You Play A What?

Have you ever spoken to someone for the first time thinking that you would be quite far apart in terms of the way you think about your work and life but it turns out not to be the case and you end up being pleasantly surprised? This is what I felt before my chat with Emily, although in our brief Zoom calls she was very warm and friendly in our discussion, I've learnt to never assume. Turns out we have more in common than we thought...

We spoke about Emily in Atlanta (not Paris), which was the first city I travelled to on my own. I was there for the International Euphonium Institute (now called the IET Festival) organized by Adam Frey and held at the Emory University, which is apparently not to far away from where she lives! In terms of music, it is no surprise that for a composer like Emily is, she is constantly pushing boundaries and generating new repertoire for different people/groups. I particularly like her take on staying current and relevant in the progressing art scene and perhaps romanticizing in music written 300 years ago might not be ideal, which I agree! Below is a quote from one of her recent Facebook post "We cannot just twiddle our thumbs and wait for the day we can go back to the same old ways again. This is not how an artist or creative community works. We adapt, we change, we try new things, we work and we reinvent. In doing so, we stay relevant. Sometimes we fail spectacularly, but maybe, just maybe, we will discover new paths to similar goals."

So you can imagine, the rest of the conversation was absolutely brilliant! Tune in to find out more!

Thank you so much for tuning in to this episode of the podcast! You can get in touch with me through https://www.youplayawhat.com . Subscribe and share this podcast with your friends if you enjoyed the episode. Feel free to leave a rating and review on which ever platform you choose to listen to your podcast!

Back when I was studying at the Royal Northern College of Music, I was in a Euphonium Quartet (I am also wondering how is this a thing...). We were called The Brass Compass Euphonium Quartet, the name came about as the quartet is made up of members of different nationality, Australia (South), Latvia (North), UK (West), Singapore (East). The quartet started out because of a compulsory chamber music module for all second year, but things escalated quickly. Fast forward a couple of months, we were 1st Place in the Chamber Music Category at the International Tuba Euphonium Conference held in Tennessee, USA. That year, we won everything we took part in except for the overall chamber music price at the RNCM, where we came in with an honourable mention behind a piano trio (of course). The group is now inactive, in fact it has been inactive since my final year of study if not for my chamber music assessment, we would have folded even earlier.

So you might ask what made it all fall apart if the group was successful? The answer is simple, different priority, different commitment level. Since then, I had seen the sustainability of a chamber group differently. The most important thing, all members of the group need to strive towards the same goal and to want to achieve the same outcome. And if you happen to all get along with each other, that would make life a little more enjoyable.

Since returning back to Singapore, I am fortunate to be in a quartet with some colleagues and friends that I hold in high regard. Out of the 3 of them, I had knew Michellina for the shortest amount of time, but what is evident is her is the positivity and dedication to her craft that is a source of inspiration!

Find out more about Michellina with the links below:
Website click here
YouTube click here

Thank you so much for tuning in to this episode of the podcast! You can get in touch with me through https://www.youplayawhat.com . Subscribe and share this podcast with your friends if you enjoyed the episode. Feel free to leave a rating and review on which ever platform you choose to listen to your podcast!

Playing the euphonium has made me missed out on meeting people. Don't get me wrong, I love playing the instrument and because of that, I have managed to pick up on a few life long friends throughout this time. I am very grateful for the friendships and laughter. But what was lacking in my social circle were the string players (violin, viola, cello, bass, guitar, you get it...), the true representation of high culture. To be honest, I am not sure this is a bad thing... But I did miss out on knowing a particular Charity, which when I was growing up was the Harpist at the Singapore National Youth Orchestra.

In my conversation with Charity, what was evident for her love for music and her love for life in general. It is easy to see someone like Charity as a bit of an overnight success, because so much of what we see of her is revolving around her success, such as winning awards or performing with the quite possibly the world's most famous orchestra, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. However, after listening to her musical journey, what we see as success is no doubt being earned by her putting in the work to be a better version of herself everyday. Tune in to find out why she decided to overhaul her playing in the middle of her studies in New York and how that decision has paid off.

Check out The Harp Hitch by the legendary Charity and find out more about her work at Rave Harps!

Thank you so much for tuning in to this episode of the podcast! You can get in touch with me through https://www.youplayawhat.com . Subscribe and share this podcast with your friends if you enjoyed the episode. Feel free to leave a rating and review on which ever platform you choose to listen to your podcast!  

"The lone wolf dies, but the pack survives", you might recognize this quote from a particular HBO series, Game of Thrones. You might find it strange, what has this quote got to do with my guest today? As humans, like many other species, we are herd animals who are trying to fit in and earn the respect of others. How we decide our behaviour is based on the degree that it allows us to fit in to your environment and social circle. I am lucky to be surrounded by extremely passionate band members during my time in school and at the centre of it all is Siang Hong. The band major that shows up at 2pm every single day (apart from exam periods) to the band store and starts practicing and we would leave school between 530-6pm. After 2 years of observing his dedication, I felt like I had to do the same when I assume a similar position and I was more than happy to do so!

On hindsight, if there is a word that can be used to describe him will be "consistent". Apart from the band room, him and I spent a bulk of our free time at the basketball court. Even the way he played basketball was the same, he does the same thing time and time again, he keeps scoring and there is nothing you could do.. During our years in NAFA, he would have absolutely no issue going to the same Nasi Lemak store just next to school every single day. Perhaps that is the secret to his life. On this episode, we speak about the travelling woes of a tubist, how chamber music has helped him develop as a musician, auditioning at different countries.

Check out Concerts go Online organized by the Wind Band Association of Singapore to see Siang Hong in action along with other Singaporean talent!

Thank you so much for tuning in to this episode of the podcast! You can get in touch with me through https://www.youplayawhat.com . Subscribe and share this podcast with your friends if you enjoyed the episode. Feel free to leave a rating and review on which ever platform you choose to listen to your podcast!  

It is fascinating for me to observe the growth and development of a peer, you will have to spend a substantial amount of time apart in order for you to measure the difference. Its a bit like weight lost/gain, you don't tend to realize it  yourself but someone that sees you for the first time in months will be able to tell the difference immediately. In the case of Ray, it has been wonderful to have someone to share ideas and struggles with. Throughout our time abroad, whenever we see each other, we would talk about the hindrance in our playing and how we wished we went to a teacher at younger age! But at this point, I start to realize that the learning and growing never stops and that we can never truly master an instrument but each day when we pick the instrument we learn to cope and negotiate with the instrument for the most optimal end product. More awareness and less mindlessness.

Ray has been a good friend to bounce off ideas with and perhaps it is time for us to finally go on an artistic collaboration and venture together... On this episode, we speak about the confusion that is brought upon by his surname, how he celebrates his birthday with a fireworks display every year, his thoughts on the pros and cons of music school, the local trumpet scene and his idea of musical excellence.

Check out The Trumpet Studio
Check out Wind Band Association of Singapore for Ray's upcoming performance

Thank you so much for tuning in to this episode of the podcast! You can get in touch with me through https://www.youplayawhat.com . Subscribe and share this podcast with your friends if you enjoyed the episode. Feel free to leave a rating and review on which ever platform you choose to listen to your podcast!  

My first dealings with Daniel was definitely a case of his reputation preceding him. I have never performed or worked with Daniel closely until 2017 for the performance of The Queen Symphony featuring Orchestra Collective and The Graduate Singers. The prior meeting with him was at a hotel lobby in Chiayi City in Taiwan where we were there at the World Association of Symphonic Band and Ensemble (WASBE) Conference representing different ensembles. Everything else that I have heard about this man has been hearsay from the experience of others and they do not paint him in the best light. I have heard that he is angsty, short-fused, and able to weaponize his words to inflict serious damage...

Fast forward to February of 2018 I find myself on a flight to Amsterdam from Manchester to perform for Master's recital which included Ravel's Daphnis and Chloe, Mashima's Le Trois Notes du Japon and some new commissions. Bearing in mind, at this point in time, I still did not know Daniel very well so I really did not know what to expect. Turns out he was a fantastic host and showed some of the warmest hospitality that anyone would for a fellow Singaporean visiting him. Out of rehearsals, he went to craft beer tap rooms, endless amounts of specialty coffee cafes (even thought he is not a coffee drinker), Indonesian food, fantastic frites, herring sandwiches and copious amount of home cooked food by him. What I experienced certainly goes against what I have heard about him. It certainly has been an interesting few years knowing him. Now, we are working together in a quartet, is there disagreement? Of course, but nothing that can't be solved through a proper discussion!

Check out Daniel's YouTube Channel below:

Daniel's YouTube Channel

Thank you so much for tuning in to this episode of the podcast! You can get in touch with me through https://www.youplayawhat.com . Subscribe and share this podcast with your friends if you enjoyed the episode. Feel free to leave a rating and review on which ever platform you choose to listen to your podcast!  

As a music conservatory trained musician, I sometimes find myself in a dilemma, if I were to tell you that I never once doubted my career choice, I would be lying. A career change away from music can be deemed by our colleagues in the music industry as so and so can't quite "cut it" as a musician so he /she needs to pivot to something that is unrelated. Comparing this to say an accountant who decides to go into digital marketing is probably less likely to be judged by his/her colleagues as incompetent. That being said, I do believe that competency on our respective instrument(s) is no longer a selling point like in the 1800-1900s. I explained it a little more in depth in the episode.

Yu Yao decided that after returning from London, he was not going to stay in the music industry but he began to build up his corporate experience and portfolio. Some might say that he took the easy way out, but I beg to differ. As a music graduate, I understand how under appreciated this 'nicely framed piece of paper' is when it comes to job application out of the music industry. More often than not, I think employers are more curious than genuinely thinking that you might be up for the job. However, it is not all doom and gloom, gaining this financial stability has allowed Yu Yao to participate in performances and gigs that is true to his artistic belief, something that many musicians yearn for. 

Check out Yu Yao's recent performance below:

Crossing Borders | An Evening of Turkish Delight with Teo Yu Yao and Serhad Sarica

Thank you so much for tuning in to this episode of the podcast! You can get in touch with me through https://www.youplayawhat.com . Subscribe and share this podcast with your friends if you enjoyed the episode. Feel free to leave a rating and review on which ever platform you choose to listen to your podcast!  

After 16 episodes, I finally interviewed a guest whom I have never interacted with prior to our conversation, but lucky for me, this was a classic case of preceding reputation. I first came across Bernice when she won the President’s Young Performers’ Competition in 2016, which resulted in her concerto debut with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra. Since then, her career has gone from strength to strength, spending 2018 as Guest Co-Principal Oboe with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra and currently based in London and earning positions in Academy programme organized by the London Sinfonietta and the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

Accolades aside it was no surprise that Bernice deserved every ounce of success that she is enjoying at the moment. Many points that she brought up during the interview resonated with me - such as creating your own luck, sustaining her productivity during these difficult times and how she is providing value through her tireless work online. These are some of the primary ingredients to building up a successful career as a musician. We also spoke about the common dilemma musicians face with self-promotion. In this conversation with Bernice, she exudes a devotion to her craft, continuous pursuit of excellence and painstaking diligence in practice that is found in a great musician. This conversation has left me inspired and energized!
To sum it all up, what a remarkable musician!

To find out more about Bernice, visit her website here.
Subscribe to Bernice's YouTube Channel to stay updated with her amazing content!

Thank you so much for tuning in to this episode of the podcast! You can get in touch with me through https://www.youplayawhat.com . Subscribe and share this podcast with your friends if you enjoyed the episode. Feel free to leave a rating and review on which ever platform you choose to listen to your podcast!  

This episode is a brief reflection of what has been going on in my life since I was told not to work for the sake of my own safety. And I think I have gotten quite good at that... A month by month outlook between my last rehearsal to my upcoming rehearsal that is happening then this episode goes online. Coincidence??

Some words that comes to mind when we describe Western Classical music, Sophisticated? Elitist? Snobbish? Atas? Chim? Whatever the word might be for you, as musicians trained in the discipline of Western Classical music, we tend to go into a rabbit hole and tunnel vision, believing the pastures over in the Western world is greener, better and guarantees improvement in your craft to a level you can only dreamed about. I do agree that the western world includes nations that is considered the classical music mecca and schools of playing that appeals to you and it is always a good idea to broaden your own horizons by spending an extended period of time in such places. But ultimately, the idea of improving our craft comes from a dedication and eagerness from within. We could only wish that all we needed to attain performance enlightenment is a visa and an air ticket to the country of your choice. Therefore in any given situation, it is important that we find opportunities to learn, in respect of music, culture, social interactions, language just to name a few.

At first when I heard that Mindy was going to Thailand as part of her exchange programme, I was shocked. Did she mistake her exchange for a holiday? The idea of moving west was so strong that I fail to see the other possibilities, more importantly understand one's decision. On hindsight, I believe that going to a country near home for exchange might not be all that bad after all. Tune in to find out what is going on in Mindy's life and why she made the decisions she did!

Thank you so much for tuning in to this episode of the podcast! You can get in touch with me through https://www.youplayawhat.com . Subscribe and share this podcast with your friends if you enjoyed the episode. Feel free to leave a rating and review on which ever platform you choose to listen to your podcast!