Sunday, December 9, 2007

Yet Another Successful Collaboration with HIOSA, our Official Partner for Holy Innocents' Idol 2007

Words by Amelia Swee
Edited by Mr. Raymond Yeo



Holy Innocents' Idol 2007, or HI Idol for short, is an inaugural school-wide competition cum music extravaganza through which the HIHS student population uncovered and crowned a deserving teenage singing sensation. Through this article, the organisers of HI Idol would like to express their deepest appreciation for HIOSA (Holy Innocents' Old Students Association). Without its close collaboration and generous support, HI Idol would not have taken off. Many aspects of this competition such as prizes and stage design have received invaluable assistance in the form of sponsorship and constructive feedback provided by our dearest Alumni, especially Mr. Ken Tay Tien Loon.

When asked if HIOSA would continue its involvement in future HI Idol competitions, HIOSA Chairperson Mr. John Lim Cho Lee replied with great assurance: "Of course we will! This competition develops the self-confidence of our juniors. It encourages students who are not academically-inclined to step out and showcase their singing talents. I believe HIHS students do not have many opportunities to display such talents and the competition is another opportunity for them to do so. So it is also about the old generation lending the new one a helping hand!"

Lee Wei Song School of Music Principal and HIHS Alumnus Mr. Lee Wei Song also supports HI Idol. On 11 June 2007, he invited the Top 10 HI Idol Finalists to his school, where they received free vocal training conducted by his school's instructors. He hoped the Finalists had picked up techniques that have improved their vocal ability, with which they can carve out a career in the music industry. Mr. Lee beamed with enthusiasm when he was asked if he would continue as a guest judge for the Grand Finals: "Sure! I'll be more than happy to do that!"

Our school leaders were equally heartened by HIOSA's involvement in HI Idol. Holy Innocents' High School Principal Mrs. Pauline Wong told me she would not have seen the most ecstatic audience in her life without this competition: "Our own students! They were the best ever!" she exclaimed. Vice-Principal Ms. Christina Michael felt that Mr. Ken Tay's recommendation to dress the Finalists in Fox was spot-on. Some students probably gained a better of understanding of what smart causal means after watching the Grand Finals, she added with a smile.

Since its formation, HIOSA has been a steadfast partner of HIHS, actively involved in numerous community-building activities and initiatives. Its time-tested and unstinting support is a pillar of HIHS...yesterday, today and tomorrow.

So once again, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, HIOSA!

To view more photos, logon to http://www.holyinnocentshigh.moe.edu.sg/album.aspx?id=62.

I Love Music.

Words by ameliaswee


A relaxant yet a depressant. Music can affect how we feel. Therefore, we should learn to select the "right song" for the "right time". Personally, I love songs that are sung by strong vocalists, with meaningful lyrics and soothing melodies. When I was a young child, my mother introduced the songs of veteran powerhouses like Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston and Toni Braxton to me.



We Belong Together by Mariah Carey featuring Wentworth Miller

I grew to like Christina Aguilera, who was known as the "little girl with big voice". She began singing at a young age, but her voice was on par with Whitney Houston's. Now she is referred to as the "voice of her generation" because she possesses a four-octave vocal range. She is able to hit notes in the whistle register with that big voice of hers. Her songs are also bear much meaning and raw emotion. The classic Beautiful gives people who suffer from low self-esteem and anorexia nervosa a booster shot of encouragement.



Christina Aguilera singing Beautiful

Alecia Beth Moore, better known as Pink, is another favourite singer of mine. Dear Mr. President and Who Knew are worth a listen. Their lyrics are painfully honest and sung using a great voice.



Dear Mr. President by Pink

I'm also into Evanescence and Linkin Park. Both bands have strong vocalists in Amy Lee and Chester Bennington, complemented by heady guitar riffs and heavy drum beats. Check out Lithium and My Immortal by Evanescence, as well as Numb and What I've Done by Linkin Park.



Lithium by Evanescence

To sum up, I'm into power and emotional depth when it comes to music. Therefore, some genres like Techno are not my cup of tea. After all, an individual's taste in music is dependent on his or her personal preferences and choices.