HYPOTHESIS - reflections

1) Which part of the concert did you like best?

The heart of many performances lie in the pieces presented, but for this particular concert, what struck me most was the casual and intimate mannerisms of the performers, the way they exuded friendliness and a love for music on stage, and how they faced the difficult pieces with confidence. This concert happened just two and a half months after the National Violin and Piano Competitions last year, where I’d been faced with a serious stage fright problem. Thus the relaxed music-making I saw here touched me especially.

Of course, the impeccable technique of both Feng Ning and Lim Yan made a big impact on me as well. The violin and piano are both instruments that I play, and often I’ve found that my love of music is there but my technique is nowhere near performing standard. This concert reminded me to continue working in this area!

2) Do you have any adverse reactions or criticisms?

There only criticism I have about this concert doesn’t concern the performers, but the audience. During the concert, especially the first few pieces, there were obvious noises of loud talking and coughing, and even sounds of chewing and munching that came from the back stalls. This disturbed a number of fellow listeners who turned around to shush the culprits, whereupon the noise died down but rose again soon after. Personally, I felt that this was a show of utter disrespect not just to the exquisite art that was being presented on stage, but also to the performers as people. Well, this has become another important takeaway from this performance – to always give full respect to whoever performs, for the sake of other listeners as well as the performers.

3) Have you learnt anything from the concert?

Although the secrets of Feng Ning’s and Lim Yan’s playing could not be learnt in one night, the two most important lessons from this concert, I felt, were these: first, the importance of being relaxed on stage. It is only when one is relaxed that the audience can see, hear and feel his love for music. Second, the importance of communication in any duet performance, or any ensemble performance for that matter. In this concert, Feng Ning and Lim Yan’s perfect cooperation spoke of their hard practice, as well as their mutual love for music, and amplified the skill of both.