Project Database

I would first like to apologise for the seemingly 2-week entry drought this site has been experiencing. I am in the midst of the exams and I simply couldn’t find the time to update this blog ever so often. However, now that I have completed all but 1 paper, I should be able to dedicate more time to the development of this domain.

I have noticed that the past entries have generated some earnest response from our own members and it is pleasing to know that we still have a group of supporters who would be with us for a long time to come. However, I also know that there are a lot more ex-members out there who are more comfortable playing the role of the distant onlooker. Well, there is nothing wrong with that but I would like to call out to one and all to not miss this opportunity to let your voices, our voices as united BT/BP Band ex-members, be heard.

Anyway, here’s a project that I would like to embark on this coming 3-month break (I know it sounds like a heck lot of time to be away from school but believe you me it’s not). I should have done this long ago and it’s a project inspired by Mrs. Doreen Soh sometime 5 years back. I’ve mentioned earlier that I would work towards developing this site into a portal for anyone with vested interest in BT/BP Band and I intend to keep to it. As such, there is no better time than now to start a BT/BP Band database right here on this blog.

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Where will this database be? It will be right here on this blog, on a dedicated page where all BT/BP Band members’ or ex-members’ particulars will be stored for easy referencing.

What purpose will the database serve? For starters, we will have a tangible measure of support for the band. It will in future make the job for current members easier should they wish to reach out to ex-members and vice-versa for band announcements or request for help (a prime example would be the calling back of ex-members for band competitions). In the long run, it will help ex-members keep in touch with the band in recognition of the invaluable part they will always play in the future of BT/BP Band.

What is required for the database? Nothing too private, I assure you. In tandem with the database’s intended purpose of keeping in touch, all that is required are the member’s/ex-member’s name, membership years, section, and email address (need not be a personal one, just an accessible one, if you are afraid of possible spamming). So, particulars will appear as such: Mahathir Aziz, 1998-2001, Baritone Section, mahathir.aziz@yahoo.com.sg. I hope this is nothing much to ask for.

How to submit these details? I am committed to making this page (and requests) as hassle-free as possible. If you wish to be included in the database, you can leave a comment complete with all the necessary details at the Database page or anywhere in the blog, or simply email it to me at mahathir.aziz@yahoo.com.sg.

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We all have a part to play in keeping this tradition alive. So, let me have your response on this matter. Let your voice be heard, tell us what you think. Together, we can secure a better future for the BT/BP Band community.

 

Revival

There’s a hot debate on BT/BP Band’s Facebook account ongoing at the moment. A few ex-members have been discussing the possibility of reviving an alumni band which withdrew from the scene last year owing to poor turnout. Annie suggested that we should start having practices for interested ex-members starting late April to coincide with the school holidays. The spawn of this idea was a response to Kumar’s call for ways to manage our ex-members better.

What are your views? Do you see the birth of a permanent alumni band as an effective way of managing ex-members? Are there any other feasible alternatives?

A Word From Admin: Down To Business

It is at this infant stage that I feel is best to lay out a proper foundation for the desired development of this online meeting place. I will be putting up the TERMS OF ENGAGEMENT real soon and it is this set of rules that will govern future posts on this site. As a general rule of thumb, non-confidential matters such as well-wishes, words of encouragement, and comments will be made public. Confidential issues with regards to future performances, tactics, and vital display information will be withheld from prowling eyes via password-protected posts.

It is through this site that I sincerely hope that we could enforce a sense of camaraderie among band members, supporters, and members of other bands. The display band competition is something we all hold dearly and it is through healthy competition that we could help each other grow. As such, no destructive comments, slander, or malignant posts will be entertained. I believe all comments are meant to be constructive, those that seek to hurt or accuse are but mere laments or complaints. This is the code of conduct that I shall establish, and this is expected of all site users, BT/BP Band members and visitors alike.

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On a lighter note, I just received news from Kumar that the planning for the 2010 show has commenced. In fact, Aishah J and I have also been throwing some ideas for our next assault over the past week. This is the sort of development that we all should look forward to. Watch this space for updates!

 

This Is Your Space

We have come a long way – from the rural combined marching band of Bukit Panjang Government High and Teck Whye Secondary to it’s present-day form. Marked across this journey are memories, hopes, and aspirations of its pulse – band members, past and present.

As an ex-member myself, I understand the demands of life beyond the cosy walls of the former band room. But that has never killed the reminiscent spirit of awe and wonder when I first graced those green fields. This is a call for all BT/BP Band members to come forward and show that in presence and in spirit, we are behind the band a 100%.

Feel free to paint this page with fresh ideas, comments, words of encouragement… this is your blank canvas, this is your space.