Transcript of interview with Gavin Lee (conducted by Pham Thanh Ha), 2 October 2016, 12:30 pm, Bedok National Library
Gavin Lee is a Chinese Singaporean who is Assistant Professor of Music at Soochow University, China, and is director of the “Global Identities in Transition” project. He regularly listens to music for his job to prepare his teaching materials. Gavin thinks that both Western classical music and traditional Chinese music are marginal in Singapore, therefore they do not really reflect as Singapore culture. He thinks that traditional Chinese music is marginal in Singapore because Singaporeans do not have a strong connection to Chinese culture. He likes traditional Chinese musical genres such as Kunqu opera for its intimacy and expressiveness, and Western classical music for its wide expressive range. He also listens to English and Chinese pop rock in his free time. His favorite singers include Adele, Rachel Patten and Whitney Houston. The musical genre he picks depends on his mood. For example, he listens to dance music when he is in an energetic mood, while he listens to expressive ballads when he is in a more relaxed mood. He believes that he got into English pop rock because he lived in the UK and US for a long period of time. Gavin thinks that people should have an open mind about musical genres, as this may help ameliorate racial biases and prejudices. He has only started listening to Chinese pop rock after relocating to China as he does not have an easy access to YouTube in China. He has just finished watching three seasons of The Voice of China, and finds the show interesting due to how the contestants reinvent old Chinese songs. He thinks that both English and Chinese pop rock are equally important to Singaporeans as the musical genres reflect the identities of Singaporeans. Gavin listens to crossover Chinese music and Chinese orchestra music as well. He thinks the best crossover music is that which tries to reinvent Chinese music instead of merely playing English pop rock with Chinese instruments. He thinks that the Chinese orchestra is interesting because the possibilities and expressive range of Chinese instruments are expanded when they play in an orchestral setting. When talking about Singaporean music, Gavin mentioned National Day songs, local comedic performances, and Singaporeans who have established musical careers in other parts of Asia. He thinks that local comedic performances reflect Singaporean culture more as they are created at the “grassroots” level.
“Whenever I’m preparing new teaching materials, I’ll be listening to the related music.”
“I like certain genres of traditional Chinese music, particularly, for example, Kunqu opera, which is a more intimate, expressive kind of musical genre, where the focus is on emotions, and not so much on musical display.”
“I think Chinese Singaporeans do not make that association [between Chinese music and 5000 years of Chinese history].”
“I would say that [what reflects Singaporean culture is] the kind of music which the majority of Singaporeans listens to, and that’s actually Chinese pop rock and English pop rock in most cases.”
“Some of the singers that I like include Adele, Rachel Platten, and Whitney Houston. I also like upbeat music by Ariana Grande or Calvin Harris. It depends on the mood I’m in. If I’m in a more energetic mood, I will listen to the dance music. If I’m in a more relaxed mood, I would listen to the expressive ballads.”
“I think, with regards to Singapore, it is interesting because a lot of Singaporeans think of English pop rock as being more English, as it associated more with the English[-speaking] side of Singaporean culture [i.e. Chinese Singaporeans who speak mainly English] versus the Chinese-educated side of Singaporean culture.”
“Because it is only when we are able to be open-minded, and have a society where biases and prejudices – including, you know, ethnic or racial biases or prejudices... I think those will start to disappear the more open-minded we become.”
“I like the way a lot of [The Voice of China contestants] have reinvented old Chinese songs. It’s fascinating for me to see rap in Chinese because it’s a little bit unexpected.”
“I think, for me, [Western classical music] has a very wide expressive range.”
“[Western classical music] is also quite a marginal musical genre.”
“[English-language pop rock] performed on traditional instruments is not my cup of tea.”
“Because you know, when you extend the ensemble of Chinese instruments to orchestral size, the possibilities are extended.”
“If we talk about the idea of Singaporean music, people associate it with National Day songs, and with Singaporean performers and singers and composers such as Dick Lee, and also some of the more comedic performers. There’s this character called Phua Chu Kang, and there’s also Chinese Singaporeans who’ve gone to Taiwan and Hong Kong and established their careers and have come back.”
“But I think there’s a feeling that the comedic songs are more homegrown. It came out from the grassroots.”
Click on the link below for the full transcript