The Raffles Symphonic Band, led by conductor Adrian Tan.
There are some school concerts where the music is incidental to the occasion. Thankfully, Bandemonium – Not Yet Christmas was not one of them. Presented by the Raffles Symphonic Band, and featuring Raffles Winds, the concert was held on 7 December 2012 at the Performing Arts Centre. It was a night in which the music clearly took centre stage, captivating and enthralling even the usual phone-fiddlers and whisperers in the audience.
The concert’s significance is three-fold. First, it is the latest offering in the Symphonic Band’s calendar. Second, it features a diverse range of performers, spanning Year 1 to 6, RGS and the alumni base. Third, it comes right after the announcement of reforms to the Singapore Youth Festival (SYF), meaning that musical groups will have to increasingly rely on platforms like this to showcase their talents.
Fortunately, the concert did not disappoint. The symphony was one that produced a harmonious amalgamation of sound, rather than a disparate collection of brass and woodwind instruments. The resulting performance held the audience’s rapt attention throughout. For instance, the band performed a rousing rendition of O Magnum Mysterium which reverberated throughout the hall. The piece was haunting, and every member of the band was fully utilised. In First Suite in E-Flat, the band seamlessly navigated an impressive tonal range, evoking the full spectrum of human emotion and building towards a climatic finish. With pieces like The March from 1941 and Hymm to the Infinite Sky, the musical dexterity and technical agility of the performers were evident.
However, the undisputable favourites of the night were familiar tunes like The Phantom of the Opera (performed with a rock twist), The Wizard of Oz, Disney Classic Revue, and Highlights from My Neighbour Totoro. Call it an appeal to nostalgia, but there was a 1990s tinge to the evening, transplanting many in the audience – who would have grown up in that period – into their childhood. The good-humoured, like-hearted, even cheeky execution went down well – at points, the performers donned Christmas hats, and the conductor even signalled for the audience to clap and sing along!
As promised, the concert captured the mood of the holiday season, with its unmistakably festive tunes. Popular songs were included in the in the concluding medley, Christmas Fantasia, and the encore piece, It’s a Small, Small World. While these melodies resonated with the audience’s taste, they were elegantly delivered, without being cheesy or pedestrian. This is, perhaps, the greatest achievement of Bandemonium – remaining accessible to a largely unacquainted audience without sacrificing musicality and showmanship. The selection of pieces – from across cultures and time periods – is also worth mentioning.
Festive-looking tickets, complete with red ribbons.
Unfortunately, the band was let down by the acoustics of the PAC, which failed to create a three-dimensional aural treat. As a result, the sound was rather flat, much like a CD (the reviewers are advised by a Physics student that this has something to do with the refraction of sound waves). The all-too-frequent and at times clumsy interjections from the emcees also detracted from the magical quality of the evening.
Still, the music itself was animated and enchanting. Bandemonium is a charming addition to the school’s arts calendar, especially in the interregnum when campus life dies down. It’s not quite Christmas yet, but Bandemonium was a lovely way to get into the festive spirit.
The reviewers’ tickets were sponsored by the Raffles Symphonic Band.
To many of us here in modernised Singapore, Bhutan is somewhat of a foreign concept. Not just because it’s literally a distant land, but also because we don’t quite understand the concept of Gross National Happiness (GNH), which plays such an important role in the lives of the Bhutanese. While they choose to focus on quality of life as measured in terms of things like environmental and mental wellness, Singaporeans remain caught up in the pursuit of the 5Cs (car, condo, cash, credit card, country club) and our government still places a greater emphasis on Gross Domestic Product (GDP). With these significant differences in the way of life of Singaporeans and Bhutanese, how 67 students from the Humanities Programme, as well as our 6 accompanying teachers, survive 9 days in a foreign land? And out of those 67 students, how would 29 of them survive trekking through the untamed Bhutanese wilderness? We will find out soon enough…
After the skillful pilot on our DrukAir flight successfully maneuvered a series of winding valleys – at times bringing the plane as close as 100 feet to the side of a hill slope – and landed our plane on the tarmac of Paro Airport, the only international airport in Bhutan, we were treated to breathtaking sights as we walked towards the sole building that made up the terminal. Not only was the air clean, crisp and fresh, there were mountain ranges as far as the eye could stretch. This would become a familiar sight to us over the course of the trip; our eyes would be greeted by the hilly terrain just about every waking moment of the day.
The beautiful sight that greeted us as we first stepped foot in Bhutan
With heartfelt goodbyes, the trekking team separated from the non-trekking group. As we boarded the bus, we did not know what to expect and were more concerned with taking numerous pictures of the magnificent scenery surrounding us. After all, one can never have enough pictures of a herd of yaks!
Over the next 2 days, we got acquainted with the sights and sounds of Bhutan – both of the architectural and natural kind. We had time to interact with the Bhutanese youth during our visit to PunakhaHigherSecondary School, even enjoying a thrilling game of basketball with them (it was quite an even match)! Given a 3000 metre difference in altitude, some of our boys reported experiencing breathlessness, or even bleeding in their throats.
To our surprise, the Bhutanese youth spoke English flawlessly, as English was the medium of instruction in all their schools. We were very curious about each others’ lifestyles. One question we frequently asked was: “What do you do in your free time?” Indeed, we had a hard time imagining a life without handheld games and huge shopping centres in every neighborhood. We also found that the rigor of education, which was compulsory until high school, matched Singapore’s as many students boarded in school and had to follow strict study schedules outside normal curriculum hours. Despite the differences in culture, we found it easy to talk to them about common topics such as pop music, movies and sports! Naomi Lourdesamy (13A01B), a hardcore Harry Potter fan, was ecstatic to learn that one of the students she met was also a Harry Potter fan whose favourite character was Hermione! In an age of globalization, common experiences like these are not inhibited by national or cultural borders.
Ms Chan happily accepted a challenge at hand-wrestling issued by a student from Punakha Higher Secondary School
We also enjoyed the variety of Bhutanese architecture that we came across during our bus rides and stops in the cities. As a pillar of GNH is “cultural preservation”, traditional architecture remains an important part of Bhutan. A royal decree passed in 1998 ensures that all Bhutanese buildings bear similar characteristics such as wood frontages, arched windows and sloping roofs. The Dzongs (fortresses) we visited were works of art: towering exterior walls surrounding a complex layout of courtyards, offices, temples and accommodations. The interior of the Dzongs were brightly coloured in Buddhist-themed motifs and paintings. Each painting depicted a legend of an important character in the Buddhist teachings.
A Bhutanese farmhouse with pounded mud making up its foundationsThe simple interior of a Bhutanese farmhouse that we were fortunate enough to visit
Similar to how the low-rise buildings bore no resemblance to the skyscrapers Singapore boasts, the landscape of Bhutan itself was worlds apart from our flat island. Besides the mountain ridges and valleys, which range from 160m to 7000m above sea level, Bhutan also had 64% forest cover. This explains the crisp and unpolluted air that we enjoyed during our stay.
As part of the trekking team, we had the opportunity to get up close and personal with the Bhutanese landscape during the 4 days that we spent trekking on the Samtengang Winter Trek. Trekking through the wilderness, sleeping in tents, not showering; these were all features of the 4 days we spent braving the Bhutanese forests. During the trek, important values such as co-operation and perseverance were not forgotten. When the pathways were slippery or unstable, we had to rely on the strong and comforting grip of the person in front of us who would kindly offer his or her hand for support. Toh Jie Min (13A01A) gamely offered to carry the bag of a fellow trekker when she needed help as he felt it was “a simple thing he could do, [since] trekking is after all, a team effort”. When the ascent seemed unending, we had to push ourselves to take yet another step, telling ourselves that the summit was coming soon. Even though the trek was classified as “easy/medium”, it was physically demanding even for the fittest of our group. Joshua Ling (13A01C), the boys’ swimming captain, remarked, “While I exercise on a regular basis, the trek was a different sort of ‘tiring’ as you go at a steady pace for long periods of time. This made it very mentally challenging as well.”
The trek begins!
The fact that we had no warm hotel room to return to at night also needed getting used to, which we all did readily enough as we gathered in the mess tent for card games or chitchat before meals and during our free time. Over the 4 days, we were separated from daily comforts like showers and cellphones. However, we chose to make the most of the wonderful experience by filling our time with activities such as darts or archery and marveling at the sumptuous and delicious food the cooking crew was able to whip up without the aid of modern cooking appliances.
Relaxing in the mess tent after a day’s worth of trekkingAn example of one of our nutritious and delicious lunches!
After the trekking experience, the first time we stepped into the hotel seemed like entering a whole new world. Many of us marveled at how much dirt had gathered on our skin during the 4 days of “unshowering”, leaving the bath water brown and murky. The remaining days passed in a quick blur, mostly consisting of visits to more Dzongs and schools. We also made a 2-hour trek up to Tiger’s Nest, a monastery perched beautifully on the cliff of the upper Paro Valley. At this popular tourist spot, we met others there on Buddhist pilgrimages.
Tiger’s Nest: perched precariously on a cliff
All in all, this trip was both educational and eye-opening for us. We got to experience a culture vastly different from our own and spent 9 lovely days immersed in the sights and sounds of Bhutan. While the days were long, the roads were rough and the trek was exhausting, we managed to get through it (unscathed and unharmed) with the help of our friends, teachers and the guides. We were fortunate enough to have hospital guides, drivers and trekking crew who made our trip all the more worthwhile and unforgettable (and who kept us well-fed during the entire trek!). Personally, I am sure that all of us who went on the trip count it as one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences that we will always remember and treasure!
The trekking group with our guides and trekking crewByebye Bhutan!
On behalf of the group, the writer would like to thank the accompanying teachers who painstakingly planned and watched over the group during the entire trip.
Photos courtesy of Sum Xin Yi (13A01B), Kimberley Pah (13A01B), Aidan Mock (13A01B), and Marjorie Pang (13A03A)
It is highly likely that one of the first things you will do as a Year 5 RI student (in addition to becoming overwhelmed at the huge number of members of the opposite sex appearing in your vicinity) will be getting lost on campus. Call it an initiation of sorts, but given the size of our school, it is quite forgivable that this happens. Even boys who have been around from Year 1-4 can scarcely find their way around (apart from – yes – the canteen and 7/11). But just so you can be prepared, and hopefully avoid the multiple stages of confusion, helplessness and panic, here is a guide to the RI Year 5-6 campus.
#1 How to get to lessons and lectures
Lectures can be held in any of the six lecture theatres (LTs). LTs 1 and 2 are located in Block C, LT3 in Block A, and LTs 4 and 5 are in Block B.
LT6 is primarily for the Humanities Program (HP) students, and is located in Block J, informally known as the HP Block.
It will take some time to get used to the lecture system, especially if you have been exposed to the standard classroom settings throughout your school life, but it is probably wise to avoid falling asleep in lectures even if the very first math topic is graphs (be warned!) and you have no clue how to perform transformations.
Tutorials are held in classrooms located mainly in Blocks A to D. For example, the classroom A24 refers to Block A, Level 2, Classroom 4.
Science practical sessions are held in the science labs in Block E. Levels 1 and 1M house the physics labs, Level 3 the Biology labs and Level 4 the Chemistry labs.
Unfortunately, most of us do not have a home room in Year 5 (apart from the HP students), meaning walking around the campus, sometimes from one end to another between lessons, will be the norm.
#2 How to get to your PE venue
There is a whole range of possible venues for PE lessons, such as the Marymount field, the Indoor Sports Hall, Multi-purpose Hall and the gym. Here are some important locations you should take note of:
Marymount field: Field beside the Marymount MRT gate
Indoor Sports Hall (ISH): Block K, Level 1
Multi-purpose Hall (MPH): Block L, Level 2
Stadium: Beside Block L
Gym and PE Department: Block L, Level 1
“The Cage” (an indoor court): in front of Block L
Gryphon Square: between Marymount field and Block L
Indoor basketball court: Behind the canteen
#3 Where to study
Maybe CTs are looming, or you just want a quiet, comfortable place to complete your homework. Here are some places you might find conducive!
1. Libraries: The Shaw Foundation Library (Block H, Level 4) or the Hullett Memorial Library (Y1-4 campus) are quiet, conducive and best of all, air-conditioned.
2. Canteen: This allows you to talk to friends and enjoy easy access to food – if this works for you and you don’t mind the noise, the canteen is the place for you.
3. Windy benches: The benches located beside the Theatre Studies Room (Block A, Level 1) are almost just as cool as the air-conditioned library, with a constant breeze present.
4. Pick-up point: The tables outside Manna Café (Block B, Level 1) is another popular study venue, and you can grab a milkshake or a plate of cheese fries from the café at the same time!
#4 Where to get food!
The canteen can get very crowded, especially during common lunch hours. Here are some other options you can look to for food:
1. Manna Café (Block B, Level 1): A small cozy café with set lunches as well as various sides, drinks and desserts
2. 7-11: Located right in front of the canteen, along the walkway from the Marymount gate. This is the place most head to for snacks in the evening, when most of the canteen stalls have shut.
3. RI canteen (Year 1-4 campus) Year 5-6 studentts usually head here during longer breaks to enjoy the food, which some claim is cheaper and more delicious.
4. Minimart (located beside the swimming pool near RI Boarding): Here you can find things ranging from snacks to sandwiches and even freshly made waffles!
#5 Where to settle administrative matters
1. General Office (Block H, Level 1M)
2. Student Affairs Centre (Block D, Level 1): For matters such as submitting forms, settling lost and found items, and borrowing the formal uniform for special occasions.
3. Photocopying shop (Block D, Level 1): Just beside the SAC is the photocopying shop, which you will probably visit regularly to collect lecture notes, revision packages, or just to use the photocopying machines.
4. Staff Room: To submit assignments to teachers’ pigeon holes, you will have to go to the staffroom and submit them at the receptionist’s counter.
To get to the staffroom, you can go to the Shaw Foundation Library at Level 4 and take the staircase next to its entrance to Level 3.
Otherwise, take the spiral staircase beside the Raffles Biodiversity Pond to the General Office, and take the staircase beside the guard’s table near the General Office to go up two floors.
Here at Raffles Press, we wish you all the best in navigating the school! For most, it will become too familiar after some time. Still, if you do end up lost, just ask a friendly senior for directions, and return the favour for your juniors next year.
This style guide to Prom for guys and girls is brought to you by Council, Runway, and Press.
By Dyon Ang (12A01E) and Sum Xin Yi (13A01B)
Grad Night 2012: Noir is the Batch of 2012’s final soirée! It is the time where everyone wants to be dressed to kill. After all, Grad Night is the biggest night of your entire JC life.
(Prom is going to be used interchangeably with Grad Night, despite the fact it is going to be more Chinese Wedding than an actual American-style Prom with cocktails and canapés.)
Well, on the bright side, you don’t have to ask someone to be your date…you get to ask nine! And you know what they say, two’s company, but ten is a heckload of fun.
—————————————— MALES ——————————————
So let’s face it, there’s not much a guy can do to look different from the guy next to you, is there? Wrong. Guys should be equally up to task as the girls, it all comes down to the little details… THE BASICS
1. The Classic Suit
Gucci S/S 2012
The formal suit is always an option. The suit jacket will always come with a pair of matching trousers (if it’s a two-piece) and a vest (three-piece). Go for the three-piece suit if you want a more traditional formal feel and leave the bottom button unbuttoned if its a two-button suit jacket. A fashionable friend of mine swears by Gucci, and only Gucci, for suits, while I’m more of a D&G person.
Dolce & Gabbana F/W 2012
In both cases, wear a slim necktie (fat ones can be chunky and business-like) especially if you go for the three-piece option.
Note: There is are subtle differences between a business suit and an evening suit (use your… good judgment — it’s more to do with the color and material than anything).
2. Blazer Combination
A slightly easier attire option than the suit where the matching possibilities are endless dependent on whether you want to upgrade or downgrade your level of formality – just make sure you have a decent blazer!
3. Suspenders + Dress Shirt and Pants (no kidding)
An option you can consider if you have a preppy/hipster look, or if you think you have it going on. Avoid this if you do not, but if you do, you might actually look adorkable: it all depends on the person really.
Wearing a bow tie is preferred (NOT those humongous ones that exend beyond the tips of your shirt collar, they make you look like a joke). Unless that’s what you are going for (see adorkable).
4. A tuxedo
Tom Ford
The most dressy formal attire (read: difficult to pull off) option you can consider but if done well, it can be worn with aplomb and style. We recommend sticking to the above options, but if you do go with this, rent it. A well made and tailored tuxedo can be obscenely expensive.
Most rented generic tuxedos are rather boxily cut. Since you can’t alter them to suit your body, they are best left for the genuinely boxier people. Always wear a tuxedo shirt (this is different than a dress shirt) to add sophistication — you already are wearing a tuxedo, so why not go all out? Oh and come in a bow tie (no ties)!
5. Anything White
In general, this option is strongly discouraged — people might start asking you for drinks. Very few can pull off this look (especially a white tuxedo).
IN GENERAL
Don’t be afraid to wear colours to make yourself stand out. No garish colors please, stick to pastels (light blue, pale pink, etc) if unsure. Wear a darker necktie/bow tie than your shirt or if your shirt is in a dark hue, a lighter one.
When in doubt, you can play it safe. Stick to evening colours (black, midnight blue, etc). Wear a classic black suit and you’re golden.
Keep it classy.
Always leave a button unbuttoned if you’re wearing a suit jacket/blazer. Unbutton it when you sit and rebutton it when you stand to not look sloppy (since the jacket will bunch up).
Make sure your clothes are fitting (note to some people: this does not mean skin-tight)
Little details like a tie bar will help accentuate your dressing!
Break the rules
Have fun!
—————————————— FEMALES ——————————————
Confession right here: prom is nothing without you looking good and a hell lot of photos. If you haven’t got your pictures, you didn’t attend the actual prom. You see, you’re all dolled up in those expensive clothes and so are your friends so get your money’s worth! Or your parents’ money’s worth. Either way, unleash that inner camera-loving self of yours and we promise that you will thank us post-prom when you will have so much to look back on.
“Fashion knows not of comfort. All that matters is the face you show the world.” — Gossip Girl, everyone’s favourite drama.
Taking into account how this graduating batch of Rafflesians is already so particularly well-dressed even when going to school (cardigans, socks and all), there is expected to be fierce competition amongst the ladies to stand out for prom this year. Yes we’ve done our research, so look forward to a gala of splendid tailor-made dresses and designer brands – and, gasp, maybe a couple of ladies wearing the same dress as well. They say imitation is the best form of flattery but it’s not necessarily so in this case. Don’t worry; you can still make your outfit uniquely you with makeup, accessories and just plain spunk. :)
THE BASICS
1. Cocktail Dress
Possibly one of the most adaptable dresses that a lady can invest in. Dressed up or dressed down, this can take you from dinner dates to formal events, and prom night is no exception.
In fact, most tend to prefer this over the traditional evening gowns as this allows you to…show off your legs! However, for decency’s sake, do make sure the furthest the hem rides up your legs is high-thigh. Check before purchasing: sit down, bend over, stretch, run, and see how high the hem will hike up. If already purchased and the dress is doomed to flash, you can attempt the trick K-Pop stars use with their impossibly short skirts during live performances — tape it down! A less popular, but a more modest, alternative is to wear tights.
2. Evening Gown
The traditional attire for prom nights. The evening gown is always floor-length and is also more formal, luxurious and expensive than its leg-baring counterpart.
It is typically prized as a more mature choice and picked by those who deem themselves already out of the teenage-party phase. That is because if you intend to party afterwards, you will need to ensure you have a second outfit as clubs these days aren’t too fond of their dance floors interacting with your floor-sweeping chiffon.
Footwear
Most, if not all, ladies will be in heels, so do not be afraid to slip on some zany designs!
Alexander McQueen S/S 2010
For those with shorter legs, avoid vertical lines as they visually cut off the line of the leg. That means ankle boots and ankle straps, for no matter how trendy they may be, make even long legs look shorter. Also, match your hosiery with your heels, as it creates a continuous line down your leg to give the illusion of longer legs.
Emilio Pucci S/S 2013
Please remember to wear heels that you can actually walk in. Longer legs will not be able to make up for that embarrassing fall that overturned the buffet table.
IN GENERAL
Things to take note of:
Watch your cleavage (plunging necklines) and do wear the correct bra or expect slips and spills all over the place unless, you know, that’s your intention. A smaller bust will be beneficial if going strapless as the dress will fit better and stay up. However, still do checks constantly and Fashion Tape is everyone’s secret best friend.
Visible Panty Line, which is when your underwear is visible through your clothing.
“No human being should ever wear tight satin.” – Michael Kors
Remember… it’s great to experiment with bold colours and patterns (they make you stand out!) but black is and will always be slimming.
Accessories
Jewellery and hair accessories are optional.
However, you do need an all-important purse. Not only does it complete your look, it is also vital for carrying your necessary items. Choose something small so that every time you move your hands you’re not shoving a boulder into someone’s face.
Things that should be in your chic clutch:
Cell Phone + Money
Makeup essentials: You shouldn’t be hauling your entire makeup stash with you to prom but do pack in your lipstick, eyeliner, concealer and maybe a compact mirror for touch-ups
Oil-blotting sheets: That finishing powder or foundation that promises “superb oil control” probably isn’t going to last you the whole night, especially if you have oily skin, so do have some blotting sheets on hand to soak up all that sebum.
Mints: We don’t know what dinner is going to consist of but, trust us, it’s always better to be on the safe side. (In case you are intending to abstain from eating in hopes of a flatter stomach: one meal isn’t going to make much difference and, please, you paid for the hotel food.)
Camera (optional). Remember there’s still your camera phone and the official photographers for the event. This will add to the bulk of your purse, though there is nothing quite like personalised camwhoring with your favourite people.
Makeup
This is a particularly tricky area, especially for many damsels out there who have been living the past 18 years of their life sans makeup. Just remember that, unlike what popular media is attempting to sell you, less is more — you would want to avoid resembling a baby hooker.
Pick your best features to focus on. In most cases, it will either be the lips or eyes. If you’re going all-out for the windows to your soul, keep your lips simple. If you’re going to focus all the focus on your lips, use bronzer instead of rouge for cheeks and keep the eyes clean.
Take note that it’s called smoky eyes, not raccoon.
Don’t be afraid to try bold colours like the classic red lip. There are online tutorials to help you perfect the look.
Make sure that your foundation is in the right shade – apply it all the way to the neck and remember to blend well.
Do not cake your makeup on. Even if you think you need that much make-up to begin with, you probably will still look better without a layer of junk.
Use loose/finishing powder to prevent oiliness, or your face may transform into a shining beacon of light in photos. Take a photo with flash to test it out. This is crucial because — according to reviews of a recent prom held at Orchard Hotel — the lighting in the ballroom is so terrible you can’t take any decent photos with flash.
Please use waterproof makeup if you’re prone to crying or bursting into hysterics. Actually, just use waterproof/water-resistant makeup regardless because you may perspire.
Regularly touch up your makeup throughout the night to keep that perfect face looking perfect.
If you’re still unsure, you may approach the sweet makeup people at Sephora or any other makeup counters and ask for advice! Most times they will even give you a free personalised makeover (in hopes that you’ll buy the products of course). Or you can book appointments at make up counters like the following:
Bobbi Brown – $80
Dior – $120
The Makeup Store – $50
Shu Uemura – $50
Otherwise, the internet is also filled with thousands of free makeup tutorials. Check out Xaviera’s prom Makeup video if you want something simple yet beautiful.
Other popular Youtube picks include @MichellePhan, @cl2425, and @jungsaemmool.
To end off, ladies and gentlemen, just remember to have fun and congratulations for surviving a very trying 2 years!
This is the latest instalment in our collaboration with MediaCorp’s ilovebooks.com. Amid the buzz about the National Conversation, Lye Han Jun examines the perspective of (gulps!) a foreigner: columnist Neil Humphrey.
