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Hi An-Ting, welcome to Vents! Before we get started, how has your 2021 been so far?
Hi my 2021 so far has been good. Busy! I am running a festival (Chinese Arts Now Festival 2021) with over 50 digital events and creating a digital exhibition with immersive performance…which is all exciting!
Congratulations on the new album! Can you unpack for us what the theme of the album is?
Animals! It’s all classical music created for or inspired by animals.
Although the answer is probably obvious, are you an animal lover yourself?
Definitely. I had dogs from when I was very young and always love them when seeing any. I am a vegan too which frames my love for animals in a tangible way.
Did your own love of the animal kingdom and its various and sundry denizens in part inspire the new album?
Yes of course.
What is it do you think about the world of kitties and canines and fish and bumblebees that so fascinates us as humans and captures our respective imaginations?
They have their own ways of moving and expressing themselves which human beings will never be able to imitate or understand. They also have a wild instinct which human beings seem to have forgotten in civilized society/behavior. I think we all have a kind of yearning to express ourselves freely and have our own wildness and that’s why they’re so inspiring!
This new album is unique also in that it features the first-ever full solo piano version of the Carnival of the Animals…Is it a source of pride for you to successfully transpose this staple into a full-on piano rendition?
Yes definitely. There have been other piano solo transcriptions which I did not find satisfying. I am pleased with how the sound of the original instruments is transcribed to a single instrument and expressed through its unique language.
What was the recording process like for the new album? Was all of the work on the album done in one studio?
Yes it was when I did the musician in residency at Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity in Canada. That was a magical place where we all have our individual studios among the beautiful mountain covered in snow. It’s very inspiring to know the different artists and record the album in their beautiful hall.
Do you have a favorite piece of music on the Album?
Aviary from Carnival of the Animals is the one. I love the long phrases imitating the jumps and sound from many different kinds of birds. I create a special sound on the piano for the piece which you don’t find in the original arrangement.
What was the selection process like for the music that was included on the album?
The music I like and enjoy playing J
Were there any pieces of music that you just could not fit onto the album and, if so, might we expect to see a follow-up album?
Yes I also play Schumann’s Papillons in the evening concert for the animal theme. But I am ready to move forward to my next album which I recorded in September 2020. It’s my original music I composed during the lockdown time. I will release the album in September. 2021
You’ve worn a lot of different hats: concert pianist, composer, theatre director and the Artistic Director of Chinese Arts Now. First of all, where do you find the time for such an incredible outpouring of creativity?
All of the roles I play require a great amount of creativity and it is that creativity which leads me to wear those many hats. My main motto is that I don’t believe in work boundaries and especially I don’t think there should be any boundaries between artforms. It is an amazing feeling when working across different artforms.
What do you hope listeners take away from this incredible new album?
I hope it can bring happiness to listeners and bring more joy to the world which is at the moment a bit depressing.
Is there a way for mankind to live in balance with our animal brethren? It oftentimes seems as if they get the short end of the stick from humanity.
I’d say we should spend more time in nature, this is the first step (enjoying it thoroughly and you will naturally respect it) and becoming vegan is the second J
Is touring to promote the new album a viable option right now, or will you attempt to spread the word through other avenues?
Touring is not feasible at the moment which is very sad because I really miss sharing music live with audiences and enjoy that shared moment together. I will hopefully find other ways to spread the word in the meantime!
