I started attending band rehearsals during the first week of the school semester. The club is called the Engineering Music Society, or EMS. I had found out about the group a couple of months earlier while I was looking up different clubs at Melbourne Uni, and I was particularly intrigued by EMS because of its large size (a 50-person orchestra, 35-person concert band, stage bands, and a choir) and the fact that they welcomed all musicians to join regardless of their academic background or musical ability. There aren’t even any auditions required to participate; all you’ve got to do is show with an instrument, pay a small member fee and play!
I haven’t really played clarinet since high school, although I do own one. My music classes in school were pretty lousy to start with since most of my peers at RHS didn’t care much for the class and never really practiced. I personally loved to play, but despite being first clarinet in all our performances, I wasn’t challenged because our level of skill as a band was very low. You can imagine how excited I was when I found out I could finally play again in a real serious band! McGill doesn’t have anything like the EMS as far as I know.
In the first week I tried out the orchestra and concert band. I was immediately hooked to the concert band; the people were cool, the music was challenging and lively, and there was free food! I committed to stick to the band and try to improve my skills so I could reach the level of the other musicians in the band. Some pieces we’re playing include Forbes Street (Aussie), Cajun Folk, March Slav by Tchaikovsky, and my personal favourite, selections from the musical Les Misérables (including I Dreamed a Dream, as recently made popular by Susan Boyle :P )
The orchestra, however, was WAY over my head. The music they played was very impressive, with epic orchestral pieces such as the Barber of Seville and Sheharazade. Just sitting and listening to the cellos, violins, violas, brass, and woodwinds was an experience in itself. I just couldn’t bring myself to play a single note, I was much too intimidated by the difficulty of the piece and the extraordinary talent of the musicians. So I had to give up on it, but we will be playing in the same concert in the last week of the semester at a grand hall.
Band Camp is EMS’ highlight of every semester besides the concert itself, organized by the executives of the club. And what a camp it was! After about 40 or 50 of us arrived at Candlebark Farm in Healesville (in the middle of nowhere about 90 minutes from Melbourne), we began the traditional “Happy Happy Fun Games”. We were previously broken up into colour teams, and were encouraged to come to camp wearing our colour (I was red). It started off with everyone tying balloons to their ankles, with a free-for –all of us chasing each other trying to pop each other’s balloons in a very small space. Pretty hilarious, and an effective icebreaker. The rest of the night included name games, races, and Bang!, culminating in a huge boat race face-off. The typical chant before the beer-chugging begins is as follows: “Thumbs on tables, chins on tables, face the amber... SKOL!”
By the way, no one uses the word “chug” here. The proper term is apparently “skol”.
The party that followed continued late into the night. Suffice it to say that many people had a hard time to get up in the morning, especially to rehearse with a slight hangover!
Unfortunately (or fortunately), the concert band had the whole morning free, since despite the excellent organization of the camp, the execs had somehow forgotten to bring the sheet music to camp! I made the most of it by meeting the professional conductor and having some private clarinet lessons. Not only did I learn some valuable tips about fingering and playing, but I was also lucky enough to have my clarinet serviced by him for free! I was more than prepared to give it my all during the afternoon rehearsal, which lasted for quite a few hours until the delicious dinner (spaghetti, garlic bread, lemon cordial, and peach cobbler with ice cream). The night continued with trivia night followed by yet another party.
Some interesting things I learnt at trivia:
- Australia invented the dual flush toilet.
- Canada, the US, Brazil, China, and Russia are all geographically larger than Australia.
- There is presently an election going on in Australia, with the possibility of Julia Gillard becoming the first female prime minister. Her opponent, John Abbott, is often made fun of for running marathons in “budgie huggers”, which are short and tight red bathing suits.
- At one time, members of EMS somehow stole traffic lights and crosswalk lights. They then re-programmed them to flash to the music. I was amused by these at the parties.
- EMS consistently wins the majority of Prosh events, and has often won the massive week-long frosh-like competition event. This year’s Prosh actually starts today. I’m quite looking forward to seeing some of the ridiculous events, which include Billy Kart Racing, Slime Wrestling, boat races, a huge scavenger hunt, the Amazing Race, lecture stunts, and the Long Drive.
In short, the camp was a lot of fun, and I really enjoyed it. As for this week, besides Prosh, I’m looking forward to the Cat Empire concert. Cat Empire is one of the biggest bands in Australia, and is known all over their world for their unique indie/big band sound. Apparently they are spectacular live performers.
Until next time, cheers!
Sean
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Melbournian Delights
I love Tim Tams.
I promise to bring back a few packages of them when I return, because they are quite simply the most delicious little chocolate biscuits I’ve ever had. They’re a typical Aussie snack; a chocolate wafer with chocolate filling covered in chocolate. They also come with caramel, or nuts, or double chocolate, or marshmallow. The best part of all is that Aussies like to bite off both ends of the biscuit, and drink milk or tea through it like a straw. It is absolutely heavenly, and I’m addicted. Lemingtons, which are basically sponge cakes dipped in chocolate and coconut, are also incredibly good.
When internationals think of Australia or Melbourne, they think of the typical boomerang, crocodile dundee, and kangaroos. Melbourne should be known for its vast multicultural identity and odd little European quirks which make it such a lively city to live in. The Australian dedication to the delight of Tim Tams is only one small example, but there are so many other things that I love about Melbourne that most people wouldn’t know about.
I’ve already mentioned that Melbourne has a huge café culture, and that coffee is in general more expensive than in Montreal. The interesting thing is that you can’t simply ask for a black coffee, or a coffee with two creams and two sugars (my personal preference). They’ll just look at you funny. Believe me, I’ve already experienced this a few times. Here’s a typical list of coffees that are offered in pretty much any café that you simply have to memorize:
- Espresso: the obvious one.
- Short black: small black coffee or espresso
- Long black: large black coffee or espresso
- Macchiato: espresso and a little steamed milk
- Flat white: half espresso, half steamed milk
- Caffé Latte: espresso, steamed milk, and milk foam
- Cappuccino: espresso, steamed milk, and a lot of milk foam
- Caffé mocha (my favourite so far): espresso, chocolate syrup, steamed milk, and whipped cream
Every café place I’ve been to has made each coffee I’ve tasted absolutely delectable. It’s also very common to find the steamed milk and cinnamon on top to be tastefully shaped into a heart, flower, or smiley face. Those who have been to ArtJava near McGill will be familiar with this, and it really makes having a simple coffee an experience in itself!
The pub and bar scene is also a massive part of Australian culture, like in Montreal (if not more so!). What’s interesting is the names used to describe your order to the bartender. Forget about asking for a pitcher of beer to share with friends; the bartender gave me a funny look as well and asked me what I meant for wanting a “picture of beer”. My Aussie friend was also a little confused. I’m serious. Here are the common terms for ordering beer, or any alcohol:
- A pot: a small glass, about 10 ounces
- A schooner: 15 ounces
- A pint: self-explanatory, 20 ounces
- A jug: a pitcher
Finally, Aussie rules football (AFL, or Australian Football League) is uniquely an Australian invention, although apparently it has been played by a few other countries as well. This game is huge around here. There are games played on TV all the time, and most Aussies follow the season with zeal. I’d have to describe the game as literally a combination of almost all field sports. The rules are very detailed, but I’ll have a go at describing it.
The game takes place on a huge circular field, with goal posts at two ends. There are two tall posts and two short posts per side for each team. There are 18 players on the field at any given time, with about 9 referees and a few random people running around in florescent shirts giving water to the players. The point of the game is to score between the posts by kicking the rugby-like footy ball through them from any distance away. If the ball flies through the tall posts, a goal is called worth 6 points. If the ball strikes the post or goes between a tall and short post, a goal is only one point.
Players are allowed to run with the ball, but must “dribble” the ball or touch the ground with it every 10 yards, or they surrender the ball. They cannot simply pass the ball by throwing it. They can only pass the ball to other players by kicking it or bunting it in a way similar to volleyball. Tackling is always allowed (and it gets very aggressive). The ball is always in play (even after a tackle) unless it is out of bounds or two players are having a tug of war with the ball for quite a while and the ref finally ends it.
I’ve been to two games at the MCG so far, and I’ve loved it. I particularly enjoy eating a traditional meat pie with tomato sauce (which is what they call ketchup here) while watching the game. It’s very exciting to watch, especially when both teams are equally good. The footy fans here could give the Habs fans a run for their money when it comes to dedication to their teams!
As for me, classes have been going well, although I’m a little concerned with the difficulty of my engineering courses. They aren’t really what I had expected, especially since my Design class apparently has two final exams! I’ve enjoyed exploring new bars and cafés, including the cozy E-55 café with delicious and cheap pizzas and the Ice Lounge downtown, which is a bar made entirely of ice, kept at about -10ºC. I’ve also had the opportunity to attend a delicious high table dinner at JCH, the residential college. I’m looking forward to the band camp this weekend, a possible hiking trip the week after, a couple of concerts, an upcoming faculty ball, and maybe some indoor rock-climbing. Awesome.
Cheers!
-Sean
I promise to bring back a few packages of them when I return, because they are quite simply the most delicious little chocolate biscuits I’ve ever had. They’re a typical Aussie snack; a chocolate wafer with chocolate filling covered in chocolate. They also come with caramel, or nuts, or double chocolate, or marshmallow. The best part of all is that Aussies like to bite off both ends of the biscuit, and drink milk or tea through it like a straw. It is absolutely heavenly, and I’m addicted. Lemingtons, which are basically sponge cakes dipped in chocolate and coconut, are also incredibly good.
When internationals think of Australia or Melbourne, they think of the typical boomerang, crocodile dundee, and kangaroos. Melbourne should be known for its vast multicultural identity and odd little European quirks which make it such a lively city to live in. The Australian dedication to the delight of Tim Tams is only one small example, but there are so many other things that I love about Melbourne that most people wouldn’t know about.
I’ve already mentioned that Melbourne has a huge café culture, and that coffee is in general more expensive than in Montreal. The interesting thing is that you can’t simply ask for a black coffee, or a coffee with two creams and two sugars (my personal preference). They’ll just look at you funny. Believe me, I’ve already experienced this a few times. Here’s a typical list of coffees that are offered in pretty much any café that you simply have to memorize:
- Espresso: the obvious one.
- Short black: small black coffee or espresso
- Long black: large black coffee or espresso
- Macchiato: espresso and a little steamed milk
- Flat white: half espresso, half steamed milk
- Caffé Latte: espresso, steamed milk, and milk foam
- Cappuccino: espresso, steamed milk, and a lot of milk foam
- Caffé mocha (my favourite so far): espresso, chocolate syrup, steamed milk, and whipped cream
Every café place I’ve been to has made each coffee I’ve tasted absolutely delectable. It’s also very common to find the steamed milk and cinnamon on top to be tastefully shaped into a heart, flower, or smiley face. Those who have been to ArtJava near McGill will be familiar with this, and it really makes having a simple coffee an experience in itself!
The pub and bar scene is also a massive part of Australian culture, like in Montreal (if not more so!). What’s interesting is the names used to describe your order to the bartender. Forget about asking for a pitcher of beer to share with friends; the bartender gave me a funny look as well and asked me what I meant for wanting a “picture of beer”. My Aussie friend was also a little confused. I’m serious. Here are the common terms for ordering beer, or any alcohol:
- A pot: a small glass, about 10 ounces
- A schooner: 15 ounces
- A pint: self-explanatory, 20 ounces
- A jug: a pitcher
Finally, Aussie rules football (AFL, or Australian Football League) is uniquely an Australian invention, although apparently it has been played by a few other countries as well. This game is huge around here. There are games played on TV all the time, and most Aussies follow the season with zeal. I’d have to describe the game as literally a combination of almost all field sports. The rules are very detailed, but I’ll have a go at describing it.
The game takes place on a huge circular field, with goal posts at two ends. There are two tall posts and two short posts per side for each team. There are 18 players on the field at any given time, with about 9 referees and a few random people running around in florescent shirts giving water to the players. The point of the game is to score between the posts by kicking the rugby-like footy ball through them from any distance away. If the ball flies through the tall posts, a goal is called worth 6 points. If the ball strikes the post or goes between a tall and short post, a goal is only one point.
Players are allowed to run with the ball, but must “dribble” the ball or touch the ground with it every 10 yards, or they surrender the ball. They cannot simply pass the ball by throwing it. They can only pass the ball to other players by kicking it or bunting it in a way similar to volleyball. Tackling is always allowed (and it gets very aggressive). The ball is always in play (even after a tackle) unless it is out of bounds or two players are having a tug of war with the ball for quite a while and the ref finally ends it.
I’ve been to two games at the MCG so far, and I’ve loved it. I particularly enjoy eating a traditional meat pie with tomato sauce (which is what they call ketchup here) while watching the game. It’s very exciting to watch, especially when both teams are equally good. The footy fans here could give the Habs fans a run for their money when it comes to dedication to their teams!
As for me, classes have been going well, although I’m a little concerned with the difficulty of my engineering courses. They aren’t really what I had expected, especially since my Design class apparently has two final exams! I’ve enjoyed exploring new bars and cafés, including the cozy E-55 café with delicious and cheap pizzas and the Ice Lounge downtown, which is a bar made entirely of ice, kept at about -10ºC. I’ve also had the opportunity to attend a delicious high table dinner at JCH, the residential college. I’m looking forward to the band camp this weekend, a possible hiking trip the week after, a couple of concerts, an upcoming faculty ball, and maybe some indoor rock-climbing. Awesome.
Cheers!
-Sean
Monday, August 2, 2010
Back to School... Again.
It’s only been about two months since I finished my Economics summer course at McGill, yet here I am, hitting the books once again. At the moment it’s slightly difficult to stay motivated so early in the semester, even though the raw excitement of being so far away from home in a foreign country has faintly dissipated. The four courses I’m taking now will only count for credit on a pass/fail basis, so I don’t need to worry about marks or my GPA while I’m here. That doesn’t mean I’m not interested in the courses though! The design class in particular seems cool, and Australia Now is a laid-back class about Australian history, politics, and other relevant issues. The hard part is writing the essay!
The classes are set up similar to McGill. There’s about two or three 1-hour lectures each week, with one tutorial. They call the TA’s here tutes. I haven’t had one yet, since tutorials only start in the second week, but I think they’re only for showing us how to solve problems, just like back home. The Australia Now’s tutorial is more important because attendance is mandatory, and apparently we have to actively discuss different issues. Should be fun, as an engineer I don’t usually get the opportunity to discuss much in class.
Now that I think of it, engineering is a very closed-minded and cold field... With only two restricted elective classes in four years, we don’t really learn anything but math, physics, a little bit of economy and boring engineering ethics. Hmmm...
The lectures are carried out in the same way as they are back home. You come into class, say hi to your friends, listen/take notes/check facebook/nap for about 50 minutes, then leave. Locals tend to leave class immediately and stick to themselves. Luckily I’ve already met a few people in each class.
Funny story... We have to form teams of four in our design class to complete a couple of projects together. For example, we have to somehow design a gearbox for a wind turbine. So on the first class I’m getting a little worried because everyone seems to already know each other. By fluke a guy walks up to me, introduces himself, and asks me where I’m from. When I tell him, his eyes light up and he then asks me what school I go to. When I tell him I go to McGill, he insists I join his team, which apparently won 3rd place last year. I’m thrilled to be a part of a team, but I think it’s funny that people will judge me based on my school halfway across the world! Apparently McGill does have a worldwide reputation, although I personally think it’s incredibly overrated.
There are barbecues around here all the time. The Aussies love their BBQs! It’s almost like a sport to find free food somewhere on campus, and it’s usually not hard to find. I think most students are always on the prowl for free grub, especially considering how ridiculously expensive everything is here. I have yet to try barbecued kangaroo, since a lot of locals apparently don’t like the idea of eating their national animal! I’m determined to try some, maybe at our floor barbecue next weekend...
A few highlights over the next few weeks: paintball, another footy game, band camp (EMS), a Cat Empire concert, and a hiking trip. I’ve joined the Engineering Music Society’s concert band, which is a band of about 20 people playing relatively modern music and rehearsing every week for an end-of-semester concert. I brought my clarinet with me to Australia, and I’m hoping I can improve my skills while I’m here. I’ve also joined the Mountaineering Club, which basically organizes trips throughout the state of Victoria on weekends for hiking, skiing, climbing, camping, kayaking, basically anything in the outdoors. I figured it would be a great way to discover more of the country, without spending a fortune at a travel agency.
Unfortunately I’ve been sick with a sore throat for the past few days, so I can’t say this weekend was spectacular or anything. I’ve still partially lost my voice! I did get the chance to visit North Richmond (a suburb) and the beach on the bay at St Kilda, which was cool. And I tried Vietnamese Phó (beef soup with noodles) for the first time, which was delicious!
One last thing: INCEPTION IS INCREDIBLE!!! If you haven’t seen this movie yet, what are you waiting for???
Cheers!
- Sean
The classes are set up similar to McGill. There’s about two or three 1-hour lectures each week, with one tutorial. They call the TA’s here tutes. I haven’t had one yet, since tutorials only start in the second week, but I think they’re only for showing us how to solve problems, just like back home. The Australia Now’s tutorial is more important because attendance is mandatory, and apparently we have to actively discuss different issues. Should be fun, as an engineer I don’t usually get the opportunity to discuss much in class.
Now that I think of it, engineering is a very closed-minded and cold field... With only two restricted elective classes in four years, we don’t really learn anything but math, physics, a little bit of economy and boring engineering ethics. Hmmm...
The lectures are carried out in the same way as they are back home. You come into class, say hi to your friends, listen/take notes/check facebook/nap for about 50 minutes, then leave. Locals tend to leave class immediately and stick to themselves. Luckily I’ve already met a few people in each class.
Funny story... We have to form teams of four in our design class to complete a couple of projects together. For example, we have to somehow design a gearbox for a wind turbine. So on the first class I’m getting a little worried because everyone seems to already know each other. By fluke a guy walks up to me, introduces himself, and asks me where I’m from. When I tell him, his eyes light up and he then asks me what school I go to. When I tell him I go to McGill, he insists I join his team, which apparently won 3rd place last year. I’m thrilled to be a part of a team, but I think it’s funny that people will judge me based on my school halfway across the world! Apparently McGill does have a worldwide reputation, although I personally think it’s incredibly overrated.
There are barbecues around here all the time. The Aussies love their BBQs! It’s almost like a sport to find free food somewhere on campus, and it’s usually not hard to find. I think most students are always on the prowl for free grub, especially considering how ridiculously expensive everything is here. I have yet to try barbecued kangaroo, since a lot of locals apparently don’t like the idea of eating their national animal! I’m determined to try some, maybe at our floor barbecue next weekend...
A few highlights over the next few weeks: paintball, another footy game, band camp (EMS), a Cat Empire concert, and a hiking trip. I’ve joined the Engineering Music Society’s concert band, which is a band of about 20 people playing relatively modern music and rehearsing every week for an end-of-semester concert. I brought my clarinet with me to Australia, and I’m hoping I can improve my skills while I’m here. I’ve also joined the Mountaineering Club, which basically organizes trips throughout the state of Victoria on weekends for hiking, skiing, climbing, camping, kayaking, basically anything in the outdoors. I figured it would be a great way to discover more of the country, without spending a fortune at a travel agency.
Unfortunately I’ve been sick with a sore throat for the past few days, so I can’t say this weekend was spectacular or anything. I’ve still partially lost my voice! I did get the chance to visit North Richmond (a suburb) and the beach on the bay at St Kilda, which was cool. And I tried Vietnamese Phó (beef soup with noodles) for the first time, which was delicious!
One last thing: INCEPTION IS INCREDIBLE!!! If you haven’t seen this movie yet, what are you waiting for???
Cheers!
- Sean
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