Hello Band! (:
Mr Tan wrote us a letter on 17th April, here it is:
Dear SMSB,
Yesterday night, someone smashed my car window at 3am and stole things from my car! It was very upsetting, but my wife said, "hey, let's not get upset! We're still at the celebration mood because SMSB got a Gold!" That immediately brought a smile to my face! I can never forget the wonderful moment when I heard your results announced via long distance telephone! It was unforgettable and I really wished that I was there celebrating wiith everyone! I am so proud of all of you! This SYF preparation began in June last year when we started practising Jericho. It has been a long journey and I am so delighted that SMSB made it! Hooray!
In the midst of celebrations, please remember to thank your current teachers and instructors, which I am sure you have already. Ms Wee has been with the band so many years and has simply been an excellent support. Mr Lim taught all of you from zero, lovingly and patiently training you for so many years, you better thank him for his blood, sweat, and tears. Despite joining SMSB for only a short time, Ms Zee, Mr Chew, and Ms Chong have all contributed immensely to the band. They made so much efforts to connect with you and I am really impressed by the quality of their work. Also, do not forget Mrs Tan our principal. Do write her a thank you note as a band. I marched to her office several times to request for instruments, and it is all thanks to her that we have complete instruments today including exotic instruments like double basses and contra bass clarinets.
Please do not forget the many people in the past who made your success possible. You can't suddenly become a Gold medal band overnight, and you must know that your achievement is that cumulative efforts of many people both from the past and present. People from the past who are not with you now are likely to be erased from memory as time passes, but I want to make this last attempt for you to remember your roots.
Firstly, you mustn't forget the late Mrs Caroline Lee. Many of you may not know her, but she was the main driving force behind the major transformation of the band in 1999. She changed the band from outdoor into a concert band, hired me as the new conductor, gave us such a big and wonderful band room, and made those green cupboards in the band room for us. Take good care of those cupboards, and tell your juniors to do so, for that was the last present she gave us before she passed away. Secondly, you mustn't forget the many dedicated teachers in charge in the past: Mr Hoo, Mrs Kwok, Ms Tay, and Ms Chang. They did many things you didn't see, worried for you in ways you didn't imagine. Thirdly, you must thank all your alumni for their support. They were the ones who passed down skills to you, and I hope that tonight, you would find them on facebook and drop a simple thank you to your previous senior or SL.
Finally, I am going to be thick-skinned and tell you to remember me, or I shall feel even more upset than my car getting smashed! I on my part wiill never forget SMSB. This is the band that got me the first Gold medal and helped me in my career. This is the band which I conducted my first full length concert. This is the band I went on my first overseas trip. This is the ONLY BAND I taught for nine years and celebrated my birthday every single year. There is something special about the uniform that you wear that will always hold special significance for me. Though I am no longer your conductor, know that you are always remembered and loved by me.
As you celebrate your wonderful achievement at the SYF today, do it with a heart of gratitude of all that everyone has done for you. As the Chinese saying goes, "Do not forget the source of the water that you are drinking from." Have a heart of gratitude and thankfulness, just as our Lord Jesus would command. United we stand, divided we fall, SMSB rocks and will always rocks my socks!!!
Fondly,
Mr Leonard Tan
17th April, 2009, Friday
Bloomington, Indiana, USA
SMSB, as we celebrate the Gold we got in SYF, let us remember those who have helped us. Just as Mr Tan said, we must be thankful and have a heart of gratitude (:
MYE is drawing near, study hard yeah :D And all the best for your examinations!
Jing Ying
