Transcript of interview with Andrew Loh (conducted by Amanda Lee), 10 January 2017, 10 am, Orchard Library.
Andrew is a male Chinese Malaysian in his 30s and is a freelance piano teacher. Andrew listens to English pop music by Madonna and Norah Jones. He does not think that English pop music is memorable as a lot of artistes in contemporary pop use simple and formulaic harmony progressions. Andrew does not think that English pop music expresses a cultural connection as Singaporeans are less daring and expressive compared to people in other English-speaking countries. Andrew grew up listening to Western classical music and likes composers like Beethoven, Mozart, Haydn and Bach. He likes this music as he thinks it is sophisticated and can allow for a range of interpretation and possibilities by different performers. He thinks that even though Western classical music is part of the culture of the countries it originated from, Singapore is a metropolitan city and is still very exposed to it. Andrew likes Cantopop and Mandopop music by artistes like Jackie Cheung and Faye Wong. He thinks that the best years of Cantopop and Mandopop were in the 1990s. Andrew thinks that this music expresses a cultural connection as the music of Teresa Teng was well-known in Singapore and it invokes feelings of nostalgia in Singaporeans. Andrew used to play the sheng and the erhu in the Chinese orchestra. He found that the experience was magical for him as he was able to listen to all the different sections of the orchestra and the harmonies coming together. He does not think that traditional Chinese music should be preserved just for preservation’s sake. Andrew has heard of Chinese crossover music and thinks that it gives a new purpose and relevance to traditional Chinese music. Andrew does not think a lot of people will enjoy experimental Chinese music. He found the experimental Chinese extract to be a modern take on Chinese music. He does not think that this expresses contemporary culture as he has heard more daring and experimental pieces using traditional Chinese instruments. Andrew does not believe in identifying himself with a specific genre of music as he wants to explore and listen to new composers and works. Andrew does not think that there is a distinctive musical style in Singaporean music as Singaporeans are influenced by many things. Andrew thinks that xinyao music had international relevance as he thought it originated in Taiwan when he heard it for the first time. Andrew does not think that there is a genre of music that represents Singapore. Andrew likes playing the piano as it is a way to express himself through art. Andrew had studied and worked in the computer engineering field before switching to teaching the piano. He found that it was a natural choice for him as he had always wanted to find ways to continue playing the piano. Andrew thinks that it is good to help others express themselves through music. Andrew thinks that most parents do not know what they want for their children and are mainly sending their children to piano lessons because everyone else is doing it. He thinks that Singaporeans generally associate piano lessons with elitism.
“I think about [English] pop music is that, um, it doesn’t seem to last. Okay. I still listen to some which is not quite well – famous, nowadays. Like Norah Jones. I like her style. And, er, I feel that, um, as an artiste she’s a – she holds her integrity quite well.”
“Lady Gaga is a very good example. I don’t say she doesn’t have her musical talent. I just say that it’s regretful that she didn’t ... ex – explore more. Because I know that she’s a classically-trained pianist, but she opt for pop approach in her music. Her musical integrity to me is not so credible because of this case.”
“[English pop] music – you got to look at the source, so it’s more from the Western countries, so I don’t think it’s something to do much – can link with the local scenario. So, er, ya, will be more ... I think they’re more daring to express themselves, ya. I didn’t hear much about local pop, sorry to say about that.”
“Daily doses of Beethoven, that one – wah, so – so fond of him. But now I find that I listen more onto other composers like, er, same peers of Beethoven like Mozart, Haydn and even [Johann Sebastian] Bach, these are staples of classical music. They’re like backbone of the classical music.”
“Just take for example, like Mass in B Minor (1724) by [Johann Sebastian] Bach. I’ve been studying it – some of them, and it have been taking a long time of his life to compose a complete work. So the fast ... knowledge and the contents of it – just a single work by a composer could be quite vast. So there [were] endless interpretations. And endless possibilities.”
“The source [of Western classical music] is from their own culture. But, er, they have been – because of the economical powers so the influence so they have been very influencing. So I don’t think they can represent Chinese music, or Asian music, or even local Singapore. But, er, Singapore is a metropolitan. So we are quite exposed to – to this kind of thing.”
“Especially during the 90s, I think is the – they are full-blown in the Mandopop and the Cantopop. Ya. That was the best period and, er, that was the ... like – like – like, er, like, er, mature – it’s the brightest. Okay. Now it’s like – because of the internet, so the business basically are dying already.”
“I’m sure the Chinese community in Singapore listen to a lot of, er, so-called, er, Mandopop, or something like that. And I think Teresa Teng is a staple. Okay, so it – it’s not only a music, it becomes a culture – part of our culture. So certain tune of hers – that being – being sang then it create that kind of, er, nostalgic feeling.”
“And I was sitting in the middle [of the Chinese orchestra] – so how they harmonize together. I think this experience is quite – quite magical to me. So I – I think from that time on, I start to find out that music to me is quite something. The connection with me.”
“You can introduce [traditional Chinese music] to the mass, but if the mass – the general public don’t want this kind of thing, then let it be. Ya. Because, er, that means that, um, there may be no use for this kind of music, this kind of genre. They don’t want it anymore.”
“I think [Chinese crossover music is] a very good attempt. Like you say you – how we preserve the tradition, I think this is the way to preserve it. You have to revive it, you have to find new purpose of how to use instrument and, er, to express in a new way to connect to the people nowadays.”
“I think very small amount of people will consume this kind of [experimental Chinese] music, ya. Because, er, even my peers – I don’t think they will listen to this kind of music. Because, er, er, this is part of my job background and my interest then, er, er, it’s interesting for me to hear this kind of thing.”
“I heard more contemporary [experimental Chinese music], I heard more daring – okay – music being performed using a traditional Chinese [instrument]. So this is a – to me – ya, [this piece is] not avant-garde enough. Ya, ya, it can be more daring a bit.”
“Like maybe I’m very fond of this certain composers like Beethoven or Mozart, but I still – sometime I force myself to listen to composer – er, the works by, er, sometime I still force myself to listen to composers – work by composers which I don’t know at all. Because, er, this is how you find new things, new ideas.”
“Mm, sad to say, er, we still yet to find a very distinctive sound of our own. Because I think Singapore, or this part of the world, er, we are being influenced by a lot of things. So everything mixed together like rojak [Malay word for “mixture”].”
“Because you know a lot of that – that era, they call, er, er, xiaoyuan ge, that kind of the music from the school, ya. Er, they mix around, a lot of singers in Taiwan they make it popular. Then xinyao – xinyao more – is like a phenomena that clinch on that kind of [trend] as well. So I kind of like mix up.”
“I think it’s okay because I think that as a mixed culture, it’s part of our feature. So ... we don’t need to be too emphasizing on things to be our own things because, er, something too unique, too of your own may not appeal to the mass. Ya, so, um, let [Singaporean music] develop naturally, lah. I think no need to really force.”
“Okay, of course this is two layers of [musical] expression, er, because mostly I’m playing other people’s work but I will re-interpret it in my way. So I can find connections in the work, ya. And, er, you can find yourself through art. Understanding yourself, or other people better.”
“I never thought deep into this kind of question. It seems very natural to me. Er, probably to make a living and, er, I feel that it’s good to help others to express themselves through music. If there is a desire to learn, I will – and there’s a most willing from their part to – to teach.”
“I think most parents doesn’t even know what they want for their children. It’s more like, er, you know, other people have it, I also have to have it. And, er, these thing sells very well. If you ask, er, those representatives from the associative board of music, which is British – British-based – they says they are doing very well business in Chinese-majority community.”
“I think generally public will relate [piano lessons] with elitism. So that’s the problem also, I find it – because I find it, er, maybe it’s not so approachable. Okay. Something high-end then, so – but I think music should be related to people in a daily basis.”
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