This week I am pleased to be joined by Nicholas Ong and Terrence Wong, co-host of the Crafting Musical Lives Podcast. Both of them are currently based in the UK, Terrence in London and Nicholas in Oxford. Amongst the three of us we share a good amount of similarities as alumni of Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, having furthered our studies in respective cities in the UK and of course podcast host. On this first part of a two part interview we spoke about how they have been coping with current situ...
Jan 20, 2021•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 33
On this episode of YPAW, I am joined ME2 Sanche Jagatheesan from the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Band. Sanche currently serves as the Principal Bassist of the SAF Band and occasionally dabbles on the electric bass as well as percussion and has been in service since completing his studies. Join us on this episode, as Sanche shares his work as a military musician, how the SAF Band continues to engage with the general public when live performances are put on hold, his experiences abroad with the S...
Jan 13, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 32
This first episode of YPAW for the year of 2021 is the second part of my interview with Daniel Bonaventure Lim! If you have not listened to the first part of this interview you can find it here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5bwPVgnKeBdBmb7Y1wy0sj?si=JQFldVaqS6Cf-Pddtew3KA Daniel and I spent 3 years living in Manchester in close vicinity as students of the RNCM. Since returning to Singapore, Daniel has kept himself involved and active in various music activities and organizations, he brings a...
Jan 06, 2021•55 min•Ep. 31
Currently working as a Management Consultant, I am joined by Daniel Bonaventure Lim on the first part of a two part episode that brings us into the new year! Daniel and I spent 3 years living in Manchester in close vicinity as students of the RNCM. Since returning to Singapore, Daniel has kept himself involved and active in various music activities and organizations, he brings along a refreshing take on the music industry. On this episode, we spoke about how has 2020 been for himself, his though...
Dec 30, 2020•56 min•Ep. 30
I am lucky to the worst boss, I would not trade it for most things in this world. On this episode of YPAW, join me as I go on a riff to talk about the reason I would congratulate you for being the worst boss, poor manager of career and the inability to organize your day. Trust me, you might not be in such a bad situation as you think! Time Ferris Show feat. Seth Godin: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3Z7zsYnjFDxGDNWFYlW0sB?si=W5ynhDabTLO_CBmT5KLvsg Akimbo: https://open.spotify.com/episode/50bnc...
Dec 23, 2020•22 min•Ep. 29
Composer, Polyglot, Multi-instrumentalist are just some of the words you would describe my guest, Wang Chenwei. Chenwei is currently based in Singapore, he is currently the Composer-in-Residence with the Singapore Chinese Orchestra and the co-author of "The Teng Guide to the Chinese Orchestra" the only comprehensive Chinese Orchestra text that is in English. Chenwei's skillset as a musician is a unique combination of composition, ethnomusicology and audio engineering, making him a thoughtful mus...
Dec 16, 2020•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 28
On this episode and I breaking out norm of YPAW, this particular topic that I am addressing today has been on my mind for quite some time. Tune in to this episode as I share my story of a $4 haircut and a $70 haircut. What I thought was an act of generosity and the reflection on the 3 courses I completed over the last 14 days.
Dec 09, 2020•26 min•Ep. 27
Well versed in both Western and Chinese musical language and performance, I am joined by Cheng Jin on this episode of YPAW. She uses her compositions to tell a rendition of Asian mythology and fables with a vivid soundscape. In this episode we spoke about her relationship with music from a young age. We spoke about her passion to bring music to the less privileged communities, her emotional struggles as a composer and the different roles in music that she has explored over the years. And of cour...
Dec 02, 2020•1 hr 26 min•Ep. 26
Fellow coffee lover Lee Jia Yi, is my guest for this episode of YPAW. Currently a student at the Peabody Conservatory and based in the USA, spending her first semester break abroad with the short days and cold weather that is associated with winter. Join us on this episode as Jia Yi paints us a image of Baltimore, she speaks about her compositional process, her thoughts on appealing to the mass media and what is she truly passionate about as an artist. Check out her work here: https://soundcloud...
Nov 25, 2020•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 25
On this episode of YPAW, I am joined by Likie, a current student of the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory at the National University of Singapore and have been composing and producing her own music (she even sang!!!) over the last few years! A musician that takes on multiple roles and is never afraid to wander in to the unknown, one can only imagine what is her future beholds! On this episode we spoke about her idea of what makes a good EDM track, the importance of putting her work out there and her un...
Nov 18, 2020•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 24
Have you ever spoken to someone for the first time thinking that you would be quite far apart in terms of the way you think about your work and life but it turns out not to be the case and you end up being pleasantly surprised? This is what I felt before my chat with Emily, although in our brief Zoom calls she was very warm and friendly in our discussion, I've learnt to never assume. Turns out we have more in common than we thought... We spoke about Emily in Atlanta (not Paris), which was the fi...
Nov 11, 2020•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 23
Back when I was studying at the Royal Northern College of Music, I was in a Euphonium Quartet (I am also wondering how is this a thing...). We were called The Brass Compass Euphonium Quartet, the name came about as the quartet is made up of members of different nationality, Australia (South), Latvia (North), UK (West), Singapore (East). The quartet started out because of a compulsory chamber music module for all second year, but things escalated quickly. Fast forward a couple of months, we were ...
Nov 04, 2020•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 22
Playing the euphonium has made me missed out on meeting people. Don't get me wrong, I love playing the instrument and because of that, I have managed to pick up on a few life long friends throughout this time. I am very grateful for the friendships and laughter. But what was lacking in my social circle were the string players (violin, viola, cello, bass, guitar, you get it...), the true representation of high culture. To be honest, I am not sure this is a bad thing... But I did miss out on knowi...
Oct 28, 2020•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 21
"The lone wolf dies, but the pack survives", you might recognize this quote from a particular HBO series, Game of Thrones. You might find it strange, what has this quote got to do with my guest today? As humans, like many other species, we are herd animals who are trying to fit in and earn the respect of others. How we decide our behaviour is based on the degree that it allows us to fit in to your environment and social circle. I am lucky to be surrounded by extremely passionate band members dur...
Oct 21, 2020•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 20
It is fascinating for me to observe the growth and development of a peer, you will have to spend a substantial amount of time apart in order for you to measure the difference. Its a bit like weight lost/gain, you don't tend to realize it yourself but someone that sees you for the first time in months will be able to tell the difference immediately. In the case of Ray, it has been wonderful to have someone to share ideas and struggles with. Throughout our time abroad, whenever we see each other, ...
Oct 14, 2020•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 19
My first dealings with Daniel was definitely a case of his reputation preceding him. I have never performed or worked with Daniel closely until 2017 for the performance of The Queen Symphony featuring Orchestra Collective and The Graduate Singers. The prior meeting with him was at a hotel lobby in Chiayi City in Taiwan where we were there at the World Association of Symphonic Band and Ensemble (WASBE) Conference representing different ensembles. Everything else that I have heard about this man h...
Oct 07, 2020•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 18
As a music conservatory trained musician, I sometimes find myself in a dilemma, if I were to tell you that I never once doubted my career choice, I would be lying. A career change away from music can be deemed by our colleagues in the music industry as so and so can't quite "cut it" as a musician so he /she needs to pivot to something that is unrelated. Comparing this to say an accountant who decides to go into digital marketing is probably less likely to be judged by his/her colleagues as incom...
Sep 30, 2020•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 17
After 16 episodes, I finally interviewed a guest whom I have never interacted with prior to our conversation, but lucky for me, this was a classic case of preceding reputation. I first came across Bernice when she won the President’s Young Performers’ Competition in 2016, which resulted in her concerto debut with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra. Since then, her career has gone from strength to strength, spending 2018 as Guest Co-Principal Oboe with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra and curre...
Sep 23, 2020•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 16
This episode is a brief reflection of what has been going on in my life since I was told not to work for the sake of my own safety. And I think I have gotten quite good at that... A month by month outlook between my last rehearsal to my upcoming rehearsal that is happening then this episode goes online. Coincidence??
Sep 16, 2020•25 min•Ep. 15
Some words that comes to mind when we describe Western Classical music, Sophisticated? Elitist? Snobbish? Atas ? Chim ? Whatever the word might be for you, as musicians trained in the discipline of Western Classical music, we tend to go into a rabbit hole and tunnel vision, believing the pastures over in the Western world is greener, better and guarantees improvement in your craft to a level you can only dreamed about. I do agree that the western world includes nations that is considered the cla...
Sep 09, 2020•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 14
Its always interesting to talk to a close friend, especially one that you have worked closely with over the past year and lives just a few minutes car ride away. Apart from his impressive collection of printed t-shirts, Don is 2 things, a fiercely loyal friend and a dedicated musician to his craft. A friend that can be relied on in times of need, I have seen Don go above and beyond for friends and loved ones. However, this trait of his is also a double-edged sword, once you cross him, you will f...
Sep 02, 2020•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 13
From the age of 15, I could be deemed as a "band geek", I was listening to the trendiest pieces in the Wind Band repertory and I was mad about the euphonium. I scour the forums for hours on end, reading up about new developments and what sets different model of instruments apart. I purchased study books and etudes thinking that these texts has all the answer to make me a great euphonium player. During this time I could engage in conversation with anyone about music and my interest, I would say I...
Aug 26, 2020•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 12
I has been difficult for me to come out and talk about what has happened in my education journey because of the potential ramifications of my words. Whilst it is not in the recording itself, I was the receiving end of statements like "This is £20, or you could just send me a few pictures of your girlfriend." "Since we are performing a Japanese piece, why don't you go on and speak in a foreign language, it doesn't have to be Japanese and then we can break you up and you can introduce the piece in...
Aug 19, 2020•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 11
Every now and then, this question will float up amongst my musician colleagues "If given a choice now, would you still choose to do what you do?". Over the years, I found myself giving different versions of my answer, this answer is usually informed by the current state of my life. If you asked me the question now, as compared to June - July 2019 (a time where I had no work engagements) or the second year of my studies in the UK (probably the worst year of my life) I would have answered the same...
Aug 12, 2020•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 10
I don't know what to feel when I hear from fellow musicians that they started learning their instrument at 3 years old. Part of me feels that if I had done the same I would be a more holistic musician and perhaps more proficient in the instrument if we are talking about the 10 000 hours rule. The more skeptical side of mind thinks that I might grow to hate practicing and never take on this profession... Perhaps sometimes parents do not know what they are truly signing up for when they put their ...
Aug 05, 2020•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 9
I have so much respect for fellow musicians who decides to pick up a new instrument. In these situations, more often than not, the musician will be adding on to their skill set by picking up an instrument that is either quite close to the principal instrument (eg. euphonium and trombone) or the piano (normal/compulsory amongst European conservatories). It is quite rare to switch to another instrument that is wildly different. I would be almost inconceivable when I tell you that my guest today ga...
Jul 29, 2020•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 8
I had knew my guest on this episode for more than 10 years, we entered the same school after secondary school and were school mates for 3 years. And yet for some strange reason, I have hardly interacted with him or knew him at a personal level. I blame this on my larger than usual brass cohort when I first entered Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts. That being said, I could tell that Mervin is an extremely diligent and dedicated musician that really took pride in his work. More often than not, I will ...
Jul 22, 2020•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 7
As though life as a musician isn't tough enough, you have to operate your instrument with your non-dominant hand and use the other hand to complete the instrument. No wonder the the French Horn is dubbed as the most difficult brass instrument but apparently according to Alexander(Alex), none of the above reasons are the real culprit behind this unforgiving instrument. Alex is someone that is deeply passionate about music and has been this way ever since he picked up the horn at a tender age. His...
Jul 15, 2020•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 6
A man that could literally never stop eating, gatherings in Manchester was always a spectacle, although we had lesser to eat, but seeing Melvin devouring everything on the table (except the table) was worth every sacrifice. He is the first Euphonium Graduate from Singapore but it is his perseverance and tenacity that eventually allowed him to embark on his professional music journey. Having been turned away by the Singapore Armed Forces Band to serve his National Service as well as a Full-Time m...
Jul 08, 2020•1 hr 25 min•Ep. 5
Do you have one of those friend that does everything that they set their minds to at a very high level and even though you are happy for them that they are doing so well. You ask this question to yourself, "why can't I do the same?" My guest makes me question my life decisions all the time!!! Jasper has become a good friend over the last few years, apart from having the opportunity to share the stage with him since 2012, him and I would partake in leisure activities together which very often res...
Jul 01, 2020•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 4
