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september 5 – 18, 2014
NEWS & PERSPECTIVES
Epoch Times
All photos courtesy of Abigail Sin
this is singapore
More than Music with Pianist Abigail Sin Pianist continued from Page 1 From rehearsing a concerto with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and participating in various music competitions, to watching Shakespeare and improvising with actors, her years of education at Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London had been an eye-opening and fulfilling experience which has nurtured her to be a more polished pianist. Having won numerous significant accolades at international piano competitions in Europe, the United States and Asia, and chosen by Steinway and Sons as South-East Asia’s first Young Steinway Artist, the well-travelled pianist has performed in concerts halls in the USA, UK, Canada, France, Germany, Lithuania, Ukraine, Romania, Hong Kong and South-East Asia. Now, the accomplished young pianist wants to bring classical music to the general audience in a more enjoyable way.
She and violinist Loh Jun Hong started ‘More Than Music’, intending to change the mindset that classical music is boring. Audiences can expect to listen to their candid and personal stories in the concerts. “More Than Music concerts feel more like a big house party, rather than a traditional recital,” she adds. A recipient of the Lee Kuan Yew Scholarship, Abigail will be pursuing her doctoral studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London this month. Before leaving for London, Abigail will be playing at More Than Music’s upcoming concert entitled Play! at the Esplanade Recital Studio on September 9. “I will also be curating and performing a series of concerts and lecture recitals over the next few years to complement my doctoral research,” conveys the pianist, who is extremely moved by Olivier Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time.
This heart-rending yet radiant piece was composed by Messiaen when he was detained in a Nazi prison camp during the Second World War. “Out of those devastating conditions, Messiae n spoke powerfully of ancient prophecies, eternal paradise and a world that would have nothing to do with oppression or suffering,” Abigail shares. When did your love for music start? When did you realise that you want to be a pianist? Music was just one of many things I was interested in as a kid. I used to tell people that I would be a ballerina! I love to read and I won academic prizes at school every year. I started studying with Prof Thomas Hecht when I was 11, which was a significant turning point for me. At 14, I entered the Bachelor of Music programme at Yong Siew Toh Conservatory, National University of Singapore, and I haven’t looked back since. On the other hand, I don’t think I’ve ever decided to be just “a pianist”. I’ve worked as a humanities and music history teaching assistant throughout my studies at NUS. I am also passionate about working with young students and I’m planning educational programmes to present at schools, as a soloist and also with More Than Music and the Asian Contemporary Ensemble. Pursuing a career as a musician can be so much more than being only “a pianist”, though that’s certainly fulfilling enough on its own. What is the importance of music in your life? What does music mean to you? Music is a prism through which we can view our world and a portal to dream of other ones. We use music, and other forms of art, as a means to explore what it means to be human. Playing the piano is a gift, a blessing and a constant source of frustration and fascination, but it does not define who I am. It’s just one part of my life.
Singaporean Pianist Abigail Sin
I hope to keep growing as an artist and find new and fulfilling ways to develop my musical career. Abigail Sin
Tell us a memory or an experience where a simple tune touched you and showed you something about life. Well it’s certainly not a simple tune, [but performing] Olivier Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time was an exhilarating and humbling experience. This 50-minute long work is mentally and physically demanding, but what makes it extraordinary is its context. The title of the Quartet is a quote from the Book of Revelations in the Bible, where an Angel announces the end of the world. Messiaen composed and premiered this piece when he was incarcerated in a Nazi prisoner of war camp during the Second World War. Out of those devastating conditions, Messiaen spoke powerfully of ancient prophecies, eternal paradise and a world that would have nothing to do with oppression or suffering.
This music is radiant with divine beauty, unvanquishable strength and a fierce joy that transcends our human condition. Learning and performing this monumental work was a lifechanging experience for me. How does it feel like to be called the piano prodigy? I am very grateful to have received so much support and opportunities from a young age. I hope to keep growing as an artist and find new and fulfilling ways to develop my musical career. There is still a long road ahead. You pursued a master’s degree from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. Tell us more about your school life in London. How has the teaching influenced you? I had a wonderful time at Guildhall and I felt well-supported by my professors and the school. I had amazing opportunities, such as performing at Wigmore Hall, performing for the City of London Festival in 2012 and even rehearsing a concerto with the BBC Symphony Orchestra. I loved how much there was to see and do in London. I threw myself into a wide variety of activities: competitions, chamber music, improvising with actors and co-leading the Christian Union at Guildhall. I also went to France often for performances and masterclasses. In my free time, I would get dis-