It’s easy to lose yourself in the semester, when things start building up and getting intense, there will be moments where we find ourselves moving too quickly. Frantically waking up 30 mins past the alarm you tried snoozing because you stayed up late rushing an assignment, to trying to get ready for the day in under 10 mins, running to catch your daily transport and trying to make it to class on time even though it’s been 15 mins since class started. 

Throughout the semester, we may find ourselves needing a moment of stillness, a moment of silence to calm the chaos of the past weeks and months. 

As the bustling city moves forward, and life seemingly goes on, it’s the small moments in life that grow in appreciation. The silence of being by yourself, the stillness of just being. There is so much beauty in the mundane, whether it be your daily routines or just taking a moment to put your headphones on and listen to the one song that calms all your nerves. 

Amidst the stillness, let yourself free, even for just an hour or two. Sway freely to the music and let your thoughts fade just a moment, the worries of not getting a HD, the stress of getting your group together for group assignments, all of that — let it disappear. Just for a moment. 

Monash Chamber Orchestra’s Swayin the Night Away allowed just that, a little escape away from the busy schedules and the piles of work that you’ve been procrastinating on. 

Upon entering, you’re greeted with a warm and cozy embrace, from fairy lights across the badminton court to balloons along the side walls, and the scattered chatters across the entire hall. The entire atmosphere of the event was tied together so well that one could barely even realise that this was a badminton court. 

Settling down in my seat a few rows away from the stage, I took in the busy crowds around me. From families and friends coming to support their loved ones, to couples coming to the event as a cute little date, everything was so heartwarming to see. 

As the show is about to begin, let me walk you through the experience and how it was like being there, witnessing the magical Monash Chamber Orchestra for the first time.  

The show started with the first song, Libertango. An upbeat, strong start to the entire event that definitely set the bar for the following songs and pieces to come. 

Following Libertango, we were met with Nai Yinhuey’s cover of Almost There from Disney’s Princess and the Frog. While I had high expectations for this cover as this was my personal favorite Disney song as well, I was disappointed that they ran into some issues with the mic and Nai Yinhuey could barely finish her song at that moment. Thankfully, at the end of the show, she was able to fully perform Almost There as an encore and it was truly beautiful. Her voice had a special, musical style to it that I just couldn’t help but fall in love with her cover. 

After Monash Chamber Orchestra’s quick recovery from the mic mishap, the show continued on smoothly with Fly Me To The Moon, If I Ain’t Got You, and Die With A Smile. It was truly beautiful. I never thought or expected that I would enjoy these songs without any vocals, yet found myself fascinated at how the instruments easily replaced the vocals.  The many layers of the songs from different instruments, different pitches, tones, sounds, they all intersect and weave together a melodious piece. The need for a voice did not matter anymore, as the instruments did its job. It was in that moment that I also realised how much we could be taking music for granted, without diving into the layers of what makes a song, the chamber orchestra physically shows the layers that’s needed and forms a symphony so well put together that it mimics the actual song itself. 

Sing Sing Sing, Tchaikovsky String Quartet 1, and Vivaldi 2 Cello Concerto was next, and the beautiful symphonies from all the different instrument players were breathtaking. Jazz, classical, elegant, is what I would use to describe this moment. Each instrument shone in different ways across these songs, and it was so impressive seeing how they came together. 

When From The Start started playing, I was so in love. This was definitely the highlight of the night, it was one of my favorite pieces. The way all the instruments came together and how it was played throughout the whole song was mesmerising and I couldn’t help but sway my body to the music. There is no other way to describe this feeling than a warm hug, an embrace so comforting that all the stress built up over the weeks just melted away. 

Following the wondrous performance of From The Start, Blue Skies and The Bygone Days played next, and it was just as wondrous as the performance before. Truly, this night just kept getting better and I felt more and more immersed in the experience, swaying my body every now and then. With every sway, I felt my stress fade away. 

Finally, to end the night, the Monash Chamber Orchestra came together to play the La La Land Epilogue and Rewrite The Stars. It was quite literally the perfect way to end the night. Rewrite The Stars was sung by Venice Chin and Wong Sien Rui, their voices complimented each other really well and made it an unforgettable ending to the overall performance. 

As the night drew to a close and the singers and conductors bowed their heads, I left with a smile on my face knowing that this night was not wasted and that I had the greatest time swaying the night away with the Monash Chamber Orchestra. 

Written by Simone Tan

Photos by Joe and Mashrurah