Ace came home one day and said that the school is asking for more people to take part in this performance called Emirates Literature Festival. They will be singing at the opening ceremony and will be singing in front of His Highness Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. (That is the Shiek of Dubai in case you are wondering who tat is... He is a great visionary man and Dubai is what it is today because of him.)
However,
- The performance is NEXT WEEK and so have to send in reply within the same day
- Children have to go for one rehearsal over the weekend
- Parents have to buy the costume and cover cost of transport to and fro for rehearsal and actual day.
I asked Ace if he wanted to go and he asked me if he should go. I told him it is good exposure and I think it is interesting. For me, I was from the school choir.. and also, I was Angels of Peace and part of a fife and drum corp called Koteketai.. and we played music because it is our mission to bring peace to people through music.. so I think this experience will be similar to what I have gone through as a child and I feel certain he will enjoy it... so I told him I think it is good exposure and he can decide himself...
So Ace asked his dad what he thought and his dad also say good exposure lor... hahahaha.. Usually Ace dun want to follow wat we say but dunno why.. he just say, "OK, then I go.." wahahahah...
So over the weekend we sort of bz searching for his outfit.. have to drive here and there and search high and low... finally finding the outfit in KM Trading and the headgear at the
QAH Festival we attended in Abu Dhabi...
Saturday morning, we woke bright and early to send him to his rehearsal.. I must say everything very last minute and not much communication. I din know like if he should put on his performance outfit or wat.. so had to message the teacher. I am so not used to being fed little info and expected to know what to do...
When we arrived, I wanted to tie the headgear for Ace one.. cos I already saw how to do it when the person who sold us the headgear tied it for Ace. But Ace ran to his teacher to get his teacher to tie for him... I thought the teacher knows better.. but turns out NOT.. wahahahaha....
There was this mummy who was helping out.. she saw that the teacher did not know how to do and so she tried to help out.. and....
This is what she did! I thought it looks so wrong! Waahahahaha.. and the OCD in me just wanted to take out the whole thing and re-tie it... But Max said it is very rude and asked me to let it be....
But I really cannot take it... so I grumble and grumble to Max and he was very amused... He says he cannot tahan me and why I like want to hover over our son. Because when Ace was bored (because most of his classmates are not here) I asked if Ace wanted to sit with us.. Max say like tat is bad.. I should let him be... Harlow.. I just trying to be helpful lah.. cos i understand how it is to be in a place where you dunno most pple... dam sian one...
Anyway for some unknown reason, shortly after that, one of the boys who is eygptian and knows how to tie the headgear showed the mother how to tie... so she retie for everyone lor:)
Finally looks better liao :) Phew... and then leh, Max said, "See, just let it be lah.. all will be good in the end one...."
Then leh Ace go and pull here and there and his headgear goyak.. so I asked him if he wanted me to retie for him... he said ok.. and I FINALLY GOT MY WISH TO TIE IT FOR HIM MYSELF!:) Wahahahahahahaha
Anyway, the rehearsal was quite interesting.. there are about maybe 150 children that day and they are all from various international schools. I did not know that then but that young man on the stage directing them was actually the composer of the song that they are singing. This year, the theme and title of the song is called Metamorphasis and this is the composer, Yousef Khan.
I showed Ace the photos I took and told him he has to smile.. even forget lyrics, most important on stage is to smile and be happy so that he can spread happiness to audience:)
As you can see, Ace is very serious in his singing... the boy on his right is his classmate V.. he put his headgear like this looks like ang moh nun leh :) wahahahaha
I love it that the girls are in such beautiful robes... and the golden thing they put on their heads... I think this might be how arabic women are dressed INSIDE the abaya... or when they are at home or at private functions.
Then we saw the Out And About people filming and doing interview..
Initially I tot Ace will be interested to crowd around the cameras as he likes to be famous.. end up he is more interested in watching his schoolmates play iphone games:)
I found out later when I went to linkedin that Mr Khan used to be the music teacher in Horizon School and that he used to be an air steward. And that he came in first in his cohort in a very prestigious music school when he was studying. I calculated the number of years he has been working and realize that he might be as old as or even older than me! Cannot tell cos he looks very young!
After I told Ace to smile.. he tried to smile...
Anyway, Mr Khan said they all did very well.... so practice twice and can go home liao:)
Fast forward to day of performance... Ace resting in the car on the way to school...
One with daddy...
I asked if he wanted me to tie his headgear.. he said ok so i tie nice nice for him... he told me later that when he was there, the arabic boys there had their headgear tied like his... Hahaha.. that mummy who learnt how to tie it correctly... well, I am glad I tie for Ace myself lah.. because hor.. she forgot all that she has learnt and started to tie the roll roll roll type of style that I dun like :)
One more with Mummy... took this by looking into the reflective window of the school building:) That is why we are slightly distorted...
Everyone is waiting around for the bus..
Ace is as usual more interested in pple playing iphone games.. Ok.. actually to be fair, it is because I told him he cannot dirty his outfit and is not allowed to run around in it BEFORE the performance:)
Many of the girls were wearing the dresses in UAE colours. I wonder where they buy these dresses from..
Up on the bus they go!:)
Below are the pictures I collated from the internet about the event since I couldnt be there...
I think this is the minister in charge of the ministry of cultural affairs or something. Ace was very happy that he got to shake hands with the VIP like him ;) He did not get to shake hands with the sheik though..
On the actual day, there were more children and they sort of anyhow stand and Ace ended up hidden by some boys cos he was a tad shorter as I think most of these children are Year 6 and Ace is only in Year 4.
Videos:
UAE National Anthem
Wondering how the UAE National Anthem sounds like? Got a chance to video it down during the rehearsal.. I like it.. very nice and grand..
Metamorphasis
This is the children singing the theme song, Metamorphasis during the rehearsal. I really like the song.. Wonderful lyrics and beautiful melody too..
Out And About Season 8, Ep 26
We were just featured in the first 5 min or so.. so you dun need to watch the whole thing ;)
Asked Ace if he enjoyed the experience after and he said he had a great time and made a few arabic friends too. I am glad he enjoyed it lah. I also very happy I got a chance to take photo of him in arabic costume:) wahahahahahaa...
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