It is NOT Natcomp!

Hey guys,

I have been inundated these past few weeks with emails about NATCOMP. "Hey robin, what's your opinion on NATCOMP?" "Robin why no reaction from you regarding NATCOMP?" Well guys here is my opinion regarding the subject matter; THERE IS NO MORE NATCOMP SINCE 2009! So guys get real! Wakey wakey! Hellooo......!!

NATCOMP as we call it or Pertandingan Pancaragam Sekolah Sekolah Menengah Malaysia "died" in 2009. You see...that was the last year that Ministry of Education ORGANISED (that's the key word here) the NATCOMP. After that year it was taken over by a private body, in this case Z.I. Production. "So what?!" you say! Well let me explain......

In 2010 we had  Z.I. Production organising a local band competition for school bands after they were GIVEN PERMISSION (the key word here) by the ministry to organise one. " Hey Robin you are splitting hairs here"! , I can already hear that coming! Well chill!..Read what I write carefully..The Difference...

For one the MOE competition had a totally different focus and different type of rules and different type of judges. We did not have zones and we did not have different scoring system.

The one Z.I. organised had a new scoring system, a new set of judges, a different focus and a different set of rules. I dare say that after last year's debacle they will come out AGAIN....with a new scoring system, a new set of judges, a different focus and a different set of rules! I rest my case. One thing for sure we all know which "band" will win...and we all know which band will never participate in that competition! So there you have it!PROGRESS!haha!

But the most damning argument comes from the MOE. When a certain school complained to MOE last year regarding the "NATCOMP" the official reply was " pihak kementerian TIDAK TERLIBAT di dalam pertandingan pancaragam tersebut. Kami hanya berikan kebenaran untuk menjemput pancaragam sekolah"! And when a certain party last year enquired at a certain jabatan pelajaran negeri regarding the "NATCOMP" the reply was "jabatan tidak terlibat langsung. Ianya pertandingan anjuran swasta"!

So who can lay claim to NATCOMP? My reply is NO ONE. What we have now are privately organised competition which have nothing to do with the MOE except that school bands are allowed to take part. So for you guys out there you now have choices but NO NATCOMP!

My conclusion is NATCOMP IS DEAD.  R.I.P.

Cool website by World Championship!

Hey guys,
Just saw the new website for World Championship Marching Show Bands 2011. Chek it out!

www.wcmsb2011.com

What's up?

Hey everyone,
I'm back! Just got home to good ole Malaysia. First thing I did was have a glass of teh tarik at my favourite mamak stall in Penang and met up with a few good friends. So how's things since then? Well, I got 52 responses from you all. Remember my challenge to get a hundred responses on  "What is your band's new year resolution"? 52 responses ain't bad...although it fell short of a hundred I was asking for. So you  got me off the hook!..so to speak ( I don't have to organise the gathering I promised)...but I'm feeling "magnanimous" today, and I am going to organise it just the same. So for 52 of you out there an invitation will be coming your way soon! For the rest of you fill me in on what has been happening in the Malaysian marching band scene these past few months. Who is organising the Natcomp? Update me...don't spare the "gory" details! hehe. So keep it coming. Ahh...Sure is good to be back home.

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MARCHING SHOW BANDS this July: 16 countries so far!

Hey guys just got this fresh from the oven. This is the confirmed list of bands/ countries taking part in World Championship Marching Show Bands this July in KL as at 1st January 2011...According to sources more bands will be confirming their participation in the next few months. Here goes..!

1. Canada - 2 bands
2. China
3.Taiwan
4.Czech Republic
5.Singapore
6.Denmark
7.Holland
8.Thailand- 3 bands
9.Indonesia- 3bands
10.South Africa
11.Columbia
12.Italy
13. Hong Kong - 3 bands
14. Japan
15. Germany
16. Malaysia

This  definitely IS an opportunity not to be missed by Malaysian bands. Compete against the best! Compete against the World! Go for it!

Hello 2011! What Is Your New Year Resolution?

Hey guys,

Welcome to  2011!...almost February and this is only my first post this year. Sorry about that. Have been away..and am still away at the moment in the US on work assignment. Is there anything going on in the Malaysian band scene at the moment? Everything is a bit quiet isn't it?....or is it??hehe.

Today's topic is...What is your New Year resolution? (Che...like school teacher meh) hehe. Mine is simple...to be myself...good old Robin...straight as an arrow...shoot from the hip, to speak out without fear or favour,...to tell it as it is in this blog so that people are well informed and get along with others who share the same passion.

You see...it being still "relatively" a new year and all.. it is still not too late to plan on what we intend to do for this year...take your bands for example! I think it is time that we really think what we want our bands to achieve.

" Eon" years ago people set goals and these goals were followed by others and these became known as time goes by as traditions. And these "traditions" became a yardstick for further development. So people set goals to achieve....Moving on to 2011...NOW we don't call them traditions (old school la)...we call them KRA- Key Result Area...We also hear of KPI- Key Performance Indicator. The government recently launched ETP- Economic Transformation Plan ( see I oso read a lot meh...not only obsessed with Malaysian band scene...unlike some people...hehe)

So lets ask ourselves what is the KRA or KPI of Malaysian school bands? Does any school have a "BTP"? (Band Transformation Plan??). Before you even attempt to answer that... STOP! I challenge you to sit down with a group of friends and discuss this in detail! It is not an individual's job to answer that question! It is not an individual's EGO trip to say "I know how to solve this!" THIS is the problem with our band scene... we leave it to some "demented" ( maksudnya gila la) individual to tell us "Hey this is MY dream and others follow me!"

To me a "real" KRA or KPI for your band is to set high standards. It should target being world beaters! I DIDN'T SAY WORLD CHAMPION coz now as you know Malaysia have so many "World" body hehe ( I can't help that). Key Result Area should not only cover music but also other areas such as for example..academic performance should not be affected by band activities. It should also include which type of competition your school enters. What kind of standard are you targeting your band to achieve? The days of bands setting 'jaguh kampong' standard is over! Bands should not take part in competitions which is sub standard not only because are you being conned, but also because the world has moved on to higher standards and a faster tempo. We need to catch up with the rest of the world. Since 2007 we have been exposed to world class bands...THAT my frenzs is the new standard!

KRA should say - I want the best trumpet players in my band or I want my band to improve by ten folds.  So the KRA should be matched over a time period against a KPI ( a set of targets to achieve) for example being World  Champ. Is that achievable? YES it is! The Thais have done it so many times at world class competitions in europe. NOW take up my challenge meet up any where and every where...be it in Miri, KK, KL, Selangor, Kedah, Penang, Kuantan (did I miss out anyone?? Sori k if I did! hehe)...and DISCUSS and DECIDE! What The KRA and KPI of the Malaysian band scene should be. Tell your teachers what you want your BTP to be! . TRANSFORM YOUR BANDS! Set higher standards! Should we believe what others say about us?(like Misterrr Billl) No! I think we have confidence enough to say that we are ready to challenge the world!

Look, I'm already almost 30. I am now in the USA. The world is ours for the taking. It is not just about marching bands my frenzs..it is about seeking your full potential. Go for it!

I hope this post will generate a lot of positive discussions among The Band Members and Teachers. I throw you another challenge..if I get a hundred reply from this post I will organise a get together when I get back next month. Then we all can meet up. A hundred reply and we'll meet up! Anyway I am meeting a few  frenzs here later on to "talk shop" kopitiam style...and catch up on things in Malaysia.

Hmmmm.....

Guys I have received a... "response" from one Isham Ishak ....I don't know this guy...but he claims to be the Director of NATCOMP...Anyone know him?? I would gladly appreciate an update from anyone. He wants to meet up with me to...."explain things"...I am thinking...( may not be a bad idea). Hmmm.....

An Absolutely Grand Finale For 2010... KLWMBC'10 ROCKS!

Wow, M feeling a bit tired after last week's marching band extravaganza. I managed to watch every event and found them not only entertaining but really world class. Mr. jimmy should be congratulated for his tenacity and perseverance in bringing such an international event to Malaysia every year.

I must say the bands that took part were really world class! Pupuk Kaltim was as ever entertaining, and Norteastern was as all big Thai bands very polished. No one doubts their world class performance. The kiddy bands were a great introduction to this year's event. It showed how the Thais and Indons keep the talent coming up the ladder. Those kids in ten years time would be playing in senior teams at KLWMBC. Malaysia really have to play catch up. Something must be done to make sure that we are able to keep up with our neighbours. One thing I noticed is the many brilliant soloists in the Thai and Indo bands. Even the band members and conductors are able to express themselves and connect with the audience. This is something which Malaysian bands fail to do. We look amateurish and "school kiddish". We have to bridge that gap.


So what's next? I hope...and everyone hopes that next year 2011 will be a new chapter in Malaysia's marching band scene. Lets work together and make Kuala Lumpur World Championship2011  next July truly a world class event. I heard forty bands have confirmed participation. This I personally know after talking to some of the judges. Bands from USA would be coming...maybe not DCI coz their season is too close to our dates but definitely many good bands would be coming. Mr. Jimmy confirmed that three bands from Canada have confirmed, plus a few bands from Europe. As always there will be a large contingent from Indonesia and Thailand. The big names will be here...some who came for KLWMBC'10 will return ( I loved Pupuk Kaltim's rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody...just fantastic!) So seven months is not a long time to wait. Hope to see Asma back too. VI wasn't that strong in KLWMBC'10 ( I was told most were lower secondary...many form 2s)


I hope the organisers of KLWMBC gets to organise the Nat Comp back in 2011. Enough of mediocre Misterrrr..Bill and The Ugly Dato' Ogre. This is not the stage for clowns and we have had enough being the butt of ridicule for their folly.

To MOE let the experts run the show....no 3 day seminar can turn a cikgu into a world class judge...enough of "tak reti mengira"...when scores are intentionally or mistakenly manipulated. Enough of giving face to "Pretenders Wanna Bs".. KATAKAN TAK NAK...NOT ONLY TO CIGARETTES BUT ALSO TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE NO BUSINESS TRYING TO MANIPULATE THE MALAYSIAN MARCHING BAND SCENE.

To all the hard working Kementerian pelajaran people out there..En. Rashid ( we really respect you sir!) and all the dedicated teachers please listen to our plea and make our Nat Comp the best again!


Merry Chrismas and Happy New Year everyone. C U in 2011!