Showing posts with label THE CFA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label THE CFA. Show all posts

Friday, October 24, 2008

15 fun things to do at CFA... and feel free to add on!

The semester is going to an end. Before the exams kick in, let's have a more fun article - here are a list of "fun" things to do at CFA - that makes it a "uniquely-CFA".

I wrote this article long time ago but was lost in somewhere in my desktop. I know it is a bit late, but I wish to tribute this article to the committee members 07-08 of all groups!


Here it is...

1. Pasting stickers for the errors in Artzone magazine/ posters

2. Revision at CFA Studios – you can even talk, eat, buy drinks at vending machine, plug in & use PC and lie down on sofa for a while – all within 5m radius

3. Photocopying scores for a 100-strong orchestra

4. And listening to all juicy conversation/frustrating screams from various managers while you are photocopying

5. Calling up sponsors/schools with the manager’s phone – she is staring at the computer but can’t help observing your conversational skills

6. Holding a top-secret committee meeting (or sometimes fighting) at the CFA big conference table – right outside your manager’s office

7. Making a Milo-dinosaur, and an artwork made with biscuits for FREE during Genesis camp

8. Counting concert ticket money with your manager – a total of at least $8000 with mostly $10, $5, $2 notes and sometimes even coins

9. Stealing biscuits from the staff pantry

10. Playing toys/eating sweets/staring the mess at various managers' desks

11. Pretending to be "puss-in-boot" and keep knocking at the office door during lunchtime and after 6pm (and remember, it's 5.30pm on Fridays!)

12. Putting up a live performance for the rest of the “audience” in office when discussing “life-and-death” issues with your manager

13. Hacking the “Tap-your-Matri-card-or-you-can’t-open-this-door” system late at night or during weekends in a low-tech way by using objects to block the sensors

14. Practice singing/playing instruments with the sound-proof door opened

15. Doing photoshop editing and have a taste of the staff’s really-not-so-fast computers

Anything to add on? Feel free to comment!

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Here we are!

Have you guys noticed recently that two of our groups are on the main NUS website!

So happy for NUS Symphony Orchestra and NUS Chinese Dance!

Monday, July 7, 2008

Congratulations our CFA graduates!

Commencement Ceremony 2008
7 July 08
NUS University Cultural Centre


NUS began its annual Commencement ceremonies on 7 July this year at the University Cultural Centre. CFA nominated some of our outstanding CFA members this year for the Main Ceremony.

Here's the list of our CFA members that graduated at the Main Ceremony.
Congratulations CFA graduates! You have made us proud!


Chen Huilin Dewi Melati Johan (Bachelor of Social Science with Honours)
NUS Dance Ensemble - President of NUS Dance Ensemble 2006 and went for overseas community service at Cambodia


I'dil Saladin Alamin bin Salleh (Bachelor of Social Science with Honours)
NUS Dance Blast! - NUS Student Achievement Group Award 2007 and in NUS Sepak Tekraw Team


Tan Meizhen Melinda (Bachelor of Social Science with Honours)
nuSTUDIOS Film Productions - Vice-President of nuSTUDIOS



Left - Chua Pei Mei Linda (Bachelor of Arts)
NUS Dance Blast! - NUS Student Achievement Group Award 2007

Right - Tan Seow Hwee Leron (Bachelor of Science)
NUS Dance Blast!- NUS Student Achievement Group Award 2007
NUS Dance Ensemble - Wardrobe Mistress 2006/07



Goh Si Wei (Bachelor of Business Administration)
NUS Dance Synergy - President NUS Dance Synergy 2006-2007


Right - Chua Huiyan (Bachelor of Computing (Communications and Media))
NUS Chinese Orchestra - Vice President of NUSCO 2005/06


Left - Tang Tung Ngie (Bachelor of Computing (Computer Engineering))
NUS Harmonica Orchestra - Vice President of NUSHO 2005/06

(and Congrats to his twin brother, Tung Ley as well!)


Right - Ang Siao Ming (Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical Engineering))
NUS Symphony Orchestra - President of NUSSO 2007/08


Right - Chan Yu Mun (Bachelor of Science with Honours)
NUS Lion Dance - NUS Student Achievement Group Award 2006, President of NUS Lion Dance 2006/07 and Vice President in 2007/2008


Left - Joseph Capirig Sorongon (Bachelor of Science with Honours)
NUS Choir - NUS Student Achievement Group Award 2007, Logistic Secretary of Choir 2005-2006 and Secretary of Choir 2006-2007


Left - Johni Masli (Bachelor of Science with Honours)
NUS Choir - NUS Student Achievement Group Award 2007

Right - Wang Yuyan (Bachelor of Arts with Honours)
NUS Choir - NUS Student Achievement Group Award 2006 & 2007


Left - Lim Yan Ting (Bachelor of Science with Honours)
NUS Choir - NUS Student Achievement Group Award 2007, Student Conductor of Choir 05-06


We still have the following outstanding CFA members who were invited to the main ceremony. Unfortunately, we don't have their photos...

Tye Mei Chee Grace (Bachelor of Science) NUS Dance Blast! - NUS Student Achievement Group Award 2007

Chew Mei Hui Celine (Bachelor of Arts) NUS Dance Blast! - NUS Student Achievement Group Award 2007

Gopalakrishnan Kalpana (Bachelor of Science with Honours) NUS Indian Instrumental Ensemble - President of IIE 2006/07


Once again, Congratulations to all our CFA graduates!

Text: Grace
Photos: from variours artisties

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Student Retreat 2008 Day 2

Student Retreat 2008 Day 2
15 May 08
The Arts House


Second day of the Retreat was an "Solid-planning day"! But of course, it was not entirely dry...


Some quick IQ test to wake up the brains!



An 2 hour session of (Strength - Weakness - Opportunities - Threats) SWOT Analysis, Mission and Vision; Goals and Objectives planning. It was really not easy, but we knew that it was essential!


Everyone started sitting on the floor and brainstorm the characteristics of their own group during SWOT Analysis...


Some groups managed to grab the sofa set...


... While some even got a table...


... and Symphony Orhcestra decided to analyse and plan with their manager, Siew Ling!


Chinese Orchestra presented their SWOT Analysis. Many of the other groups were nodding away as there are some weaknesses that every group shares.

Then, after a serious brainstorming session, let's have L-U-N-C-H!

All the girls seemed to be enjoying each other's company and the salad!


All of them were sitting with our staff.
Can you tell who was the staff present at this table?


It seemed like all were enjoying the conversation... :)

After the hearty lunch, we had a forum with the CFA management...

Seated, from Left: Christine, Director; Ju Li, Deputy Director; Mei Yin from Corporate Services and Nam Leng from NUS Museum


Of course the groups grabbed this golden opportunity to ask many questions. Some were rather interesting and beneficial to all. Questions ranged from financial assistance in overseas trips to exploring modular credits for being a CFA member.


Next, we had another important session - "How to manage your events?" - with help from Daniel (far back, man in grey shirt) from Production Services and Karen from Programmes (Left, standing, leaning by the wall)


... and another session of TEA!

Although no photos were taken, we then had a session of NAF09 brainstorming. Many groups came up with very unique and interesting ideas of collaboration. Watch out for our NUS Arts Festival 2009!
Photos: Magadelene/ Siew Ling

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Student Retreat Day 1

Student Retreat 2008 Day 1
15 May 08
Living Room
The Arts House

Student Retreat - a 2-day training workshop for CFA group leaders - finally took place on 15-16 May this year!

The first day of the retreat was proved to be a full day packed with fun and laughter (and of course we learnt useful skills too)!


Everyone was anticipate to find out what to expect for the day!


And... our leaders started mingling with each other BEFORE the ice-breaker!


After each of them to groups, they paid full attention with Jacey, who was explaining how this complicated competitive ice-breaker was going to be like...


Silhouette of Jacey explaining the rules of the game


Luckily, we had Eng Kuang, former exco of Jazz Band to help us facilitating the game!

Ok, so... HOW TO PLAY?

In short, various groups were supposed to buy and collect lost exhibitions (in card form, of course!) and return to various museums (shown on game map) in Singapore.

So how to advance in the game map and win? You could either pay and become the museum owner - each time an exhibit is returned you got to advance; or simply collect the exhibits and return to various museums to more forward!

Of course it was not that easy...


First, you have to earn money so that you can buy and collect exhibits... Go to Juwita/ Sheila and be tested out on some music/dance/drama related knowledge!


Then, you could see many groups coming together, trying to negotiate with each other, so that they could collect the "complete" exhibit - you must collect all 4 exhibit cards before you can return to the museum.


Then, it was like a MARKET! All the groups were frantically fighting to return exhibits to the museums (with iris at the bottom of the pic, trying her best to update museum status and the game map) so that they could advance in the game!


As you could see from their faces - this group didn't win but they could have - cos they were too busy collecting the exhibits that they didn't have enough time to return to the museums!


... and this group won! They were very smart - they earned, and paid to become the owners of MOST museums. Then, all they did was just to help others complete the exhibit cards, wait for the exhibits to be returned by others, gain spaces and WIN!



Then, we had a workshop by external professionals - teaching us on team dynamics and communication skills!

Here they were - looking bright and happy early morning!


First, they started with another round of ice-breakers, which made all of us running around and grouping in pairs...


in groups of 3s... and many more!


Of course, there were definitely some who didn't manage to get into groups, and here was the forfeit - running across the carpet in an interesting way - this girl volunteered to do a chicken dance!


Next, it was the most challenging part of the workshop. All our students were divided into 3 teams to compete with one another. Each group were supposed to send out 2 leaders to brief the rest on what the game was like... and that's all the instructions were given!


HOW TO PLAY

Within each team, all members were seated in two lines, with 3 vacant chairs connecting the two lines, forming a horse-shoe shape.

To win, they must step-by-step, shift the people on the left side to be seated to the right side, and vice versa.

Of course, the challenging part was that each member was only allowed to move to the adjacent vacant chair, or jump to the next vacant chair (if there was a person in between) and at any one time, if there were two people belonged to the same side seating side-by-side during the shifting stage, the game had to restart!

One group decided to discuss and try it out first with the some non-living objects...


... while another group chose to move a few people, then discuss about it when they got stuck.


Finally, this group found the way to complete the game! And they wrote down the lessons learnt from this (can be very frustrating) game.


Then, all 60 student leaders gathered back into one big group to accomplish one task - to shift this long pipe up and down, with one person contributing two index fingers each!


Again, this game only seemed easy. Along the way, you would start to realize, to have all 60 people to be synchronized in one timing, one movement were much more difficult than you thought!



And this workshop ended with some nice massage to each other's shoulder...


... and a cute fun mass dance!


Then, LUNCH TIME! Food was fantastic!



After lunch, we decided to arrange a tour in the Art House for the students - to let them know more about this building - The Arts House.

They went to the most historically significant space of The Arts House - Chamber - where the former parliamentary meetings and debates took place.


Then, they toured around the Play Den - a black box theatre; the Gallery - a glass hall with frequent visual arts exhibition; and the Council Room - the room with highest order, formerly occupied by our Minister Mentor, Mr Lee Kuan Yew.
And they said, "Why not a tour and dinner at '1827' as well?" Oh, how expensive was that!


Following that, Mr Iskandar Ismail has kindly offered us a talk on stage presentation - how we present ourselves on stage is very important. Christine, our Director also gave us some tips on this topic, too!


Finally, we had a discussion for the NUS Arts Festival 2009. Many conductors and choreographers came down especially for it, and here is a photo of the busy musicians we managed to catch after the discussion (Of course more than 4 conductors/choreographers attanded! But most were gone before we knew it!)
From Left: Mr Lim Soon Lee (Music Director & Resident Conductor, NUS Symphony Orchestra), Mr Lum Yan Sing (Conductor & Artistic Director, NUS Chinese Orchestra), Rajandra Vadivale (Music Director, NUS Indian Instrumental Ensemble) and Dr Chua Chee Yong (Associate, NUS Harmonica Orchestra).


Stay tuned for the activities on the second day of Student Retreat 2008!

Photos: Siew Ling/ Iris