Current and Former EXCO members
St Gabriel’s Secondary School Band
Participating in SYF offers a multitude of learning opportunities that extend far beyond artistic skills. I learnt many things, such as the art of discipline and perseverance, through the rigorous practice and preparation required for the performance. Although the lead-up to SYF was tough, with the encouragement of my conductor, Mr. Jeremy Chua, I managed to push through and deliver a good performance on behalf of my school.
Teamwork and coordination were also essential, fostering communication, compromise, and mutual support among us band members. The festival cultivates creativity and innovation, as students explore artistic expression and problem-solving within our chosen art form—band. Presenting our work on stage builds confidence, while receiving both positive and constructive feedback develops resilience and a growth mindset. Practicing around three times a week really paid off, as we managed to achieve our desired result.
Apart from thanking my conductor, I would also like to thank my tutor, Mr. Dominic Koh, for teaching us tips on how to sound better as a section during our parts. From earning an accomplishment at the last SYF to achieving a Distinction in my one and only SYF is an incredible feat for me, especially considering I started band with zero experience. Without the guidance of my seniors—particularly my section—I would not be where I am today.
The past two years in this band have been more than just a journey. Since I only joined in Secondary 3, I had a lot to learn from and with my section mates. Simple things like time signatures, key signatures, rhythm, holding a drumstick, rolling on a suspended cymbal, tuning a timpani, watching the conductor, and reading notes were all completely new to me. I had to learn and practice relentlessly to become not only a percussionist, but also a musician.
I can’t count the number of times I was off-beat—especially on the concert toms for Primavera. Thankfully, through the guidance of my tutor, Ms. Jessie Chua, and my amazing section mates, I managed to improve my timing and grow tremendously in my percussion skills. I still remember the sigh of relief I had after our SYF performance, knowing our section made only one or two minor mistakes. There is always room to improve, and for me, that would definitely be my mallet skills.
I do not regret joining this band—I love everyone here: my section, my band mates, my tutors, and my teachers. I’m truly thankful that this SYF performance bore the fruit of our labour with a well-deserved Distinction. Overall, I think our performance was strong, especially our set piece, Overture No.1. It went smoothly, with everyone staying in tempo and making very few mistakes. I’m proud of the band for that.
I believe our consistent practice, both at home and during rehearsals, played a big role. The dedication and guidance of Mr. Jeremy and Mr. Koh also made a huge difference in our improvement leading up to the performance. From this SYF journey, I’ve learned that through teamwork and perseverance, we as a band can achieve anything we set our hearts on. I’ve also realized that individual improvement alone isn’t enough—a great performance comes from growing and playing well together, and supporting one another in our sections.
The preparations for SYF were tough. We had band twice a week after long school days and even during the school holidays. Some may have disliked it, but ultimately, it was all worth it when our hard work paid off. Honestly, I didn’t expect much from the results. After 10 years of constant accomplishments, I was doubtful that we could achieve a Distinction—but I was left speechless when we did.
What I’ll miss most about band are the friends I’ve made and grown close to. They’re the ones who made this CCA so fun and meaningful. There is still room for improvement, both for me and the band—from better intonation to tighter section unity. But I’m proud that we played as one, not just as individuals. I’ve learned that teamwork is key to success, and that we should never be overconfident after just one achievement.
It was definitely stressful juggling school and CCA, but the outcome made it worth it. I’ve grown closer to my seniors, and I’m grateful for all they’ve taught me. I would have loved more time to learn from them. Personally, I feel we could strengthen individual solos. I don’t blame anyone for mistakes—we all get nervous.
I truly believe we did very well for this SYF. On the day of the performance, everyone gave 120%, allowing the band to reach its fullest potential. Although we had a few stumbles, I’m glad we kept our composure and played our best. I’m proud to be part of this band.
Band has taught me that practice doesn’t make perfect—it makes us better. The entire SYF experience was incredibly stressful, but also incredibly fun. I loved performing in such a big venue, in front of such a large audience. Listening to our sound that day gave me goosebumps—we had never sounded so good. With everyone pulling their weight, we came together and gave it our all.
As SYF was my last performance with this band, I feel sad—I’ll miss them deeply. I’m proud of how far we’ve come to earn the band’s first Distinction in 10 years.
Playing with this band made me realise that we’re all in this together, and that we’re not playing individually. Through this, we support each other in times of uncertainty and doubt. The environment we played in was relaxed yet driven—it encouraged engagement and pushed us to do our best. That’s why this band feels like a family.
For some of us, we still felt disappointed after the SYF performance, knowing there was room for improvement. I felt my solo could have been better. I discovered a new fear of performing in front of crowds, and I hope to overcome it. I felt like I let the band down despite our Distinction, but I’ve learned from this experience, and I’ll continue to grow.