Where it all begun

3 years ago,
January 2005 to be exact,
One boy bang into Catholic High School's Music Room,
Mrs Chaillan was addressing a class of 20 in its first lesson of 2005.
Who are you? She asked the boy,
"Erm, I'm taking music"
Auditions were already over,
Students were already rejected,
the 20 students were already selected.
This one teacher never gave up on anyone,
"Come in a find a seat", she said.
This boy had only a grade 6 violin cert and grade 5 theory cert to show her.
But she still never gave up on anyone.
This boy didn't know who was Bach,
or that Chopin was "Showpan" not "Chop pin",
or what a concerto, symphony or sonata meant.
She still never gave up,
nevermind that her class had now an odd number of 21 students.
A1 for his O Level Music and top in the cohort for music in VJ now,
Not a bad price not pay for having faith in your students and not giving up on them isn't it?
See teachers, don't ever write off any of your students,
Give them the faith and confidence to show themselves, to prove themselves,

I THANK THE ONE WOMAN WHO HAS MADE ME WHAT I AM TODAY,
I THANK HER FOR THE FAITH AND CONFIDENCE SHE GAVE ME,
I THANK HER FOR NOT WRITING ME OFF AND CHASING ME OUT OF CLASS ON THAT FIRST DAY,
I THANK HER FOR ALL THE PRECIOUS KNOWLEDGE.
MRS CHAILLAN MUI TUAN, THIS ONE IS FOR YOU.


P.S. I never meant to show off my achievements

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Minister of Manpower Dr Ng said today that upon visiting the many different schools, he realised that each school had its own identity that was unique to it.
Comparing Cat High to VJ,
the speech Mrs Chaillan made during the CH Young Performers Show today, she said the school always believed in giving the boys a chance to showcase themselves, especially in the arts. Thats why Cat High has all these arts programmes, Band Concert, CO Concert and not forgetting the CH Young Performers Show and CHMA of course. VJ has these kind of concerts and programmes too but everything VJ does is so big and grand, guest of honour and stuff, none of the close and intimate concert.
In VJ, competition is so stiff that a lot of times only the very best get the chance. Of course, one might say that competition will make you work towards being better and improving ourselves but a lot of times its not that the weak don't try hard enough but the strong have a earlier head start etc. Cat High is also good in the sense that it puts appropriate emphasize on the arts, with the groups getting proper practise rooms or places to practise with decent instruments.
In VJ, although they do give money and small rooms to the arts, but it seems that nobody seems really enthusiastic about it. I feel like when people see you as belonging to some arts group, they kind of associate you with the weak or soft, unless you are from choir.When people watch the string ensemble play or the Chinese Orchestra percussion section play, or piano ensemble they laugh and talk. Sometimes I wonder whether the ticket is bought for the sake of supporting their friends or they are really interested in watching it.
It's in the mindset of the people, the culture of the people to turn to sport, to support sport, to think of the sports as something cool, something in. People oogle at the people wearing the Adidas sweaters and windbreaker. Who cares if you are carrying a cello case in your hand.
I feel the arts shouldn't be oppressed.
Viva la ARTS, VIVA LA MUSIC
Catholic High School, for all that it has given us, we must learn to love it, not criticise the management and flowers in the school.