Health

I shared this Liquidrum post on Facebook 2 weeks ago. I urge you to watch the video.

Todd Mehan isn't just speaking about music or being a musician, he speaks about something larger than that - about life, about being a human and a kind one at that.

We often read and hear how illnesses change people's lives and perspectives, about how they want to be a better _____ (fill in with: mother, father, brother, sister, husband, wife, etc) especially when they contract a terminal illness. It's not that Todd Mehan isn't a nice person, far from it actually! I never got a chance to meet him in person (although I did catch a Mehan-Perkins duo performance but I don't recall when. Probably when I first went to Peabody in 2011) but I hear about him all the time from my colleagues and friends I met at Peabody. I thought it would have been lovely to meet him at least once, to speak with him about music, life and so much more. After all, we both came from the same "lineage" of studying under Bob van Sice.

But the truth is, we will not understand the severity of anyone's words unless we are on the receiving end. True story time!

In January 2015, Jonathan Greeney (Principal Timpanist of the Oregon Symphony Orchestra and Peabody alumnus) came down and spent a few days with us, giving lectures and masterclasses. He spoke to us about how life changes once we graduate, about practicing as much as we can while we are in school (because it is really hard to get access to instruments once you graduate), and more importantly, practicing with urgency as if there is no more time left. He shared personal stories in particular, when he was studying with Tom Freer in Cleveland State University whilst having a baby to take care of. It was definitely a tough time for him and his family - they're with a newborn and he had a degree to complete and auditions to win. He learnt quickly and had to consolidate his practicing into one short session, and Tom's practicing techniques immensely helped him, especially in his preparation for the Oregon Symphony's position.

After he told us that, we were definitely more motivated to practice and work harder, but it didn't last very long - at least for me. It was until the winter break of 2015 where I finally understood the severity of his words as I was in the same shoes as he was, except I wasn't taking any auditions. Sure I had a recital to prepare for, but it wasn't a life-or-death thing like an audition! I had to cram my practicing to 2 hours a day (at the most), trying to memorise Rogosanti, Velocities, Book of Grooves, 21 (amongst others) and then attend orchestra rehearsals and chamber rehearsals on top of school classes. Thank God for my in-laws who came up to help for the first 2 months! And also to my dear friends from Peabody, especially the percussion department - thanks for being so understanding and helpful!

The whole point of that long-winded story was to say that only when I was in the same position as Jon Greeney did I realise the depth and true meaning of his words. Relating this to Todd Mehan and his health, it will be unlikely for us to do any major/specific changes unless we ourselves get struck by something life-changing. And as the saying goes, prevention is better than cure. So before any health catastrophes strike us, we should start taking care of our health and well-being because after all, health is wealth.

I really hope you take the time to watch the video and as always, I thank you for reading. If you had a life-changing story, please let me know in the comments - I would love to hear from you! Till next week, stay safe and be well.

Joachim

Post-Concert

I just want to say it again:

Thank you to all who came for my concert! I hope you enjoyed it just as much (or more) as I enjoyed presenting an evening of music! You took that leap of faith to join me despite not knowing what will be performed, and that takes guts and curiosity!

It's going to sound way off tangent, but bear with me for a second! When I was at Peabody, there was a senior I looked up to. He's a nice guy who was hardworking, played really well, sounded great, and is currently a member of one of the up-and-coming percussion quartets in the States. I remember watching his senior recital and was blown away! I went up, congratulating him on a wonderful and spectacular performance, and his response was kind of a mood-killer (not the exact meaning, but I couldn't think of other words to phrase it better). I remember him shaking his head while saying it could have been better, that things went awry, that he did not sound as good as he wanted to. A few semesters later, I took a class and the lecturer said something very interesting. I don't remember his exact words, but it went something like this,

"Do not downplay someone congratulating you. They came and chose to spend their money and time with you and are congratulating you with their earnest hearts. To downplay that is akin to not acknowledging their presence and their time."

... something like that....

Anyway, as enjoyable as it was sitting as an audience member, it was pretty nerve-wrecking on the other side of the table! Honestly, I made more mistakes than I wanted to, and there were more mishaps than I could have hoped for. And at the end of it, I found myself in the same mental state as that senior from Peabody - shaking my head and downplaying people who came up to thank me for the music. On hindsight, it wasn't the smartest thing to do and for that, I apologise to those that were in the same shoes I was in when I congratulated my senior. 

But ultimately, I did what I set out to do, which is not only to create more exposure to what classical percussion is, but also to inspire young students and even professionals to take that risk and chance of organising a solo concert. Actually, not just a solo concert, but taking that step to doing something you wanted to do - whether it's setting up a chamber group, a duo/trio/quartet, collaborating with someone or a group, forming a rock/jazz/metal/indie band, and the list goes on. It was truly heartwarming to hear friends tell me that the concert was inspirational and I hope they take it and play it forward too!

As performers, we will always be critical of our playing and especially hard on ourselves if our playing does not go according to "plan" and we do not deliver the music as it is. But we have to look beyond the imperfections (something I will be writing about in the coming weeks) because music is ever-changing and I'm coming to the realisation that every minute emotion we feel really does affect how we play the piece.

I guess this post is also a reminder to myself to see the bigger picture and not just harp on what went wrong or what could have gone better. As always, thanks for reading! Do let me know if you ever felt the same way I did and if you did, how did you cope with it? I hope everyone stays safe and well too.

And again, thank you all who came to watch the concert. I am really blessed to have such support from you all :)

Joachim 

Pride

In my Steven Schick entry, I briefly mentioned a Facebook post by Michelle Chong that I wanted to blog about. It really is worth the read and doesn't only have to be aimed at Singaporeans, but really can be applied everywhere around the world by any profession.

This idea of having pride in your work kind of ties in with what I've been writing for the past few weeks - seeking better performances and results and always pushing limits. It's not exactly the same as what Michelle Chong has written, but I do agree with her. It is important to have pride in one's work. Pride gives you a sense of ownership, a sense of responsibility, a sense of worth, and importantly the sense of contribution. We feel important when all these come into play, and that importance should feed us to do more and go the extra distance.

Because it's a job hazard, I see it as making music with an orchestra, especially for us percussionists. Percussionists are faux-soloists in orchestras as there is usually only 1 person playing the instrument, whether it's a xylophone, tam-tam, bass drum, timpani or chimes. Although we double some instruments at times, you rarely find 2 (or more) people playing the exact same part! And because each part is unique to the music (similar with the brass and winds), there is a sense of contribution to the music as a whole. Strings are kind of different because they double up parts, but they add to the whole because they bring volume and depth to the sound, which is equally important for huge works like Mahler or Shostakovich. That ownership of contribution adds to self-worth and fuels itself, giving you pride as you take pride in your work.

But as with everything, it takes two hands to clap. If you read some of the comments made with her post, many say that their work goes unappreciated and going the extra mile only invites more work, usually without extra reward. Reciprocation from superiors is also needed for a healthy working relationship. It's the same as with any other relationship for that matter - the constant give-and-take of compromising and understanding. Of course, every workplace is different and without getting yourself fired, I feel it's about both parties coming together to create a healthy working relationship.

Still, taking pride in one's work is necessary, especially when it comes to job satisfaction. And for me, as a musician, that satisfaction comes from the audience - when they smile or applaud or appreciate the hard work and effort put into making the music good. These people not only pay money, but take their personal time to watch and listen to music for that night/day, and it should be our duty and responsibility to make their time and money's worth.

If we do the work for the work itself, like it is about the music and not about the musician, then I think we are one step closer to having that pride in us.

What do you think? Is this too idealistic? Let me know and I hope you guys remain safe and well this week. 

Joachim

P.S. Thank you to everyone who came down to my concert last week, and to those who supported me in spirit too! I am extremely grateful for all the support and love. I'll be writing something more personal about it.. just need to arrange my thoughts :) Entry drops next week!

Versatility and Exposure

First up, I would like to give a huge shoutout to Pantheon Percussion and Percussion Works for welcoming me into the family! I am extremely fortunate to have such support and to be endorsed by such a dedicated and talented team. Please check them out, especially if you are a percussionist or drummer! 

A few weeks ago I wrote an entry saying I'll elaborate on it. I was thinking about it and only wanted to write about versatility, but I felt that I had to address exposure too because I think they both go in tandem.

In a nutshell, you get exposed to a certain type of music, you work on it and get better, and then you can play said type of music - for example: when learning a Bach Sonata or a Strauss Lied or Schoenberg's Pierrot Lunaire, we research on the composer, the piece, listen to different recordings while practicing, and so on. All these affects the way we learn and play and can help us when we learn a different piece from the same composer. It's all still Classical, but they're the sub-genres (if you will) to this broad genre of Classical Music. Simply put, one will not play Mozart the same way as Wagner just as how a drummer will not play jazz using Corpsmaster drumsticks. Not taking into account modern day arrangements, we become more versatile even in Classical music, just by being able to play differently when facing different music and composers. Even in Classical music, there are many who dislike "New Music" and to be honest, I was one of them!

I only knew about this "New Music" when I started my undergrad studies and naturally, I thought it was weird and didn't make sense. The rhythms and harmonies were unfamiliar to me and it wasn't the "Classical Music" that I know of. But because of the nature of being a percussionist, I was exposed to contemporary music daily and eventually grew to appreciate and love the art! 

But while being versatile in different Classical styles is necessary, let's take it a step further and look beyond the realms of Classical music. Rock, pop, jazz, metal, ethnic, traditional are just a few of the thousands of genres of music. Having some craft and know-how in any of these genres (even if you only know one) add to one's arsenal and skill set, thus increasing versatility and being able to play with a more musicians as well as reaching out to a wider range of audiences. Think of it this way: the ability to play different styles are tools to the musician just as ingredients are to the chef. If the chef only has salt and pepper to season food with, there is only a finite variety of food he/she can make. But if the chef has herbs and spices, then he/she is simply able to do more, create more, and expand his/her variety.

I think being versatile is essential in today's world, especially with the changing orchestra scene globally. As classical musicians, we cannot only focus on our craft while ignoring other genres of music. And that is why I am so fortunate and grateful for my musical brothers with me in Lorong Boys. We constantly push each other to explore different styles or just push the boundaries of what we are comfortable with (come catch us at my upcoming concert next week too see for yourself). Versatility is necessary for progress and survival. Of course, exposure, along with the willingness to learn, is needed to because you do not know what you do not know. I know next to nothing about rocket science because I don't read about it. I expect it will be extremely difficult to comprehend but I am just not that interested in it as I am in music. 

So here's calling to musicians to expose yourselves to different types of music, learn their intricacies and technicalities (even if it's just a simple one) and try it out! You'll never know if you become more attached to it after digging deep.    

Let me know your thoughts, especially if you've always been keen on working on something. And of course on my part, I'll get down to making videos of myself working on non-classical stuff! It'll have to wait till September before I actually start anything, but the least I can do is to walk the talk, right? 

Thanks for reading! Stay safe and be well.

Joachim

P.S. I won't be writing next week as it is concert week! But I'll be back on August 30th :)

Steve Schick

In April earlier this year, I had the incredible honour and privilege of meeting Mr. Steven Schick when he visited YST to guest-conduct and perform in their OpusNovus concert. He is no stranger to the classical percussion world and is one of my musical heroes. 

That was also when I realise my mind goes completely blank when meeting a legend.  

It was a surreal experience watching the current YST students perform for him in a masterclass setting, and watching him perform Iannis Xenakis' Rebonds during the OpusNovus concert. Such finesse and musicality could only come from a master and I was completely blown away! Watching him live was, and is, exciting as Dream Theater coming to Singapore (this October)! Side-tracking, but my wife and I are incredibly stoked for that!

Anyway, Mr. Schick gave a commencement speech in May and I highly encourage listening to his speech (or reading the transcript) as he talks about the future of music, in particular New Music. It's hard to summarise a 25-minute long speech, but there are a couple of take-aways from it.

I was very intrigued with his perspective on noise and music, especially for a percussionist. It's interesting because just the other day, I was in the lift (elevator for my American friends) and was speaking to a neighbour from a different floor. Our conversation went something like this:

Woman: Long day at work huh..

Me: Yea! You look tired.  

Woman: I am! What do you do? 

Me: I'm a musician. A-

Woman: Wow! So who do you play with? 

Me: Oh I just got done with a recording with the SSO.

Woman: That's fantastic! What instrument do you play? 

Me: Percussion! 

Woman: Ohh.. I prefer something more sentimental.. 

Me: Well, you'll be surprised to know that percussionists can be pretty sentimental too! 

But the lift got to her floor and she went off before I could elaborate further.

I find it a pity that there is this association of percussion and noise (just loud random sounds actually), which is why I held my concert last year and am continuing it this year, to expose more people to classical percussion and to show that it's really not all noise and loud sounds. It's a pity because percussion is so much fun (as a performer and a listener) and these people are missing out. Of course if I wasn't in this line, I probably would think the same way as my neighbour! And that is exactly why the educational side of things are crucial - education breaks stereotypes and creates exposure for those who have yet to come across percussion music. If you have doubts, hopefully my concert can prove you wrong! 

Returning to the point at hand, he did have good reasoning to believe that not all sound is music. John Cage's idea of "sound = music" was a fascinating one and was extremely unorthodox. Well, at least 60 years ago. And while I was slightly thrown-off with that statement, I believe his deduction did not come about without much thought, maturity and life-experience. 

Another point he made was to face the same direction as everyone else - the future. If we continue looking and working towards the future, we ensure the survival of our art work, of our craft, of music. That same hunger of never settling, never improving enough, and never being complacent. From a 63-year old, it does put some of us younger folk to shame, especially when we only settle for mediocrity and only do the "minimum" (sound familiar? Michelle Chong made a post on her Facebook page a while ago, and is something I would like to talk about soon). Still, I resonate with the idea of rallying everyone, supporting each other and working towards the future together.

But support is also a two-way street. One cannot expect to keep receiving or giving support without the other party reciprocating. In all honesty, I am guilty of not catching more concerts than I wish I could. Having a kid changes your life a lot, and although it does complicate things, I don't want to use it as a comfortable excuse. So, I would like to urge everyone (including my guilty self) to go out and watch more concerts, to be more involved in supporting the future. Having played for many concerts, it sometimes is good to just be in the hall from the audience's perspective. And also, watching someone perform live is completely different from watching a concert from behind a TV screen! The atmosphere and experience is more than just watching and listening, but includes being physically and mentally in that space for that finite amount of time.

There is a lot to digest in his speech and I hope you find the time to watch it (or at least read the transcript) because I think his words have meaning, especially since they come from a legend who has paved the way for us musicians in the 21st-century. 

As always, thanks for taking the time to read and do let me know your thoughts and/or comments. If something intrigues you too, let's start a discussion! In the meantime, get out there and catch some live music! Stay safe, be well, and Happy Birthday Singapore!

Joachim