2014-04-24

【Aiden in English】

        The Spring Concert is the biggest events of the Montgomery-Bridle Path band. It's an hour (or so) long and a fabulous performance, featuring the band and chorus. The beginning was really intense because everyone was filled with anticipation for the show.

        Our band was pretty big for two elementary schools. There were oboes, clarinets, saxophones, flutes, French horns just to name a few of woodwind and brass instruments. I played an alto sax, and it's a ton of fun. As I walked into the gym where the show took place, the audience screamed. Some parents seemed as if they didn't know their own children played an instrument and shouted in amazement. We sat in fashion. Without further ado, the show began on time.

        The band played 7 songs. Out of all, a song called "Rising Star" stood out greatly. It had a charming melody based on simplicity. When the instruments all played simple notes in harmony, the song became a masterpiece. However, it had a competitor challenged by "When the Koalas Do the Conga with the Kangaroos". As a matter of fact, two songs were completely opposite in tempo. "Rising Star" appeared to be slower or moderato and serious, while "When the Koalas Do the Conga with the Kangaroos" was a lot faster or allegro and added a comedy element to its musical. It also featured percussion with an assortment of hilarious components like a car horn.

        We aced all our parts. It sounded as if the band turned into one person and every note was played in perfect unison, which I felt amazed! We finished our piece with only a few minor incidences that couldn't be noticed by the audience unless they had musical experience. Unfortunately, it might be my last concert for a while. Next year, Algebra I in math took up a lot of my extracurricular activities in the morning. So if it's true, then my first Spring Concert will be a great memory that lasts a looonng time.

【紅霞譯文】

        春季音樂會堪稱蒙哥馬利—馬徑校際樂隊頭等大事，樂隊與合唱隊聯手奉獻精彩節目，前後不過個把鐘頭。正因如此，臨場氣氛緊張，人人都殷切期望演出成功。

        我們樂隊由兩個小學組成，陣容十分可觀，包括雙簧管、單簧管、 薩克斯管、長笛、圓號等若干木銅管樂器。我演奏中音薩克斯管，樂趣無窮。當走進體育館樂隊席後，我發現觀眾熱情高漲，有些家長好像從來搞不清自己孩子演奏何種樂器，歡呼聲喝彩聲連成一片。大家列隊依次入座，神情自若，演出按時開始。

        樂隊演奏了7首曲目，其中《新星》感人至深。該作品簡潔明快，各個器樂所表現出的迷人旋律交織成悅耳動聽的和聲，將音樂推向高潮。《當樹熊與袋鼠共跳康加舞的時候》是今晚另一個拍手叫好的節目。實際上，兩首曲子在節奏上截然相反。《新星》節奏比較慢，而且曲調莊重﹔《當樹熊與袋鼠共跳康加舞的時候》的節奏則非常快，並帶有喜劇色彩，其打擊樂烘托熱鬧場面，間或發出汽笛聲響。

        大家盡心盡力，配合默契，整個樂隊聽起來好像由一個人演奏，所有樂器和諧地再現相同音符，令我驚嘆不已。如果沒有受過專業音樂訓練，你根本察覺不出任何疵瑕。遺憾的是，本場春季音樂會是我小學生涯中第一次、也可能成為最後一次演藝活動。下學年裡，我選修的“初等代數”與早上很多課外活動相衝突。照此說來，這次演出經歷對我彌足珍貴，難以忘懷。