WEBVTT 00:00:21.870 --> 00:00:26.170 That was Mélissande, Opus 109 by Mel Bonice and 00:00:26.170 --> 00:00:29.489 it was performed by Chenyon Lee. I'm Erica Worth 00:00:29.489 --> 00:00:32.469 and welcome to this Pianist Podcast. Today I 00:00:32.469 --> 00:00:34.969 am speaking with Chenyon Lee about her remarkable 00:00:34.969 --> 00:00:39.310 role as Pianist Magazine's House Pianist. Chenyon, 00:00:39.390 --> 00:00:41.530 it's lovely to have you on the Pianist Podcast 00:00:41.530 --> 00:00:46.689 today. Hi Erica, it's not been long has it? No, 00:00:46.810 --> 00:00:47.929 absolutely not. Except for this time that we 00:00:47.929 --> 00:00:52.420 are talking in public. Absolutely. So many people 00:00:52.420 --> 00:00:55.539 will know you as the pianist who records all 00:00:55.539 --> 00:00:57.780 the pieces for Pianist Magazine. So I thought 00:00:57.780 --> 00:01:01.500 it would be great to hear. Great for you to tell 00:01:01.500 --> 00:01:05.099 everybody what it's like, this huge job of yours. 00:01:05.500 --> 00:01:09.500 It's an absolute great pleasure. And of course, 00:01:09.519 --> 00:01:13.430 I honour that to you. I'm just one of the team, 00:01:13.549 --> 00:01:16.269 aren't I? And I thought this is a great chance 00:01:16.269 --> 00:01:19.549 also because you're always there to interview 00:01:19.549 --> 00:01:22.629 other pianists. But this is probably also the 00:01:22.629 --> 00:01:25.829 rare chance, Erica, that you can join me and 00:01:25.829 --> 00:01:29.060 we can both discuss. You know, what's it been 00:01:29.060 --> 00:01:31.540 like? Absolutely. I think it might be interesting 00:01:31.540 --> 00:01:34.519 for many people to hear. Yeah, I think it's most 00:01:34.519 --> 00:01:37.420 probably because you and I liaise and chat so 00:01:37.420 --> 00:01:40.780 much about the production of the music for the 00:01:40.780 --> 00:01:44.900 magazine. So, yeah, if you talk about it, explain 00:01:44.900 --> 00:01:46.920 what it's like. I mean, you've been recording 00:01:46.920 --> 00:01:51.980 the pieces since 2011. I know. I can't believe 00:01:51.980 --> 00:01:54.319 it. It's such a long time ago. I mean, I started 00:01:54.319 --> 00:01:57.909 recording for pianists before I had kids. And 00:01:57.909 --> 00:02:02.790 my older one's already 14. Oh, my goodness. It's 00:02:02.790 --> 00:02:05.829 just a year before Milo was born. That was amazing. 00:02:06.390 --> 00:02:09.469 Incredible. So how many pieces do you think you've 00:02:09.469 --> 00:02:13.069 learned in that time? Do you know? I actually 00:02:13.069 --> 00:02:18.469 did some study on this. And since we published 00:02:18.469 --> 00:02:23.610 this from issue 58 until 148, I know we are a 00:02:23.610 --> 00:02:28.099 few issues ahead. But for that. duration of issues 00:02:28.099 --> 00:02:34.780 we've recorded 1 ,081 repertoire. And among those, 00:02:34.939 --> 00:02:40.759 640 by major recognized composers and 441 by 00:02:40.759 --> 00:02:44.759 smaller or lesser known composers. And the whole 00:02:44.759 --> 00:02:47.879 estimated average length for each piece is around 00:02:47.879 --> 00:02:52.539 three minutes. And so the roundup total playing 00:02:52.539 --> 00:02:55.400 time, you're going to gasp on this one, is 3 00:02:55.400 --> 00:03:03.150 ,218 minutes or about nearly... 54 hours of recording 00:03:03.150 --> 00:03:10.189 we've done that is incredible I can't believe 00:03:10.189 --> 00:03:12.729 it everybody listen to that isn't that incredible 00:03:12.729 --> 00:03:16.090 I know I know I mean like because we're always 00:03:16.090 --> 00:03:19.069 dealing with each issue at the time you never 00:03:19.069 --> 00:03:21.949 think about them when they are accumulated over 00:03:21.949 --> 00:03:25.509 such a long period of time this is amazing and 00:03:25.509 --> 00:03:27.770 I'm going to ask you something right now let's 00:03:27.770 --> 00:03:31.240 say There was a piece you recorded five years 00:03:31.240 --> 00:03:34.800 ago. Would you be able to pick it up in your 00:03:34.800 --> 00:03:40.060 fingers again? Well, actually, I've tried something 00:03:40.060 --> 00:03:44.439 I've done really quite well and even recorded 00:03:44.439 --> 00:03:49.159 and memorised everything. And honestly, no, no, 00:03:49.240 --> 00:03:52.360 I have to relearn. But it's true at some point. 00:03:53.919 --> 00:03:56.919 as i was relearning it and then things come back 00:03:56.919 --> 00:04:01.439 way quicker but um even the old fingering i find 00:04:01.439 --> 00:04:06.020 i used to do are odd so it's each time it's it's 00:04:06.020 --> 00:04:09.319 never the same so that feels like not a great 00:04:09.319 --> 00:04:15.259 bargain but it it is easier for me but not that 00:04:15.259 --> 00:04:19.300 easy as you would thought yes yes yes yes that's 00:04:19.300 --> 00:04:23.259 incredible now i mean tell listeners about the 00:04:23.259 --> 00:04:27.060 whole process i mean i are you and i liaise about 00:04:27.060 --> 00:04:29.620 the repertoire and then you have to learn these 00:04:29.620 --> 00:04:33.560 pieces very quickly don't you yeah well um i 00:04:33.560 --> 00:04:37.660 think really the the the front part the the first 00:04:37.660 --> 00:04:42.120 part of a process is really um very much You, 00:04:42.240 --> 00:04:44.519 you've done that part of selecting repertoire, 00:04:44.699 --> 00:04:49.399 consult the whole team or extended experts on 00:04:49.399 --> 00:04:55.459 deciding what themes we might do. And so really, 00:04:55.600 --> 00:05:00.439 I have that part, the difficult part done by 00:05:00.439 --> 00:05:04.100 you, Erica. So mostly you feed me the piece. 00:05:04.540 --> 00:05:07.180 pieces or and of course you have to consider 00:05:07.180 --> 00:05:13.040 a lot about the pages or each we cater for different 00:05:13.040 --> 00:05:16.279 level of difficulty don't we and how to evenly 00:05:16.279 --> 00:05:20.899 distribute them as well yes so I have the easy 00:05:20.899 --> 00:05:23.480 part I only have to learn the pieces and play 00:05:23.480 --> 00:05:27.300 them to the best of my ability so when I first 00:05:27.300 --> 00:05:30.040 received the music I normally sort of like play 00:05:30.040 --> 00:05:33.019 through the entire collection to just get over 00:05:33.660 --> 00:05:37.459 overall view of it. I think over the years I 00:05:37.459 --> 00:05:40.399 might become like more increasingly conscious 00:05:40.399 --> 00:05:44.959 of protecting my own initial response to a piece 00:05:44.959 --> 00:05:48.199 because particularly when it's a more unfamiliar 00:05:48.199 --> 00:05:52.699 piece before listening to anyone else I want 00:05:52.699 --> 00:05:55.980 to discover my own instinctive reaction. What 00:05:55.980 --> 00:05:58.180 character do I want to hear it? What does it 00:05:58.180 --> 00:06:02.370 seem to be going? What do I think? it wants to 00:06:02.370 --> 00:06:06.370 communicate. So once I have that initial formalized 00:06:06.370 --> 00:06:10.689 some ideas, I then would broaden my understanding 00:06:10.689 --> 00:06:14.589 by, you know, going into more deeper researches 00:06:14.589 --> 00:06:17.370 and, you know, to learn about the background 00:06:17.370 --> 00:06:19.850 and the composers and understand the context 00:06:19.850 --> 00:06:24.449 in which the pieces were written, etc. But of 00:06:24.449 --> 00:06:27.430 course, most frequently, the most direct way 00:06:27.430 --> 00:06:31.620 is to listen to other interpretation by other 00:06:31.620 --> 00:06:35.420 pianists and what you know um especially nowadays 00:06:35.420 --> 00:06:39.240 we are so spoiled for so many platform of experience 00:06:39.240 --> 00:06:42.980 music you know thinking about um in the childhood 00:06:42.980 --> 00:06:45.819 you know i was still trying to get a reference 00:06:45.819 --> 00:06:51.240 from cassettes yes so um but sometimes it was 00:06:51.240 --> 00:06:53.660 a lesser known repertoire uh recording can be 00:06:53.660 --> 00:06:57.470 quite scarce though because we do feature So 00:06:57.470 --> 00:07:01.189 I have to rely much more heavily on my own sort 00:07:01.189 --> 00:07:05.009 of a musical instinct and judgment. With a familiar 00:07:05.009 --> 00:07:09.910 piece, however, it's another perspective because 00:07:09.910 --> 00:07:13.649 you get a greater variety of a very different 00:07:13.649 --> 00:07:18.430 interpretation. So I would still have to do a 00:07:18.430 --> 00:07:21.730 fair amount of research because it's fascinating 00:07:21.730 --> 00:07:25.910 to compare them and then to... you know to learn 00:07:25.910 --> 00:07:30.509 and to maybe sometimes copy um what i really 00:07:30.509 --> 00:07:34.209 like the most yes um so and now after that i 00:07:34.209 --> 00:07:39.509 think also tempo is become a very very very significant 00:07:39.509 --> 00:07:44.040 decision Because increasingly I'm aware how complete 00:07:44.040 --> 00:07:46.740 the identity of a piece can change according 00:07:46.740 --> 00:07:50.379 to the slight tempo change you choose. So it 00:07:50.379 --> 00:07:53.500 affects not only the speed, but also the character, 00:07:53.620 --> 00:07:56.860 the phrasing and the mood and atmosphere and 00:07:56.860 --> 00:08:00.060 et cetera. Yeah, so after making those broader 00:08:00.060 --> 00:08:02.839 decision, I work a lot more closely on the details 00:08:02.839 --> 00:08:06.220 and then try to be. then try to be not overly 00:08:06.220 --> 00:08:09.319 influenced by other performers, because ultimately, 00:08:09.540 --> 00:08:12.660 I think the interpretation still has to feel 00:08:12.660 --> 00:08:18.360 like my own. Yeah. And but, you know, there's 00:08:18.360 --> 00:08:22.279 always a moment that I hear a great idea that 00:08:22.279 --> 00:08:25.519 is so brilliant that I just impossible to hear 00:08:25.519 --> 00:08:30.779 again. So I so I learned. I think all musicians 00:08:30.779 --> 00:08:33.899 learn from one another in that way. Exactly. 00:08:33.919 --> 00:08:38.059 And I mean, it's all subjective at the time, 00:08:38.100 --> 00:08:40.580 isn't it? It's like people who play the Beethoven 00:08:40.580 --> 00:08:44.179 sonatas then go back to them in 10 years' time 00:08:44.179 --> 00:08:47.539 and record them again. I mean, it's totally different, 00:08:47.659 --> 00:08:50.200 isn't it? It's so important as well. I mean, 00:08:50.200 --> 00:08:55.850 how else would you learn or have a growth? as 00:08:55.850 --> 00:09:01.230 artistically a development if you don't try to 00:09:01.230 --> 00:09:05.690 reinvent. And because, you know, myself as a 00:09:05.690 --> 00:09:09.330 player now, as from 10 years ago, probably is 00:09:09.330 --> 00:09:14.830 very different. Yes. Yes. Very interesting. But 00:09:14.830 --> 00:09:18.370 what I like is before you record them, you and 00:09:18.370 --> 00:09:22.240 I. talk to each other and you play me through 00:09:22.240 --> 00:09:24.879 we certainly little bits of each piece don't 00:09:24.879 --> 00:09:27.600 you and yeah i might occasionally say oh wow 00:09:27.600 --> 00:09:30.379 chenyan isn't that a little bit faster or it's 00:09:30.379 --> 00:09:33.350 absolutely slow but You know, it's interesting, 00:09:33.590 --> 00:09:35.429 isn't it? Because even you and me, we have our 00:09:35.429 --> 00:09:39.029 different ideas. It's so important. I mean, like 00:09:39.029 --> 00:09:42.769 at first I thought it was maybe just a more like 00:09:42.769 --> 00:09:45.590 a routine meetup. You know, we need to absolutely 00:09:45.590 --> 00:09:49.350 agree on all that. But gradually I realized how 00:09:49.350 --> 00:09:52.950 important it is just to check anything that we, 00:09:53.110 --> 00:09:57.940 you know, so you are like. Another pair of eyes 00:09:57.940 --> 00:10:01.960 or another pair of ears that I already do not 00:10:01.960 --> 00:10:04.840 hear myself anymore. So it's just reflecting 00:10:04.840 --> 00:10:10.559 back. And also, you know, that changes is still 00:10:10.559 --> 00:10:14.980 occurring even. into the recording session because 00:10:14.980 --> 00:10:20.019 um our producer um would then question me oh 00:10:20.019 --> 00:10:23.039 what do you think about this tempo even if it's 00:10:23.039 --> 00:10:26.059 a tempo that you and i already agreed and i thought 00:10:26.059 --> 00:10:30.899 yeah maybe and you know um maybe maybe that needs 00:10:30.899 --> 00:10:34.700 to another rethink And because there's another 00:10:34.700 --> 00:10:37.460 valid reason, which I haven't considered previously, 00:10:38.019 --> 00:10:42.019 that has been presented. And we just we just 00:10:42.019 --> 00:10:46.620 have to react and and trying to put the best 00:10:46.620 --> 00:10:50.299 work out there, even as late as in the recording 00:10:50.299 --> 00:10:55.000 session. That's remarkable. And of course. You 00:10:55.000 --> 00:10:58.480 go into the recording session. How long? I mean, 00:10:58.500 --> 00:11:02.179 in the magazine, in each issue we have about. 00:11:02.669 --> 00:11:06.970 12, 13 pieces, don't we? From beginner to advanced, 00:11:07.289 --> 00:11:11.529 how long roughly and how many takes does it take 00:11:11.529 --> 00:11:15.230 to record one album of the magazine, one issue? 00:11:16.769 --> 00:11:20.330 It really varies. It's hard to say, especially 00:11:20.330 --> 00:11:24.889 lately when we changed our venue from the RCM 00:11:24.889 --> 00:11:32.620 back to Bishop Storford College. That has some 00:11:32.620 --> 00:11:35.919 great advantage because the natural acoustic 00:11:35.919 --> 00:11:40.580 definitely, in my opinion, beats the recording 00:11:40.580 --> 00:11:44.720 studio, which is more artificial. But with that 00:11:44.720 --> 00:11:49.159 natural ambience and the reverb, you do suffer 00:11:49.159 --> 00:11:53.899 from... tiniest noise from outside like sometimes 00:11:53.899 --> 00:11:57.700 the birds chirping and the trees are rustling 00:11:57.700 --> 00:12:02.000 too loud a wind or even the building itself makes 00:12:02.000 --> 00:12:06.139 some funny noise all of this has to then unexpectedly 00:12:06.139 --> 00:12:10.179 but but also expectantly you you will have to 00:12:10.179 --> 00:12:13.899 stop and then do a retake so it's very much depend 00:12:13.899 --> 00:12:20.039 on the day And yeah, but mostly I find that that 00:12:20.039 --> 00:12:24.340 has taken a lot longer than we used to do. We 00:12:24.340 --> 00:12:28.399 sort of did it in three to four hours length 00:12:28.399 --> 00:12:33.059 before in the recording studio. But now in the 00:12:33.059 --> 00:12:38.529 natural setting, we... I normally do six hours 00:12:38.529 --> 00:12:42.950 plus, depending if it's like a really, also the 00:12:42.950 --> 00:12:49.070 difference on pieces determines a lot how many 00:12:49.070 --> 00:12:53.309 takes. If it's a slow, if it's, you know, sometimes 00:12:53.309 --> 00:12:56.730 the stool also makes us crack. If I don't sit 00:12:56.730 --> 00:13:01.730 properly or if the pedal, using the soft pedal, 00:13:01.850 --> 00:13:05.409 all of the, any of this small details can just, 00:13:06.059 --> 00:13:09.120 stop a recording in process and then do another 00:13:09.120 --> 00:13:12.840 take and maybe another one that's amazing that's 00:13:12.840 --> 00:13:15.940 amazing and I remember through the years I mean 00:13:15.940 --> 00:13:18.639 you know the climate you've you've had to practice 00:13:18.639 --> 00:13:21.340 in freezing cold when the heating hasn't been 00:13:21.340 --> 00:13:24.799 working I remember like just having layers and 00:13:24.799 --> 00:13:28.279 layers and also with a blanket over my knee so 00:13:28.279 --> 00:13:32.200 funny then of course extreme heat yeah I don't 00:13:32.200 --> 00:13:34.879 know. Which do you prefer, extremely hot or extremely 00:13:34.879 --> 00:13:41.399 cold? I don't know. I think we are lucky in here 00:13:41.399 --> 00:13:44.919 because it's not that extreme, although it seems 00:13:44.919 --> 00:13:50.539 to be getting more. But, yeah, I think preferably 00:13:50.539 --> 00:13:53.750 maybe not the wintertime. Yes. Particularly if 00:13:53.750 --> 00:13:57.250 you have to sit there all day. Yes. Now, going 00:13:57.250 --> 00:13:59.750 back to the repertoire you were talking about, 00:13:59.789 --> 00:14:02.289 and I always like to find repertoire, a combination 00:14:02.289 --> 00:14:06.210 of well -known pieces that people have been dying 00:14:06.210 --> 00:14:08.730 to learn and then also the more obscure, more 00:14:08.730 --> 00:14:12.009 unknown, amazing gems that I've discovered along 00:14:12.009 --> 00:14:15.250 the way. Are there any composers that you've 00:14:15.250 --> 00:14:19.490 suddenly grown to love through recording for 00:14:19.490 --> 00:14:23.639 Pianist? Well, there's so many. And you've, you 00:14:23.639 --> 00:14:27.159 are, I mean, I'm not just blowing your trumpet 00:14:27.159 --> 00:14:31.039 here, but, you know, like you've always, always 00:14:31.039 --> 00:14:35.620 managed to source very interesting and the great 00:14:35.620 --> 00:14:41.759 diversity of music, which I thought I often get, 00:14:41.940 --> 00:14:46.990 you know, amazed. And I never thought. um you 00:14:46.990 --> 00:14:49.590 know i would be still like oh really excited 00:14:49.590 --> 00:14:52.590 about but i'm constantly so i'm no longer surprised 00:14:52.590 --> 00:14:56.649 um so i told you that the the quantity didn't 00:14:56.649 --> 00:15:02.669 i before yes um um but uh mostly And our readers 00:15:02.669 --> 00:15:05.809 would know we are doing the sort of a miniature 00:15:05.809 --> 00:15:10.909 or short pieces in the magazine. So it's, you 00:15:10.909 --> 00:15:14.210 know, we are not ready to tackle a 30 or 40 minutes 00:15:14.210 --> 00:15:20.230 sonata. So if, you know, if you're not ready 00:15:20.230 --> 00:15:23.250 to play something like a list of B minus, there 00:15:23.250 --> 00:15:26.470 are also so many shorter pieces through which 00:15:26.470 --> 00:15:31.159 one can. still discover his musical world. So 00:15:31.159 --> 00:15:34.320 these pieces may be small scale, but they are 00:15:34.320 --> 00:15:37.840 not necessarily small in the musical value. So 00:15:37.840 --> 00:15:43.379 many hidden gems. So we obviously explore a great 00:15:43.379 --> 00:15:47.059 deal of, you know, major composers' works like 00:15:47.059 --> 00:15:49.580 Bach, Scarlatti, you name it, Mozart, Beethoven, 00:15:49.740 --> 00:15:56.139 Schubert, Schumann, etc. It's probably the most 00:15:56.139 --> 00:16:00.240 rewarding diversity has been discovered for the 00:16:00.240 --> 00:16:02.879 lesser -known composers, particularly the female 00:16:02.879 --> 00:16:05.179 composers. Yes, I was going to say that. Which 00:16:05.179 --> 00:16:08.100 was quite unfamiliar to me. I mean, like, I've 00:16:08.100 --> 00:16:12.220 become a very fond of Melbourneese. Exactly. 00:16:12.679 --> 00:16:15.259 And the Chaminade. Yes, I was going to say that 00:16:15.259 --> 00:16:19.200 too. And, of course, the 20th century Amy Beach. 00:16:19.320 --> 00:16:22.980 I always find that. you know her works very interesting 00:16:22.980 --> 00:16:25.539 even there are miniature workers there are always 00:16:25.539 --> 00:16:29.000 a lot of twists and a lot of surprises that you 00:16:29.000 --> 00:16:32.299 would just thought you know oh i'm already quite 00:16:32.299 --> 00:16:34.720 experienced in playing a lot of music but yeah 00:16:34.720 --> 00:16:39.159 you know i always will see some, you know, be 00:16:39.159 --> 00:16:42.460 surprised when I encounter music. So these music 00:16:42.460 --> 00:16:46.500 really are wonderful works and I've loved them 00:16:46.500 --> 00:16:48.799 so much. I, you know, include them in my own 00:16:48.799 --> 00:16:51.860 concerts and introduce to my students and so 00:16:51.860 --> 00:16:55.759 on. So it really has widened and broadened my 00:16:55.759 --> 00:16:58.960 musical horizons. Thank to you. Yeah. I mean, 00:16:58.960 --> 00:17:01.639 for me too, when I come across a piece and of 00:17:01.639 --> 00:17:03.840 course, you know, when I'm trying to find music, 00:17:03.879 --> 00:17:06.279 then I find another piece. It's like a kind of, 00:17:07.369 --> 00:17:10.210 path into another unknown area, but you're right 00:17:10.210 --> 00:17:13.670 about Melbouni and Chaminade and oh my goodness, 00:17:13.730 --> 00:17:17.349 those pieces are absolutely amazing, ravishing, 00:17:17.650 --> 00:17:20.529 you know. Yeah, I think you're also, you have 00:17:20.529 --> 00:17:24.190 a strong lineage towards French music, don't 00:17:24.190 --> 00:17:26.369 you, Erica? I don't know, I always thought German, 00:17:26.390 --> 00:17:29.650 I always thought German romantic. Really? Well, 00:17:29.789 --> 00:17:32.849 maybe both, but you know, like, you know, we 00:17:32.849 --> 00:17:36.009 also do quite a lot of French baroque composers. 00:17:37.239 --> 00:17:43.660 like um chimera chimera is not but um you know 00:17:43.660 --> 00:17:46.900 like oh we've done tons of girl and a curler 00:17:46.900 --> 00:17:51.240 because going through the compilation i realized 00:17:51.240 --> 00:17:55.720 how many but i you know like this is so invaluable 00:17:55.720 --> 00:17:59.220 for the piano learners i think for them i think 00:17:59.220 --> 00:18:02.180 so and it's always harder to find interesting 00:18:02.180 --> 00:18:05.299 pieces for the beginner isn't it yes yes and 00:18:05.299 --> 00:18:09.160 that's why we have we have done a lot of Beethoven 00:18:09.160 --> 00:18:13.299 Bagatelle which are just amazing oh I know I 00:18:13.299 --> 00:18:16.259 know no the repertoire is astounding but you 00:18:16.259 --> 00:18:20.640 know um with regards to your own playing have 00:18:20.640 --> 00:18:23.160 you discovered it has as recording these pieces 00:18:23.160 --> 00:18:27.299 has this job let's say yeah Has it done something 00:18:27.299 --> 00:18:29.480 for your own playing? Has it made you discover 00:18:29.480 --> 00:18:31.220 things in your own playing that you might not 00:18:31.220 --> 00:18:33.140 have discovered? Have you not been recording 00:18:33.140 --> 00:18:36.279 these pieces for pianists? Yeah, it's a really 00:18:36.279 --> 00:18:39.160 interesting question. Well, I think it really 00:18:39.160 --> 00:18:43.980 gives me a kind of musical self -belief that 00:18:43.980 --> 00:18:47.559 I probably lacked as a younger pianist. I think 00:18:47.559 --> 00:18:51.579 I've always had a fairly strong sort of musical 00:18:51.579 --> 00:18:56.869 instinct. But it takes time to discover one's 00:18:56.869 --> 00:19:00.950 own voice and even longer to trust it. So if 00:19:00.950 --> 00:19:05.829 you want a listener to be convinced by your interpretation, 00:19:06.130 --> 00:19:10.069 you first have to believe in it yourself. But 00:19:10.069 --> 00:19:13.670 at the same time, I'm naturally very self -critical 00:19:13.670 --> 00:19:16.880 because it's... probably it's been built into 00:19:16.880 --> 00:19:19.900 the DNA of being a musician. You know, you must 00:19:19.900 --> 00:19:22.180 constantly question yourself and then be prepared 00:19:22.180 --> 00:19:26.259 to change, to improve, even that means that you 00:19:26.259 --> 00:19:30.500 to knock off or destroy the part of. you know, 00:19:30.539 --> 00:19:33.940 what you used to do. So it's sort of like a very 00:19:33.940 --> 00:19:37.980 deeply ingrained in the part of a working process. 00:19:38.259 --> 00:19:41.940 So the danger is that constant self -questioning 00:19:41.940 --> 00:19:46.339 can gradually undermine the confidence. So one 00:19:46.339 --> 00:19:48.960 of the most valuable thing I think a pianist 00:19:48.960 --> 00:19:53.700 has, you know, doing this. job for pianists has 00:19:53.700 --> 00:19:56.980 taught me is how to find a better balance between 00:19:56.980 --> 00:20:00.400 those two to remain self -critical but without 00:20:00.400 --> 00:20:04.140 losing the trust in my own musical judgment so 00:20:04.140 --> 00:20:07.440 through repeating repeatedly doing this process 00:20:07.440 --> 00:20:10.339 you know learning recording listening and reassessing 00:20:10.339 --> 00:20:13.819 I have really gradually formed a much clearer 00:20:14.380 --> 00:20:17.339 I think, a music perspective. I know how confidently, 00:20:17.619 --> 00:20:21.839 I'm more confident of what I like and how I want 00:20:21.839 --> 00:20:25.059 to play and what I rather avoid. Perhaps the 00:20:25.059 --> 00:20:27.660 voice is also part of me, but the experience 00:20:27.660 --> 00:20:29.839 really helped me to strengthen it and recognize 00:20:29.839 --> 00:20:32.670 and trust it. That's so interesting. Well, I 00:20:32.670 --> 00:20:36.549 totally trust you. I mean, sometimes... Yes, 00:20:36.549 --> 00:20:41.309 and your trust has been also so reassuring. And, 00:20:41.369 --> 00:20:44.930 you know, every time you still take the trouble 00:20:44.930 --> 00:20:49.410 to review after we've even published every issue, 00:20:49.470 --> 00:20:54.410 you always write sort of like an insider review. 00:20:55.450 --> 00:20:59.069 on every piece is how it sounds at the end that 00:20:59.069 --> 00:21:02.150 just yeah it's it's really great to hear them 00:21:02.150 --> 00:21:06.549 all the time and to keep me on the track I think 00:21:06.549 --> 00:21:09.849 well I love to listen to your final edits and 00:21:10.410 --> 00:21:13.349 And what is lovely is when I listen to them, 00:21:13.410 --> 00:21:15.829 it's almost like a concert program. You know, 00:21:15.849 --> 00:21:18.430 you start with the easy stuff and you go, then 00:21:18.430 --> 00:21:20.250 you go to intermediate and then you end up with 00:21:20.250 --> 00:21:23.109 advanced. But I also like to hear the differences 00:21:23.109 --> 00:21:26.309 of repertoire. You know, and by the end of the 00:21:26.309 --> 00:21:29.250 album, I get, you know, I'll get goosebumps and 00:21:29.250 --> 00:21:32.390 I'll think, wow, Chenyin, you're amazing. No, 00:21:32.430 --> 00:21:35.490 no, that's incredible. It's absolutely the communal 00:21:35.490 --> 00:21:39.890 effort here, really. It's just through. these 00:21:39.890 --> 00:21:43.630 recordings that they represented so that's why 00:21:43.630 --> 00:21:47.410 it's so important as you do know each piece so 00:21:47.410 --> 00:21:51.250 well and you're hearing them being edited they 00:21:51.250 --> 00:21:55.009 but still at the very end you go back as if you'll 00:21:55.009 --> 00:21:57.190 never listen before and then just appreciate 00:21:57.190 --> 00:22:00.549 them as like an individual program absolutely 00:22:00.549 --> 00:22:04.250 and of course we have to thank your producer 00:22:04.250 --> 00:22:09.349 as well don't yes yes well it's my producer Yes, 00:22:09.349 --> 00:22:13.329 our producer is Yago Nunez. He's my husband, 00:22:13.390 --> 00:22:16.509 but also he's been on the team right from day 00:22:16.509 --> 00:22:20.369 one, hasn't he? And he's been the absolute rock 00:22:20.369 --> 00:22:27.170 of all the sort of aesthetics of the music and 00:22:27.170 --> 00:22:31.650 the recording quality and everything. I mean, 00:22:31.690 --> 00:22:36.470 I've never seen such a... sometimes frustratingly 00:22:36.470 --> 00:22:39.430 like a detailed man. And he's just go fessing 00:22:39.430 --> 00:22:42.589 over everything that I can't even, I think is 00:22:42.589 --> 00:22:47.650 too much, but it's without that level of a great 00:22:47.650 --> 00:22:53.490 taste and also listening ability and professionalism 00:22:53.490 --> 00:22:58.220 in what he does. We won't have this. Sort of 00:22:58.220 --> 00:23:01.039 this level of quality of recording come out issue 00:23:01.039 --> 00:23:04.500 after issue. Yeah, I mean, he strives for perfection, 00:23:04.859 --> 00:23:07.839 doesn't he? Yes, yes. And he's so talented. I 00:23:07.839 --> 00:23:12.619 mean, one man crew. And he also, every issue, 00:23:12.720 --> 00:23:15.470 well. You can see it on YouTube, but he always 00:23:15.470 --> 00:23:18.809 videos at least. Yes, yes, we do sometimes. If 00:23:18.809 --> 00:23:24.269 you give us a four hands and often he does, especially 00:23:24.269 --> 00:23:27.650 with the Spanish repertoire feature that you 00:23:27.650 --> 00:23:31.289 probably rather give it to him to record it. 00:23:32.549 --> 00:23:34.670 He's very good with the Spanish because he's 00:23:34.670 --> 00:23:37.829 Spanish. Of course, yeah. He's a Spanish native, 00:23:38.089 --> 00:23:43.509 and he really did his final thesis on Albania. 00:23:43.750 --> 00:23:47.730 So I think any Albanian piece just have to automatically 00:23:47.730 --> 00:23:51.230 go to Iago, I'm afraid. Interesting. Well, we 00:23:51.230 --> 00:23:55.630 are a team, aren't we? It makes the whole thing 00:23:55.630 --> 00:24:01.029 such a joy. Yeah. Yeah. So, wow. So, I mean, 00:24:01.029 --> 00:24:02.750 this obviously takes up quite a bit of your... 00:24:03.049 --> 00:24:06.670 work life um but you have a lot else going on 00:24:06.670 --> 00:24:10.509 as well don't you um if you'd like to talk talk 00:24:10.509 --> 00:24:15.349 about some of your other well um well this is 00:24:15.349 --> 00:24:18.349 yeah really uh for the number of years but uh 00:24:18.349 --> 00:24:22.509 i probably see myself sort of divided into four 00:24:22.509 --> 00:24:28.049 different So this part of working for pianists 00:24:28.049 --> 00:24:32.910 is the recording pianist part. And the other, 00:24:32.950 --> 00:24:35.589 the second part is my teaching, obviously. I've 00:24:35.589 --> 00:24:39.509 always associated with the Junior Guildhall. 00:24:39.730 --> 00:24:42.750 And then that was the first job as soon as I 00:24:42.750 --> 00:24:46.309 graduated that I got. And I've been there for 00:24:46.309 --> 00:24:50.809 nearly 20 years now. And really, it feels like 00:24:50.809 --> 00:24:55.650 I've never left the school. And the third part 00:24:55.650 --> 00:25:01.309 is really just my life as a performer outside 00:25:01.309 --> 00:25:05.670 the magazine. And I also do some other recordings 00:25:05.670 --> 00:25:08.670 when it's more like an individual project. And 00:25:08.670 --> 00:25:11.650 that covers the solo recitals, concerto performances, 00:25:11.910 --> 00:25:15.250 collaboration with orchestra or composers and 00:25:15.250 --> 00:25:18.319 other. you know, as I said, recording projects. 00:25:18.539 --> 00:25:21.839 And the last part is more personal. I'm a mom. 00:25:21.960 --> 00:25:28.039 So I guess, so of two boys, one 14 and 11. So 00:25:28.039 --> 00:25:33.259 possibly the most challenging part of the job. 00:25:34.380 --> 00:25:38.619 Is it really? Yeah, it's just a different and 00:25:38.619 --> 00:25:42.039 as they grow, but I haven't, I haven't had a 00:25:42.039 --> 00:25:46.269 major teenage. teenager rebellions started yet. 00:25:46.349 --> 00:25:49.509 So let's just keep our finger crossed. And are 00:25:49.509 --> 00:25:52.589 they learning the piano as well? Yes, they can't 00:25:52.589 --> 00:25:54.829 avoid. I mean, like both their parents are pianists, 00:25:54.829 --> 00:25:57.829 so what can they do? But possibly not to the 00:25:57.829 --> 00:26:01.569 degree that we like them. But yes, they're definitely 00:26:01.569 --> 00:26:05.769 learning piano and other instruments, brass instruments. 00:26:06.369 --> 00:26:11.069 And my older son is also at the junior guild 00:26:11.069 --> 00:26:14.400 hall doing jazz piano. Oh, jazz piano. Interesting. 00:26:14.460 --> 00:26:18.859 Yes, yes. So you've got a very noisy home environment. 00:26:19.319 --> 00:26:21.819 Yeah, we are the noisy resource for the whole 00:26:21.819 --> 00:26:24.900 street and everybody has been very kind. But 00:26:24.900 --> 00:26:28.000 yeah, so the last street party we just had, they 00:26:28.000 --> 00:26:30.599 said, oh, you're the pianist from that number 00:26:30.599 --> 00:26:35.019 three. And that's us. Yes, so we have a strong 00:26:35.019 --> 00:26:38.799 label, all of us. Oh, isn't that wonderful? So 00:26:38.799 --> 00:26:41.799 interesting hearing about your life. Well, as 00:26:41.799 --> 00:26:45.210 we get... Towards the end of our wonderful podcast 00:26:45.210 --> 00:26:47.670 chat here, I thought I'd ask you some really 00:26:47.670 --> 00:26:50.990 light -hearted questions. And if you could just 00:26:50.990 --> 00:26:55.430 answer off the cuff as you just hear them, answer 00:26:55.430 --> 00:26:56.769 that, that'd be really interesting. I try my 00:26:56.769 --> 00:27:00.809 best. Okay, so here is the first one. If you 00:27:00.809 --> 00:27:03.549 could play only one composer from now on, who 00:27:03.549 --> 00:27:07.089 would it be? Oh, gosh. I wish you didn't ask 00:27:07.089 --> 00:27:10.069 me. This is so difficult. I used to think it 00:27:10.069 --> 00:27:14.240 would be Bach. Because, you know, the obvious 00:27:14.240 --> 00:27:16.579 extraordinary variety and the vast intellectual, 00:27:16.839 --> 00:27:21.440 emotional, spiritual works his music offers. 00:27:21.539 --> 00:27:24.099 But more and more, especially lately, I think 00:27:24.099 --> 00:27:26.799 I probably would choose Chopin. It may sound 00:27:26.799 --> 00:27:29.680 slightly strange because I've never really identified 00:27:29.680 --> 00:27:33.420 myself solely as a Chopin pianist or somebody 00:27:33.420 --> 00:27:36.279 who plays, you know, only romantic repertoire. 00:27:37.430 --> 00:27:40.730 Maybe it's just to reflect the particular stage 00:27:40.730 --> 00:27:43.069 I'm at now, because I've recently experienced 00:27:43.069 --> 00:27:46.710 such a real rekindling of my passion of his music. 00:27:47.789 --> 00:27:51.829 And even though so many of Chopin's works are 00:27:51.829 --> 00:27:56.930 extremely familiar to us, I just keep returning 00:27:56.930 --> 00:28:00.230 them and rethinking, as you said, like relearning 00:28:00.230 --> 00:28:05.390 the things I've done for many years. And I just 00:28:05.390 --> 00:28:10.789 keep like feeling in awe, like what astonishing 00:28:10.789 --> 00:28:15.109 music he wrote. And there's always more to discover. 00:28:15.390 --> 00:28:18.089 So, yeah. So maybe at the moment it's Chopin, 00:28:18.150 --> 00:28:20.789 but ask me again in a few years time it might 00:28:20.789 --> 00:28:25.230 change. I'm sure it will. Okay. One pianist, 00:28:25.269 --> 00:28:27.769 dead or alive, you would travel long and far 00:28:27.769 --> 00:28:32.420 to hear? Oh, wow. It's another grilling. question 00:28:32.420 --> 00:28:37.839 is I probably would be Alfred Courtauld oh yeah 00:28:37.839 --> 00:28:41.579 he's just one of the pianists I always always 00:28:41.579 --> 00:28:45.000 you know if if I'm like listening to some music 00:28:45.000 --> 00:28:47.839 I would I would search oh has he done this and 00:28:47.839 --> 00:28:51.900 I would like what he has done and yeah I would 00:28:51.900 --> 00:28:55.579 like love to hearing him alive um and that would 00:28:55.579 --> 00:28:59.000 be utterly thrilling um also when I'm trying 00:28:59.000 --> 00:29:03.700 to imagine what to truly amazing, memorable performance. 00:29:04.059 --> 00:29:08.099 Just when I'm like working, I would try to project 00:29:08.099 --> 00:29:12.680 the picture onto him. How would he do it? And 00:29:12.680 --> 00:29:17.660 the way how he phrases and that freedom, the 00:29:17.660 --> 00:29:20.839 sound imagination and just extraordinary sense 00:29:20.839 --> 00:29:24.599 of poetry. That's Alfred Courtauld. Yes. Wonderful. 00:29:25.619 --> 00:29:29.099 One person you would love to play for, dead or 00:29:29.099 --> 00:29:31.279 alive? a person dead or alive you'd love to play 00:29:31.279 --> 00:29:37.579 for? Well, maybe I'll choose somebody more personal 00:29:37.579 --> 00:29:41.880 here, my dad, who died when I was still quite 00:29:41.880 --> 00:29:46.000 young. And I would love to have the opportunity 00:29:46.000 --> 00:29:50.779 to play for him as the musician I am now. And 00:29:50.779 --> 00:29:55.720 there was another older friend who was... An 00:29:55.720 --> 00:29:59.319 elderly gentleman I met, well, he's a retired 00:29:59.319 --> 00:30:03.960 professor of economy that I met when I was studying 00:30:03.960 --> 00:30:09.140 in New Zealand. So I came to know him during 00:30:09.140 --> 00:30:15.279 his retirement and he was sort of an avid music 00:30:15.279 --> 00:30:18.720 lover and did a lot of sort of like lectures. 00:30:20.349 --> 00:30:23.369 beethoven's and that sort of for the for the 00:30:23.369 --> 00:30:26.549 music lovers and he became an enormous support 00:30:26.549 --> 00:30:30.720 of mine And was instrumental in helping me to 00:30:30.720 --> 00:30:34.380 come to the UK to study. And later also helping 00:30:34.380 --> 00:30:37.920 me to establish the beginning of my career. But 00:30:37.920 --> 00:30:41.420 he then, you know, after I moved to UK, he lived 00:30:41.420 --> 00:30:44.400 at far end of world in New Zealand. Even he was 00:30:44.400 --> 00:30:49.099 English. So we didn't have that many opportunities 00:30:49.099 --> 00:30:54.599 to meet. And also like how I used to play for 00:30:54.599 --> 00:30:58.819 him. I know that hearing me play give him enormous 00:30:58.819 --> 00:31:01.819 pleasure and I would love to be able to, you 00:31:01.819 --> 00:31:05.240 know, do that for him. But he's sadly also passed. 00:31:06.000 --> 00:31:09.579 I, yeah, I knew him when I was a student and 00:31:09.579 --> 00:31:13.619 he was already in his retirement. Yeah. So these 00:31:13.619 --> 00:31:17.380 are the two people I think I would. Lovely answers. 00:31:19.539 --> 00:31:23.589 Do you have any technical struggles? Yes, all 00:31:23.589 --> 00:31:26.410 the time. I mean, like anything hard, I would 00:31:26.410 --> 00:31:32.190 struggle. But generally, I think if I'm giving 00:31:32.190 --> 00:31:35.890 infinite time, then it won't be an issue. It's 00:31:35.890 --> 00:31:38.230 just if you keep working, working, eventually, 00:31:38.269 --> 00:31:42.849 I think one can solve most of the technical difficulties. 00:31:43.589 --> 00:31:48.309 Obviously, as I'm aging, I'm also learning what... 00:31:48.700 --> 00:31:53.359 physically capable of doing but it seems to be 00:31:53.359 --> 00:31:59.359 that everything still achievable that it's just 00:31:59.359 --> 00:32:03.720 maybe it depends on the time that you and how 00:32:03.720 --> 00:32:09.559 hard you're going for it but having said this 00:32:10.160 --> 00:32:14.240 There are two bars of music that I've done before 00:32:14.240 --> 00:32:19.000 from the Petrushka's third movement. This two 00:32:19.000 --> 00:32:24.619 bars in the left hand where your lower four fingers 00:32:24.619 --> 00:32:27.400 in the left hand have to do a double third trill 00:32:27.400 --> 00:32:30.779 with the thumb doing the, at the same time doing 00:32:30.779 --> 00:32:34.359 sort of the quavers on top. I can't do that. 00:32:34.460 --> 00:32:40.900 I blame my shorter little finger. But that's 00:32:40.900 --> 00:32:44.720 just something I don't have. So, you know, I 00:32:44.720 --> 00:32:50.000 just watch Yu Jiawan doing that with red eye 00:32:50.000 --> 00:32:53.480 envy. I mean, how does she do that? I just don't 00:32:53.480 --> 00:32:56.500 think it's humanly possible. I've asked every 00:32:56.500 --> 00:33:00.160 pianist I know what I could think of at the time. 00:33:00.200 --> 00:33:02.819 Like, do you have tips? Do you have tips? so 00:33:02.819 --> 00:33:06.819 far i haven't been given any really useful like 00:33:06.819 --> 00:33:11.099 yes yes if you see her next time please i will 00:33:11.099 --> 00:33:13.839 ask her yeah she would know which which two bars 00:33:13.839 --> 00:33:18.019 are these oh how interesting so going on from 00:33:18.019 --> 00:33:20.099 that funnily enough what would be your advice 00:33:20.099 --> 00:33:23.660 to an amateur pianist on how to improve well 00:33:23.660 --> 00:33:26.980 i think amateur pianists are all very intellectual 00:33:26.980 --> 00:33:31.950 there's like not a great deal that um advice 00:33:31.950 --> 00:33:37.980 i can um give the only thing is i it's through 00:33:37.980 --> 00:33:40.960 my own observation I think amateur pianists probably 00:33:40.960 --> 00:33:44.539 when they try to be disciplined or they try to 00:33:44.539 --> 00:33:47.160 work hard they always give themselves a sort 00:33:47.160 --> 00:33:50.539 of like a set hours or like a regular amount 00:33:50.539 --> 00:33:54.539 of practice I would say try to vary that time 00:33:54.539 --> 00:33:58.539 of practicing because sometimes it's great if 00:33:58.539 --> 00:34:00.880 you're committed to the regular practice but 00:34:00.880 --> 00:34:06.349 some passage or that's just so incredibly challenging, 00:34:06.450 --> 00:34:09.489 difficult, that you just have to go with such 00:34:09.489 --> 00:34:17.039 an intensive approach of working to it. I mean, 00:34:17.079 --> 00:34:19.579 everybody talks about the different methods of 00:34:19.579 --> 00:34:23.460 doing this. All very helpful. But I just want 00:34:23.460 --> 00:34:27.559 to add on top also vary your practice time. And 00:34:27.559 --> 00:34:30.320 don't be afraid to really go extreme because 00:34:30.320 --> 00:34:34.139 what you got to do is what the pieces takes. 00:34:34.340 --> 00:34:37.639 It's not what you can do. So if you really want 00:34:37.639 --> 00:34:41.550 to do an absolute like a smashing job. out of 00:34:41.550 --> 00:34:43.969 the piece that's that's the part that like a 00:34:43.969 --> 00:34:47.550 lot of people never thought of i think interesting 00:34:47.550 --> 00:34:52.329 okay finally one composer you're not quite ready 00:34:52.329 --> 00:34:58.690 to tackle yeah um yeah i i think um i've been 00:34:58.690 --> 00:35:01.590 asked this before for a very long time my answer 00:35:01.590 --> 00:35:07.010 probably would be the late schubert um but Just 00:35:07.010 --> 00:35:10.389 to put a long thing short, I'm growing older 00:35:10.389 --> 00:35:14.130 and I experience more changes. I began feeling 00:35:14.130 --> 00:35:17.429 much more ready for that music. You know, I also 00:35:17.429 --> 00:35:21.710 felt reluctant to tackle hammer clavier or Goldberg 00:35:21.710 --> 00:35:24.650 variation, which I certainly did not want to 00:35:24.650 --> 00:35:28.269 do earlier in earlier part of my career. But 00:35:28.269 --> 00:35:32.510 I can tell you I'm feeling ready. Yeah, it's 00:35:32.510 --> 00:35:37.190 just finding that. time and the space really 00:35:37.190 --> 00:35:40.730 more probably more than time the space to yeah 00:35:40.730 --> 00:35:44.429 to go in for such a mammoth of work so yeah yeah 00:35:44.429 --> 00:35:46.630 you've got to have that mental space mental space 00:35:46.630 --> 00:35:50.150 absolutely and also the physical you know because 00:35:50.150 --> 00:35:53.849 we are all spreaded to so many directions these 00:35:53.849 --> 00:35:57.949 days it's just how it is isn't it oh chen in 00:35:57.949 --> 00:36:02.030 i love how had a great conversation with you 00:36:02.030 --> 00:36:05.650 oh fantastic erica this is just like on no more 00:36:05.650 --> 00:36:11.409 chat but exactly no i think you know your words 00:36:11.409 --> 00:36:14.690 have been really inspiring and um just like you're 00:36:14.690 --> 00:36:18.269 playing oh well you flatter me but thank you 00:36:18.269 --> 00:36:23.739 erica you are the soul of this You're very sweet. 00:36:23.800 --> 00:36:26.619 But listen, thank you for joining us today. Absolute 00:36:26.619 --> 00:36:29.159 pleasure. Thank you so much. We look forward 00:36:29.159 --> 00:36:32.099 to the next album that we can hear on YouTube, 00:36:32.400 --> 00:36:38.719 Spotify. Yeah, Chen Li, Pianist Magazine. Thank 00:36:38.719 --> 00:37:15.110 you, Erica. Thank you so much. Thank you. That 00:37:15.110 --> 00:37:17.670 was the third movement of Beethoven's Tempest, 00:37:17.730 --> 00:37:21.289 Sonata Op. 31 No. 2, and it was performed by 00:37:21.289 --> 00:37:24.849 Chen -Yin Lee. Pianist podcasts are free, and 00:37:24.849 --> 00:37:27.110 a really good way to support what we do is by 00:37:27.110 --> 00:37:30.489 subscribing to Pianist. Visit our website at 00:37:30.489 --> 00:37:33.389 pianistmagazine .com and listen to us on YouTube 00:37:33.389 --> 00:37:36.550 by searching Pianist Magazine. And don't forget 00:37:36.550 --> 00:37:38.650 to sign up to our newsletter, which is full of 00:37:38.650 --> 00:37:41.849 extra playing tips and useful information. Go 00:37:41.849 --> 00:37:45.010 to pianistmagazine .com to find out how to sign 00:37:45.010 --> 00:37:45.250 up.