A Changed Perception

“Hurry up, Mason! We mustn’t be late!” My mother ordered sternly, fury boiling in her eyes. I groaned morosely as I trudged alongside my family. I could not soften the scowl plastered on my face. It was the first day of the school holidays so my musical-loving mother decided to watch a classical music performance at Victoria Concert Hall. She was ecstatic to have received VIP tickets for the performance. However, I was clearly not on the same page as her. Oh, how I longed to be at home in my air-conditioned room instead, with my phone and a cup of warm Milo in my hands!

As we entered the concert hall, I was greeted by the cool air and stunned by the grandiose architecture and luxurious interior. Tall pillars lined the concert hall and the curved dome ceiling seemed ancient and unique, with intricately carved stone structures. As much as I was awed by the stunning architecture, it did not help my dread and the looming prospect of the concert. Little did I know that this performance was going to forever change my perspective on classical music, which I had always detested.

Guests trickled in, all chattering excitedly about the upcoming classical music performance. As I shuffled towards my seat, I overheard the audience raving on about their favourite musicians. At this moment, I felt like a fish out of water. “Argh,” I groaned, “This is the worst place for a show!” Soon, I slumped morosely in my seat, feeling miserable and out of place while waiting for the performance to start.

All of a sudden, the lights grew dim, followed by an eruption of cheers. Soon, the crowd quieted to a silence, aware that the performance was about to begin. After that, whimsical music started playing, followed by a very novel rendition of ‘Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy’. Upon hearing it, my eyes widened in utter awe and disbelief, shocked as the dim golden light reflected off the instruments. Before I knew it, I was tapping my shoes along to the beat as well as humming the tune quietly to myself. Then came the next piece in the lineup. I found the performance intriguing and thought to myself, “This sounds like the theme songs from ‘Super Mario’ and ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ fused together!” Somehow, this fusion transformed the songs into something I could never have imagined as classical music.

Time flew by quickly and soon, it was the end of the performance. Loud applause ripped throughout the concert hall and I rose to my feet alongside the rest of the audience, putting my hands together with immense strength to give the musicians a roaring standing ovation. That day, I realised that I had discovered a newfound appreciation for classical music.

The memory of the stage lighting glinting on the instruments still lingers in my mind to this very day. This concert completely transformed my perception of classical music. I was truly thankful to my mother for the chance to experience the performance.