Interview with Composer Vivian Fung: Asian Influences in the Creation of Original Work
I found this old interview I did last year with Culturalist@ Vivian Fung and re-reading I remembered our time in Bali together. I found what she says so interesting that I thought it would be worth highlighting again. Enjoy!
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Vivian Fung, Composer and Professor, The Juilliard School
Interviewed by Nico Daswani, Create Culture
June 29, 2009
ND: Tell me about yourself.
VF: I am a composer, pianist, artist, educator, producer, wife, daughter, and friend. I was born in Edmonton, Canada to Chinese parents and grew up speaking Cantonese and English, or as I like to call it, Cant-English! In my art, I am mainly a composer of concert music, although I like to create and listen to all types of music. My husband introduced me to Metallica a few years ago, and I must say, I am getting into some of their music.
I have been grappling with ideas regarding my identity in my work. Some people in my family regard me as a “banana,” yellow on the outside and white on the inside, but I am not really one to judge myself. However, I do believe that my mission as a composer is to create a body of musical work that reflects my voice, and as a result, my recent compositions all have the underpinning of my Asian-ness interlaced with my Western conservatory training. This interest has led me to compose works inspired by Balinese gamelan music, court music of China, folk songs from the Xinjiang province of China, and Japanese haiku. I do not quote verbatim from those sources in my compositions, but they all serve as catalysts for the creation of my works. The resulting works are at once my own and grounded in multicultural traditions.
Oh, lastly and most importantly, I love to eat! My husband and I are total foodies and love to explore different restaurants, particularly hole-in-the wall places that are relatively undiscovered. We have traveled many miles just to seek out a foodie destination. Mmmmmmmmmm!
ND: Tell me about a defining moment in your artistic career.
VF: Actually, Nico, you and Devi were there! Remember the day last summer in Bali when we all woke up at sunrise and went to the Elephant Cave Temple? We descended a few sets of steep stairs and found ourselves in the middle of the jungle, complete with a natural waterfall and water lily ponds. In addition to walking bare foot, we were asked not to talk to one another for an hour and just become aware of our surroundings. Something happened that hour, and I found myself having a really powerful spiritual awakening. I am not normally one to rant about spiritual experiences or believe in them necessarily, but that day I had a profound inspiration that I can only say was from a higher calling. I looked up at the intense sun, and felt a very strong sense of inner power and confidence as a person and artist. It was as if I became one with nature, and as a result, had complete peace and balance in my mind. All the doubts I had as an artist dissolved there, and whenever I have doubts now, I think back at that time and feel much better. This experience may sound cheesy on paper, but if I hadn’t had that moment, then I would not have accepted the concept of believing and trusting the unknown. There you have it. Strange isn’t it?
ND: How does the experience of having studied in Bal inform some of your new compositions?
VF: I am currently writing a new piano concerto, which is based on my experiences in Bali last summer. It will be premiered in New York at Le Poisson Rouge this coming November 2009 by the Metropolis Ensemble, who commissioned the work. I think it is important to note that my work generally uses source material as inspiration, not necessarily as the modus operandi of my compositions. So, even though the work is based on Bali and gamelan music, the end result will not necessarily be entirely built on gamelan sounds.
Besides being steeped in new gamelan music and dance, I think that my experience in Bali really widened my ears and eyes to new ways of learning music and perceiving art. I think this, to me, is even more important than just learning the notes and dance moves. The awareness of different aesthetics has made me more open to different forms and techniques, which really inspires me and gives me fuel for my creative work.
ND: What are your artistic dreams?
VF: I want my music to enter the world so that it is part of musicians’ core repertoire. I would like my music to be heard by a multitude of audiences, of all different backgrounds and in all different types of venues. I want to dispel the notion that classical music should only be heard in the concert hall and I want to reach out to as many people as I can, especially to younger crowds, without sacrificing my musical uniqueness and integrity. Ultimately, I see myself composing more large-scale works, and would love to write an opera/multimedia production when the right moment comes along, probably in ten years or so when I feel ready for such a massive endeavor.
ND: What might be a dream artistic collaboration?
VF: Ideally, I want to work with artists and performers who are excited about taking on new projects and becoming involved in the creative process. I like working with performers who make suggestions on the piece, informing me of what works for the instrument and what does not. While these suggestions do not necessarily change my creative decisions, they shape the piece and enhance the end product, so that future performances go more smoothly.
In collaborations, there are several things that can really make the process magical. I think that one of the most important factors is that each member respect one another and view the other as an equal. Another aspect is the act of being aware of each other’s process. In collaborations where members really listen to each other and work together for a common goal, this can be really fulfilling artistically. I appreciate that when these kinds of partnerships comes along.
I mentioned that I would love to write an opera someday. I think I am waiting for the right team of collaborators and also for myself to be ready artistically. For something so large in scope, the fit of personality, artistic vision, and passion about the project is so important to make the project successful, even electrifying.
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To learn more about Vivian and her work, check out her profile here
Photos (except top photo) by Jorge Vismara: http://JorgeVismara.net
Interviewed by Nico Daswani, Create Culture
June 29, 2009
ND: Tell me about yourself.
VF: I am a composer, pianist, artist, educator, producer, wife, daughter, and friend. I was born in Edmonton, Canada to Chinese parents and grew up speaking Cantonese and English, or as I like to call it, Cant-English! In my art, I am mainly a composer of concert music, although I like to create and listen to all types of music. My husband introduced me to Metallica a few years ago, and I must say, I am getting into some of their music.
I have been grappling with ideas regarding my identity in my work. Some people in my family regard me as a “banana,” yellow on the outside and white on the inside, but I am not really one to judge myself. However, I do believe that my mission as a composer is to create a body of musical work that reflects my voice, and as a result, my recent compositions all have the underpinning of my Asian-ness interlaced with my Western conservatory training. This interest has led me to compose works inspired by Balinese gamelan music, court music of China, folk songs from the Xinjiang province of China, and Japanese haiku. I do not quote verbatim from those sources in my compositions, but they all serve as catalysts for the creation of my works. The resulting works are at once my own and grounded in multicultural traditions.
Oh, lastly and most importantly, I love to eat! My husband and I are total foodies and love to explore different restaurants, particularly hole-in-the wall places that are relatively undiscovered. We have traveled many miles just to seek out a foodie destination. Mmmmmmmmmm!
ND: Tell me about a defining moment in your artistic career.
VF: Actually, Nico, you and Devi were there! Remember the day last summer in Bali when we all woke up at sunrise and went to the Elephant Cave Temple? We descended a few sets of steep stairs and found ourselves in the middle of the jungle, complete with a natural waterfall and water lily ponds. In addition to walking bare foot, we were asked not to talk to one another for an hour and just become aware of our surroundings. Something happened that hour, and I found myself having a really powerful spiritual awakening. I am not normally one to rant about spiritual experiences or believe in them necessarily, but that day I had a profound inspiration that I can only say was from a higher calling. I looked up at the intense sun, and felt a very strong sense of inner power and confidence as a person and artist. It was as if I became one with nature, and as a result, had complete peace and balance in my mind. All the doubts I had as an artist dissolved there, and whenever I have doubts now, I think back at that time and feel much better. This experience may sound cheesy on paper, but if I hadn’t had that moment, then I would not have accepted the concept of believing and trusting the unknown. There you have it. Strange isn’t it?
ND: How does the experience of having studied in Bal inform some of your new compositions?
VF: I am currently writing a new piano concerto, which is based on my experiences in Bali last summer. It will be premiered in New York at Le Poisson Rouge this coming November 2009 by the Metropolis Ensemble, who commissioned the work. I think it is important to note that my work generally uses source material as inspiration, not necessarily as the modus operandi of my compositions. So, even though the work is based on Bali and gamelan music, the end result will not necessarily be entirely built on gamelan sounds.
Besides being steeped in new gamelan music and dance, I think that my experience in Bali really widened my ears and eyes to new ways of learning music and perceiving art. I think this, to me, is even more important than just learning the notes and dance moves. The awareness of different aesthetics has made me more open to different forms and techniques, which really inspires me and gives me fuel for my creative work.
ND: What are your artistic dreams?
VF: I want my music to enter the world so that it is part of musicians’ core repertoire. I would like my music to be heard by a multitude of audiences, of all different backgrounds and in all different types of venues. I want to dispel the notion that classical music should only be heard in the concert hall and I want to reach out to as many people as I can, especially to younger crowds, without sacrificing my musical uniqueness and integrity. Ultimately, I see myself composing more large-scale works, and would love to write an opera/multimedia production when the right moment comes along, probably in ten years or so when I feel ready for such a massive endeavor.
ND: What might be a dream artistic collaboration?
VF: Ideally, I want to work with artists and performers who are excited about taking on new projects and becoming involved in the creative process. I like working with performers who make suggestions on the piece, informing me of what works for the instrument and what does not. While these suggestions do not necessarily change my creative decisions, they shape the piece and enhance the end product, so that future performances go more smoothly.
In collaborations, there are several things that can really make the process magical. I think that one of the most important factors is that each member respect one another and view the other as an equal. Another aspect is the act of being aware of each other’s process. In collaborations where members really listen to each other and work together for a common goal, this can be really fulfilling artistically. I appreciate that when these kinds of partnerships comes along.
I mentioned that I would love to write an opera someday. I think I am waiting for the right team of collaborators and also for myself to be ready artistically. For something so large in scope, the fit of personality, artistic vision, and passion about the project is so important to make the project successful, even electrifying.
----
To learn more about Vivian and her work, check out her profile here
Photos (except top photo) by Jorge Vismara: http://JorgeVismara.net
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