A Story About A Friend of Mine

I met a friend in University who loves music. (I'm the opposite of him. You play any music to me and I'd think it's a good piece.) He started when he was 6 and music has never left him since then. Coupled with his character of always being stern on himself, his pursuit in the music world can only be described as being higher every time he tries something new.

Being a violinist, it wasn't a surprise that he joined the University's orchestra back in our first year. It was a playground for him to shine but it wasn't good enough for him. In fact, he was tired of the constrains from traditions and maybe somewhat sick of get-it-done-already culture they had. He went through a period of being cynical, a period where nothing is good enough for him. He told me a lot about things he didn't like and how he thought they should be like. It was more criticisms than action so I remember deciding to confront him: "If you really think things should be done differently, why don't you set up your own orchestra?". He looked back at me hollowly and didn't return a word.

Several months later, I bumped into him in the Computer Centre while he was typing out some serious looking document. He told me they were job descriptions of the positions he's going to recruit for his orchestra. My first reaction: "Are you serious?!"

He was. And he proved to me that not only was he serious, he was determined to make it happen. The following six months was a lot of intensive organisation formation, working meetings, marketing and promotion (and a lot of sleepless nights). He started to learn conducting, took courses on music science and went out day and night to find sponsors. Every milestone he achieves, his becomes one step closer to his goal.

Scepticism that initially ran throughout me was slowly replaced with hope and expectation. Everything that seemed like an unachievable challenge at first was overcome, one way or the other. And finally ..

Three days ago, his plan was executed flawlessly right in front of my eyes. I am sure the smile showing on his face when he finally turned around on the conducting stage to bow and to thank the 300 or so audience who witnessed the very first concert by the orchestra he set up, reflected the sense of achievement he had when all his efforts are acknowledged.

So this is a story of my friend who had a passion, realised a problem and made a difference.

Well done, Sean!