Upclose with Ng Cheuk-Yin
From Chinese classics to Cantopop, versatile musician Ng Cheuk-yin does it all. A veteran player of the sheng (a Chinese reed instrument), Ng is now part of the new band SIU2, making music with Chinese and western instruments.
HK Magazine: Would you call your music “fusion”?
Ng Cheuk-yin: I’d say it’s “composition” rather than “fusion.” This is simply because, in Hong Kong, everything is already fusion. For instance, there is no pure Chineseness here when a granny in the street can speak at least one English word.
HK: How can you survive in Hong Kong as a full-time musician?
NC: I’ve never heard anyone say that being a musician is easy. But actually, it is easier for musicians to survive in Hong Kong than it is in other parts of the world. Hong Kong’s music circle is small with less competition. The good thing about Hong Kong is you can become famous in a single day—though your fame can die just as quickly.
HK: Any frustrations?
NC: Oh, everyday! The music scene here is pretty monopolized by certain kinds of music. There are limited choices and no government support.
HK: Why sheng?
NC: When I was in primary school, my parents, who have no musical background at all, wanted me to play an instrument. I guess learning sheng is a cheaper alterative to, say, learning violin. I just started playing it and gradually came to love it.
HK: You compose for your own band, as well as for many pop singers. How do you feel about computer sound enhancement?
NC: 99.9 percent of my recordings are done with live instruments. But I’m not reluctant to do computer touch-ups. It adds color to the music. It’s something comparable to the use of make-up—unnatural, but it does help you look better.
HK: You are surrounded by music all the time. Does it get old?
NC: I once asked myself, do I want to be blind or deaf? I chose the latter. So maybe music is not the most important thing in my life. How I wish to live a day without music and enjoy the space and silence!