Q&A

(1) What was your first contact with the art of composing? What motivated you to start?

My case is unique because I didn’t receive “traditional” music education/music training when I was young (I mean, like 4 or 5 years old). I learned to play the piano when I was 11 and have been improvising on the piano since high school. But it wasn’t until later in senior high school did I begin to be enamored of classical music. I started to learn notation and composition during my college life, but I spent most of time practicing the piano works I was interested in, so I only finished few compositions at that time. After obtaining the Taiwanese doctor’s license, I began to plan to write a set of concert etudes. I thought, in addition to listening to existing music, it would be amazing to compose my own music. Plus, composing also allows me to express my thoughts.

(2) How does your compositional process work?

I usually record bits of the improvised music, and gradually develop them into a more structured, formal work in my leisure time. Sometimes, the melody naturally develops from an improvisation itself. In recent years, I have been trying to incorporate my daily life experiences, such as getting along with different people in clinical work and listening to the stories of patients' life, into my composition. Due to the passion I have for music, I always jot down the ideas I have, or any inspiration that may suddenly come to my mind. It helps with gathering ideas for composing as well.

(3) How would you describe your own style of composing?

The music I composed does not follow strict composition techniques. I studied composing mostly through self-taught. To me, these compositions are the product of spontaneity and improvisation. They have great melodic lines with whimsical arrangement and are unique.

(4) Who are the composers that have had the greatest influence on your work, from the earliest compositions to the present?

Chopin. I encountered Chopin’s music in my senior high school, and I was so fascinated by his piano work. Gradually, I started to study different composers from the Romantic Era as well. When I was in college, I especially liked the music of Liszt, Faure, Ravel, Debussy, Scriabin, Rachmaninoff and Kapustin. My published 24 piano concert etudes are composed in the style of, perhaps Romanticism with contemporary musical elements.

Now I spend more time listening to contemporary music. I always like to listen to music that I have never heard before.

(5) Your work is very influenced by extra-musical characteristics related to your profession, how do you make these connections between the musical ideas and the different psychiatric moods?

I am a licensed psychiatrist and am also an amateur composer. In Aug. 2017, I was lucky to be accepted to the residency program at a famous psychiatric hospital in north Taiwan.

As a psychiatrist, I have many opportunities to interact with different groups of people. I have to record the patient's appearance, affect, behavior, thinking process, and many other parts in mental status examination. In the process of establishing rapport with a patient, I also need to empathize with his emotions and understand his struggles and difficulties. Doing such work inspires and motivates me to use music to describe the psychiatric medicine phenomena.

For instance, the suite Specific Psychopathology Studies consisting of 6 short pieces that are selected from my album Vacillations. The concept of the suite is intriguing and the music is too, because it paints the vivid images of people I see from my clinical work. Perhaps the style of these preludes are like "Impressionism".

(6) What are your projects for the future?

In terms of my goal in music, I expect to have more piano performances and musical compositions to share with people. While practicing medicine, I am also thrilled to meet more friends who are interested in my music all around the world. My short-term plan is to write a small compilation of chamber music works.

(7) In your opinion, what can we expect for the future of classical music?

I am curious about how classical music will evolve in the future as well. I have also observed that the new generation of performers’ opinions on the interpretation of classical music become more divergent these days. I am hoping the diversity will draw more audiences to classical music. Personally, why music exists is relied on the constant appreciation of listeners so as not to be forgotten. I am also looking forward to a better working environment and more opportunities for classical musicians.