Charles Ives Sonata for Violin and Piano Nr. 4 Children's Day at the Camp Meeting
Violin: Huei Chiang 江蕙
Piano : Yin Chiang 江瀅
11/15/2012
Live Performance- Yin & Huei Chiang playing Cowell's Sonata
Henry Cowell Violin Sonata
Violin: Huei Chiang 江蕙
Piano: Yin Chiang 江瀅
8/19/2012
C- Camerata 音樂會相關閱讀
鋼琴家江瀅也與你們聊聊她的Cage 經驗,一篇輕巧有趣的文章!
Dear readers 親愛的讀者們!
古典音樂和我們生活脫節(很可惜的事實),
我想我沒有必要詳細介紹他的生平,但是可以引申一些閱讀的資料,
希望能吸引大家對他有點認識, 因為我們的音樂會曲目是以影響過他的,
John Cage 簡言之是現代音樂的先驅。大家有時在畫廊看到一種現代畫,
白白的一塊畫布上只有一黑點,或是一整塊黑布上卻是不同的黑色,
約翰·米爾頓·凱吉（英語：John Milton Cage Jr.，1912年9月5日－1992年8月12日），美國先鋒
派古典音樂作曲家，勛伯格的學生。他最有名的作品是1952年作
加料鋼琴」（又稱「特調鋼琴」）這種樂器。更早的作曲家如考埃爾
他經常用其來做即興音樂創作。
是讓表演者可隨著不同演出場合自由發揮的音樂創作技巧，
我們二重奏的曲目以 Henry Cowell 開場, 之後是Charles Ives 的奏鳴曲, John Cage 作品,下半場以Cahrles Ives 的三重奏作收場。
Henry Cowell 曾是John Cage 的老師,而Cowell 是Ives 的推崇者,也曾為Ives 寫過傳記。
我個人非常喜歡Ives的音樂,
我曾經在講座裡介紹過他的生平和一些重要的作品,他的三重奏是他最有名的室內樂作品,你們若不為John Cage 的名聲來,就位這首精彩的三重奏來吧! 我相信你們會喜歡的! 他具有個人風格,且結合傳統及現代,是首非常好的曲目!
15/09 的音樂會中,我將演出Lou Harrison 的小提琴及打擊樂協奏曲,對我而言是首有趣,有挑戰性的新曲,
你們能想像光是小提琴,不加上樂團,
這首節奏性強,小提琴部分能發揮許多音色的改變,
我第一次聆聽時讓我聯想到史特拉文斯基的"春之祭典",
你們觀察一下是怎樣的打擊樂器在做表演呢? 很有意思吧!!!
9/12 （三）10：00～16：00
1. John Cage & Lou Harrison：Double Music
大提琴家）
誠摯的邀請你們前來 工作訪的曲目介紹及14/09, 15/09兩場音樂會,相信會是兩場新奇,
與眾不同卻又能感動人心的音樂會!
與我們一起分享對音樂的愛
江蕙http://www.hueichiang.com
C- Camerata
https://sites.google.com/site/
cameratataipei/
敬邀
Dear readers 親愛的讀者們!
更何況是古典樂中的當代音樂領域。因為,
前幾天和一位好提到關於我們 14/09, 15/09 兩場音樂會的節目,她問我: John Cage 是誰呢?
我並不訝異,我想一般人已經很少接觸古典音樂了,
古典音樂和我們生活脫節(很可惜的事實),
我想我沒有必要詳細介紹他的生平,但是可以引申一些閱讀的資料,
希望能吸引大家對他有點認識, 因為我們的音樂會曲目是以影響過他的,
John Cage 簡言之是現代音樂的先驅。大家有時在畫廊看到一種現代畫,
白白的一塊畫布上只有一黑點,或是一整塊黑布上卻是不同的黑色,
約翰·米爾頓·凱吉（英語：John Milton Cage Jr.，1912年9月5日－1992年8月12日），美國先鋒
派古典音樂作曲家，勛伯格的學生。他最有名的作品是1952年作
凱吉的作曲理念
- 使用任何環境下的聲音，包括雜音
- 運用「機遇」（如拋硬幣、算卦等）選擇順序
- 徹底放棄形式結構
- 運用沉默
- 廣泛使用各種電子以及視覺手段
加料鋼琴
凱吉在音樂上的一大「貢獻」是發明（或至少是大大推廣）了「加料鋼琴」（又稱「特調鋼琴」）這種樂器。更早的作曲家如考埃爾
東方哲學
凱吉對東方哲學有濃厚的興趣。尤其是《易經》，他經常用其來做即興音樂創作。
即興音樂
即興音樂（即「偶然音樂」）是讓表演者可隨著不同演出場合自由發揮的音樂創作技巧，
我們二重奏的曲目以 Henry Cowell 開場, 之後是Charles Ives 的奏鳴曲, John Cage 作品,下半場以Cahrles Ives 的三重奏作收場。
Henry Cowell 曾是John Cage 的老師,而Cowell 是Ives 的推崇者,也曾為Ives 寫過傳記。
我個人非常喜歡Ives的音樂,
我曾經在講座裡介紹過他的生平和一些重要的作品,他的三重奏是他最有名的室內樂作品,你們若不為John Cage 的名聲來,就位這首精彩的三重奏來吧! 我相信你們會喜歡的! 他具有個人風格,且結合傳統及現代,是首非常好的曲目!
15/09 的音樂會中,我將演出Lou Harrison 的小提琴及打擊樂協奏曲,對我而言是首有趣,有挑戰性的新曲,
你們能想像光是小提琴,不加上樂團,
這首節奏性強,小提琴部分能發揮許多音色的改變,
我第一次聆聽時讓我聯想到史特拉文斯基的"春之祭典",
你們觀察一下是怎樣的打擊樂器在做表演呢? 很有意思吧!!!
以下為整套節目的時間表:
20世紀音樂界的發明家 約翰•凱吉百年展
9/12 （三）10：00～16：00
工作坊探討曲目
John Cage：Six Melodies for violin and keyboard
John Cage：Fontana Mix
9/13 （四）10：00～16：00
工作坊探討曲目
Charles Ives：Piano Trio
Charles Ives：Children’s Day at the Camp Meeting
9/14 （五）14：30
學生室內樂音樂會
開放學生樂團或個人報名參加，不限樂器，
演出曲目以20世紀為主，
演出參考曲目，請參考十方樂集官網：
9/14 （五）19：30
室內樂音樂會
小提琴：江蕙／鋼琴：江瀅／大提琴：張智惠
1. Henry Cowell：Sonata for Violin and Piano
2. Charles Ives：Sonata No.4 for Violin and Piano
Children’s Day at the Camp Meeting
3. John Cage：Fontana Mix
4. John Cage：Six Melodies for violin and keyboard
5. Charles Ives：Piano Trio
9/15 （六）19：30
擊樂作品音樂會
小提琴：江蕙／鋼琴：江瀅／擊樂：十方樂集
1. John Cage & Lou Harrison：Double Music
2. John Cage：Amores
3. John Cage：Third Construction
4. John Cage：Child of Tree
5. Henry Cowell：Pulse
6. Lou Harrison：Concerto for Violin with Percussion 江蕙獨奏
工作坊講師／演出者：
工作坊講師／演出者：
洪崇焜、董昭民、江瀅（鋼琴家）、江蕙（小提琴家）、張智惠（
工作坊／音樂會地點：
十方樂集音樂劇場（台北市大同區民族西路187巷4號，電話：0
2-2593-5811）
工作坊報名費用：新台幣3000元整
工作坊報名方式：請逕洽十方樂集
工作坊報名截止日期：2012年8月31日
9/14、9/15晚場室內樂音樂會票價：300元／每場
誠摯的邀請你們前來 工作訪的曲目介紹及14/09, 15/09兩場音樂會,相信會是兩場新奇,
與眾不同卻又能感動人心的音樂會!
與我們一起分享對音樂的愛
江蕙http://www.hueichiang.com
C- Camerata
https://sites.google.com/site/
cameratataipei/
敬邀
8/07/2012
Play how you feel!
I wanted to start writing this article a month ago, as homage to my
former violin teacher Ruggiero Ricci for his 94th birthday (24th
July), but I was held up by other things. Weeks after, today we are notified
that Mr. Ricci died of heart failure on the 6th August 2012.
It doesn’t come as a big surprise because for a long time we knew that
he was suffering with a lot of health problems. In the last few weeks he hadn’t
been eating nor speaking to anyone; he spent most of the time in bed. Nothing
was wrong with him, his body just gradually stopped working because of his age…
I spoke to my ex-husband (violinist Chris Nicholls) and found him in
tears. Mr. Ricci has been his long time mentor and our teacher in Salzburg, Chris was also
Mr. Ricci’s teaching assistant when I studied there. He said, ‘at least he is
not suffering anymore’.
No he is not: and yet what a life he had lived as a great musician!
I have been thinking about him a lot recently because I was preparing
for an orchestra audition in Vienna - after so many years of playing the Mozart
concerto for the first round, this time in my preparation I reached a point
where I felt this total freedom and could just play the way I feel (not the way
I want it to be!), and not caring about the technical details which sometimes limited
my interpretation in the past.
It was in the year 2000, the day before my first diploma exam in Salzburg, Mr. Ricci said
to me on the phone, ‘Honey, always play how you feel!’
This is the very sentence Fritz Kreisler said to him when he played in
front of this great Viennese violinist. Mr. Ricci regarded Kreisler as one of
the biggest influences in his life, and he repeated this sentence many times to
his students.
After years of life experience, working experience, and now thanks to
yoga and other spiritual influences, it’s the first time I really understand
what’s behind this sentence and really know how I feel.
It sounds crazy and ridiculous, right?
Everyone thinks and feels, how can someone not feel?
Yes in a way I felt, I have been musical and expressive, but there is
still a difference between someone who is talented and musical, and someone who
really tells a story through his playing and connects with other human beings-
this person lives vividly, feels life.
I was reflecting on this phrase a lot: to be playing the way you feel
it, is not how you want it. When we want something, it means that it’s
something we don’t have: we want to achieve a goal, a certain style of playing
or perfect technique: how to do the phrasing and create an atmosphere…there is
a point where we want to arrive.
I love Heifetz’s playing, I want to play like him. After I reached some
good technical level, I can start to imitate his playing, his taste, where he
puts his glissando and vibrato…I’m learning from him, I’m copying him. I want
to feel how he felt; I do things which he would do- this is not “to play how
you feel”!
How can you say to a student or a musician “play how you feel” when this
person is emotionally disconnected? What if he doesn’t know how he feels? He
may not feel much because he’s been very well protected by his parents or
family, he hasn’t had a chance to make a mistake of his own, plus in our
teaching tradition, we are told what to do- the teachers teach us their
interpretation as well. When we prepare for an audition or music competition,
it is very common to have lessons with the juries, to get the opinions of what
they want to hear in order to win.
So, it is very hard to play how you feel, the way that you can identify
yourself and be you!
Plus, behind the playing we are also dealing with control of nerves: you
can’t play nervously because you feel nervous (well you can but one prefers not
to). To play how you feel, it requires the total attention, a relaxed mind and body.
To feel is to feel the emotions within us, to connect with ourselves then
transmit it to others, it’s to connect to something we already have and we know
what it is, and the audience have that too! The energy goes in a circle between
the musicians and the listeners; that’s what is magical in live concerts.
It’s an important step because “wanting” is like to imagine, and “to
feel” is to visualize, to make it become real.
Mr. Ricci was an inspiring teacher, I actually learned much more from
him after I left Mozarteum and started working, than while I studied with him
full-time in Salzburg.
I remember his teaching, I was much more aware of what I was playing, I listened
more to myself.
The greatest thing he said which I never forget is: ‘the best teacher
teaches you how to teach yourself!’
This is also the best way to describe his teaching.
While I studied with him in Salzburg
from 1996- 2000, I sometimes felt that his teaching approach changed from time
to time. But the main thing was that he was very critical about the intonation.
We had to practice lots of scales of double stops, and he asked all his
students to practice Bach and Paganini. He called the scale practice as “the ear
training”, so one can actually establish his technique by training his own
ears. If a string player plays out of tune, the main problem is not because he
has bad technique, it is because his ears are not trained; not tuned - and all
the string players can make huge progress by practicing scales. So when the ears
(controlled by our brains) are sensitive enough, we correct ourselves
automatically.
And Bach, of course is useful both for ‘brain training’ and musical
purposes. He himself kept practicing the 3 fugues of Bach and Bartok’s fugue in
later years after he had retired from the Mozarteum.
He was not like other teachers who would tell you exactly what to do,
how to phrase here and there. He would only point out when there was something
disturbing the music.
I think in a way, there were some students who didn’t appreciate him as
much, because normally, at a certain age we want the teacher to tell us what to
do all the time, so you feel that the teacher gives you everything right there
and you are the one who absorbs like a sponge. He wasn’t like that, he
sometimes would stop you, say ”NO”, and kept saying it while the students repeatedly
attempted to play this way and that way, until the moment that the student
finally found out what he needed to change, then the “NO” stopped.
In the beginning when I just started to work for a chamber orchestra in Spain, I still kept coming back to Salzburg to have lessons
with Mr. Ricci, and he was very critical about my playing in that period of
time. Many times I came out of classes crying, because I felt that he was being
especially picky on me but not with other students. I felt very unfair, but I
still did whatever he told me to.
After a student’s concert in the Mozarteum where I played Sarasate’s
Romeo and Juliet fantasy (I had very tough lessons on that piece with him, I
cried and was angry after the lessons), I called him before I had to leave for
Spain again, he congratulated me on my performance and he was really pleased
with my playing, he said: because you remembered everything I said and you did it
on the stage, you’ve got good brains!
In a way it was very good for me that he gave me some tough times, it’s
better to receive strong criticism from a world legendary violinist, which
actually made me change and made me stronger under pressure in my student years,
than afterwards in a professional working world being picked up by other
musicians who may have no idea what they are talking about.
He himself was a great example to all his students. I say so because
it’s not about what he taught but about what he did, and what he was.
He was always interested in the violin; he developed different
practicing methods every now and then, and constantly looked for ways to make
the violin sound better. I mean, just to see that he played the most varied
repertoires all his life, and in his late 80s he started to write a new
technique book “Ricci on glissando”. He didn’t stop loving the violin all his
life.
I learned all Bach’s partitas and Sonatas with him the first year I
studied in Salzburg.
I remember very vividly that when I was studying the Ciaccona, I was studying the
piece for three weeks running, and every time he had something to say about it.
I was getting a bit impatient; I wanted him to say, ‘okay, you can learn
something else now’! But he didn’t give any hints. So I asked, ‘Mr. Ricci, till
when do I have to play the Ciaccona?’ He smiled and answered, ‘Till the moment
you die!’
He was of course half joking, but it is also so true. Ever since that
moment, the Ciaccona has been a very special piece for me, I always relate the
Ciaccona to a person’s life: the main theme and the variations. It’s like one’s
true self, going through different periods of time, different things happening,
happiness and sorrow, ups and downs, feeling of being lost, finding oneself
again…But the rhythm continues, just like time, that life goes on no matter
what.
People tend to relate Mr. Ricci as the Paganini specialist, and the
tendency of a human mind is that once you label someone, it’s like he can’t be anything
else. There is a quote by Mr. Ricci: ‘A specialist is someone who does
everything else worse’. It seems like a joke, right?
He was the first violinist to perform and record the 24 Caprices by
Paganini, but his performances of Bach and Ysaÿe’s violin sonatas can move you
to tears. As a child prodigy he was famous for playing Mendelssohn and Mozart. His
recording of the Prokofiev violin concerto Nr. 1 with the Orchestra of Radio Luxembourg;
Louis de Froment conducting (Vox recording) is my favourite recording of him.
The way he played the Ernst study Nr.3, how the lines, different voices
continue from the first note to the end, is just amazing! Nowadays there may be
more perfect violinists than him, but no one had worked like him, to such a tight
schedule that he didn’t have proper time to practice; he was reading most of
the Ernst polyphonic studies while he recorded them (except the ‘Last Rose’, of
course. By the way, he was also the first violinist who recorded the complete 6
studies by Ernst).
One of the most amazing concerts I’ve seen was when he celebrated his 80th
birthday concert in Salzburg
(it may have been to celebrate his 70 years of performing on stage), where he
played the Bach double violin concerto, the Beethoven and Paganini concertos.
Lots of people were moved by his playing, including some players in the
orchestra they told me afterwards, that they were in tears while playing.
My favourite encore piece by him was the transcription of Tarrega, which
he played very often in concerts, but in that concert how he played it was
magical. The audience didn’t seem to exist; he was there on the stage and this
beautiful music came out - like the violin was playing him and there was
nothing else in the world. It was like an old man telling you his life story,
no technical details, but purely life itself.
Afterwards we students went back stage to congratulate him. After such a
moving concert, you know what he said to me? He said, ‘well, you know, you just
put the most difficult piece in the beginning [it was the Bach double] and
afterwards you can relax!’
He was just so humorous sometimes. He was so human, so noble to
everyone, he never appeared arrogant to anyone for who he was and what had he
done. When I studied one of the Mozart concertos with him, he said, ‘Play! Just
play! Some people think that Mozart is sacred, but in fact when he wrote these
concertos he was only an 18 year old boy chasing after girls!’
Mr. Ricci’s great personality and music will always live, because, quite
simply he played the way he felt and it goes directly to the core of your
heart. Once on the subject of playing the way he liked, rather than by some
arbitrary rules, he said "Now, I will play the way I like. It’s better to
be a prostitute than a nun.”
This
article is dedicated to Maestro Ruggiero Ricci and Mr. Chris Nicholls, the very
two important violinists and teachers of my life, who taught me everything they
know about the violin and helped me enormously. I am very honoured that they
gave me their precious time and valuable lessons, and that they are in my life.
6/08/2011
Sinalunya Interviews: Huei Chiang
Sinalunya Interviews: Huei Chiang
When someone would go to a concert of the Empordà Chamber Orchestra, he or she would possibly be surprised to discover that the first violinist and assistant concertmaster is a young lady from East Asian origin. Her name is Huei Chiang (江蕙) and she was born in Taipei in 1980. She is also a talented writer, her other huge passion besides music. She has been living in Catalonia since 1999, when she accepted such a position in the Empordà Chamber Orchestra. As a Taiwanese native but also a long time resident in Catalonia, she has the perfect profile to analyze both societies and how globalization is getting them to be closer every passing day. Sinalunya has approached her with this purpose and we thank her for taking the time to answer these questions.
Q: You have been living in Catalonia for more than 10 years now. What is your perception of the Catalan society? How was integration in such a different society for a young Taiwanese lady? And what was the reaction of the local people?
R: It’s a tricky question! I wouldn’t say that in general the Catalan people are open to foreigners; people are nice and friendly in this region, but it doesn’t mean that they would try to make you “feel like home” in this country. From my part, in my fifth year in Catalonia, I thought that it was time for me to learn some Catalan, I wanted to feel more integrated, so I took Catalan classes. Some people were really impressed by an Asian girl that “tried to speak Catalan” and they were happy to answer me in Catalan as well, but some others just kept on speaking Spanish to me, like it didn’t matter to them… People are hard to please!!! (Joke)
Then I realized that speaking the local language is not the main thing which makes you feel being a part of a society, it helps, but what’s really important is if we “want” to understand and communicate with each other! Here I’ve seen the worst and the best qualities of people; I have some very good Catalan friends, and I don’t think that they would like me any less if we speak Spanish to each other!
Q: You were hired as first violinist and you were only 19 years old at that time. Were your fellow colleagues with the orchestra surprised to have you there? How was their acceptance? And what has been the evolution of your role there?
R: I don’t really know what they thought of me during that time! Maybe too young to be working?! But I was a good player then, and they were my first friends in this country!
What I’ve been doing in the past 11 years is to take as much advantage as I can from this work: I love playing as a soloist and I’m very fortunate to have many chances to be accompanied by my own orchestra. They are my colleagues who support me, and I’ve learned so much by being on the stage as a soloist -controlling one’s nerves and mental state, building up one’s presence and self confidence…
When I first entered the orchestra, I was a first violin tutti and then became the assistant concertmaster (the second chair in the first violin group), which means sometimes that I also do the concertmaster’s work while he is on leave. Being in that chair is a challenge, because then you really feel the responsibility right on your shoulders -how can you make your group sound better together? And be 100 % sure for your orchestra because they rely on you. All together it has been a good training for my personal growth.
Q: Catalonia has always been an open nation that has looked beyond its borders, but now nearest markets are becoming difficult and East Asian ones can play an important role in getting out of the crisis. What would you recommend to Catalan entrepreneurs and businessmen if they had to go to Taiwan in order to deal with Taiwanese people and culture?
R: Taiwanese people are fascinated by foreign cultures. They used to be very American influenced, and then both the Japanese culture and the Korean cultures have also played quite an important role in the recent past. In the last 15 years, every time when I get back home I’m so amazed to see how international the place has become. In big cities you’ll find European cafes, restaurants even better decorated than here, and getting good Italian, French or even Spanish food is no rarity. As Taiwanese are open to things coming from the outside, people like to change their taste every now and then (the speed of fashion is much quicker there), basically nothing stays the same for more than 2-4 months, and people would have to keep renovating, reinventing their products in order to catch the public’s attention. Catalan people are very smart in relation to economy, what I would suggest is to understand Taiwanese people’s tendencies and needs: healthy products such as olive oil and grape seed oil, they also appreciate wine, cheese (in the supermarket you can get all kinds of cheese, possibly more varieties even than here!). As for dealing with businessmen there, I really have no idea, because there are all kinds of people! Some people can be direct and honest, some can be “never reject you” in front of your face, but they wouldn’t do what they’ve promised, but they will always be friendly and polite with you.
Q: Talking about Taiwan, is there something from there that you are terribly missing here? And what would you take with you from Catalonia if you would move back to your native country?
R: I think all Taiwanese people would say the same thing: FOOD!!! The food is wonderful there. I also miss the people who I love (family and friends) and all the traditional Chinese holidays -by doing the celebration you really notice that the people have great respect towards our ancestors, our gods and ghosts. We treat the spirits, the unknown, with respect and indirectly that makes the place full of warmth. Every Chinese holiday has an interesting, sometimes even romantic story behind it. Unlike the western holidays, Chinese holidays have very little to do with religion but more with seasons and mythology.
Another thing I miss are the bookstores in Taiwan, you will only see this there: Every bookstore is like a library, there are tables and chairs around, you can choose any book you want, sit down and spend the whole afternoon reading it till you finish, no one will even come and ask you to buy the book! That’s what we think “normal” in bookstores, and the stores are always full of people and quite! The result is that people always buy books as well, but then you can really choose something you must have rather than buying some books you are not quite sure about.
And what would I bring from Catalonia, food wise? As for presents I often bring torrons, pimientos de Padrón, polvorones… but if I do move back to my country, it would be my whole living experience! My professional experience in playing and Yoga! I learned Yoga in Catalonia, and I am also a trained Yoga teacher.
Q: Are there any cultural interactions between Taiwan and Catalonia that you are aware of? Do you think that it is something to be explored? Any ideas?
R: I don’t think there is such an exchange between these two places, a lot of Asian people still haven’t heard of “Catalonia”, they know the city of Barcelona, and artists such as Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, Salvador Dalí, the football team FC Barcelona… Of course there are things to be explored such as art and gastronomy.
Q: What are your highlights of your life and career here? And what are your projects for the near future?
R: What a question! I didn’t win any special “gold medal” to have golden lights shining all over me! I’m a violinist and I enjoy playing, when I do a good performance and feel the audience responds to me, this makes me complete, these are the moments I appreciate in life.
As for my projects- I have something that I have to keep secret yet, because I want to be one of the first people who present such a thing in the world. When I get it finally planned and settled, I’ll be glad to publish the news on the site!!! (Carl Jung talked about the collective unconsciousness, so I may not be the first one in the world who has had this idea).
Q: Finally, please let us know a little bit more about yourself by telling us your tastes:
A book: About Love and Solitude by Krishnamurti
A movie: The Shawshank Redemption
An actor or actress: Audrey Hepburn
A song or musical piece: Bach – Ciaccona
A performer: Billie Holiday
A composer: Franz Schubert
A landscape: L’Empordà
A dish from Taiwanese cuisine: Everything!
A dish from Catalan cuisine: Arròs negre (black rice), Fideuà, Cargols (snails)
A wish: To experience and live every moment
The above questions are too difficult to just answer one, especially about music and musicians; there are so many things which I love, so many composers and performers… So when I name one, it means- Everyone, Everything!
Finally, let’s enjoy the incredibly talented Huei Chiang on violin together with the Orquestra de Cambra de l’Empordà, conducted by Carles Coll, playing the Faust Fantasy op.13 by P. by Sarasate
Sinalunya Interviews: Huei Chiang
Black & White portrait of Huei Chiang (by courtesy of the artist)
Q: You have been living in Catalonia for more than 10 years now. What is your perception of the Catalan society? How was integration in such a different society for a young Taiwanese lady? And what was the reaction of the local people?
R: It’s a tricky question! I wouldn’t say that in general the Catalan people are open to foreigners; people are nice and friendly in this region, but it doesn’t mean that they would try to make you “feel like home” in this country. From my part, in my fifth year in Catalonia, I thought that it was time for me to learn some Catalan, I wanted to feel more integrated, so I took Catalan classes. Some people were really impressed by an Asian girl that “tried to speak Catalan” and they were happy to answer me in Catalan as well, but some others just kept on speaking Spanish to me, like it didn’t matter to them… People are hard to please!!! (Joke)
Then I realized that speaking the local language is not the main thing which makes you feel being a part of a society, it helps, but what’s really important is if we “want” to understand and communicate with each other! Here I’ve seen the worst and the best qualities of people; I have some very good Catalan friends, and I don’t think that they would like me any less if we speak Spanish to each other!
Q: You were hired as first violinist and you were only 19 years old at that time. Were your fellow colleagues with the orchestra surprised to have you there? How was their acceptance? And what has been the evolution of your role there?
R: I don’t really know what they thought of me during that time! Maybe too young to be working?! But I was a good player then, and they were my first friends in this country!
What I’ve been doing in the past 11 years is to take as much advantage as I can from this work: I love playing as a soloist and I’m very fortunate to have many chances to be accompanied by my own orchestra. They are my colleagues who support me, and I’ve learned so much by being on the stage as a soloist -controlling one’s nerves and mental state, building up one’s presence and self confidence…
When I first entered the orchestra, I was a first violin tutti and then became the assistant concertmaster (the second chair in the first violin group), which means sometimes that I also do the concertmaster’s work while he is on leave. Being in that chair is a challenge, because then you really feel the responsibility right on your shoulders -how can you make your group sound better together? And be 100 % sure for your orchestra because they rely on you. All together it has been a good training for my personal growth.
Q: Catalonia has always been an open nation that has looked beyond its borders, but now nearest markets are becoming difficult and East Asian ones can play an important role in getting out of the crisis. What would you recommend to Catalan entrepreneurs and businessmen if they had to go to Taiwan in order to deal with Taiwanese people and culture?
R: Taiwanese people are fascinated by foreign cultures. They used to be very American influenced, and then both the Japanese culture and the Korean cultures have also played quite an important role in the recent past. In the last 15 years, every time when I get back home I’m so amazed to see how international the place has become. In big cities you’ll find European cafes, restaurants even better decorated than here, and getting good Italian, French or even Spanish food is no rarity. As Taiwanese are open to things coming from the outside, people like to change their taste every now and then (the speed of fashion is much quicker there), basically nothing stays the same for more than 2-4 months, and people would have to keep renovating, reinventing their products in order to catch the public’s attention. Catalan people are very smart in relation to economy, what I would suggest is to understand Taiwanese people’s tendencies and needs: healthy products such as olive oil and grape seed oil, they also appreciate wine, cheese (in the supermarket you can get all kinds of cheese, possibly more varieties even than here!). As for dealing with businessmen there, I really have no idea, because there are all kinds of people! Some people can be direct and honest, some can be “never reject you” in front of your face, but they wouldn’t do what they’ve promised, but they will always be friendly and polite with you.
Q: Talking about Taiwan, is there something from there that you are terribly missing here? And what would you take with you from Catalonia if you would move back to your native country?
R: I think all Taiwanese people would say the same thing: FOOD!!! The food is wonderful there. I also miss the people who I love (family and friends) and all the traditional Chinese holidays -by doing the celebration you really notice that the people have great respect towards our ancestors, our gods and ghosts. We treat the spirits, the unknown, with respect and indirectly that makes the place full of warmth. Every Chinese holiday has an interesting, sometimes even romantic story behind it. Unlike the western holidays, Chinese holidays have very little to do with religion but more with seasons and mythology.
Another thing I miss are the bookstores in Taiwan, you will only see this there: Every bookstore is like a library, there are tables and chairs around, you can choose any book you want, sit down and spend the whole afternoon reading it till you finish, no one will even come and ask you to buy the book! That’s what we think “normal” in bookstores, and the stores are always full of people and quite! The result is that people always buy books as well, but then you can really choose something you must have rather than buying some books you are not quite sure about.
And what would I bring from Catalonia, food wise? As for presents I often bring torrons, pimientos de Padrón, polvorones… but if I do move back to my country, it would be my whole living experience! My professional experience in playing and Yoga! I learned Yoga in Catalonia, and I am also a trained Yoga teacher.
Q: Are there any cultural interactions between Taiwan and Catalonia that you are aware of? Do you think that it is something to be explored? Any ideas?
R: I don’t think there is such an exchange between these two places, a lot of Asian people still haven’t heard of “Catalonia”, they know the city of Barcelona, and artists such as Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, Salvador Dalí, the football team FC Barcelona… Of course there are things to be explored such as art and gastronomy.
Q: What are your highlights of your life and career here? And what are your projects for the near future?
R: What a question! I didn’t win any special “gold medal” to have golden lights shining all over me! I’m a violinist and I enjoy playing, when I do a good performance and feel the audience responds to me, this makes me complete, these are the moments I appreciate in life.
As for my projects- I have something that I have to keep secret yet, because I want to be one of the first people who present such a thing in the world. When I get it finally planned and settled, I’ll be glad to publish the news on the site!!! (Carl Jung talked about the collective unconsciousness, so I may not be the first one in the world who has had this idea).
Q: Finally, please let us know a little bit more about yourself by telling us your tastes:
A book: About Love and Solitude by Krishnamurti
A movie: The Shawshank Redemption
An actor or actress: Audrey Hepburn
A song or musical piece: Bach – Ciaccona
A performer: Billie Holiday
A composer: Franz Schubert
A landscape: L’Empordà
A dish from Taiwanese cuisine: Everything!
A dish from Catalan cuisine: Arròs negre (black rice), Fideuà, Cargols (snails)
A wish: To experience and live every moment
The above questions are too difficult to just answer one, especially about music and musicians; there are so many things which I love, so many composers and performers… So when I name one, it means- Everyone, Everything!
Finally, let’s enjoy the incredibly talented Huei Chiang on violin together with the Orquestra de Cambra de l’Empordà, conducted by Carles Coll, playing the Faust Fantasy op.13 by P. by Sarasate
5/04/2009
客席指揮的重要
和一樣的樂團團員及指揮一起工作了這麼久,偶爾和外地來的客席指揮一起工作一個禮拜,可以說是為大家平常習慣的菜色加入新的調味料呢!所以,家常菜不再是習慣的味道了,縱使是同樣的菜色,可是味道竟不同了,突然間你看待"吃”的態度竟也不同了!
曾幾何時,你如此習慣了每天的菜色,有時吃飯是為了飽肚,而忘了吃的樂趣及享受有東西吃的幸福呢?
和韓國的客席指揮Young-Chil Lee一起工作,已是近一個月前的事了,但是和他一起準備表演曲目時的那份精神和感動,都一直保存在心中。我們的樂團,是個編制相當小的室內樂團,總共才十三個人而已,大家在一起工作又久,工作時間又長,所以有時“聽”的出來大家是拉慣了音符,而這位指揮Lee先生一開始和我們排練時,馬上就請大家傾聽每個聲部的聲音(這是非常非常基本的拉奏室內樂的態度,可是,人有時是健忘的,哈哈!),要求增加樂句的長度,在音色中加入“輕”的感覺,結果就在一瞬間,樂團的聲音全變了! 變的有音樂性,且充滿了生命力…
他說了許多啟發我們的話,當然,對於從小就與音樂為伍的音樂家們,這些都是應具備的常識,可是一樣工作做久了之後,大家的傾向是忘了當初學音樂的那股熱情和態度,這時,一位客席指揮的到來,從一個旁觀者的眼光帶領樂團,馬上注入了一股新氣象。因為對於一位外地來的指揮而言,這樂團對他而言也是新的工作對象,他有他的挑戰,如何在如此短的時間內,運用他的指揮技巧及音樂性,把樂團平常習慣演奏的風格和音色,與他個人的詮釋作為一個調和,創造出無論是他想像中要聽的音色,或是和樂團綜合出來的新風貌。
Lee指揮一在強調到,我們演奏音樂時,要“快樂的把情緒傳達給聽眾”,讓聽眾明白我們想要說的。這句話地重點是“快樂的”,表演時把情緒傳播-自然是演奏的意義,可是有誰真正的做到“快樂的”這種態度呢? 這是一句有趣的話,可是當演奏者不快樂時,演奏就變成是種工作而不是做音樂,做藝術了! 讓我銘記在心的是,當他說到-像我們這種小型的樂團,可以做到一下子大家就同時改變音樂的情緒, 且基本上是不需要指揮的。指揮在此只是幫助我們在詮釋音樂上的方向且給予掌握,但我們在拉奏時,每個人都是獨奏家! 是在一起演奏室內樂的獨奏家而不是orchestra player!
聽到這話時,我真的覺得挺感動的,因為,我從小想做的是獨奏家,從來沒想到自己在這麼年輕時就進入樂團工作,這也是為什麼我一直爭取表演獨奏的機會,因為這時我覺得自己在為自己做音樂,是我最享受的時候,可是,卻沒有把這同樣的態度用在拉tutti(齊奏)的時候,但你一旦用這一樣的熱情在拉樂團時,且和一位好指揮工作,wow! 這感覺有如新生呢!音樂也變的不一樣了!
這就是我所謂的-菜色不換,口味卻變了!
這不是挺好的嗎? 就有如一瞬間,和一位認識已久的朋友聊天,卻發現無形中他的改變,因此你們聊天的話題增加了,突然像認識位新朋友一樣,結果也讓你眼界變寬,變的更有朝氣!
這就是客席指揮的重要呢!!!
曾幾何時,你如此習慣了每天的菜色,有時吃飯是為了飽肚,而忘了吃的樂趣及享受有東西吃的幸福呢?
和韓國的客席指揮Young-Chil Lee一起工作,已是近一個月前的事了,但是和他一起準備表演曲目時的那份精神和感動,都一直保存在心中。我們的樂團,是個編制相當小的室內樂團,總共才十三個人而已,大家在一起工作又久,工作時間又長,所以有時“聽”的出來大家是拉慣了音符,而這位指揮Lee先生一開始和我們排練時,馬上就請大家傾聽每個聲部的聲音(這是非常非常基本的拉奏室內樂的態度,可是,人有時是健忘的,哈哈!),要求增加樂句的長度,在音色中加入“輕”的感覺,結果就在一瞬間,樂團的聲音全變了! 變的有音樂性,且充滿了生命力…
他說了許多啟發我們的話,當然,對於從小就與音樂為伍的音樂家們,這些都是應具備的常識,可是一樣工作做久了之後,大家的傾向是忘了當初學音樂的那股熱情和態度,這時,一位客席指揮的到來,從一個旁觀者的眼光帶領樂團,馬上注入了一股新氣象。因為對於一位外地來的指揮而言,這樂團對他而言也是新的工作對象,他有他的挑戰,如何在如此短的時間內,運用他的指揮技巧及音樂性,把樂團平常習慣演奏的風格和音色,與他個人的詮釋作為一個調和,創造出無論是他想像中要聽的音色,或是和樂團綜合出來的新風貌。
Lee指揮一在強調到,我們演奏音樂時,要“快樂的把情緒傳達給聽眾”,讓聽眾明白我們想要說的。這句話地重點是“快樂的”,表演時把情緒傳播-自然是演奏的意義,可是有誰真正的做到“快樂的”這種態度呢? 這是一句有趣的話,可是當演奏者不快樂時,演奏就變成是種工作而不是做音樂,做藝術了! 讓我銘記在心的是,當他說到-像我們這種小型的樂團,可以做到一下子大家就同時改變音樂的情緒, 且基本上是不需要指揮的。指揮在此只是幫助我們在詮釋音樂上的方向且給予掌握,但我們在拉奏時,每個人都是獨奏家! 是在一起演奏室內樂的獨奏家而不是orchestra player!
聽到這話時,我真的覺得挺感動的,因為,我從小想做的是獨奏家,從來沒想到自己在這麼年輕時就進入樂團工作,這也是為什麼我一直爭取表演獨奏的機會,因為這時我覺得自己在為自己做音樂,是我最享受的時候,可是,卻沒有把這同樣的態度用在拉tutti(齊奏)的時候,但你一旦用這一樣的熱情在拉樂團時,且和一位好指揮工作,wow! 這感覺有如新生呢!音樂也變的不一樣了!
這就是我所謂的-菜色不換,口味卻變了!
這不是挺好的嗎? 就有如一瞬間,和一位認識已久的朋友聊天,卻發現無形中他的改變,因此你們聊天的話題增加了,突然像認識位新朋友一樣,結果也讓你眼界變寬,變的更有朝氣!
這就是客席指揮的重要呢!!!
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