His hands flew across the keys as his nimble fingers nearly effortlessly weaved the music into a gentle cascade of rippling water. The notes rose and fell beautifully; climbing up and down, enchanting, spellbinding the captivated audience. His prowess knew no bounds as he went from passion fuelled pieces to softer ones, almost as if he was stroking it to sleep.
And then, her bow wove majestically across strings; guided by her dexterity and precise agility. Her cello resonated with a majestic bass melody that filled the room and held the audience breathless. Her swift fingers were a mere blur as she progressed through a magnificent symphony flawlessly.
The Young Musicians of the Gulf 2010 was a breathtaking event to say the least. It showcased young aspiring musicians in a variety of instruments and categories, and their artistic expression and musical interpretations, bringing them much needed extolment.
On stage, they were spectacular, having mastered their pieces to the very last note. They make it look so natural and are so at ease that one marvels at the amount of perseverance and hard work they must have put in. These young musicians have trained for years, some even a decade, playing into the night, regardless of the world around them, just living in the music.
Every little detail had been looked after, every bit of synchronization had been perfected and every last note and stroke of hand had been honed to precision.
Their performances were nothing less than awe-inspiring.
The competition also roped in what maybe was just a peek of the vast spectrum of music. There were compositions played out by flutes, euphoniums, cellos, violins, pianos and even pieces of wood. Adding a regional touch to the event was the tabla and the oud; their distinctive melodies making Bahrainis proud.
Whatever instrument they had chosen, they were one with the music, lost to the audience, putting themselves in their pieces, giving them new meaning. It was amazing to watch their love for music manifest in notes, sung, composed or played; giving the audience merely a peek of their delightful world and the mysterious secrets only they understood.
In a world now filled with fluorescent screens and techno-jargon, an evening of blissfully classical music was a rare and beautiful treat. It was a reminder of the simple joys of life and that every great musician or any great person, for that matter, has risen to excellence through pure determination and talent, the will to succeed and an undying blazing passion for their art.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
The Imaginarium of The Human Mind
Fearsome scaly dragons, breathing plumes of deadly fire, elusive romping unicorns, tossing manes of pure silver and dwarfed leprechauns dragging along cauldrons of gold – All of these extraordinary creatures reign in a parallel dimension and are figments of human imagination.
The human mind is a queer organ; it is capable of endless possibilities. It can think of ways to conjure up a cure for cancer or break down matter into its smallest particle.
One of the most fascinating aspects of the mind is its capacity to imagine, handle abstract ideas and conjure up unreal images.
It is one thing to manipulate information already laid before us. But to dream of better and brighter things is absolutely astounding.
The recent Disney animation flick, Up, took the world by storm with its ludicrous idea of an aged man, complete with walker, embarking on an adventure of a lifetime by ‘flying’ his house with a colossal amount of balloons attached to it. Aboard his airborne house, he wished to travel to a certain ‘Paradise Falls’ (as do we all!) and perch his house on the precipice of a waterfall.
If that wasn’t enough, the movie ropes in talking dogs, an exotic bird and a mad explorer.
The power of imagination is indeed infinite.
As kids, it seemed so easy to believe in fairies and pixie dust; to cease to care about scientific foundations.
As we grow older, we tend to forget how to be kids, we tend to forget to imagine.
From a world painted vividly with bizarre colours, filled with biologically impossible beings and secret made-up languages, it has faded into mere black and white, with facts and figures holding more important.
There was a time when we all believed that a certain fat red man filled our stockings with presents on Christmas Eve and that babies were delivered by incredibly strong storks. The possibilities were unlimited and so were the questions that we had to ask.
But now, we silently accept the world as it is. I can only conclude that as we grow older, we seem to think less.
It is a pity since with human intelligence and imagination, man could work miracles and wonders.
And no doubt invent the ‘hovercrafts of the future’ that were once promised to us!
However, Imagination is much more than just goblins and elves– It is about thinking out of the box, creating something where nothing existed before, building empires with just ingenuity and bubbling creativity.
Imagination is about passion, wanting to widen the horizons further, believing in things that only the heart can see.
Like George Bernard Shaw said, “You see things; and you say, 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say, 'Why not?'”
Sometimes believing is more than just seeing.
The human mind is a queer organ; it is capable of endless possibilities. It can think of ways to conjure up a cure for cancer or break down matter into its smallest particle.
One of the most fascinating aspects of the mind is its capacity to imagine, handle abstract ideas and conjure up unreal images.
It is one thing to manipulate information already laid before us. But to dream of better and brighter things is absolutely astounding.
The recent Disney animation flick, Up, took the world by storm with its ludicrous idea of an aged man, complete with walker, embarking on an adventure of a lifetime by ‘flying’ his house with a colossal amount of balloons attached to it. Aboard his airborne house, he wished to travel to a certain ‘Paradise Falls’ (as do we all!) and perch his house on the precipice of a waterfall.
If that wasn’t enough, the movie ropes in talking dogs, an exotic bird and a mad explorer.
The power of imagination is indeed infinite.
As kids, it seemed so easy to believe in fairies and pixie dust; to cease to care about scientific foundations.
As we grow older, we tend to forget how to be kids, we tend to forget to imagine.
From a world painted vividly with bizarre colours, filled with biologically impossible beings and secret made-up languages, it has faded into mere black and white, with facts and figures holding more important.
There was a time when we all believed that a certain fat red man filled our stockings with presents on Christmas Eve and that babies were delivered by incredibly strong storks. The possibilities were unlimited and so were the questions that we had to ask.
But now, we silently accept the world as it is. I can only conclude that as we grow older, we seem to think less.
It is a pity since with human intelligence and imagination, man could work miracles and wonders.
And no doubt invent the ‘hovercrafts of the future’ that were once promised to us!
However, Imagination is much more than just goblins and elves– It is about thinking out of the box, creating something where nothing existed before, building empires with just ingenuity and bubbling creativity.
Imagination is about passion, wanting to widen the horizons further, believing in things that only the heart can see.
Like George Bernard Shaw said, “You see things; and you say, 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say, 'Why not?'”
Sometimes believing is more than just seeing.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Question Everything You Ever Knew
It’s a bit disconcerting to one day realize that everything you believe in, or rather, taught to believe in, comes crashing down upon you and that safe, secluded cone that enveloped and cradled you once, has shattered to expose you, raw, to the big bad world.
We take it for granted – our beliefs, our notions and our perceptions.
From a very young age, we look into the world through someone else’s eyes.
Questions are muted and intrigue is dampened to produce an ideal product of society; one that speaks, hears, understands the way he is programmed to be.
It is something we never realize as we hobble along in our monotonous ruts.
But in the past week or so, questions started springing, doubts crept in and bafflement pulled the strings of many minds.
At school, our weekly Theory of Knowledge sessions most often end in mental disarray as we prod at questions and engage in heated debate. For those of you not familiar to Theory of Knowledge, it is a class in which students analyze and dissect the various facets of ‘Knowledge’ and learn to be independent, inquisitive thinkers meant to challenge things and not accept it as it is.
Recently, a very intriguing debate arose about Conspiracy Theories and it made me realize how we often accept things without any questions.
We were told of the 9/11 attacks and that Osama Bin Laden was the root of all evil. Newspapers heralded it. Heads of Media reporters on television bobbed in agreement over the giant yellow Breaking News tape stretched across the screen. Authorities importantly cleared their throats, tapped their microphones and condemned the attack, vowing to fight back and further went on to proclaim the rights of every citizen.
And we bought it. Bought it, Ate it, Digested It. Hook, Line and Sinker.
Where was the judgment? Where was the radical thinking? Where were the questions?
We were scared to differ from public opinion, safe within the mob.
Why did the World Trade Centres collapse at the same time even if one was burning for longer? Did a plane really hit the Pentagon? Why was an unmarked plane flying in territorial air space?
In Theory of Knowledge classes, we learn that the core principles are Reason, Perception, Emotion and Language.
However, we often chose to ignore at least one of them; not seeing the big picture.
Feeling secure and being an impression cast by the mould of society may seem an easy way out. Yet, it is merely comfort food.
All the people that ever made it big, asked questions. Questions that shook their faith and foundation. Questions that changed their lives.
Life is full of mysteries and some may never find answers. Shying away may keep you living but to be truly alive is to take a crack at the riddle.
We take it for granted – our beliefs, our notions and our perceptions.
From a very young age, we look into the world through someone else’s eyes.
Questions are muted and intrigue is dampened to produce an ideal product of society; one that speaks, hears, understands the way he is programmed to be.
It is something we never realize as we hobble along in our monotonous ruts.
But in the past week or so, questions started springing, doubts crept in and bafflement pulled the strings of many minds.
At school, our weekly Theory of Knowledge sessions most often end in mental disarray as we prod at questions and engage in heated debate. For those of you not familiar to Theory of Knowledge, it is a class in which students analyze and dissect the various facets of ‘Knowledge’ and learn to be independent, inquisitive thinkers meant to challenge things and not accept it as it is.
Recently, a very intriguing debate arose about Conspiracy Theories and it made me realize how we often accept things without any questions.
We were told of the 9/11 attacks and that Osama Bin Laden was the root of all evil. Newspapers heralded it. Heads of Media reporters on television bobbed in agreement over the giant yellow Breaking News tape stretched across the screen. Authorities importantly cleared their throats, tapped their microphones and condemned the attack, vowing to fight back and further went on to proclaim the rights of every citizen.
And we bought it. Bought it, Ate it, Digested It. Hook, Line and Sinker.
Where was the judgment? Where was the radical thinking? Where were the questions?
We were scared to differ from public opinion, safe within the mob.
Why did the World Trade Centres collapse at the same time even if one was burning for longer? Did a plane really hit the Pentagon? Why was an unmarked plane flying in territorial air space?
In Theory of Knowledge classes, we learn that the core principles are Reason, Perception, Emotion and Language.
However, we often chose to ignore at least one of them; not seeing the big picture.
Feeling secure and being an impression cast by the mould of society may seem an easy way out. Yet, it is merely comfort food.
All the people that ever made it big, asked questions. Questions that shook their faith and foundation. Questions that changed their lives.
Life is full of mysteries and some may never find answers. Shying away may keep you living but to be truly alive is to take a crack at the riddle.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
PodWars : The Return of the Dead(i)
Solar Powered Chargers are brilliant!
Just leave your cell phone/watch/car out to catch a few sunrays and a nice little tan and ta-da! Charged and good to go!
But since such luxuries frivolities are much beyond my (and my bank account's) reach, I am destined to settle for the old fashioned wires; all tangled together in a inseparable coiled mass.
I am incapable of having any of my technological gizmos charged for use.
As a result, my poor mechanical devices lay dying; their still, lifeless, frigid corpses litter my desk, substituing for paper-weights.
Recently, I had a minor panic attack when the ever-trusty iPod decided to bail on me.
The people at Apple seem to have a sadistic sense of humour.
As my iPod was left for dead, the screen blacked out and then for a moment, breathed its last gasp of life as a picture flickered on. And then it was lost to the world.
Here's my sketch of the image:
Steve Jobs is laughing somewhere.
Just leave your cell phone/watch/car out to catch a few sunrays and a nice little tan and ta-da! Charged and good to go!
But since such luxuries frivolities are much beyond my (and my bank account's) reach, I am destined to settle for the old fashioned wires; all tangled together in a inseparable coiled mass.
I am incapable of having any of my technological gizmos charged for use.
As a result, my poor mechanical devices lay dying; their still, lifeless, frigid corpses litter my desk, substituing for paper-weights.
Recently, I had a minor panic attack when the ever-trusty iPod decided to bail on me.
The people at Apple seem to have a sadistic sense of humour.
As my iPod was left for dead, the screen blacked out and then for a moment, breathed its last gasp of life as a picture flickered on. And then it was lost to the world.
Here's my sketch of the image:
Steve Jobs is laughing somewhere.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
The Blues
I honestly love football. Yes, I do.
But playing football after nearly 3 to 4 years, without being ready for it, is a massively bad idea.
Besides being horrifically bad with appalling coordination, I managaed to procure a shiny blue toe.
Yes, Blue.
Apparently, when a football crashes head-on with a foot, it tends to injure the nail, turning it blue, making the victim experience a feeling of being repeatedly stabbed in the toe.
Oh. The. Joy.
The things that we love are the ones that do us in. Bah.
I've got to go improve my game - Let's put up 'Better at Football' with the rest of the countless resolutions I drew up.
Till then,
Pass. Run. Receive. Dribble. Kick.
Score
As simple as that
But playing football after nearly 3 to 4 years, without being ready for it, is a massively bad idea.
Besides being horrifically bad with appalling coordination, I managaed to procure a shiny blue toe.
Yes, Blue.
Apparently, when a football crashes head-on with a foot, it tends to injure the nail, turning it blue, making the victim experience a feeling of being repeatedly stabbed in the toe.
Oh. The. Joy.
The things that we love are the ones that do us in. Bah.
I've got to go improve my game - Let's put up 'Better at Football' with the rest of the countless resolutions I drew up.
Till then,
Pass. Run. Receive. Dribble. Kick.
Score
As simple as that
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Pop That Top
I collect Snapple bottle caps.
Weird, huh?
They have obscure facts printed on the back of the cap, enlightening us everytime we gulp down a refreshingly cold drink of sugary goodness.
I mean, how cool is that?
Who knew Strawberries were part of the Rose family?
Knowing that may save your life in the future.
Maybe when alien invaders order you to bring them a member of the Rose family if you don't want your head to be shrunk by their blaster guns and all the roses in the world have withered to death?
Oh yes. Snapple is saving us, one bottle cap at a time!
Saturday, January 2, 2010
R.I.P.
Please, bow your heads as we observe a moment of silence for a faithful, loyal friend who has reached her end.
This week witnessed the passing of a wonderful companion.
My poor old laptop.
She was a wonderful machine that was always there for me.
For a very long time.
She was my first and undoubtedly, my favourite laptop.
Even though Mac books sparkle with the zeal of technological development; those sleek, impersonal gizmos are no match for my amazing laptop.
Yes, she was old, slow and frail. But she had heart-warming memories tucked into the corners of her ancient Hard-disk.
So, here's to you, old friend! :
Rest in Peace, buddy.
While your circuits are fried and your system crashed, I hope you finally get the rest you needed after working so hard.
:) Good Luck, buddy!
This week witnessed the passing of a wonderful companion.
My poor old laptop.
She was a wonderful machine that was always there for me.
For a very long time.
She was my first and undoubtedly, my favourite laptop.
Even though Mac books sparkle with the zeal of technological development; those sleek, impersonal gizmos are no match for my amazing laptop.
Yes, she was old, slow and frail. But she had heart-warming memories tucked into the corners of her ancient Hard-disk.
So, here's to you, old friend! :
- I'm sorry I yelled when you were slow and I was in a hurry.
- I'm sorry for dropping you once.
- I'm sorry I didn't wipe you enough so that you would feel fresh and glittering new.
- I'm sorry I didn't take better care of you.
- I'm sorry for the cookie crumbs that littered your keys.
- I'm sorry for putting you on stand-by and not shutting you down for a good nice sleep.
- Lastly, I'm sorry I ever kept an open bottle of water near you; that led to your untimely demise.
Rest in Peace, buddy.
While your circuits are fried and your system crashed, I hope you finally get the rest you needed after working so hard.
:) Good Luck, buddy!
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