Chapter 3.6 - Passionately 6 (1/2)

When listening to the Improvement Concert, one had to write down things called evaluation sheets.

Evaluation.

It was literally about listening to the students’ performances and writing evaluations before posting on the forums, but although it said evaluations, you did not need to write a detailed one. The things that had been done well, things that had been bad, parts that could be improved and how the expression was, etc.

Overall, it was like a book review except it was music.

“You know that the evaluation sheets are also included in the behavioural marks right? The teachers will be checking all of it so please write sincerely. If you’re seen mucking around, then you could be deducted marks so please keep that in mind.”

“Yes.”

Right before the Improvement Concert was about to start, a tense nervousness filled the crowd after teacher Ku Mingi’s brief explanation. With a glance, I could see the dark hall being filled with the silhouettes of the audience. Not just the students but also the teachers and parents… were looking forward to the Improvement Concert that was about to begin.

“…”

After glancing through them for a while, I connected onto the school website with my phone.

Let’s see… was the Evaluation Forum on the Student Field?

With a click on the ‘compose’ button for a new post, a clean, empty screen appeared. Finishing the settings like categories and whatnot, I first planned out the format of the evaluation.

Strong points, weak points, parts that could be fixed and things that could be applied to myself… after some planning, it appeared quite decent.

If I copy this… then it would be easier to write.

I fidgeted around on my phone for a bit longer until the preparations for the concert had roughly come to an end, and raised my head to face forward.

“We will now begin the freshmen’s Improvement Concert.”

Along with the teacher’s words, a male student who I did not know the name of was seen entering. Watching him greet, I quickly moved my fingers.

The evaluation sheets.

They counted towards our behavioural marks, but I was planning to write properly from the very beginning. Students all had their own advantages, with at least one point that could be learned from, after all.

For example, the boy who started off on the piano as the first performer – I had no idea what the song was, but the powerful performance, filled with strong echoes rapidly changing to a soft tone was quite impressive.

I quickly typed up.

Strong points – good at dynamics. Being good at dynamics meant having a tremendous talent in touching others’ emotions. If I trained in dynamics, I would be able to earn that kind of skill as well…

Like this, listening to other students’ songs and absorbing their pros and cons into themselves was the objective of the ‘Improvement’ Concert. Of course, there were some kids that used this time for something else.

“Snore…”

“Ah… seriously…”

Catching up on sleep is… important as well, yes.

Seemingly finding the snoring Noh Jusup embarrassing, Han Dasom was hitting his shoulders to wake him up. Gazing away, I focused on the evaluation sheet.

If you continued writing this kind of evaluation, then it was bound to raise your expression skills.

You can express sorrow in that way as well huh; rather than just singing loud to express anger, it is also possible to maximise the effect with a crescendo huh, and etc.

It was also quite interesting appreciating the unique analyses done by others. Also, if you were to evaluate every performance you heard even outside of Improvement Concerts and made that a habit, it would definitely teach you a lot.

“Yunjae…”

While I was typing away on my phone, listening to the piano performance, Han Dasom asked with amazement.

“Un, why?”

“Have you learned piano before?”

“Not officially, no.”

“Then how are you evaluating…? I don’t even know the terminologies in piano so I can’t really write…”

Stopping my fingers for a bit, I stared at Han Dasom.

Terminologies…

Actually, we did not need to use any jargon on the evaluations. We are not like professional books and movie reviewers writing our thoughts right? Just a few tips and tricks was enough.

I suddenly remembered the tedious days of uni. How many evaluations did I write back then? Organising the know-hows in my head, I gave her a reply.

“Just write whether the song is fast or slow, whether the sound is loud or soft, timbre – bright or dark, or whether the rhythm is on the point or is an off-beat. You just have to write it like that by adding a few decent words. Don’t think too much.”

“Uun?”

It seemed that she did not understand. When I was about to reopen my mouth, loud rounds of applause could be heard as the hall was filled with claps. Glancing up with curiosity, I saw a girl walk up onto the stage. She had a white dress that brightly reflected the light, with blonde hair that covered the dress from above and green eyes that gave off a bright aura.

Chloe.

Sighs of admiration were heard from all around.

“So pretty…”

“She came from France?”

“She’s like a doll.”

She seems to have dressed up a lot for the Improvement Concert and there were some signs of makeup as well.

I cheered for her loudly.

“Chloe! Try your best!”

With a flick, Chloe turned her gaze towards me. When I waved my hand with a happy expression, Chloe soon located me and gave a bright smile. A smile made her look better.

After hopping up to the centre of the stage, Chloe started to explain the song with a stutter, and with my eyes still pointing forward, I tapped Han Dasom.

“It’s good to include those things in the evaluations as well. If you write the background of the song, and how the executant had analysed that and stuff, the teachers love it.”

“Un…”

During the conversation with Han Dasom, Chloe seated herself in front of the piano. Watching that, I opened a new post on Chloe’s performance. While I was setting the categories and stuff, Han Dasom gazed over and watched what I was doing.

Done with her preparations, Chloe raised her hands

And smashed them down.

“Ohh…”

I could hear Han Dasom let out a murmur of admiration. It was natural. The Arpeggio following the short and powerful introduction was soft like a sparkling star.

Beethoven Piano Sonata no. 26 – Les Adieux (The Farewells)

It was a song describing Beethoven’s experience of meeting a special person before a separation and the eventual reunion. Inside, there were three movements, with each being the Farewell, the Absence, and the Return, and from those, Chloe had chosen the 3rd movement, ‘Le Retour’.

The Return…

Reflecting on the word, I followed the melody entering my ears and wrote the evaluation.

“…”

First, it had a light touch. In alignment with the bright and ambient theme, the fingers touching the keys were precise and active. As if running towards a friend reuniting after a lifetime, Chloe played it with a light, innocent emotion.

The timbre and emotional expressions were brilliant enough to draw that rough image in the head.

Dynamics – she expressed the strong parts properly with the chords perfectly supporting from behind. Both the crescendo and the decrescendo successfully formed a tension with the pulls and drops.

Legato – the quick steps on the pedal allowed not only a connection of notes but even a soft feeling overall.

As expected of the top student of the piano department.

After carefully performing the last part, she increased the speed rapidly like a joke and slammed down on the keys as the finish.

Loud claps resonated.

“She’s great.”

“So pretty…”

Glancing to the side, I saw Han Dasom facing a stunned expression at Chloe. Whether she meant that Chloe was pretty or the timbre, was something I did not know.