Hey guys I have a few announcements to make.

First of all, I am delighted to announce that I have become a commentator! As I became more involved with FMA, I felt that I want to contribute more to this game. Therefore, when I emailed Alex to turnover the season, I also included in the email that I would like to be a part of the team of commentators here in FMA. I am very grateful that he has appointed me as one, and I am looking forward to writing articles for you guys!

Next, the SIA Organisation.

Following our breakthrough season in Season 62, the SIA Cadets have proven themselves to be a major force by finishing in the top half of the table every season since Season 65. However, unlike the other performing arts groups in the SIA Organisation, they haven’t had the chance to earn a medal in Division 1. We came super close in Season 66, but trailed the then 3rd place winner Vincent Storm by a razor-thin margin of 0.06! The next season was the same story of ‘so close, yet so far’, with Nemesis finishing ahead of us by 0.53 points.

Finally, 4 seasons after being promoted to Division 1, I’m proud to say that... we did it! The creative team really worked their asses off these few seasons and I am really glad that this season’s show, “Altered State of Mind: When Reality Becomes Blurred”, was a hit. This was a clear testament to our efforts to be one of the most innovative groups in the game.

This brings me to my main point...

The SIA Cadets was originally established as an all-male, military style corps that was rooted very heavily in tradition. Whilst the new SIA Cadets uses modern marching techniques and concepts in shows, we still felt that we are being held back by a few ‘old school’ military aspects that date all the way back to Season 12. Therefore, in an effort to help the corps to progress and become much more progressive and competitive, the whole organisation will be undergoing restructuring to gear ourselves to be one of the elite.

The 4 main performing arts groups of the SIA Organisation will undergo some massive staff changes, and will also be rebranded as follows:

SIA Cadets => Re:Sound Collective
SIA Knights => Excelsior Winds
SIA Stars => Antiphony
SIA Beats => conNexus

All 4 groups will also now be co-ed and have a newly designed uniforms. The 4 feeder groups will remain unchanged as a tribute to our colorful past. We hope that these changes will bring a fresh perspective to the organisation and bolster our groups to become one of the best in FMA.

Lastly, Show Announcements.

Re:Sound Collective:

The theme for this season’s show is ‘Travelogue’. Travelogue is defined as a film, book, or illustrated lecture about the places visited by or experiences of a traveller.

Similarly, this season’s show revolves around an Earth-born human living on planet Mars who returns home in 2100 for a one day visit. Earth in 2100 is now a dystopian future when present policies of Trump are carried to their logical conclusion. He wanders and wonders. He keeps getting lost, both literally -because he has to ask for directions- and emotionally -because he keeps getting confused due to the way society has evolved that differed from his memories. He reacts with bittersweet irony. He truly wanders and wonders. The narration crosses historical periods, from a distant past through the present towards a projected future. He gets tired of the visit and decides to escape but is met with fierce opposition by the robots who suspected him of being the ‘anti-establishment’. Will he be able to escape in time to return back to Planet Mars or will he be forever rooted on Earth to suffer?

This show will be in 4 parts:

Arrival on Earth with hope and anticipation: Godspeed! By Stephen Melillo

What used to be is what we thought it should be now... : Journey of the Lone Wolf Mvt 1 - Capturing the Peasants’ Song (Simon Dobson)

Reminiscing the good ol’ times… : Journey of the Lone Wolf Mvt 2 - Night Music (Simon Dobson)

The Great Escape: Journey of the Lone Wolf Mvt 3 - Flight and Fight (Simon Dobson)

Excelsior Winds:

The Excelsior Winds will be presenting “Egmont: The Tragic Story of Lamoral"

This is the story of Lamoral, Count of Egmont, which is set in Belgium in the 1600s. Lamoral was a faithful follower of the Spanish king Phillip II for whom he had been victorious at several battlefields. Although he was known as a magnificent warrior, it is his vulnerability as a human being that led to his downfall. Lamoral eventually finds it difficult to agree with the king’s policy (Spanish Inquisition). Although he continues to serve his king faithfully, tension begins to build up. Lamoral’s naivety and blind faith in Philip ultimately costs him his life: despite warnings from his good friend William of Orange (who was the main leader of the Dutch revolt against the Spanish), he is taken prisoner in a cowardly fashion. He was then sentenced and executed at the Grand Palace in Brussels.

This show aims to re-tell the story in 4 movements:

Part 1: Egmont’s wedding
Part 2: Egmont’s precarious relationship with Philip II
Part 3: Egmont’s straightforwardness and honesty leads to his beheading in Brussels
Part 4: The uprising of the Low Countries against the Spanish suppressors which leads to the Independence and Formation of the modern day Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg.

Beethovens’ Egmont Overture and Bert Appermont’s wind band work of the same name, Egmont, will be utilised throughout the show.

Antiphony and conNexus:

Our winter groups will present “The Mobius Strip” and “The Fourth Dimension” respectively.

Antiphony’s show is inspired by the idea of the Möbius strip, which is a surface with only one side and only one boundary. Props such as a streamer with no end, circular Mobius style objects and a never ending staircase are used in the show. The Who’s “Baba O'riley” will serve as the core of the show.

conNexus’ “The Fourth Dimension” will take us on a journey into what we perceive the fourth dimension, which is time, to be. Is time just what it is? Is time an illusion? Only time will tell. Original music by Joyce Koh and Arthur Kieran Tan, two of the leading electronic and cross-disciplinary composers of Singapore, will be used in this show.

In all, the SIA Organisation will continue to grow and put out electrifying and demanding shows that will push boundaries. We hope that we can continue to stay competitive for the seasons to come and we wish everyone the best of luck this season!

Congrats on commentator!

Thanks! Looking forward to working with you

I think that "prepare to be among the elite" might be off--I am pretty sure you have already achieved that status! However the changes sound exciting and just at the right moment!

Congrats on your commentator status and looking forward to seeing your shows on the field!

Thank you gcurrier for your kind words!
Personally, I feel that we have yet to achieve the consistency and level that you guys are at, although I do acknowledge that we are heading in the right direction. Hopefully in future I'll be certain enough to know that we've achieved that status haha. Till then, we'll be in fierce contention for the coveted top 3 in all the circuits :)

I think with the length of time alone that Nemesis and Carolina Royals have been around, its hard to compare to the history - but when someone consistently starts getting in that top 6, your doing pretty darn great!