Transcript of interview with Mohd Azmi (conducted by Amanda Lee), 26 January 2017, 11 am, Bishan Library.
Azmi is a 49-year old male Malay Singaporean who is a piano teacher. Azmi likes Whitney Houston for her wide vocal range. He thinks that English pop music expresses a language connection of Singaporeans with other English-speaking countries. Azmi grew up listening to Bach, Chopin, Debussy, and Ravel. He feels that these are the greatest music ever written by mankind. He likes that there is a vast amount of interpretation of such music to enjoy from. Azmi thinks that Western classical music is global culture as everyone is aware of it, and because there are fusion versions of it to reach out to younger audiences. Azmi thinks that this genre is the foundation of all music. Azmi listens to Malay pop music and thinks that they are improving as they incorporate ideas and influences from different countries. Azmi likes traditional Malay music as it makes him think of his culture in terms of music. He thinks that neither Malay pop music nor traditional Malay music expresses him better as he needs both of them. Azmi listens to Chinese pop rock music through TV shows. He likes artistes like Jacky Cheung and Frances Yip. He thinks that Chinese pop rock music expresses a cultural connection as several Chinese Singaporean artistes like JJ Lin and Stefanie Sun were successful in Taiwan. Azmi listens to music played on the erhu and thinks that traditional Chinese music is interesting. Azmi thinks that this music is best interpreted on the Chinese instruments. Azmi thought that Chinese crossover music was marvelous as he knew all the songs and he liked the arrangement. He thought that Chinese crossover music was like world music as he thinks that Chinese music is global. Azmi thought that the extract of experimental Chinese music contained elements from Prokofiev and Debussy’s works. He thinks that experimental Chinese music expresses contemporary global culture. Azmi listens to Sufie Rashid’s music and thinks that Dick Lee’s music is very true to the heart of Singaporeans. He thinks that Singlish comedy songs can create an awareness of Singlish for global audiences but is not sure if it is a good idea to represent Singapore. Azmi thinks that the lyrics of National Day songs unite Singaporeans, but finds that the musical compositions of these songs lack a punch. Azmi was intrigued by the piano since he was nine years old. He began lessons when he was in primary six and studied music at a diploma level. Azmi worked as a ballet accompanist for ten years before switching to teaching the piano. He enjoys teaching and showing his students new things. Azmi tries to relate each student’s interest and hobbies to the piano. Azmi thinks that learning the piano is useful as it is a very good reference instrument especially if one is majoring in another instrument other than the piano. He thinks that Singaporeans associate piano lessons with different things depending on the individual. He thinks that piano students associate lessons with joy and self-expression while others see it as a chore. Azmi thinks that parents send their children to piano lessons to expose them to music and develop their artistic side. Azmi main motivation for teaching is to open up his students’ hearts to music and develop their interest in it.
“[Whitney Houston’s] vocals is very amazing. It’s – it’s more like God-given, that kind of thing. It’s not like you pick it up from school, or something. It’s just that she has it and she’s blessed with it. And she kind of like make full use of it. Because her range is pretty wide from theater, to pop, to jazz, and to gospel.”
“The thing about English pop music – because we grew up in English language. I mean our lingua franca is English, everything is taught in English. So the connection towards the English language is of course very vital, and is very – it makes more sense to our daily life.”
“I grew up listening to Bach, Chopin, Debussy, and Ravel. My first introduction to music since young – since my first very piano lesson was classical Western music. Um, me and my dad used to attend the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, and watch all those great concertos performed by all these visiting artistes from abroad.”
“[Western classical music] are the greatest music ever written by mankind. And it’s not, er, I think it’s like, um, we are tapping into the minds of the genius, of the great masters of music. Where ... what you see in the music is anything but essentials. It goes way, way beyond notes. Er, way, way beyond rhythm, and rest, or beats. It’s – it’s very – I find it’s very phenomenal.”
“I think [Western classical music] should be a global culture. Everyone is aware of the classical music, you know. Um, they have like the fusion version of it ... to reach more audience – especially to the younger generation at the moment. I mean, they even infuse some of the classical tunes like Beethoven into some of the jazz music.”
“[Malay pop music] improved in such a way that, um, they’re receiving, er, ideas from different, different countries. They even have their Bollywood versions of Malay music. They have the – some with Chinese elements into it, even though it’s not much. A lot of Western, er, rhythm and blues infused in them. So I find that it’s evolving for the better.”
“[Traditional Malay music] brings back to the roots of the Malay music, where it started from and how it evolves from there. So ... it’s basically the root of my culture I think, in terms of music.”
“I need both [Malay pop music and traditional Malay music] because – you know – I grew up with a classical Western music. And I need, er, singers like Whitney Houston to further emphasize the existence of pop culture. So music – for Malay music, it’s the same, you know. I need my traditional music, I still need my pop Malay music. Ya. It’s inevitable, I find.”
“I’m aware of [Chinese pop music] because – you know, um, all these Channel 8 and Channel U. Er, Chinese pop rock – ya, of course. I mean, there’s this, er, pop rock ... I only listen to Jacky Cheung. Jacky Cheung was like my period. 1980s, 1990s. And there’s a ... Jeff [Chang], is it? Jeff [Chang] and, er, I mean, Tracy Huang my – my genre again.”
“So the [cultural] connection in terms of [Chinese pop] music ... er, Singapore to Taiwan, I think is very obvious because – you know – it’s kind of like a crossover thing, you know. There’s so many Taiwanese artistes which Singaporean love and admire. So the connection is basically there. I’m not so sure if it reflects the lifestyle of the Taiwanese.”
“There’s a very famous erhu tune. And, er, the good thing about the exam syllabus nowadays – it incorporates all these Chinese traditional music into the grades program, which I find is very, very interesting. It’s more to create awareness for our young generation that traditional Chinese music is really very vital in order to remind them of where they’re coming from, you know.”
“I still find Chinese traditional music is best interpreted on the Chinese instruments itself. There’s nothing wrong with, er, using the piano but it best reflect – you know, er, if the tune is from erhu, you know, the best way to express is the erhu. Because it’s such a phenomenal two string instrument which expresses so much just within that two strings.”
“I think [Chinese crossover music is] marvelous because these are all the famous songs by Adele. I grew up listening to Adele as well. I mean, er, a very, very young talented artiste. Amazing vocals, and amazing, er, writing skills. Um, most of the tunes are ... are huge hits by her.”
“[Chinese crossover music is] a pop Western tune express[ed] in a – basically Chinese traditional instruments. Of course it – it expose to a new level – form of expression that music is something that is so universal. You just pick [a] tune, you can play on a guzheng. And, er, an Asian can appreciate in a different level. I find it’s very, very encouraging. I like it.”
“I find that [Chinese crossover music is] more like world music where I think the world can accept it. You know, if you bring this to Africa, the Africans can accept it because like it’s so universal. But now, there’s Bollywood being played in the clubs in London, you know. So ... I wouldn’t say it’s, er, I should say it’s a world music.”
“And, er, the elements of this experimental [Chinese] music, you can also hear it – part of it in Béla Bartók, er, what is this, um, Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion (1937). And, er, of course it was later – you can hear much of it in, er, John Cage music. And, er, one of the pioneers is our own Margaret Leng Tan, who used to perform it through – throughout the world I guess, you know.”
“[Experimental Chinese music] expresses more towards global [culture] lah, I find. But it’s just that it comes from China. But the essence of expression is the same. It’s – nothing much differ[ent] from – like I said – you know – some of Stravinsky’s work and some of Prokofiev, er, latest sonatas.”
“Dick Lee[’s] music really connects very much to the ... early Singaporean days, I find. And his musicals are really fantastic. Because, er, and his idea of Singaporean is very true to the heart of Singaporeans. Now, not so sure. But during my time – like maybe ten, fifteen years back, kind of resonates very, very well.”
“[Singlish comedy songs] to create an awareness, yes. But representing ah, I’m not so sure it’s a good idea. You know, Phua Chu Kang (1997 – 2007) is fun and, er, all these – what is that – [The] Noose (2007 – present), you know? With some of the Singlish anecdotes, you know. I find that it’s really fun. But to represent – best not, I find.”
“I’m not so sure whether [National Day songs and community songs creates], er, group belonging. It’s basically a song that reminds us to unite together. In terms of lyrics, yes. In terms of music – not so, I find. Because I still think we need a much better composition for our National song and National theme.”
“I think Dick Lee, er, Fried Rice Paradise (1991) reflects Singapore music to me – I can connect with. I’m not so sure about the rest but Fried Rice Paradise, the musical I think – really connects about – you know – more towards Singapore style of living.”
“When I was nine years old, I saw this TV program about a group of very young Japanese ... pianists or students coming to Singapore to perform. So from then on, I was ... intrigued to learn. But coming from a very poor family at the time, I couldn’t afford it at the time. So I told my dad I wanted.”
“I decided to [teach piano] – I find it’s not so bad after all. You know I thought that – you know – I’m gonna face a lot of problems, they’re not going to practice, give me hell all the time. But ... it comes with the job, I find. But it’s not too bad. It’s something I think I can handle. to learn the piano. So fortunately when I was about primary six, I started my formal training in music.”
“Teaching is about exposing something that they are not aware of – so much. Like, er, I mean teaching is basically to show them something that they don’t know that it actually exists. Like you know, what music can do to you, how it affects your emotion.”
“My approach [to piano teaching] is, er, I will check on the interest. If they love sports, you know, I try to ... like relate music to sports. And I try to relate music to their interest, you know. If they like Math so much – you know – so music has a lot of division of notes and values. So that part you can infuse a little bit of their – you know – favorite subject like Math.”
“Some of the greatest violinists in the world plays and studied the piano as well. It’s just that they decided to major in cello, they decided to major in clarinet, or what. So ... I think – piano, er, it’s a very good reference instrument, you know. Where you need to refer to something, “Okay now, this – play in c major chord, g major chord.” So like how they sound on the piano.”
“[Association with piano lessons] depends on the individual nowadays, you know. Er, usually ... some will find tremendous joy, er, in expressing. They find an avenue to escape from their school work. Of course, those who doesn’t really like, or find that it’s a chore. So that’s your task as a teacher to really, er, convince them that it’s not a bad chore after all, you know.”
“Parents nowadays, er, send kids for piano lessons because it’s more an exposure. Expose that that’s – you know – there’s this – what – right brain, left brain thing-y. You know? Ya. So they just want to tap into your artistic part, you know. See whether it works, you know.”
“[Music] enriches your world, your life in many ways. Because the greatest thing about arts is that it doesn’t bring monetary rewards. But – you know – on the intellectual side, it brings so much benefit. Which in the end helps the economy of a country actually.”
“If you can open a – a student’s heart to music, and if [they] like it, that’s really an amazing achievement. Er, it’s more like I wanted music to grow into their hearts, in their hearts, you know. And, er, like ... you know when things go wrong, you know. Maybe [it] can help a little bit at least, you know. It’s more like, er, let music grow in your heart, that kind of thing.”
“This one thing about music, er, that – that transcends again race, colour, religion, and ... because this world is getting so bad. And – and I think music helps a lot. I find that music is truly a universal language, ya.”
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