The Workshop which inspired many!

It is almost the end of the current cycle of the Skills Improvement Programme (SIP) for our Hark Student Performers!

Time flies, don't you agree?

HPT Batch 3 Students who entered this initiative in June 2009 are going for their first grading in end of this month! Woww wow wow.....

Since the past months, we have seen many commitments from the HPT members. Coming to Hark weekly for their practices, coming to the OpenStage programmes for performances trainings... and truthfully, we do see much improvements and great potential in them!

In August, we have conducted a FREE Workshop for all the student performers as part of the 3-month programme. During that workshop, our Music Director, Amos Teo shared and taught on:

1. On-Stage Communication: Leaving a good impression with what you say
2. Song Presentation: Setting the style and mood of the song
3. Music Arrangement: Coordination between the guitarist and the keyboardist


Here are some captures of that day:


Music Director, Amos Teo giving the workshop.



Students, actively participating through the session! Thoroughly enjoying themselves!



"Clapping, clapping!" Great Job Done!


We got some feedbacks from the students...and here's what they've gained from attending the 3-hr session.



“I have realized the importance of dynamics and rhythmic patterns while presenting a song; and the performance by the instructors is very refreshing!”
– Seow Wei Hong, Guitarist of Team 2A



"“I have learnt a lot on playing style improvisation and stage communication with teammates today!” -Hue An Li, Pianist of team 2D

“I am able to identify the areas that my teammates and me have always overlooked while presenting a song.” -Tan Weimin, Pianist of team 3B

Read More

Debut SAFRA PK Challenge 2009

"We are proud to be part of this debut SAFRA PK Challenge 2009!"

Coming Saturday will be the 1st audition date for all the singing enthusiasts to come and pit their skills and vie for the places in the 6-PK-rounds.

Many would ask "What is PK?"
It simply means 'Player-Kill' where one will blindly-pick another opponent and both will face off with their prepared song. Judges will give their scores independently of each other to determine the winner of that face-off.

• Winner stays in the competition.
• Loser goes to a loser zone, where a possibility of a elimination may surface.

This competition format is fresh and keeps all contestants on their toes, as they never know who they are going to compete with.

PLUS, there is this mystery element in this event - External Challengers!
...Yes, we are not going to reveal who they are, till the actual competition starts.

The actual competition will be starting on 10 Oct (every Saturday) 3-5pm at SAFRA@Mount Faber. Finals will be on 14 Nov at KBox Cineleisure.

..and did I mention that there are many fabulous prizes to be won?
Over $10,000 worth of prizes, including a return air ticket to Taipei, watches, sunglasses, hotel stay and a chance for a recording/performing contract from Hark Music!

Interested?
You still have a chance to be part of this debut event!
Registration closes on 22 Sep.

Don't hesitate, go to http://www.safra.sg/pkchallenge to know more.
You can also register directly over at Hark's reception counter.

We hope to see you then!

Read More

Our Sep09 Featured Performer - Jack Lim!

How do you feel when you have been shortlisted for HPT?
I felt really fortunate to be part of this experience. I’ve always wanted to perform in a live band. Furthermore, I got to be in the same team with Marvin, whom I auditioned with.

What song did you present during your HPT audition and why did choose that song?
I did 寂寞的季节 by David Tao together with Marvin. We both like that song and it sounds really good on a solo guitar.

Do you see improvements so far in yourself after joining HPT?
You bet. My song dynamics and control have improved over time. I appreciate the kind gesture by Amos (our Music Director) who not only let us use the Performance Studio for practice every week but also spend time with us to correct our flaws and mistakes.

Give me a quote that your teammates always say about you.
“Jack, you sang the wrong lyrics again!”

If you have a choice to team up with an instructor for a performance, who will it be? And why?
It depends. If it’s with an instrumentalist, I hope to team up with Shawn (my guitar instructor) and if it’s a vocalist, I hope to do a song with Xin Yun (my vocal instructor). To me, they’re the best of the best in Hark Music.

What do you look forward to achieve with your team-mates within this year?
We have actually been talking about this amongst ourselves for a while. Personally I hope we can develop a team character which differentiates us from the other teams through the music we present to the audience.

What do you think is the most important that a performer should have?
A disciplined work ethic. I believe most things do not happen by chance and to perform well, one needs to be committed and practice hard. It would, of course, take up some time but life is all about choices. You reap what you sow.

How did you find out about Hark Music?
I have always had a passion for music but haven’t really had the time during my studies to take up any course. When I started working and had some free time in the evenings, I decided to enroll in one and came across Hark’s website during a web search.

What makes you decide to join Hark Music?
First of all, I was drawn by Hark’s website which was unlike any others I had seen. I thought if these people bothered to put so much effort in their websites, it goes to show a lot about the attitudes towards their work as well. Upon reading the course descriptions and the programs offered, I felt Hark was just the right place for me.

Describe a memorable experience in Hark Music.
Definitely my first performance! I remember I was supposed to sing 戒不掉 by Harlem Yu at the ground level café (now renovated to become a studio) for my first stage performance and I was so worried about not being able to hit some notes of the song that my hand was trembling before that. To get us ready, Xin Yun did some warmup sessions with us prior to the performance and I was glad it turned out well in the end.

What do you like most about Hark Music?
The conducive learning environment. Not only does Hark Music have an extensive library for students to refer to, but also provides rooms for students to practice by themselves before lessons.

Any comments/feedbacks about the school for our readers?
If you’re looking for teachers who can be inspirations, Hark Music is definitely worth your consideration!

Read More