The Esplanade Concert 2007 Behind the Scenes by Carolyn Lo

What you have seen on stage on December 1, 2007 was the finished product. But what you did not see is the sweat, sacrifice, and toil that went behind this concert.

To each of the many practices, months before the actual concert, my siblings and I lugged our heavy string instruments in and out the rehearsal studio. Almost every Saturday evening was spent in that unforgettable manner. During the in-between breaks before the next piece, I often wondered why I was even willing to give up my Saturday evenings for these seemingly endless rehearsals! However, no matter how tired I was at the end of each session, I was surprisingly glad – glad that I learnt something and had it in practice immediately.

Under the baton of Mr. Eric Lee, we experienced sweeping changes in each piece we worked on… From perplexed sections to captivating melodies, Mr. Lee always had an edge of humor, making each session more interesting for the younger children.

Finally, the big day came! With a shade of nervousness and much anticipation, we stepped on stage. The pieces flew by quickly! Toward the end, as I regretfully played the last melody, I realized that what had once been drudgery was now my delight.

Every drop of sweat was worth it – the many sacrifices were nothing contrasted to the ultimate result and that one special and eventful milestone in my sixteen years.