Testimonials
If I had to summarise my time in the Fairfield Choir in three words, it would be ‘meaningful’, ‘magical’ and ‘memorable’.
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From the moment I entered, I was welcomed and guided by seniors in my section, who inducted me into the ‘culture’ of the choir. I still keep in touch with some of them today! Through numerous performance opportunities at places like CHIJMES, Victoria Concert Hall and Esplanade, and in school, I forged close bonds with my batchmates and juniors.
The laughter and struggles during sectionals that led up to every performance, and the performances themselves brought us together and made the journey unforgettable; every performance was an exciting time. I had the chance to attend external choral events, which really challenged me to get to know other singers and step out of my comfort zone, as well as plan a choral exchange with some other choirs.
I would say that the experience of being a leader in choir was what made me grow the most, because the other leaders and I had to learn to plan events and take charge of each practice, as well as to boost the morale of the choir and lead them to understand and appreciate the songs we sing. It was heartwarming to be able to inspire my juniors and see them mature and grow, and the friendships I’ve formed in this community are very precious to me.
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My fondest memories are that of our Limelight Concert in 2018, the time I conducted the choir on Founder’s Day, and the times when my friends and I would gather round the piano to sing just for fun. I entered the choir via DSA, and I can say with complete conviction that joining has never been a regret for me.
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LIESL ANN WONG Student Conductor 2019/2020
Joining the choir has undoubtedly been an enriching and integral part of my life in Fairfield. The choir has presented me with countless opportunities to grow in leadership, teamwork, and musicality.
When I first got into choir, I was disappointed. Choir was not my first choice and I had no experience in singing at all. I was afraid, not knowing how the next 4 years in this CCA would turn out. However, my fears quickly faded just after a few weeks of choir practices! I soon integrated into the choir family through the many interactions with my section mates and the bonding games we played on Fridays. Although there were times when I felt lost and unable to keep up with the conductors’ pace, the seniors were always ready to help me during sectionals to improve my singing. Regardless of how tiring and tedious practices got, the effort put in was always worth it at the end of the day when we bow proudly before the audience after a performance.
Before I knew it, 2 years had passed and I was taking up a leadership role in choir as the vice- chairman. I was fearful of what lied ahead and was unsure of whether I had what it took to lead the choir. Thankfully, with the ever-present guidance and encouragement from the choir teachers, I developed much leadership skills and soon, oversaw big events such as the annual Choral Exchange and choir audition. Planning these events had really helped me to develop vital soft skills such as managing the logistical and administrative aspects of a project to ensure that it would be realistic and achievable.
Lastly, the bonds formed with my choir mates were truly memorable and eventful. I will never forget the many fond memories forged in choir, especially with the rest of the Top 5 and my tenor section mates. From late night Discord calls to echoing our favourite songs in the washroom, lasting and fulfilling friendships were formed.
Even after graduating, I often find myself subconsciously singing the choir songs I have learnt, and reminiscing the many funny incidents that happened during practices. I truly cherish the nurturing environment and all the opportunities the choir has given me to grow in personhood, and will never regret the 4 years I spent in this CCA.
DARREN LIM Vice-Chairperson, Admin 2019/2020
I decided that I wanted to join the Fairfield Choir ever since I was a Primary 6 student. Even though I was not from Fairfield Primary like many of my peers, I have heard many good things about the choir and what they have achieved throughout the years so, I decided to DSA into The Fairfield Choir.
Many people have the impression that choir is just a singing CCA but there is more that meets the eye. Not only are we given countless opportunities to grow as leaders, but we also meet incredible friends and teachers that are loving and caring towards us.
In Upper Secondary, I took on the role as the Chairperson of the choir. Having patient teachers that guided me throughout my journey and a united Top 5 Student Committee that was willing to support me, they have helped me to grow in my leadership capabilities. I have learnt valuable lessons like teamwork, good communication and patience from planning events such as the choir camp and coral exchanges as well as leading the choir in our sessions. These values will be beneficial to life after secondary school and I am extremely grateful to have been given this chance to grow.
The Choir has also become my second home. In choir we are a big family and throughout my 4 years in choir, I have made close friends with many of the people. We bond through the game time we have on most Friday sessions and the sectionals with our various section (Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass). I remember when I always used to look forward to CCA after school as I would be able to meet all my friends again and have a fun time singing to the songs.
The most memorable experience I have in Choir is when we were preparing our level item for our concert. We would have the most fun just singing the song we chose, swaying to the music and joining hands to dance along as well. After practicing, Andrew, our lead pianist would play random songs that we request, and our level would just hover around the piano and sing along!
Choir has made my secondary school like more enjoyable, helped me grow as a leader and given me
a chance to meet new people and improve my singing.
CAYLA CHUNG Chairperson 2019/2020
To be completely honest, when I was choosing my CCA in sec 1, choir was not in my list of interests. I didn’t possess any meaningful musical background that could assist me in a CCA like this and I wasn’t confident in my singing. Furthermore,
choir tends to be seen as a “girly CCA” by some of my friends. Joining a choir felt embarrassing, and I was certain that my journey in this new environment would be a tough one.
Still, I decided to try and enjoy my time in choir as changing CCA isn’t an easy thing to do. The friendly seniors and the beautiful harmonies created by the choir made it easy. By the 4th session, choir had become something that I looked forward to as I grew to love hanging out and singing with my fellow choristers.
Why am I saying all of this? That’s because more people (especially guys) need to know that the feeling of embarrassment is normal, it is common among boys that first joined choir. However, I can guarantee that these feelings will go away if you adopt a proper attitude. In the following years, I managed to find a position in the executive community despite my lack of musical background.
I felt that logistics was one of the best ways for me to use my limited abilities to assist the choir and I managed to become a quartermaster. Later in secondary 3, I was appointed as the vice- chairperson (logistics). Being in the executive community truly allowed me to grow as a leader and it also gave me many chances to contribute to choir. The mentoring from the teachers and conductors were of great help when uncertainty
overwhelmed me and the knowledge that I gained proved helpful even outside of choir.
Choir is a big part of my life and I find myself reminiscing about the times I spent singing with my choirmates. The brotherhood, that sense of togetherness, it’s something special. Being a part of choir is something I take pride in, and I hope you do too.
YUAN XIAO Vice-Chairperson, Logistics 2019/2020
I have been a part of many choirs and I believe that the Fairfield Choir was the most enjoyable choir! I remember my first day of choir. I was very nervous as I didn't know any of the members. I was too afraid to talk to anyone. I was no longer afraid when the choir seniors greeted me with a warm welcome and felt comfortable communicating with the members as they were all very friendly.
I became closer to my level as we had to work together to come up with a level item. During our level item practices, we had to work together to pick a song and learn it. I bonded with my level during this experience as we all sang beautifully together and we all enjoyed ourselves.
Being part of the Fairfield Choir also helped me grow as a person. The teachers kindly gave me multiple opportunities to plan activities for the choir such as the choir camp that is held every year. Through this, I became more responsible as I knew my priorities were to plan an enjoyable camp where all the choir members can become more bonded. I also had to ensure that the events ran smoothly and were responsible for each of the members well being. It helped me grow not only as a leader but as a person, as I became more diligent.
I have made many wonderful memories with the Fairfield Choir and will truly miss singing with the choir members. It has been hard for me to leave as I consider the Fairfield Choir my second family as I spent so much time with them. These memories will stay with me forever as my journey in the Fairfield Choir has impacted me greatly.
Not only did the members of the choir impact me, but the teachers as well! They showed care and support throughout my Choir journey. They constantly encouraged me which always made my day better. When the Top 5 and I were stressed, they would show their appreciation and support towards us which really warmed my heart. They provided us with many opportunities to perform as well. They also helped me become more confident as I gained the courage to conduct the choir with the support of both the conductors who both helped me to improve.
I am forever grateful for the support that they have given me as well as the kind words said to the choir after every practice. Overall, my choir journey has been a splendid experience and has given me many wonderful memories. Being part of the choir has made me realise that I want to continue singing after secondary school as it has made me realise how much I love to sing with others! :)
FREYA HAMILTON Assistant Student Conductor 2018/2019
In Fairfield Choir, I have been given lots of opportunities: opportunities to grow as a leader, opportunities to forge deep friendships and opportunities to learn more about singing.
Ostensibly, choir is a place where people only sing day and night. But there is more than meets the eye. In choir, there are numerous leadership opportunities for one to take on. I was previously a student conductor of Fairfield Choir, and being in that position helped me to grow in personhood. I have learnt valuable lessons on planning for events (such as the choir camp, choir audition etc.), teaching music, and leading people (ie my group of Sectional Leaders that I work with in the Music Committee). Teamwork and good communication skills was instilled as I drafted proposal for the various activities with the Presidents of choir, during warmup sessions and sectionals conducted when the conductor is not in.
Next, I was able to forge deep bonds with my peers of different classes, juniors and seniors. Initially as a junior, I was able to rely on seniors in my section (we are split into 4 sections: Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass) for advice and guidance both in terms of singing and school work. This helped me to settle quickly into this new environment, giving me more time to have fun, learn and grow. As the years passed, I grew to become a senior, teaching the newly joined Secondary 1 choristers, being the older ones in the section and in choir. This allowed me to give juniors the support they needed and learn how to take care of those who are younger than me. Mostly importantly, I was able to build friendships my peer who stood by my side for the past 4 years in choir, who supported me as I picked up the courage to take on leadership roles, whom I still meet up with up till today. The long-lasting friendships built in choir is definitely one of a kind!
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Lastly, we all know we have to sing in choir, perform and go for competitions. With guidance from the conductors and teachers, we learnt how to sing better and other important skills and qualities such as discipline, grit and commitment. We have dedicated conductors and teachers who patiently taught us how to hone our singing skills, gave us feedback, and encouraged us to do even better. The commitment the conductors and teachers displayed was something we followed, the discipline was enforced during practices and rehearsals, the grit was taught to us during practices where things did not turn out well and we had to cope with the intense training. Learning these singing skills and qualities, choir has definitely made me a better person.
Choir has added colour to my life, helped me grow as a leader, given me a chance to mingle with fun-loving choristers of all age, and helped me in my singing. These are the reasons to my #whychoir and made me not regret choosing choir as my CCA.
RENEE TAN Student Conductor 2015/2016
Joining a choir was one of the last things I had thought of when choosing which CCA to join. I had close to no experience with music and had no idea that I was about to embark on the biggest life-changing journey I’ve had so far.
Having not previously acquired musical skills, I felt uncomfortable being placed in an environment ringing with music. I was worried that I would be left straggling behind as others who were more competent sped ahead. The first weeks proved mild challenging, but I soon learnt that my initial worry was indeed unnecessary. Kind seniors with the heart to help those around them were instrumental in my assimilation into the choir culture and learning pace. I learned to love singing, and began loving to learn singing. I still distinctly remember the first song I sang together with everyone else, and I remember the amazement I had of the feeling of singing in harmony with so many others.
Choir turned from a mere CCA to something I looked forward to every day. I wanted to meet the people there and sing with them, and to learn new music. The enjoyment I got from choir was special, something that I can’t seem to obtain anywhere else.
In upper secondary, I began to take on leadership roles in the CCA, and grew not only in choral discipline, but in my leadership capabilities. Having great teachers as mentors, my mistakes I made were made clear without hesitation. In my own capacity, I learned about what I could do to improve the way I led the Choir. The knowledge I gained through my experience had been indispensable even in JC, and I am thankful that the Fairfield Choir gave me those opportunities to stretch and grow.
Even though I have since graduated from Fairfield, I still find myself reminiscing the times I spent in the Choir, replaying songs in my head that I’ve only sung 4 or 5 years ago. Something about singing with so many of my friends still fills me with great joy. The Fairfield Choir sparked a new passion in my life, one that might not die down for a long time to come. A deep love for music, and a strong sense of good character are what I’ve gained from the Fairfield Choir, not unlike many others who have gone through the same. You could too :)