ACTIVITIES
SPCCAA 27
AP:
It has been some time since you have led the Alumni Choir to
any concerts. The last one I believe was the one in Macau – the
Joint Concert with Dolce Voce at St. Dominic’s Church. How
do you feel about being our conductor once again?
AW:
Definitely very happy and excited. Since the last concert
in Macau five years ago, I’ve noticed that although almost
70% of the choir members are the same, the chemistry is quite
different. Both sides have had the opportunity to get to know
each other better since then and the choir members have a
better understanding of my conducting style and expectations.
Or perhaps the reminder emails we have sent out before
rehearsals gave them “premonitions” regarding the rehearsal
requirements and my expectations. [Laughing]
AP:
[Laughing] Yes, indeed. Since our last collaboration in
Macau, SPCCAC has gained another five fruitful years of
experience. As a conductor, have you observed any changes in
SPCCAC over these years?
AW:
The quality and musical training of AC members have
not changed. It was their approach and attitude towards the
preparation of this concert that made all the difference!
Although I did sense some apprehension among the choir members
during the first rehearsal, most of them were able to loosen up
quickly and enjoy themselves in the remaining rehearsals. Honestly,
when I first stepped into Music Room A for the first rehearsal, I
felt that we had plenty of room for improvement. After all these
months of collaboration, our members have transformed. They
were all very engaged at rehearsals which often ran past 11 pm
and I could tell they had practised at home. And the hard work
paid off! I’ve heard feedback from some audience saying, “The
togetherness of this group was immense,” which I really treasure.
AP:
Indeed, the dedication of AC members in preparing for
this concert sets a new benchmark for future standards!
AW:
Our choir, as a team, has made much effort to make our
concerts enjoyable.
AP:
How does this concert compare with the previous ones
you have led for SPCCAC? What is the role of conductor in
shaping SPCCAC performance?
AW:
Conducting SPCCAC has always been a very special
experience. The opportunity to have music interaction
with such a diverse group of St. Paulians spanning across
generations, including my father, uncles and aunties who have
known me since I was a child, and my former classmates, has
made this an extra special experience for me.
Bringing together a group of singers with age difference
spanning over five decades was a big challenge. As conductor,
my main goal was to entice people to work hard and to sing
with their hearts. Rehearsals should not be about making up
attendance requirement but rather the opportunity to make
good music together. With this aim in mind, I believe our
group can achieve even more.
AP:
A lot of SPCCAC members felt that this concert brought
us back to the days of the Music Festivals, when we competed
with our “rivals”. What is your view?
AW:
Well, [sipping his Horlick] I am not so sure about the
rivalry, but certainly being on the same stage with other schools
that competed with us throughout our school lives in the Music
Festivals, like you said, was an important drive that motivated
our choir members to work hard. I believe this event had
triggered flashbacks of the Music Festivals among many of us.
Regardless, we enjoyed the presence of the other performers even
though we had different feeling towards them back in the days.
AP:
Foes become friends!
AW:
Yes, that’s the most important element of singing – to
share our happiness with other people.
AP:
What will be your dream concert with SPCCAC?
AW:
SPCCAC is not just a group of old graduates singing
together. Choir, on the other hand, also means harmony. It is the
harmony of different generations of people coming back together
to sing in the very room where we learned music in the first
place. For me, a dream concert does not have to be of first-class
music quality; rather it is about bringing different generations,
i.e. the alumni and the current students, back together to sing in
harmony. There is so much we can learn from and offer to each
other. We can start with a homecoming concert like that.
AP:
Thank you so much for your time; it has been a great
pleasure talking with you. On behalf of the Alumni Choir, we
wish you all the best and look forward to working with you
again in the near future.
AW:
Thank you.
(From left) Concertmaster Mr Daniel Chan, Mr Apollo Wong and Mr Arthur
Poon.
“Alumni Choir is not just a group of old graduates
singing together… It is the harmony of different
generations of people coming back together to sing
in the very room where we learned music in the
first place.” – Apollo Wong
(
AP:
Arthur Poon;
AW:
Apollo Wong)
