Precision, Perfection, Poise—and the price we pay

 
OK, about the Vienna Boys' Choir. I've never been a fan of pre-pubescent boys singing soprano parts, actually, but decided to treat my parents to a concert at the Esplanade, since my mum has always liked the Vienna Boys. I must say the evening's experience changed my opinion of them for the better.

What struck me from the start was how the choir was different from the picture we normally get of Singaporean choirs. Boys being boys, their sailor uniforms were slightly creased and crumpled here and there; they weren't all standing very neatly or facing the exact same direction most of the time; and even their harmony and rhythm could have been tighter at several points. In fact, I was wondering whether they would manage a Gold award if they had entered the Singapore Youth Festival central judging. Going by how strict Singaporean conductors can be, they'd probably earn themselves a sharp rebuke instead.

Yet the amazing thing was that the boys staged a superb and thoroughly enjoyable performance—and they were clearly enjoying themselves! They enunciated the words of the various languages in their repertoire almost effortlessly (the audience particularly appreciated the Mandarin numbers), and soloist Hibiki Sadamatsu's fine renditions easily stole the show. It was truly a pity that publicity for the concert was rather low-key, which probably accounted for why there wasn't a full house.

This concert has led me to think that we Singaporeans tend to be too uptight for our own good, demanding precision, perfection, and poise in whatever we do and allowing no room for mistakes. In the process, are we robbing ourselves and those around us of opportunities to find joy in what we're doing? Must everything be stipulated, scheduled, and synchronized like clockwork? Do we always need to put up a good show to impress others, or can we just be ourselves? How sure are we that others will think badly of us just because of a slight slip-up? Are we putting too much stress on ourselves?

Perhaps we should all learn a thing or two from the Vienna Boys' Choir and start enjoying what we're doing.