@Young Musician’s Society

4th Jul 2009

Enter a world where souls in kindred are given the space and listening to roam freely and take time to connect with each other. That is exactly the kind of grace and beauty that embraced over 60 concert-goers in the very unique, musical appreciation event, Music in Cognition.

Seated in a simple yet aptly furnished studio with a live band on set, many were first unsure of what to expect but their eases vanished quickly as host Jada Seet kicked off the event with an introduction and the band transited into the first of a series of classic songs.

As the beautiful lead vocalist of the night, Ms Fu Shihua later revealed, Music in Cognition is all about taking a step back to revel in the deep, enchanting mix of words that often gets unnoticed when one stumbles upon a melody pleasing to the ear.

Playing with a special emphasis on the singing and attention to lyrics, the band- composed of guitarist, Arun, bassist, Felix and percussionist, Melvin, performed superbly well to produce a tune that is neither overwhelming nor underappreciated. A noteworthy task, as you could visibly notice the audience being drawn away from the distractions of daily life and into the meaning behind the songs and appreciation.

One of the highlights is the rendition of the song. Imagine by pop Beatles icon, John Lennon. You could truly feel the baring of the soul reverberating throughout the room as Shihua voiced her heart out. What a truly captivating scene as the words sung captured the hearts of everyone present and left nothing to idle. In a world where we face an incessant bombardment of attention-grabbing noise everyday, it’s hard not to feel gratitude for this moment of bliss and purity.

A surprise performance by an elegant Teng Nging to the smooth and sexy sweetness of Dream A Little Dream of Me left many to adore what could be her hidden talent in singing. Furthermore, Si Min, founder of the Hello Campaign, also took the stage with both Shihua and Teng Nging to put in an unfamiliar, all-girls tribute to the smash hit, Caravan of Love by The Housemartins.

Towards the end of the event, the blend of rhythm, tunes and song had already transformed the studio into one with plenty of fun, shakes, claps, open affection and joyful bonding. A claim of exasperation could also be heard; when the now loved Shihua announced that the last of the songs were to be played – Man in the Mirror.

The combination of the words,“If you wanna make the world a better place, Take a look at yourself, and then make a change,” the music present, and each other’s company – topped off as the climax of the night as they reached another depth of regard and recognition for the messages the people of the world tried to share through song and dance.

Music in Cognition presented a tremendous yet tasteful and refined effort into an art of listening to music and the pleasant journey a being can go through when one fully engages body, mind and soul into the melodies. It is one of the best, meaningful pockets of time I have ever invested on. The fact that this inaugural event had sold out all tickets and still had a waiting list is encouraging feedback to the organizers. To top that, requests are already being made for Music in Cognition 2, as well as listening CDs or DVDs of the event.

When was the last time you took time off and really appreciated the music you enjoy?