A Winner of 2006 International
Web Concert Hall Competition
(Honorary
Mention)
 MOL: Tell us about your musical background.
I
started piano when I was four, and went to a music elementary school
because
they required a secondary instrument in
the
4th
grade. If I
think about it now, it's
quite funny how I decided to choose the harp. I was watching a cartoon,
and the angel
with a harp
looked
so pretty
that I fall in loved with the instrument. My father did not want me to
learn the harp because
learning of a
harp in Taiwan was not
as popular
as in
the State. Therefore he
has chosen
flute for me, but I didn't like it, then he wanted me to play the violin,
which I wasn't too happy about either.
After
the 7th grade my parents decided to let me start my dream instrument,
the harp!!
MOL:
Was
either of your parents a musician?
No,
none of my family members are...
MOL:
Who
were
your teachers?
My
first teacher in the state was Lynn Palmer- who taught in Seattle,
Washington. I studied with her for four years, then I was accepted at
the
Curtis Institute of Music
and
studied with late Marilyn Castello in 1997.
Unfortunately
she passed away in January 1998. The following year,
Ms Judy Loman became my harp instructor at Curtis. I was deeply
influenced by her teaching, musicianship,
and her tone
production technique. After
graduating
Curtis, I went to
the
Juilliard
School of Music,
continued studying with Ms. Nancy Allen, who is also a well-known
harpist and the principal harp of the New York Philharmonic.
She is equally wonderful as Ms. Loman and has inspired me
at all levels.
MOL:
I understand that you lived in Seattle.
If so, how did you come to Seattle when most of music conservatories are
located in the East cost?
My whole family immigrated to Seattle
because my aunts lived in Seattle. When I came to the State I didn't
desire myself to be a musician in particular - not until I got into
Curtis. I attended public high school in Seattle and have weekly lessons
(both piano and harp).
How did
your teacher influence you as a musician?
Ms.
Allen was the teacher that I'd always wanted to study with, and I'd
accomplished this dream She has broaden my knowledge in the musical
field, taught me to listen to myself, to hear what I want in a piece, to
be creative, and thoughtful in every details. I was
trained to be myself, not only becoming a good harpist, but a true
musician. Ms. Allen has been a great inspiration for me! I am very
proud having a teacher like her and I must say that I was very fortunate
to meet person like her and
study
under her.
MOL:
How
did your friend, parents, etc. influence you as a musician?
Neither
of my parents are musicians, but they've been very supportive with what
I do...
they understand that it is hard to be a musician, and they
were
always very proud of me. Most
of my friends are musicians and
striving towards
a bright future,
therefore,
I
am being
influenced
from all
angles.
MOL:
Do
you have a practicing method you follow everyday?
I do a
lot of loud and slow practice, which I was taught to do that from my
teacher Judy Loman. I also divided my practicing hours, not
to
practice too much at once, but
distribute
practicing hours
several
times
throughout the
day.
In that way,
I can focuse
better
and be
productive.
MOL:
How
do you prepare yourself on the day of performance?
I
usually don't do much practicing if I have to perform on the date. I
would either go through some hard passage of the piece slowly, or do
some mental study with music.
MOL:
What
period music do you enjoy playing most and why?
I enjoy
playing
all types,
however,
most of the harp composers that I like are French, close to late 19th
century. I also like
to
play
some classical period of music..
the simpler
sounding
pieces,
the more
challenging
to make
sound
interesting. Other than
that,
I also like to
play
Jazz
harp as well.
In
your opinion, what is your strength in your playing?
I think
I am in the moderate, and I hope
to develop
more in my playing strength.
What
do you hope to accomplish as a musician?
I have
many
dreams, but I actually will not be
disappointed by if
I
can't accomplish
them,
because the music world is so hard
and competitive.
I'll try what ever it takes to accomplish it....
I
love teaching, playing in orchestra, playing chamber music and other
musical
experimental
stuff.
I hope to
have
chances to play with other musicians.
There
are so many great musicians out there! I am sure I can learn so much
more by working with them, and improve myself as a musician.
MOL:
Do
you like any other forms of art? such as painting? a favorite
writer? Tell us about it.
Yes, I
love modern arts, I've been living in New York for 4 years, I had
chances to go to the museums and to explore something else other than
music, and they always amazed me. I like to read, when I was still in
elementary school, I'd always like to go to the library after school,
read for 3, 4 hours , most of them are novels, literature or history
related. There is a Chinese writer that I
specifically
like,
his name is Ho Wen-Yong. His writing is very relaxing and humorous, and
it soothes my mind when I am overly
stressed.
MOL:
In
your opinion, what are the characteristics of a good performer?
I think
music itself, is very important. It doesn't matter how you perform on
the stage as long as you really bring your music out to the audience.
MOL:
Tell us about your fulbright grant to
study in Berlin.
I received the Fulbright grant to study this
coming year. I enrolled as a post graduate student in Hanns Eisler Music
Hoschule in Berlin. The Fulbright scholarship is the largest U.S.
international exchange program that offers an opportunity for students,
scholars, and professionals to undertake international graduate study,
advanced research, university teaching, and teaching in elementary and
secondary schools worldwide. This grant is awarded approximately six
thousand grants in 2004, at a cost of more than $250 million, to U.S.
students, teachers, professionals, and scholars to study, teach,
lecture, and conduct research in more than 150 countries, and to their
foreign counterparts to engage in similar activities in the United
States.
MOL:
Do you have any concert engagements in
the United States?
Yes I do have a scheduled concert at
Carnegie Weill Hall under the Artist International Presentation, which
it will take place in April 2007. I am also scheduled to perform a
recital in Taiwan through the young artist organization there. I will be
playing in the National Concert Hall in July.
MOL:
Is this New York debut? and what will be
the program?
Yes, this will be my debut in New York, I am
still trying to decide the repertoire in the recital, but I will premier
a harp solo written by my college friend, Chia-yu Hsu, which I recorded
in February this year, and has been chosen as the winning work of the
2007 USA international harp composition contest.
MOL:
Other than the performance at Weill Hall
and in Taiwan, do you have any musical projects you plan to pursue?
As for my career project, since there are
not too many job openings for harp, I would say I am going to try for
auditions if there are any orchestral openings... etc. In that way I
also gain experiences in the auditions. It is difficult to be a soloist
as a harpist.. I think. and of course, I hope I can have as many
possibilities to perform and to work on new music or with a chamber
group.
Other than that, I really enjoy teaching, I
found myself improving through teaching others. I currently don't have
any plan for concerts while studying in Berlin, but I know I will have
some chance to perform in public, and I will focus on that. I hope
during this year, I will have a lot of chances to visit many European
countries and to see the different cultural and musical environment.
MOL:
You are teaching in Taiwan University.
Tell us about it.
I got my job in Taiwan after graduating from
the Juilliard school, however, I thought I could've explore more in my
field so I applied the Fulbright scholarship and was luckily accepted to
study abroad in Berlin. I currently live in Berlin now, and will be
here until July 2007. I am taking a year leave from Taiwan - although I
have a chance to go back to teach, but I think it is too early to say
whether or not I will be living there after next year.
MOL:
How did you learn about the International
Web Concert Hall? And Do you think the idea of competing in a digital
environment an alternative solution to some performers who may have
problem with their visa or financial status for traveling to abroad?
I found the WCH competition through
Musicalonline.com, I thought it was very interesting to compete in a
digital environment. It saves a lot of time on traveling, and most
importantly, financially on living accommodation. Furthermore, for those
whom has problems acquiring VISA going abroad this competition can be an
alternative ways of competing at global level and be able to meet people
digitally.
MOL:
How many hours do you practice in average
these days?
It is hard to say exactly how many hours....
I usually practice each days, because my hours vary depends on my
condition of the day. However, I do a lot of mental practice - if I
feel I hadn't done enough practicing on that day.
MOL:
On be half of
MusicalOnline, we would like to thank you for your time and we wish all the success.
Interviewed by
MusicalOnline on October, 2006
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