2017-03-11

【Aiden in English】

        The spotlight shifted to the pit, temporarily blinding my sight. Around me, people dressed in formal black attire, each with a unique instrument. The conductor was then announced over the speakers, and the audience gave a warm applause. Raising his arms, the band readied their instruments and tensed with anticipation.

        I’m in this year’s play’s pit orchestra. Truthfully, I don’t really care a thing about the play. All I want is to play fun, good sounding music. The pit orchestra was the spot to go for this. However, I’m not too crazy about the play, Alien Invasion, The Musical. A Love Story in Two Acts.

        Before you say “oh, Aiden, you suck”, I just want you to hear me out. I got second alto saxophone not because I didn’t have the necessary skill but because the other sax was very stubborn and didn’t want to be second anymore. I say that because she is always the second alto in the other bands, probably following me and a friend of mine in first. Therefore, I gave her a chance, even if I had to give advice nearly to every part. Funny thing is, she even has a private teacher (I don’t), which is surprising that she is only at this level.

        The pit orchestra has a very interesting playing style. Like our conductor says, we have two volumes. Loud, when no one is singing, and soft, when the cast is singing. In other words, shut-up when you hear voices. This is particularly funny since one alto or trumpet can easily overpower the voices of an entire chorus. And this is why there is musical discrimination…

        Not only does hearing the show get extremely tiresome after the seventh time in a week, but it really takes lots of energy out of you. And just imagine people on Broadway. Anyways, the music I think, for this play, is fit for a place like Broadway, as it is written by the one and only Pennbrook band director. He is literally some kind of musical composer genius, as he writes all the songs for the play. For this year, the 20th Anniversary of the play, there was a 1960’s, Jazz swing theme for about half of the songs. The other half consisted of odd pieces of notes since it is an Alien Invasion, The Musical. A Love Story in Two Acts.

        Just going to say it now, it was the best time in the music I’ve had ever. I loved to just grove out with friends, play funky music, and make jokes about how cringy the lines to the plays are.

        At the end of it all, I never felt nervous. I think being a part of a band was the calmest I’ve felt in front of an audience. This was a great experience, and I really want to do this again next year. Hopefully, we have a better play than an Alien Invasion, The Musical. A Love Story in Two Acts.

【紅霞譯文】

        聚光燈移向樂池，刺得我一時半會兒睜不開眼，周圍同伴身着黑色套裝，各自手握樂器，指揮隨即正對麥克風宣布音樂會開始，觀眾報以熱烈掌聲。他舉起雙臂，樂隊做好準備，緊張地期待着進入角色。

        我參加今年戲劇伴奏管弦樂隊，說真的，我根本不是衝着劇組而來，倒想趁機感受一下生趣動聽的配樂，伴奏管弦樂隊正合我意。然而，我對《音樂劇·外星人入侵──兩幕愛情故事》不上杆子。

        “天喲，兒歌，你夠損的。” 在你開口之前，我想要你先聽我說完。我演第二把中音薩克斯管，不是出於本人技術欠佳，而是基於另一位薩克斯管手固執己見不願再度出任二把手，之所以這麼說是因為以前她在其它樂隊一直做副手，這回她乾脆跟着我和同為首席薩克斯管的朋友一起應試，所以我就把機會讓給了她，結果害得我幾乎每部樂曲都要幫她一把。可笑的是，她竟師從私教（我沒請過），這般水平不能不叫人跌破眼鏡。

        伴奏管弦樂隊演藝風格十分有趣，正如指揮所說，我們把握兩種音量：當無人演唱的時候，我們需放聲吹奏；當演員出場，我們要輕聲伴奏。換句話說，如果聽到聲音，你千萬別出動靜。這簡直就像在開玩笑，因為一個中音薩克斯管或小號就能輕而易舉地壓過台上整個合唱，難怪世間會出現器樂偏見……

        且不說一周七次連軸觀摩這齣戲令人極度生厭，每次排練走台實在太花精力，簡直難以想象百老匯演員生涯。不管怎樣，本次音樂製作如同百老匯歌舞劇，全部由賓溪初中樂隊指揮配樂配器，他可真有作曲天賦，一切樂曲均由他個人編寫創作。今年恰好是這部劇上演廿年大慶，其中大約有一半歌曲圍繞上世紀六十年代爵士搖擺主調，而另一半則靠稀奇古怪的音符樂章烘托劇情，畢竟這是《音樂劇·外星人入侵──兩幕愛情故事》。

        說到這裡，此部音樂劇讓我獲得一種從未有過的快樂，我非常喜歡跟朋友搞點時髦音樂，一起嬉戲打鬧暢所欲言，即使面對音調怪誕旋律詭變節奏瘋狂的場面也在所不惜。

        全部演出到此為止，我從未感覺半點緊張，在觀眾面前惟與樂隊成員同台獻藝我才輕鬆自如，這種經歷難以忘懷，想必明年我會再來，到時希望有一部比《音樂劇·外星人入侵──兩幕愛情故事》更好的作品出爐。

Today in History(歷史上的今天):

2017 Twp Rec B-ball Quarterfinal(2017年鄉村娛樂籃球四分之一賽)

Crosslinks(相關博文):

2016 Winter Concert of Eighth Grade(2016初三冬季音樂會)

2016 Seventh Grade Spring Concert(2016年初二春季音樂會)

2015 Winter Concert of Seventh Grade(2015年初二冬季音樂會)

2015 Sixth Grade Spring Concert(2015年初一春季音樂會)