The
Marcato Press
Issue III
Spring 2013
Issue III
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Cover Photo: Dr. Robert Hasty conducting the ISCMS Festival Orchestra and Choir at the 2013 International Schools Choral Music Society Festival in Busan, Korea
Issue III
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Overture TABLE OF CONTENTS
Session An Interview with Christopher Tin...................................page 4 An Interview with Jacob Shaw...........................................page 6 An Interview with Lim Yau...............................................page 8
Metronome The Busking Corner..........................................................page 5 Going Gaga.......................................................................page 7 Lana Del Ray - Born to Die..............................................page 9
Breaking Out of the Cage A Skeleton and a Decanter of Wine................................page 10
Synthesis Music Production: An Overview......................................page 11
Recapitulation Gifted and Talented Music Tour.....................................page 12 Chamber Choir Singapore Tour......................................page 13
ISCMS VI - MASSive Special Feature.................................................................page 14
Cue News and Updates...........................................................page 16 Marcato Press Team
Contributing Writers
Editor-in-Chief: John Hui
Christopher Tin Jacob Shaw Harvard Virgil Humphrey Samuel Tang Jose Mercado Isabella Duffy Carolyn Zhao Jesse Deskovic Matthew Xie John Hui Jenny Xie
Editors: Isabella Duffy, Jose Mercado, Carolyn Zhao Media Management: Christopher Ye Head Music Ambassador: Megan Ng
The Marcato Press is a purely student-run publication
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Session CAREERS IN MUSIC
An Interview with
Christopher Tin When did you start composing music, and did you play an instrument at first?
Christopher Tin, 37, is a Grammy Award-winning composer from the United States. He is best known for his album Calling All Dawns, and his piece Baba Yetu, featured in the Civilization IV video game. He will be the composer-inresidence for the 2014 ISCMS VII Festival.
I started composing when I was 16. At first it was very simple stuff: pop, musical theatre, bluesy jazz, and so forth. Eventually, once I started studying music more thoroughly at Stanford, I started getting a little more sophisticated; when I enrolled at the Royal College of Music I started finally calling myself 'a composer'. However, I did play numerous instruments before I started composing: I started with piano, then took up trumpet, guitar, bass, all before joining choir… So, even before writing, I was very heavily into music and music theory.
What made you think composing was the career for you, when did you know? When I was 17, I wrote a musical that my friends and I performed in my high school. It was a fun process. I also got a lot of warm compliments from fellow students, and even some local celebrities. In fact, Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple, came to one of the performances – he lived two blocks away from me, and I was friends with his daughter. After the show, he told his daughter “That's the best thing I've ever seen someone his age do.” And that encouragement was great for my confidence.
What inspires you in music? I actually get inspired by listening to other people's music… but only if it's good! Whenever I hear something new – whether it's a new contemporary piece, a classical composition I'd never heard before, a pop song, a rap beat, etc. – if it's good, it gets my mind moving and my creative juices flowing. Maybe it just reminds me of just how rewarding the creative process can be, and makes me want to indulge in it again.
When you won the Grammy Award, how did it feel? It really didn't sink in until almost a year later, to be honest. The day of the Grammys, I was just incredibly preoccupied with all the events going on – the interviews, the speeches, etc.– that I didn't even stop to think about it. It was only the next year, when I was sitting at the Grammys watching other people receive awards, that the craziness of what had happened really dawned on me.
Were you surprised at the success of your music for Civilization IV? Somewhat, yes. I knew that I wrote a good song, but I had no idea that it would take off so well in the public consciousness!
What do you know about the music programme at Dulwich College? I know that it turns out a lot of very talented young musicians, and it gives them the chance to meet and interact with some very prominent living musicians. It's quite an admirable partnership of schools; I am eager to build my relationship with Dulwich over the coming years!
Are you looking forward to writing a new piece for ISCMS? I've been excited about this for months now, and even more so towards diving into it this summer! I hope to give ISCMS something challenging yet fun, and something that will open their eyes to some sounds and musical traditions that they had never been exposed to before.
Do you think you will receive another Grammy nomination for it? Well… one always hopes that they'll win Grammys for everything they do, right? But truthfully, I try to have this attitude about everything that I do, where I go into every piece like it's the most important thing I'm ever going to write. Believe it or not, it's something that I learned from professional sports. Every time you see a professional athlete get 4
interviewed, they always talk about their next shift on the court, field, or ice as being the most important of their career… as if their entire livelihoods depended on their performance in each and every moment that they're competing. I have to say, I really admire that attitude. and I try to learn from it as best I can. So will I get a Grammy nomination for the ISCMS piece? I'm going to try my best, just like I try with every other piece I write. Will I be successful? Ask me in another year or two.
Will you visit Dulwich College Beijing on your way to ISCMS VII next February? Possibly! I haven't been to Beijing in over 20 years, so perhaps it's time for some sight-seeing.
Finally, have you any encouraging words for student musicians? Work hard and don't despair if you don't see the results of your work right away… the fruits of your labors often take years to manifest. Be patient with yourself, keep an open mind, and try to learn from everything you see and hear. Ultimately, when you start to grow as an artist, don't be afraid of being yourself. Don't try to become someone else – just accept and acknowledge who you are and what it is that you do best. Don't ever try to live in someone else's shadow.
Metronome MUSIC LIFESTYLE
The Busking Corner
What it is and why we do it at Dulwich College Beijing Busking is a tradition that dates back to antiquity and is common amongst many cultures. Before the advent of recording technology and mass media, performers would take to the streets to showcase their talents, hoping to gain recognition whilst sharing their art with the world.
In keeping with busking tradition, the Busking Corner also features a collection box for passersby to deposit money during the performance. However, this money is not collected for personal gain: the music department in Dulwich College Beijing donates the collected money to the Beijing Guang Ai orphanage, to support these orphans and help a brighter future for them. So far, the Busking Corner has raised over 2000RMB for Guang Ai, and the music department is planning to continue its support of the orphanage.
Following this age-old tradition, Dulwich College Beijing features its own busking area. Situated in the wellfrequented music corridor, the Busking Corner gives aspiring students a chance to perform for the masses passing by, without the fear of rejection or judgment. It provides a stress free environment for both inexperienced and seasoned performers to let loose and share their talents with the crowd.
The Busking Corner aims to entertain, but more so to inspire students to seize opportunities for performance. It is an important stepping-stone towards participation in larger events, such as Moonlight Madness or the Dulwich Legend Sessions; it allows students to hone their performance skills before walking onto a bigger stage. The performances are enjoyed by all, right across both Junior and Senior School; even the headmaster himself has been spotted amongst the crowd. The performances greatly change the ambience of the school, giving the students a reprieve from their otherwise stressful and busy lives. Sometimes, heavy rap or rock tones excite the music corridor; other times relaxing and soothing music calms the passing students. Humour is also ever present around the Busking Corner, often eliciting raucous laughter from the crowd. Attending the performances at the Busking Corner is a unique experience, enjoyable for teachers and students alike.
All kinds of art forms are welcome in the Busking Corner, be it visual art, music, literature or drama. The Busking Corner is open to anyone willing to show the audience what they can do. Busking isn’t just limited to musicians; it is a form of entertainment that allows all art forms that seek to amaze a casual audience. With this mindset at the core of every busking corner's philosophy, it is no wonder that the corner has attracted a large variety of performers, including singers, saxophone players, rappers, and even inspired audience members to give impromptu performances. The rule-free environment of the Busking Corner encourages new or otherwise timid performers to take the stage, thus paving the way for future performances on the “big stage.”
Samuel Tang
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Session CAREERS IN MUSIC
An Interview with
Jacob Shaw At what age did you start playing the cello and how did you decide to become a professional cellist? I was born into a family of professional musicians (my father played in the London Philharmonic Orchestra and my mother was a music teacher in South London), and naturally at a young age I had a lot of music around the house. I started the cello at the age of 4 and later the piano. My early education in Dulwich, at Dulwich College Preparatory School and later at Alleyns School, put a large emphasis on music and art alongside formal academic education, giving me the chance to dedicate a lot of time to the cello. This gave me a real head start, and inspired me to make, at 15, the decision to leave South London and attend a specialist music school in Surrey (The Yehudi Menuhin School). As one of 45 students from around the world, I was given access to some of the best music education and facilities. I progressed rapidly, and soon after leaving the school I had already started giving concerts professionally.
What is your connection with Dulwich College International? Growing up in Dulwich, both my sister and I attended Alleyns School (Alleyns school was founded by Edward Alleyn at the same time as the original Dulwich College). Our headmaster at Alleyns was Colin Niven, who went on to oversee the birth of many Dulwich College International Schools
around the world. I have kept in touch with Colin Niven; he spoke about Dulwich College International many times, and asked me to visit if ever I had the chance. This is my third tour to China, and I am very happy to have been invited to be “in residence” at the school for the first part of the tour.
Do you have any special memories or any memorable moments during your concert-giving travels? Yes! Too many to list! There have been some wonderful memories, as well as some moments I would like to forget. Of course, a part of being on tour is staying in a variety of hotels across the world, and realising that what you see on the hotel website is not always what you see when you arrive! A vivid memory of this is actually from China. Only upon arriving at a hotel in Xuzhuo did I discover that only half the hotel had been built; central heating had not been installed yet. It was so cold (in December) that the water froze overnight in the hotel lobby. I had to go to a local shop to buy a heater so that I was warm enough to sleep! Of course being on tour also means meeting some wonderful people and experiencing a lot of different cultures. I have made many
friends all over the world, and I always make the effort to avoid tourist hotspots when I am travelling – I love going into the backstreets to find restaurants, walking around and soaking up the real local atmosphere as much as I can.
Is there any advice you could give to the pupils of Dulwich College International? I think the most important thing that I learnt growing up is that whatever path you choose, do well in it. Even though my parents were both musicians, I didn’t feel obliged to go into the music business. What I knew was that whatever I wanted to do, I would have their support as long as I put in my best effort. The education and facilities are fantastic at Dulwich College International, so make the most of it! Work hard in all subjects so you leave many doors of opportunity open. Then, in your final years, you can decide where your talents lie and start to look into that subject in more depth – whether it be in the arts or academia.
For more information about Jacob Shaw, you can visit his homepage at www.jacobshaw.de or keep up to date with all his news and travels on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jacobshawcellist
Jacob Shaw, 25, is a classical cello player, born in London and now based in Copenhagen. He spends his time travelling around the globe giving concerts and master classes. Having won a number of prestigious prizes and the hearts of many more audience members, he is regarded as one of the best young cellists in the world. From the 20th March to 9th April 2013 he was on tour in China, and for the first 10 days he was in residence at Dulwich College Beijing.
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Metronome MUSIC LIFESTYLE
Going Gaga What do you call a modern lady who has her head in the clouds the right way? A lady who isn’t afraid of being the least bit loco, or prancing around in the most outrageous of outfits? One who is incapable of giving a damn about what she stirs up? Gaga. Now, don’t let the title make you turn away already. Being completely honest, all can agree that the first thing that comes to mind upon hearing the name “Lady Gaga” is a crazy woman (as her name suggests) who wears bubbles and refuses to put on a pair of pants. ‘Tis all true, but that’s only what a simple mind sees. If you take the time to look closer, past the ever-changing hairstyles and the studs, you’d see a woman passionate about her music and reaching all ends of the earth to perfect it, even if the manner in which she does so is what some would call “socially unacceptable.” Without a doubt, Gaga is talented. So one can’t blame her for embracing that talent and immersing herself in it. The music Lady Gaga makes is the very reason she has risen to fame. Having chased numerous record deals, trial after error, a young Gaga found her way into the limelight with her first sleeper hit, Just Dance. With its catchy chorus and unmistakable tune, the song quickly became one of the best-selling songs of all time. This was merely the first step towards glory. Year after year, number one hits were spewing out of this musical phenomenon’s “playboy mouth”, making her one of the most well-known artists in the world. On her musical side, Gaga is known as a Holy Fool who wants your Bad Romance, but you still can’t read her Poker Face because she was Born This Way. Huh.
By Jose Mercado
Parents, for one, have reason to dislike this doozy. Lyrics such as those of Judas are indeed extremely blasphemous, and tend to cause uproar in the family-friendly department. Authorities in Indonesia and the Philippines have tried to prevent Gaga from performing due to her questionably offensive lyrics and slightly vulgar performances. Nonetheless, Gaga continues to write songs that trigger commotion. For example, one of her recent songs, Princess Die, lit a small flame under the royal chair. The public found the addition of an “e” to the late Princess’s nickname disrespectful, especially when considering the fact that the song relates to suicide and celebrity death. But the music itself, sweet and saddening, has managed to sweep away some of the discontent as it is performed and sung countless times by fans all over the world. In any discussion about Gaga, her fashion sense, if there is any sense in it, will inevitably be brought up. From a living dress to simple blood red Versace, Gaga’s outfits have often caused controversy and a great amount of head turning. All her old outfits must be stored in a large basement, nearly full, waiting for a glass display case in a museum. One outfit that has earned this “privilege” is the famous, or rather, infamous, meat dress. At the 2010 VMA awards (several of which she won) Gaga knocked them all out of the park when she strode onstage adorned in beef, paired up with a matching purse and pumps wrapped in jerky. Of course, this wasn’t your typical awards ceremony outfit, which set her apart from the rest. And with a perfume that smells as fierce as it looks, Gaga struck the stores with her grenade-like bottles.
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But her knockouts didn’t hit everyone. In addition to having the largest fan base (on twitter), she also has a plentiful supply of “haters.” Most of these people only know her by her name and image. Nothing more. Those who know more than that have a suitable argument under their belts, and will stop at nothing to be heard. While Gaga is heavily criticized for her fashion, her music and her personal image, the hatred towards her is also directed towards her fans, the Little Monsters. Her fan base is comprised mostly of outcasts, freaks, rejects, those who were insecure about themselves because of their image, sexuality or ethnicity. A large portion of her Monsters is part of the LGBT community, as is Gaga (she declared herself as bisexual in an interview). The label of her fans simply reflects this fact and reminds them to embrace it, and to use it as what sets them apart. Gaga herself was an outcast in her high school years: she claims to have been bullied extensively in front of large groups of people, affecting her academic performance. But even now, she continues to fight. She fights for herself, and even more so for her Little Monsters. An extremely generous person, Gaga takes time to send personal messages to the Little Monsters, most of who are victims of bullying and may even struggle with life itself. In 2011, along with her mother, she set up the Born This Way Foundation, a non-profit organization aiming to empower youth and build a kinder, braver world. The Foundation has been supported by many other charities: the MacArthur Foundation and the California Endowment are just a couple among other examples. Surpassing the waves of hate, Gaga extends immense love to her fans and followers for their support. She is an extremely selfless person, indifferent towards fame and fortune. Due to a recent stage injury, Gaga has been forced to cancel the remainder of her most recent tour and undergo an operation, to many Monsters’ disappointment. Still, her fans show immense support on her official fan base, LittleMonsters.com, with letters, prayers and even fan art of her in robotic wheelchairs or walking with diamond crutches. Now, in the end, you aren’t expected to suddenly love Lady Gaga, or as some say, go gaga for Gaga. You don’t need to become a Little Monster because you’ve read this. This was written simply to share what an extraordinary woman she is, and how exceptional people can be if they so choose. Lady Gaga’s motivation for a better world surpasses her music, her clothes and her performances; she gives us something to celebrate, perhaps even something to believe in. Lady Gaga is the definitive Warrior Queen.
Session CAREERS IN MUSIC
An Interview with
Lim Yau How did your career begin?
One could say that I began my career by accident. I was in the National Service: in that part of Singapore’s history, the Ministry of Defence was trying to see what sort of talent pool they had amongst the servicemen, so they formed a male voice choir. I have been studying music since the moment I realised I had a voice. Naturally, I became the leader of the choir. After I finished my National Service, I stayed and turned the male voice ensemble into a proper choir while taking on the role of a conductor. I sang bass.
How long have you been involved in the field of conducting? I have conducted for slightly over 30 years.
In our school we have a theory that conducting is a very easy job. What comments can you give to quash that theory? It is definitely one of the most controversial art forms because the conductor himself does not make a sound and that naturally leads people to think that conducting is all about waving your arms in front of a group of musicians. But on the contrary, it is a job that requires a lot of preparation. It is hard to study conducting because you do not always have the music group in front of you to practice with; a lot of it is based on theoretical suggestions. Only when you are put in front of a group does the real conducting experience start. You learn the art of conducting through experience, or through watching a lot of other groups’ rehearsals. However, before you even face the orchestra, you really need to analyse the music; ideally you can play one or more orchestral instruments. Lots of people start their life as a conductor through being a string player or pianist; I started mine as a pianist.
By Harvard Virgil Humphrey
Have you conducted both oriental and western orchestras?
Which composer’s music do you most like to conduct?
I do not normally agree to conduct Chinese orchestras. My training is mainly focused on Western music.
Without wanting to sound cliché, my favourite pieces would be the ones I would have to conduct tomorrow. Essentially, I think one should approach one’s conducting assignments with great enthusiasm, no matter how many times you have done it. Nowadays, expectations on conductors are very wide. In the old days [1970s] you could just focus on repertoire from periods 100 to 250 years ago. Nowadays one is expected to be quite eloquent with contemporary music, film music and many other genres.
Do you have a worst and best experience? They were all worthy experiences. I think the worst experience is when you are forced to conduct in an acoustic where you cannot hear your musicians. This is especially true in openair concerts where acoustics are virtually nonexistent.
Have you met any other world-class conductors? When I was a student in London during the 1970s, I joined the London Philharmonic Chorus, which was affiliated with the Philharmonic Orchestra. I toured with them for quite a bit. At that point the music director was Ricardo Moody, and working with him was quite an experience. The London Philharmonic Orchestra had whole strings of guest conductors all year round, including the famous Carlo Mario Giulini. I myself studied with Sergiu Celibidache in the 1980s and that was quite the experience.
A graduate from both the Royal College of Music and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Lim Yau is a Singaporean conductor, known best for h av i n g b e e n b o t h t h e Re s i d e n t Conductor of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra and the Music Director of the Singapore Symphony Chorus. Today Lim is the Head of Orchestral Studies and Chamber Music of the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA), as well as the Director of the NAFA Orchestra and Chorus. Dulwich College is forming a relationship with NAFA to increase the number of opportunities music students in both schools have access to.
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Where would you like to see you and your conservatory’s relationship with Dulwich in the future? I would like to see a lot of collaboration, now that Dulwich is in Singapore. Lots of collaboration could, and should, happen. Our students – slightly more mature in terms of age, as we take in the equivalent of an IB fifth year student (Year 12) – go on to do a degree with our partner university, the London Royal College of Music. That should be beneficial for all Dulwich schools, in Singapore and elsewhere.
Metronome MUSIC LIFESTYLE
Lana Del Ray
Born to Die
Categorised as “indie/baroque pop” by professionals, but “Hollywood sad-core” by herself, Del Rey’s composition throughout the album was strong, and sent a clear message about how she is going to develop the genre of music that she has fallen into.
Isabella Duffy
You may have heard of her, or you may not have. Either way, Elizabeth Grant (better known by her stage name Lana Del Rey) is an artist that you would call “mainstream, but hipster” – worshipped in some circles, yet irrelevant in others. However, the fact that her status in the music industry leans more towards indie did not stop me from listening to her album, Born To Die.
Her hypnotic, low, jazzy voice had led me to believe that after her hit single “Video Games” (which reached number one in Germany), there would be an album with realistic messages, a classic, retro style, and varying tones and tempi. Yes, there was an album that had that style and message, but listening to it all in one go… yawns were imminent. The fact that her album was produced so immaculately and precisely turned out to be her greatest weakness. At times, it came off as rather one-dimensional, and I felt that the melodies and tempi of each song just kept repeating themselves over and over.
Released on the 27th of January 2012, Born To Die was Del Rey’s second studio album. It was the first of the two to gain substantial recognition. Since then it has sold over three million copies worldwide, making it the third biggest selling album on the iTunes Chart in the United Kingdom that year. The album has fifteen tracks, each written or partially written by Del Rey. Each describes a facet of Del Rey’s life, be it her becoming a rebellious teenager and “lying to herself ” about it, or her simple but precise outlook on how “money is the anthem of success.”
Each individual song was amazing in its own right. What could go wrong with an alto using her voice as one of the many musical layers in her compositions, throughout her album? Her singles were based on personal experiences in love and life in general. Despite this, when all of them are clumped together, the whole album turns into the one thing any singer would seek to avoid becoming – flat.
Each track has a story. Del Rey’s poetic and often gloomy lyrics were nonetheless amazing on paper, away from song. However, I did get quite bored with the depressed persona not knowing what to do, or where to go in her life. Songs such as Carmen had me listening to her talking about her alcoholic adolescence, whereas Blue Jeans had me listening to her promise of loving someone “till the end of time”.
Lana Del Rey is an amazing artist, with many ideas and a variety of personal experiences that we can relate to in her music. However, even though I am an avid admirer of Del Rey’s musical work, perhaps she should reconsider meshing all of her emotional troubles into one monotonous album.
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Breaking Out of the Cage MUSIC PHILOSOPHY CORNER
every way, the debate over the definition of “beautiful music” sparks. This conflagration has been burning for quite a while.
Absolute Beauty in Music:
A Skeleton and a Decanter of Wine Carolyn Zhao There is an absolute beauty to music. “Absolute beauty,” in this sense, would refer to the definition given by German philosopher George Wilheim Friederich Hegel – that this beauty exists eternally and indefinitely, regardless of whether people appreciate it or condemn it. This beauty, being so absolute, is not subject to anyone's explanation. If it is music, then it is. If it isn't music, then it isn't. Simple as that. Humans, unfortunately, tend to lack the ability to discriminate between the luster of absolute beauty and the gleam of musical pyrite. To draw an analogy, the absolute beauty of music comes from a prehistoric world, in the form of a fossil. All these styles and genres of music are ancient artifacts that have existed since eternity – to quote Hegel, “There is nothing new under the sun.” In this analogy, our job is purely to find these ancient bones. The fossils that have been unearthed – that are, at this moment, being unearthed – can vary in size. Maybe it's a tiny ammonite,
something that appeals to a minority of the population and gathers a little occult following. Or perhaps it's an enormous T-Rex, all ribs and teeth and cavernous skull, capable of revolutionizing the very definition of music itself. The revered composers and revolutionaries of music, such as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Elvis Presley, and Louis Armstrong, discovered nothing new, but merely what had already existed since the beginning of time. Music itself is one giant fossil, a behemoth from which we have brushed away a trifling modicum of dust. Some musicians have uncovered a tooth, while others have hit upon the glint of a hooked scale; perhaps even more have meticulously scraped at the dirt covering a femur. Each marveling and wondering at how beautiful their discovery is, and how it's bound to be the most wonderful, magical, fantastic style of music ever, just look! Of course, since the parts of the fossil differ from each other in almost 10
On the subject of unearthing fossils, there are a great many contemporary artists who make use of the nighuniversal belief that the beauty of music is completely subject to human opinion. They cry to each other over the top of their cacophony, Yes, we are geniuses! This is the magnum opus of creativity! The veritable pinnacle of music! And in the meantime, the audience responds with small, crisp claps, nodding to each other in agreement. Oh, yes. This is splendid, this is. Jolly good show. This exploration is all well and good, and I would like to offer sincere encouragement to these pioneers of musical creativity. To quote Hegel again, “Truth is mastered through a long learning process; each step is the continuation of the previous.” Every single composer and music revolutionary that has ever existed has explored: this is the long journey towards the discovering of the entirety of the fossil of music. This doesn't apply to everything we find in the ground, though. Far from it. With the fossil analogy and Hegel's definition of absolute beauty in mind, the logical conclusion would be that there must be a limit to what can be called music. There is only one music fossil – just one – and a sincere apology to the aspiring artists who have gone running off elsewhere and dug up something that is beautiful, perhaps, but not music. Many people have done so, and I can safely say that many more will continue to do so. We, as humans, do not define the limits of what can or cannot be called music. This perception of what or what isn't music is, as John Hui mentioned in his article Music: An Illusion, flawed and imperfect due to the medium by which it is conveyed. Not only that, humans, courtesy of inherent bias, are incapable of grasping the absolute beauty of music. Thus, we are apt to herald anything we discover as part of the skeleton, and the rest of the world claps along with us because no one can identify what in the world the skeleton really is. It's as if one fills a decanter with cheap swill and labels it “high quality wine.” Everyone tastes it and sings praises as they have no idea what they are drinking, and are acting solely on reputation and perception of sophistication (to be honest, you haven't the slightest clue either).
Synthesis MUSIC TECHNOLOGY
Music Production: What is it? Jesse Deskovic I find music production to be an interesting facet of music. Production incorporates elements of electronic instrumentation, audio engineering, composition, a sharp understanding of genre and style, and a wide knowledge and appreciation of musical theory and history. A great producer should possess a balance of all these elements. Producing takes years of practice, somewhat of a background in musical theory, and dedication. Without these traits, you wouldn’t find yourself behind the desk of a production studio. People frequently ask me: “What is producing?” or “What are you actually doing? Are you, like… putting bits of other songs together? Like DJ-ing?” Production is somewhat similar to DJ-ing, but on a much larger scale and with a lot more to consider. Think of the producer as the pre-DJ. The producer sits in a big acoustically engineered room with a bunch of gadgets, synthesizers, instruments and computers. The producer is the guy that records, engineers, mixes (makes each part fit together and sound
good), and sometimes even composes the aptly named tools. This all leads toward your music. track’s becoming “radio-worthy”, so that it is clear and crisp enough to be played by Production is a challenge at first – you open another DJ. your producing program that is similar to GarageBand, only to stare in complete Usually, the production process follows this confusion…you’re sitting in front of a series of steps, and at the end, voila: you screen full of buttons and levers and knobs have your final piece of music. everywhere that somehow make and modifying sound. After a while, you get the I was never taught how to do any of this, so hang of it – you can start to make beats and I learnt things hard way: through utter sounds that you develop and improve over confusion, frustrating exploration, and paintime. staking research. For months, I was pressing buttons and moving knobs whilst looking up When composing and producing, you every book I could find on how to make the usually begin with your musical theme, or sound I wanted to make on my computer. idea – usually a riff or a drum loop of some After a while, I got the hang of things, and sort. You should ask yourself: “How can I learnt how to work all the components of develop this?” And this is when your musical the program to produce what was originally understanding comes in. You can either in my head. This is the most important layer it using synthesizers (creating harmony element in production: being able to or other melodic lines), or more percussion produce the sound you desire. (adding to the rhythm). You can also apply effects to the sounds you already have. From John Hui and I hold production classes there, you progress by adding more and every Monday and Wednesday after school more, structurally dividing up and laying in M2. Our aim is to educate our students out the piece until you feel that it is on how to produce and mix electronic complete as a whole. dance music by explaining all the things that originally confused us when we first started Mixing and mastering generally happens producing. After breaking everything down, after the bulk of your song is “done”. Mixing we encourage our students to produce their and mastering consists of tweaking the own tracks, in a style of their choice. We volume of each track, as well as each cover synthesis (creating sounds from scratch individual sound using components such as using computers), beat-making (putting compressors, equalizers, stereo maximizers, drum loops together), mixing, and multi-band dynamics, and other oddly yet mastering. 11
Recapitulation REVIEWS AND REFLECTIONS
Chamber Choir
Singapore Tour On Thursday 21st of February the Dulwich College Beijing Chamber Choir travelled to Singapore to perform at the launch of Dulwich College Singapore, one of the most prestigious and highprofile events the group has ever been invited to. Known for its high standards in both s i n g i n g a n d p ro f e s s i o n a l i s m , t h e Chamber Choir was founded and directed by Shane O’Shea of Dulwich College Beijing in 2007. Since then, the group has annually gained and lost many members, but still maintains the quality that it brings to the stage to this date. Dulwich College International fully sponsored the trip. Seventeen students and two teachers travelled to Singapore and, amongst themselves, coordinated a variety of performances (mostly choral, with some instrumental) that incorporated a diverse range of repertoire. The Chamber Choir put more than two months of hard work and commitment in preparation for this tour.
John Hui
Of course, the trip abroad would not have been complete without some sight-seeing and free time, for which the students were given the morning before the afternoon event. The musicians were given the opportunity to explore the shopping haven of Orchard Street, or to enjoy the cool breeze whilst relaxing on the beach. Afterwards, the Dulwich College Beijing group was bused to Eden Hall, the British Ambassador’s residence, in which the ceremony took place. The Chamber Choir was greeted with great hospitality and given ample time and opportunity to warm up and practice in the venue before any guests arrived. The Chamber Choir performed four pieces: If Ye Love Me (by Thomas Tallis), Alma Llanera (by Pedro Gutiérrez, arranged by Angel Sauce), Tea for Two (by Vincent Youmans, arranged by Peter Gritton) and Fill to Me the Parting Glass (Irish traditional, arranged by Shaun Davey). The audience was treated to a variety of musical styles, only made possible by the versatility of the singers.
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Julien Bell, Harvard Humphrey, Jeff Won, Bjorn Shen, Risako Katsumata, Pratcha Sananvatananont, John Hui, and Amy Yun (not a member of the Chamber Choir) also played during the reception of the event as solo musicians. The Beijing group was given the privilege of watching guest musicians from the Nan Yang Academy of Fine Arts in Singapore showcase their musical talents. Famous Singaporean maestro, Lim Yau, also attended the event, and several members of the choir were given the chance to meet him. Several musicians from Dulwich College Suzhou were also invited to perform at the event, bringing over traditional Chinese instruments such as the guzheng and the erhu. The singers of the Dulwich College Beijing Chamber Choir thoroughly enjoyed the experience, and are eagerly looking forward to their next concert. Special thanks to Dulwich College International for sponsoring the trip and making everything possible!
Recapitulation REVIEWS AND REFLECTIONS
Matthew Xie
London/Manchester
Gifted and Talented Music Tour With shouts of laughter, and Mr. O’Shea’s humming of I Like Chinese, the seven of us returned to Beijing from the ten day London/ Manchester Music Trip. We were totally exhausted in both body and mind. Body, fragile and weak due to a full day of traveling, from train to automobile to plane; mind, jammed with too many new ideas, new thoughts and newfound knowledge from the tour. There were many highlights of the trip: the immeasurably fascinating organ class, the esoteric instrument master classes, the stunning yet appealing opera rehear sals, and the final miraculous, breathtaking concert from percussion soloist Le Yu – all were marvelous and unforgettable experiences. When I am asked about details of the trip, the tour of the Royal Academy of Music is the first thing that comes to mind. The main building was smaller than I had expected, but the atmosphere inside was clearly a place where music belonged and flourished. It was a classical European-style building with artistic white pillars and ancient paintings on the walls. Inside you could hear music everywhere – not surprising, considering the building was jammed full of practice rooms. But even in the corridors you could see musicians practicing, and even in the cafeteria you could hear vocalists singing. I was stupefied, and knew deep down inside that this was a conservatory I’d like to study in no matter what it takes. While the others were touring London, I had two private lessons with a Dulwich College Beijing alumnus, Joseph Lim. He taught me many new techniques and helped me better understand my instrument, the clarinet. The
most valuable advice that he gave me was to learn to understand how the music should flow in lines rather than individual dots, and how important breathing is to fully realize this concept. Thinking of the suspension of the bass note in a phrase while playing is a useful technique, as in the mind of the performer that has a single long note, he/she will not have the awareness of playing notes “separately.” Doing so will make the phrase sound linked together and separate notes sound like one continuous line. We visited two cathedrals in the United Kingdom: the St. James Cathedral (in London) and the Manchester Cathedral. The St. James was humungous – the sound of the organ rang through the entire place. It felt like the walls hummed with the behemoth of an instrument, as did my inner organs. But I only got to find out what this instrument really was when we visited the Manchester Cathedral for an organ demonstration. It was simply spectacular. The long, silver tubes created a solemn atmosphere throughout the cathedral, both audibly and visually. I found it fascinating when the organ specialist started playing on the four-keyboard instrument. Even for me, as an observer, it was confusing: playing with two hands and two feet, in addition to dozens of buttons on either side to think about. But the music was even more the awe-inspiring. The sound was supernatural. It consisted of a combination of tones (the performer could change the timbre of notes with the buttons), with a surprisingly large dynamic range. And the way he played it was very interesting – because the keys on the organ only sound when it is being pressed (unlike with a piano), the player has to keep his finger on a key as long as the note needs to last, without the aid of a sustain pedal. This feature of the organ links to the concept of music being made up of lines and phrases. Within each of the notes that are being played at any moment in time, the
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listener should be able to feel the next; only this way can the piece sound more flowing and fluent. The music, in combination with its surrounding environment, created a solemn and serious atmosphere, evoking both emotion and admiration. On the last night of the trip we attended a concert given by percussionist Le Yu. Le Yu is a rising star in the percussion world; one could think of him as the Lang Lang of percussionists. His performance was full of passion, emotion and skill as he easily took control of both the music and the audience. One of his pieces on the marimba was dedicated to his grandfather; I honestly nearly cried during the piece, as it was one of the most beautiful pieces I’d ever heard. The most memorable moment of the concert came just after the final note that was struck: for a brief instance, time was suspended, allowing the aftertaste of the music to dissipate in my ears. At that point, I realised the importance of rests and pauses in music. As Artur Schnabel once said “The notes I handle no better than many pianists. But the pauses between the notes – ah, that is where the art resides!” And even more so at the end of a performance. It should be up to the musician as to when the audience will start their applause; if too late, there would be an awkward silence, but if too soon, the conclusion would sound rather rushed. Le Yu hit it right on the spot, masterfully concluding the final evening of the trip. Many other events took place during the ten day trip: master classes at both the Royal Northern College of Music and Chetham’s School of Music for a variety of instruments, some outstanding opera rehearsals of Paradise Moscow at Chetham’s, and other intriguing lectures and tours around London and Manchester. We learnt a lot during the trip, and also got to enjoy ourselves through such a meaningful experience.
ISCMS VI MASSive SPECIAL FEATURE
ISCMS VI - MASSive 2013 Five years ago, ISCMS (International Schools Choral Music Society) included only twelve schools, a hundred and twenty singers and was held in our very own Edward Alleyn Theatre. ISCMS was born to bring many cultures together and to foster a global musical experience. Today, this philosophy remains unchanged, but the scale of the festival has changed: this year twenty schools from a range of countries participated. As some of you may know, this year’s ISCMS was titled MASSive. Composer Paul Barker, was commissioned to write a piece of the same name for the festival. Following ISCMS’s multicultural philosophy, MASSive is a mass written in the style of rock. The clash of the two disparate genres leads to something amazing – as soprano Ashley Wang put it, “it feels alive.” In addition to MASSive, Wagner’s Tannhauser, Brahms’ Requiem and John Hui’s The Hollow Men were also performed during the festival gala concert. Tannhauser was quite difficult for the orchestral players; there were definitely moments of sheer intensity, especially in the beginning. The Brahms’ Requiem is no doubt a masterpiece, rolling through the night in waves - at times raging oceans, at times peaceful lakes. Contrastingly, The Hollow Men is much more eccentric, with atonal chords and ambiguous lyrics. It reminds one of a lonely walk through a beautiful graveyard. John Hui, the composer of this piece, was described by flautist Sarah Markus as “dark, scary John,” after the concert. Listening to the murmurs of the students, there seemed to be a general consensus that this year’s
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Jenny Xie
festival was just as good as, if not better than, the previous years’. All of the smallest details mattered – a large basketball court near the practice area, packets of seaweed to accompany the rice during meals, comfier sweatshirts, and a free ISCMS backpack. We must thank the host school, Busan International Foreign School, and their CAS events team for considering all of these details. Looking at the schedule, it wasn’t difficult to notice that rehearsals took up the majority of the time during the festival, despite the variety of concerts arranged for the participants in the evenings. The rehearsals were exhausting – your shoulders would ache from holding up the violin, and your voice would crack from overuse; you would get tired of having to stand up, sit down, lean back, and stand back up again. However, despite all this, the effort made by the students was worth it. To think about it, the work produced during ISCMS was incredible, as always – a twohour performance produced in less than four days! “That moment when the performance started – it felt awesome,” commented violinist April Hui, “I think we played and sang really well, and the music was also really excellent. If only it didn't pass so quickly.” As the festival ended with calls of “See you next year!” and “Add you on Facebook!”, there was no doubt that the musical experience was not the only thing the students gained during ISCMS – firm connections had been made between students, to be revisited in the festivals in years to come.
ISCMS VI MASSive Interviews
SPECIAL FEATURE
With ISCMS Participants and Practitioners Emma D’Arcy
ISCMS Participant from Discovery College, Hong Kong What part do you play/sing? Alto How many times have you been to ISCMS? It’s my first time here. What is the best part of the ISCMS? The experience: working with such a variety of talents. I really envy the orchestra as they all seem so talented and they sound amazing. I’m a piano player and I perform with the choir. What do you think of the pieces? The Brahms is a bit long for my liking. However, each movement is quite different, and that's really nice. The music was very powerful, and quite difficult to sing at times. MASSive has some nice melodies and harmonies. The Hollow Men was quite depressing, but I think it was pretty cool that a student had composed it.
Robert G Hasty
ISCMS Artistic Director for the Festival Orchestra
Paul Barker
Composer of MASSive
What does ISCMS mean to you?
How do you connect MASSive with ISCMS?
International Schools Choral Music Society. Just kidding. Well, I think ISCMS gives students an opportunity to perform greater works, like Karl Jenkins and the Brahms, that they can’t usually do in school due to the large amount of performers required. It is also an opportunity to focus on musical performance in collaboration with many others, and allows students to enjoy the traditions of performances.
ISCMS is pretty MASSive in itself. I mean you have the large orchestra, and the choir itself was great for students. I intended to write a piece that could really reflect the size of that voice, including the instruments, the rock band, the lead guitar, the soloist, and other things well.
Why is the ISCMS experience important?
Many composers have written for the Latin mass, and last year we had a practitioner, Beverly Vaughn, who worked with Gospel music, which the students really enjoyed. So, I thought MASSive would be a nice follow-up on that. I thought it would be quite nice to take a Latin mass, and in some ways, modernize it through the use of basic rock rhythms. I wanted add some more life to it, to make it more enjoyable for the students.
There are certain things in life you won’t understand without personally experiencing them, like having a baby, or getting married. Performing with other performers is such an experience, and there’s a large chance that this kind of opportunity will no longer be available to the students after they graduate.
ISCMS will be setting up a stand at the Music Learning Live Asia 2013 conference in Singapore. ISCMS VII 2014 will be featuring Grammy Award-winning composer Christopher Tin, and will be held in either Tokyo or Macau. We look forward to seeing you there!
For more information about the festival, visit www.iscms.net
Jenny Xie
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How does the style of MASSive (religious, solemn text in rock style) relate to ISCMS?
What do you think makes ISCMS special? ISCMS is really special in two ways. It allows students, teachers, and practitioners to choose and work on music that most schools in the world can’t work on, due to the difficulty of the music, and the level of expertise needed from the practitioners (here they have flown over from all around the world). It also allows practitioners with very high abilities in performance themselves to take part, and I think it’s important for students to see that as well.
Cue NEWS AND UPDATES
27th March, 2013
Wednesday
Jacob Shaw Solo Cello Recital 7:30pm - 9:00pm @ the Blackbox Theatre
14th April, 2013
Sunday
The Faure Requiem in Wangfujing Cathedral 7:30pm - 9:00pm @ the Wangfujing Cathedral
17th April, 2013
Wednesday 19th April, 2013
Friday
Legend Session Film Music 3:40pm - 4:30pm @ the Edward Alleyn Theatre
Moonlight Madness 5:30pm - 11:00pm @ the West Field
14th May, 2013
Tuesday
This annual extravaganza is a highlight of the school year, where everyone can get on stage and claim their moment of fame. Moonlight Madness has become a tradition at Dulwich College Beijing and this year it promises to be another amazing night. Come and enjoy a BBQ and witness over 200 students perform a variety of acts, no holds barred! What a day this promisees to be. Over 700 students will perform music throughout the day, the entertainment culminating in the Battle of the Bands Competition, Junior School Pop Idol, Senior School Pop Idol and an 80-piece orchestra on stage performing some Last Night of the Proms standards set to professionally timed fireworks, what a night!
Junior School Sounds of Spring 3:40pm - 4:30pm @ the Edward Alleyn Theatre
15th May, 2013
Wednesday
The Yale Spizziwinks 7:30pm - 9:00pm @ the Edward Alleyn Theatre
16th May, 2013
Thursday
Legend Session V 3:40pm - 4:30pm @ the Edward Alleyn Theatre
25th May, 2013
Saturday
Founder’s Day 1:30pm - 9:00pm @ the Legend Garden Campus
29th May, 2013
Wednesday 1st June, 2013
Saturday 6th June, 2013
Thursday
Beijing Youth Orchestra plays The Rite of Spring 7:30pm - 9:30pm @ the Edward Alleyn Theatre
Gamelan Concert
Monday
7:30pm - 9:00pm @ the Edward Alleyn Theatre
Jazz by the Lake
Music Awards Evening 7:30pm - 11:00pm @ the Hilton Beijing Hotel
This concert is brought to you courtesy of our very positive collaboration with the Central Conservatoire of Music. Join us for another first in Beijing, as we have the unique opportunity to hear and see a full Gamelan in operation. This is a concert not to be missed. An evening dedicated to our hard working music students, celebrating their achievements throughout the year. This year the Awards Evening will take place at the Hilton Hotel, where we will present 27 trophies in a variety of categories and listen to wonderful performances from our past and present students. This is the last official music event of the year, and Mr. O'Shea's last as Head of Music. Come along to what promises to be an emotional evening for all involved.
5:30pm - 9:00pm @ the Lakeside Cafe 10th June, 2013
The Legend Sessions are organised, run and marketed by our extremely proactive and dedicated Music Ambassador Team. The Team consists of over 40 members from Year 4 to Year 13. They create six Legend Session concerts a year, with over 70 students being involved in all facets of the production, including lights, sound, costumes, and learning the music. The empowered students run Legend Sessions without music teacher help or direct involvement.
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