Wishing you good health always ! 

Hope to see you again.