Transcript of interview with Yuu (conducted by Amanda Lee), 1 February 2017, 6.30 pm, School of the Arts.
Yuu is a 21-year old male Chinese Singaporean who is a piano teacher. Yuu listens to English pop music on the radio and on Spotify. He finds such music relaxing and good for accompanying him on his daily commutes. He thinks that the themes in English pop music are universal and relevant for many people around the world. Yuu likes listening to Western classical music and enjoys the works of Bach, Ravel, and Prokofiev. He likes the disciplined nature of the music and that it requires a lot of effort to understand the composer’s intentions. Yuu thinks that Western classical music can be considered as the culture of which the music originated from. He does not think that it is part of Singaporean culture yet. Yuu used to listen to Chinese pop music whenever his older siblings and parents played them at home. He feels that there are certain nuances in Chinese pop rock music that are conveyed better in Chinese pop as compared to English pop music. Yuu thinks that Chinese pop rock music expresses a language connection between Chinese Singaporeans with Taiwan, Hong Kong, and China. Yuu thinks that traditional Chinese music should be treated with the same pedigree as Western classical music. He thinks that traditional Chinese music expresses a cultural connection for his classmates who have gone on to pursue an education in Chinese music. Yuu thinks that there is a cultural connection for other Chinese Singaporeans as the music could connect them to their heritage and traditions. Yuu found Chinese crossover music interesting and liked the instruments used. He thought it was an equal mix of Chinese and Western influence. Yuu thought that experimental Chinese music was trying to break away from Chinese notions of tonality. He thinks that it expresses contemporary culture as the contemporary Chinese composers that he know personally compose works to demonstrate their view on certain matters going on in the world. Yuu thinks that Singaporean music has a lot of potential and room to grow. However, he does not think that there is a Singaporean musical style in the music as Singapore has not forged a musical identity yet. He does not think that Singlish comedy songs can represent Singapore on the global stage as it has been mocked upon by others. Yuu started learning the piano when he was three years old. He found learning the piano stressful when he was younger and would associate piano playing with exams. However, his view of music changed when he was accepted at the School of the Arts, as he started to see the music creation process as more important than the final product. Yuu thought that his music education helped him to develop an interest in other genres of music outside of classical music, and has helped him to become more open-minded and embrace other cultures. Yuu began piano teaching as a substitute teacher and found it very fun. He found that teaching helped open his mind on musical knowledge as he had to think of ways to simplify concepts to help his young students comprehend it. Yuu’s philosophy to teaching is to help his students cultivate and sustain an interest in music that will last them throughout the years. He finds that sometimes his approach to teaching younger students do not work as they do not understand discipline yet. Yuu thinks that he could work on this by striking a balance between being encouraging and enthusiastic, but also being firm and strict towards these students. Yuu tries to get his students interested in music by incorporating jokes as well as some areas of the particular student’s interest. He encourages his students to bring in pieces that they are interested in playing as he sees this as a form of motivation. Yuu thinks that more students should learn an art form, be it music, dance, or visual arts, as he thinks that art allows students to broaden their mindset and perspectives in life. Yuu thinks that most parents send their children to piano lessons as they see it as another activity and as a way of filling up the child’s time.
“English pop ... is something that I’ll listen on the radio sometimes. Or when I’m like commuting from place to place based on my Spotify playlist that – that – that plays random genres of music every time. And ... ya, I’m fine with it. It’s ... it’s very, very relaxing sometimes when you listen to it.”
“I feel that English pop – it just creates a relevance to everyone’s lives in general. Mostly because of the content of the lyrics their – that’s being posed and being presented most of the time.”
“There are really, really a lot of composers that I really, really love. I have to name a few from each. I really like Bach. Even though ... when I was learning Bach, it was quite a disaster. As I progressed through the eras like Chopin, Liszt, er, Ravel, and even more contemporary com – composers like Béla Bartók, Prokofiev ... Sibelius.”
“It’s pretty much the disciplined nature in which I have to approach [classical music]? It’s very, very – eh ... down to earth. It’s very ... I won’t say it’s sophisticated. I will just say that it requires a lot of effort in understanding the craft and understanding the composer’s intentions as I progress along the work.”
“Ya, I would say [classical music is] not really Singaporean. It’s still in a very, very Europeanized kind of, er, culture. But yet, er, as music is a common language for which – that transcends like, er, language barriers, it’s – it will slowly, slowly become a globalized art form. Yeah.”
“I listened to [Chinese pop rock music] when I was a kid when my brothers would blast Chinese pop music throughout like – maybe they’ll perform like – they’ll play hits from like Mayday or, er, Milo Peng, back – back when it was a hit in Singapore.”
“There are certain nuances that’s the English language can’t express. And that’s what I find is the beauty in Chinese pop music. Partly because, er, I feel that the lyrics sometimes convey a more – a more – or rather a different perspective compared to when it is being conveyed in English.”
“If you don’t understand the nuances behind the language, it’s pretty hard to comprehend and to like internalize the [Chinese pop] music within you. So – yes, to a certain extent it can serve as a link between Singaporean Chinese and Taiwanese Chinese. But that is only if your command of the language is strong enough to understand these various slight nuances within in the language itself.”
“When I was in [School of the Arts], I was exposed to, er, a lot of forms of traditional Chinese music. One of them being traditional Chinese percussion, and I had the opportunity to perform it alongside other talented Chinese musicians as well who were playing the art form. And in itself, is ... a kind of simplicity. Yet that simplicity is very, very captivating, and makes me want – and is very easy to understand as well.”
“Traditional Chinese music actually laid the foundations for ... for like future generations of Chinese music that serves – that came after – after it was like – after its inception, basically. So it’s not really a matter of whether people like it or not, is – it’s just because historically if it wasn’t for traditional Chinese music, we’ll pretty much will have lesser of an idea of what Chinese culture is in the past.”
“I would say traditional Chinese music expresses a cultural connection, er, judging from my fellow peers that went on to pursue Chinese music as – as part of their undergraduate program. As they slowly, slowly seek to understand and to be able to perform traditional Chinese works better, they inevitably find themselves going back to China.”
“I would say [Chinese crossover music is] a very interesting blend of timbres – musical timbres. Like I feel that the supplementation of like, let’s say the cello and the drum set helps provide a nice counterbalance towards the light – the thin and the very, very, er, and the plucked nature of Chinese instruments itself.”
“As much as [experimental Chinese music] might sound as like random strings on notes being played by the – by yangqin and all – what not, it actually has a purpose. And that helps like – helps enhance the overall story – story-telling that the piece is trying to convey.”
“I happen to know a few contemporary Chinese com – composers myself – in person as well. And the reason why they’re composing these works is just to showcase their opinion on particular matters that are going on in the world.”
“I’ve been performing with various Singaporean acts as well as watching a lot of various acts bloom – blossom into like the status they’re – they are at now. And that is only a sign of how much further we can go musically. There’s so many genres that can be expressed right now in the twenty first century.”
“As Singapore is a melting pot with various and many – not say various, lah – a lot of influences from everywhere across the world. Is – I would say that right now, the musical identity that Singapore has has not been forged yet. It’s slowly being developed through our influences, through our – our influences from like other artistes from across the globe, and our personal experiences.”
“I’ll just start singing along with [National Day songs]. Then like, “Eh, you’re Singaporean!” And like – ya, then we automatically associate each other being Singaporean. And that itself – that kind of like – that kind of spontaneous reaction to hearing a National Day song kind of ties us together as a community.”
“When I was three years old, I was made to choose between piano, violin, or sports. So, er, being a three-year-old kid, then I randomly pointed at the piano and I – that’s how I started learning the piano. I was enrolled in Yamaha, er, music program.”
“I always associated piano playing with exams. And that was very stressful. Ya. But, er, my take on music eventually changed when I was enrolled – I was luckily enough to be accepted into [School of the Arts] as the pioneer batch of students. And that itself made me change my view of music as to one – from one being solely graded, to one being, er, to ... to one being where the process in which you approach the music is more important than the final delivery of the craft itself.”
“I was taught to become more open-minded, and I did become more open-minded towards – and more embracing towards – towards my own – my own faults. And that became a very, very enjoyable process in which I shared and I learned a lot from my peers, who themselves were going through the same – the same like mental stress as I did beforehand.”
“I really liked how the teachers here treat us as musicians. Not just a younger student wanting to learn from a mentor. That itself, er, like for example, my teacher back then would never ever undervalue my own approach towards a particular sheet of music.”
“I do have adult beginners as well. But most of them are children. Like I had to re-work the way I explain various concepts and I had to re-work how – the way I deliver those concepts to the children lah, to make – to make sure that my explanation and my – and my content is interesting and foolproof enough for children to understand.”
“I would say that making them interested in music is good enough. As long as they are passionate about music, as long as I am able to cultivate an interest that will last for them – that will last them throughout the years as they’re growing up and not simply forget and throw aside, that itself is my long-term philosophy and goal for them.”
“Ultimately music is very, very time-consuming event. Or rather it’s a very time – time-consuming art form that requires a lot of passion and motivation to be able to play. Yes. And if the child – if the child ... doesn’t have interest or rather isn’t motivated enough to perform, then I would rather suggest that they do something else that might have their interest.”
“Some humor here and there – just – and I try to create like subject matters that – that are relatable to. For example I have a student that loves Harry Potter. And sometimes I’ll try to tweak a little – some terms and replace them with Harry Potter-related stuff. So that she’ll be like, “Oh my god, that’s so interesting.”
“Like I always encourage my students – whatever – whenever they see or hear a piece that they want to learn, they just bring it to me. No matter how difficult it is, I will try and teach them. And if they want to learn [the piece] itself, that itself is motivation and that will help encourage them to practice more as well.”
“I would say that, er, students – more students should learn an art form, regardless of whether it’s music, dance, visual arts, or theater itself. Because ultimately art allows us to broaden our mindsets, our [perspective] – our perspectives in life. Ya. It doesn’t really have to be piano specifically.”
“I will feel that like the various other like activities that the parents send out for, like ice-skating, rollerblading, er, soccer, basketball, and etcetera. All these kind of sports, all of these are just to pass time for the kids – for their kids. Of course there are a few – or rather I know a few families that really, really wish their children to pick up classical music as well. Ya. But I – that – for now that is a minority.”
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