Hello,
Thank you for visiting 3stringsmusic.blogspot.com
I've spent much time and effort creating this blog to let you know more about the dulcimer as well as my life as a busker.
I hope you'll enjoy your stay here!

hey guys!
woaaahh! finally my exams are over..
now i have all the time to learn to songs as well as do all the things i've wanted to do all these while..
im gonna have a good haircut for my prom night this coming wednesday.. and hopefully have it either dye/highlight green:D then im gonna go scout for clothes with my long-time buddy. also, i have contacted this particular music school. this is because im thinking of learning to sing so i could sing 2 songs during busking-.- i know it's just 2 songs, why bother you might think. i feel that it's no use relying on mp3 - it lacks feeling.

of course i hope my natural(speaking) voice sounds fine so it wont be a futile attempt to learn singing. but something has been bugging me for quite a long time.. i wonder if everyone can sing. wat do you think? hopefully, i'll be able to learn to sing:D

moving on..

i would like to help promote this event that is called the "Tulip Hearts Day 2009" by the Children's Cancer Foundation, Singapore. It's an event on 6th December 2009 where there'll be volunteers selling silk cacoon tulips, each stalk costing $2. I'm a volunteer myself with a group of friends who'll be going out on streets to sell them! Well, it might be too late for you guys to volunteer yourself now as the application will be closing tomorrow(I too got the news from my friend just yesterday!). however, you could still help by buying these silk cacoon tulips when you're out on streets on the 6th of dec. This is a message from the CCF:

"Children's Cancer Foundation's is bringing back one of its fund-raising event on 6 December 2009. Tulip Hearts Day is an annual event paying tribute to children who are battling courageously against cancer. Tulips signify hope and celebration while Hearts represent the love and generosity of all those who care. CCF aims to communicate hope and love to children with cancer and their families through Tulip Hearts Day.
This year’s message is

“Remembering Children with Cancer in Good and Bad Times”
The colourful handmade silk-cocooned tulips are priced $2 each and will be sold island-wide. CCF hopes to raise at least $130,000 and create public awareness of childhood cancer in Singapore.

Tulip Hearts Day aims to inspire the children and their families to keep their fighting spirits up and to show them that there are many people out there who are for them.

Keeping true to Tulip Hearts Day tradition, volunteers will be mobilized for an island-wide street sale of of vibrant-coloured tulips, raising funds through the sales of more than 65,000 handmade tulips and create awareness of childhood cancer.
CCF is grateful to the street sales volunteers who will be fulfilling the role of a CCF ambassador – by spreading key messages that there is hope for children with cancer and that these children are also able to live a normal childhood.
CCF would like to appeal to members of the public for support by buying Tulips from the volunteers. All the proceeds from the sales of Tulips will be channeled to fund the programmes and services for children and families impacted by childhood cancer.

Do support! :D

it's been a long lng time since i last went onto the bridge to busk.
to be on the bridge again makes my day.
im suppose to be back only on next saturday due to my exams.
but i thought since i could handle the rest of the 2 papers well,
why not give myself a little break?
and i dont regret doing so:)

and i met quite a lot of interesting people today one of them which i feel sad for him.
there was this woman who came mumbling to me in chinese,
it was claer that she was mentally unwell..
she was talking about money? and she danced infront of me?
i was a little afraid, but i tried to keep myself calm.
i ignored her, and i smiled as i tried to continue playing.
i dont know, i just felt scared.

then came this caucasian man who seemed to be drunk,
he couldnt speak english.
he passed by me twice,
and each time he would tap on my shoulder and whisper to me.
i wonder if he was critisizing or praising my music:/
but i thought, he's just drunk..
so didnt really bother me.

the last guy,
who requested for a repetition of one of my song.
never have i felt so sad for someone i met during my busking sessions.
i shall not reveal what happened,
but i hope he'll be fine and that whatever he wish for would really come true, soon...

ivan

will not be busking sarting next week:(
have to study for my coming o levels exams already.
so yea..
i'll be back 14th November:)

http://www.esplanade.com/whats_on/programme_info/appalachian_dulcimer_and_cello/index.jsp

that's no wonder why

time now is 1.26am
im having my exams tomorrow.
yet i cant sleep because of a cup of coffee i drank last afternoon.
so i remembered this lady whom i met yesterday while i was busking.
she asked me if i could play this song, "Moon River" by Andy Williams.
however, i didnt know of this song!
so since i have nothing much to do online.
i thought maybe i should search for that song and try to play it.

at first, it was a little hard for me to remember how the music goes.
but as i listened to it over and over again,
i got a little idea how to play it.
and so, i walked toward my dulcimer and started playing the part where it goes...
"mooooonnn riverrrrr..."
yea.
so it's kind of possible to play that song.
so to that lady(so sorry i dont know your name) who requested for that song.
i'll try to play it:)

i didnt used to take people's song request so seriously,
but i realised that i need to expand my repetoire..
so yea..
starting something new soon.
but it'll take some time:D

counting down to my performance day!
2 days!

owning a dulcimer was one of my biggest wish..
thinking it could be found anywhere,
i tried searching at esplanade(the music shop),
but there wasnt any.
then i passed by the concourse and there was some performance going on.
i then told my dad how much i wished i could perform there.
2 years later, with 3 dulcimers,
my two wishes came through.<p>

Dear friends,

I'll be having my first ever performance(not counting busking, of course!) at Esplanade's Concourse on 15&16th September!!!

No adimission fee is required, so you've gotta be there!

I'll be performing with Cellist, Loke Hoe Kit who has really stepped out of his comfort zone to help me with this performance. So, it's another good reason for you to be there:D

Summary on performance:

Date: 15&16th September 2009

Venue: Esplanade's Concourse

Time: 7.15pm-7.45pm / 8.15pm-8.45pm

i want a room filled with dulcimers.

Sunday, August 9, 2009

the lights on the bridge
-________________________-'''

My name is Ivan and I'm 17 this year(2009),
borned on 20th May 1992:)
I'm self-taught on the Appalachian Dulcimer and I started learning it in mid 2007

The Dulcimer originated from the Appalachians Mountain in America about 200 years ago
I was first exposed to this instrument when I saw Cyndi Lauper(big fan of her)
playing it while singing "Time After Time" on "The Martha Stewarts Talkshow"
Of course, it's not the version that you might have heard in the 80's,
It was a re-do for her album that was published in year 2005,
an acoustic version.

Back then in year 2006,
(oh! i shall share with you my story on how i knew cyndi lauper)
I was involved, as a junior prefect, in the school's sec one orientation camp.
as there was a theme song planned for that year's incoming sec 1 students,
which was "We are The World".
I was asked to learn to sing the the song with few other prefects and then guide the rest of the prefects.

As the song seemed to sound familiar to me, I decided to go on Youtube and search for the song.

As I watched the singers sang,
this young and petite lady,
with bright red hair and a splash of yellow on the front caught my attention.

But before i could even scrutinize her for another second,
I was amazed by her voice range.
Take a look

I didnt know who she was,
but her appearence and her voice really caught my attention.
So I went to search and blah blah blah(long story.. got the information from wikipedia.com)

Then I came to realize that this extraordinary woman was Cyndi Lauper.
As usual, the curious me went on to watch some of her videos on youtube
I saw her sang "Boy Blue" where she...
started dancing on the stage,
shouted her lungs out..
and ends up lying flat on the stage.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R713lYTo6JI

I thought, is she fine?
Then I realized that was a song that she wrote for her friend who died of AIDS
Went on watching some videos and came across "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" ,
and again, I thought.. this sounds familiar!
Finally, i saw this...

This is the first video that made me realize that there's such a beautiful sounding and looking instrument on Earth.

This video below is still my favourite version of "Time After Time" though

(dont you think she looks great here??? :D)

ivan_ng117@hotmail.com