Raffles Institution Military Band

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Raffles Institution Military Band

Name

Raffles Institution Military Band

Abbreviation

RIMB

Country

Singapore

Motto

We Should! We Must! We Can! We Will!

Website

[1]

The Raffles Institution Military Band (RIMB) is the military band of Raffles Institution, a premier school in Singapore. The band's resident conductor is Takehiro Oura, who also conducts the Raffles Girls' School Symphonic Band, Raffles Junior College Symphonic Band and Nanyang Technological University Symphonic Band. The current band-major is Jeremy Wong, an alto saxophone player. Although the band is still known as a military band, it has turned symphonic since 1991, and only performs in an outdoor ceremony during the school's founder's day parades. Despite this, band members still have a sense of military discipline and learn some drills during Secondary 1.

1 History
2 Symbols
3 Organisation
4 Awards
5 Events
6 Resident Conductor
7 References
8 External links

[edit] History

The Raffles Institution Military Band has its roots in the school brass band formed in early 1938. It was not until 1963 that the band was given a permanent and definite form, for a performance in the school's 1964 Founder's Day celebrations. In 1973, Philip Liau, the school's headmaster, reorganised the band, personally redesigned the uniform and created a set of footdrills for the band's first performance in the Singapore Youth Festival (SYF) Outdoor Display Competition in 1974. The debut saw RIMB being awarded the prestigious Mace of Honour and Best Drum Major awards, marking the beginning of numerous achievements in both the Indoor and Outdoor SYF competitions.

From 1983 to 1992, the Raffles Institution Military Band won 10 consecutive Gold awards in both the Indoor and Outdoor SYF Competitions, a record that is still unbroken by any other school band. It was befitting then that the Band celebrated its winning streak as the "Golden Decade" during its second public concert Prometheum II in 1992.

In 1991, the Band made its final appearance in the SYF Outdoor Competition and capped its glorious Outdoor Competition achievements with two awards: the Gold Medallion & Best Drum Major awards.

RIMB has since turned symphonic and has even brought glory beyond Singapore when the Band took part in the 1993 World Music Competition in Holland, held once every four years, and clinched the 2nd prize in this prestigious international competition.

The Raffles Institution Military Band achieved its 15th successive Gold award in the SYF 2003 Central Judging of Concert Bands (Secondary Schools) with its rendition of Tales of the Sea by Soichi Konagaya which was the test piece, and the choice piece of Merry Widow Selections by Franz Lehár transcribed by Eiji Suzuki.

A new award, Gold with Honours, was introduced in 2005 to recognise bands with exceptional high standards of performance. It was clinched by the Raffles Institution Military Band for its performance of the set piece of Singapore Rhapsody by Jacob de Haan and Der Vogelhändler by Carl Zeller transcribed by Eiji Suzuki, which was the choice piece, bringing its golden tally of successive Gold awards to 16.

In 2006, the band participated in the First National Band Competition, organised by World Music Projects. With its set piece, Army of the Nile, by Kenneth Alford, and choice piece Jalan Jalan, by Shin'ya Takahashi, the band clinched a Gold award, along with bands such as the Maris Stella Wind Symphony and Raffles Girls' School Symphonic Band, bringing in its 17th consecutive Gold award.

To date, the Band has garnered an unprecedented total of 26 Gold awards (including the Mace of Honour, the Distinguished Award, Gold with Honours, and National Band Competition Gold award).

[edit] Symbols

[edit] Motto

The band's motto is "We should! We must! We can! We will!". It encapsulates the approach of the Rafflesian bandsmen to every endeavour with the desire, the sense of duty, the belief in their ability and determination. It is the rallying cry that motivates and spurs the Band to give the very best in every undertaking.

[edit] Crest

The crest is a depiction of a quaver note with the majestic eagle bearing the institution colours. Like the quaver, the Band is always half a beat ahead of the rest, ever soaring greater heights like the majestic eagle, proudly representing the institution.

[edit] Mission

To train and assist each Rafflesian bandsman build a strong character and good self discipline, with emphasis on teamwork and cultivating sportsmanship, preparing the bandsman for later life. He will be musically educated and proficient in the playing of his instrument by the time he leaves Raffles Institution.

[edit] Organisation

The band has 5 main departments handling its internal affairs. The Library Department, currently headed by Chen Shuotian, manages the music scores of the band. The Quartermasters, currently headed by Chester Gan, deals with the maintenance of instruments, stands and tuners. The Uniform Department, currently headed by Bernard Toh, ensures that the bandsmen's uniforms are kept in top condition for performances. The Recruits' Department, currently headed by Michael Lim, handles the new intake of Secondary 1 students. The Welfare Department, currently headed by Aaron Theseira, is in charge of communications, maintenance of the band's website and the annual band camp.

[edit] Awards

The Raffles Institution Military Band has won numerous Gold awards at the bi-annual Singapore Youth Festival(SYF) Central Judging for Concert Bands, with an unmatched run of 16 consecutive Gold awards. The Band has just recently won a newly-created Gold with Honours award at the 2005 Central Judging, being one of only 14 Singaporean bands to do so. The band also won 2nd place in its category at the prestigious World Music Competition in 1993. The World Music Competition held once every four years in The Netherlands. Here is a rundown of awards won by the Band in since 1974.

In 2006, the band won a Gold award at the first National Band Competition, bringing the total tally to 17 consecutive Gold awards.

1974	Outdoor Competition: Mace of Honour & Best Drum Major Award
1975	Indoor Competition: Distinguished Award
1976	Outdoor Competition: Mace of Honour Indoor Competition: Distinguished Award
1977	Outdoor Competition: Mace of Honour
1978	Outdoor Competition: Mace of Honour
1979	Outdoor Competition: Gold Medallion & Best Drum Major Award Indoor Competition: Silver Medallion
1980	Outdoor Competition: Gold Medallion Indoor Competition: Silver Medallion
1981	Indoor Competition: Certificate of Distinction in Heats & Gold Medallion in Finals
1982	Indoor Competition: Certificate of Distinction in Heats & Silver Medallion in Finals
1983	Outdoor Competition: Certificate of Merit in Heats & Gold Medallion in Finals
1984	Indoor Competition: Gold Medallion
1985	Outdoor Competition: Certificate of Distinction in Heats, Gold Medallion in Finals & Best Drum Major Award
1986	Indoor Competition: Gold Medallion
1987	Outdoor Competition: Certificate of Distinction in Heats & Gold Medallion in Finals
1988	Indoor Competition: Gold Medallion
1989	Outdoor Competition: Certificate of Distinction in Heats, Gold Medallion in Finals & Best Drum Major Award
1990	Indoor Competition: Gold Medallion
1991	Outdoor Competition: Certificate of Merit in Heats, Gold Medallion in Finals & Best Drum Major Award
1992	Indoor Competition: Gold Medallion
1993	World Music Competition: 2nd Prize
1995	Indoor Competition: Gold Medallion
1997	Central Judging: Gold Award
1999	Central Judging: Gold Award
2001	Central Judging: Gold Award
2003	Central Judging: Gold Award
2005	Central Judging: Gold with Honours Award
2006	1st National Band Competition : Gold Award

[edit] Events

Other than the SYF, the band also participates in many other events. The band puts up a bi-annual concert, known as Prometheum, the most recent of which was Prometheum XI on the July 21, 2006, at the Victoria Concert Hall. It also participated in the Shell-MOE Band Fiesta at the Botanic Gardens, and the Lilies by the River charity event in August 2004. The band also regularly organises and participates in several exchanges with other bands. The band has participated in an exchange with a top high school band in Japan, and put on a concert with the Raffles Girls' School Symphonic Band, and the Miyazaki Dream Band, titled Unisono. In 2006, the band participated in myRIad, a combined concert featuring the musical groups of Raffles Institution. It then participated the 2006 Shell-MOE Band Fiesta, and competed in the first National Band Competition, winning a Gold award, along with junior college and alumni bands.

[edit] Resident Conductor

The Band's Musical Director is Takehiro Oura. Born in 1962, Oura studied at the Daio Elementary School, the Tenri Junior High School and the Tenri High School in Nara.

He next went to the Sakuyo College of Music in Okayama where he studied percussion with Imamura Mitsuaki and conducting techniques with Watanabe Akeo, who was a former conductor of the Nippon Philharmonic Orchestra. Oura graduated with a Bachelor in Music, majoring in percussion.

In a further quest for musical knowledge and exposure, he journeyed to Paris to enrol in the French Conservatory of Music, Paris. Oura graduated with certificates in percussion and orchestra studies. He was a member of the New National Symphonic Orchestra.

He has taught the Yuan Ching Secondary School Band, the Dunman Secondary School Band and has also been involved in the then National Theatre Symphonic Band (now the Singapore Wind Symphony).

He currently directs all 3 Rafflesian Schools and the Nanyang Technological University Symphonic Band, he joined Raffles Institution as a part-time band instructor in 1992. In 1993, Oura became a full-time music teacher in the school, taking charge of the Band as well as teaching Music to secondary one and two pupils, who take Music as part of their school curriculum.

Oura has led the RIMB to obtain more SYF Gold Awards and 2nd place in the 1993 World Music Competition, maintaining RIMB's unbeaten track record in Singapore of 17 consecutive Golds.