My Music Corner

Music is certainly one of the finer things in life. I took up playing a musical instrument back in 1999, to fulfill a childhood dream. I had the chance to learn piano when I was young. But being the ignorant clueless kid that I was, I gave up the golden chance to acquire this very valuable skill. It will prove to be a lifelong regret for me.

I finally decided in 1999, to finish off where I left years ago. On 4th July 1999, I played my first tune on the flute. It was a beautiful moment, to be able to make music finally.... Musical notes no longer looked Greek to me. And so, this started my love affair with the flute. Take a look at my flute page, to see how great my obsession with the instrument is...

I managed to get to Grade 5 in 2001. But by then, it was becoming quite clear to me that my talent does not quite match my passion for flute. Despite having arguably the best flute player in Singapore as my teacher, my progress reached a plateau. Well, I guess there can only be one James Galway in the world. I never regretted learning flute though. It added another facet to my life, and I learned to appreciate classical music more. And occasionally, I can still play some simple tunes to my son to keep him from crying.

The Arts Scene Where I Live

Singapore, the country that I'm residing in, is a vibrant city that contains a harmonious blend of different cultures. This is because we are a multi-racial, mult-religious city. Our government has recently decided to make Singapore into a more cultural place. A S$600 million arts centre, Esplanade, which houses our own orchestra, the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO), was opened in 2002 with much fanfare. I was at the opening, but sadly, I wasn't really into photography at that time. Hence, I missed a golden opportunity to take some really superb fireworks pictures. Nevertheless, it was a most memorable and romantic experience for both me and wife (girlfriend at that time).