Yan Huichang
Artistic director and principal conductor of the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, Yan Huichang has been recognized for his artistic talents as well as his activism in promoting the continuation of China’s musical traditions and history. He finds time in his busy schedule to speak with Yu Shuai about becoming a conductor and how he juggles the many instruments he plays. Translation by Winkei Lee.
HK Magazine: Did you grow up in a musical environment?
Yan Huichang: Yes and no. I grew up in a village, and when I was eight or nine, my brother started playing the flute. However, when he played, he would get dizzy and pass me the flute, so that’s how I began myself. When I got into primary school, I went to one of the best ones in town, and so I had access to more resources than I would have had otherwise. Since I was able to play musical instruments, I was included in the teacher’s orchestra and was the only student there. Over the years, I picked up other [Chinese] instruments such as the huqin, the erhu, the pipa, the ruan, the sanxian and the suona—and the piano, the accordion and the violin.
HK: Tell us about your development as a musician.
YH: When I went to high school, it was towards the end of the Cultural Revolution. The music teacher knew that I was able to play a few musical instruments, so they gave me the key to the music room to access the instruments available. I also got the opportunity to help lower-grade students in their music class. Upon graduation, I was given the opportunity to choose between joining the local theater or becoming a music teacher at my high school. I couldn’t choose either—because what I really wanted to do was go to music school and keep learning. That’s how I got into the Xi'an Conservatory of Music.
HK: You play so many instruments—so how did you become a conductor?
YH: At the beginning of my studies in Xian, I majored in the sanxian [a Chinese lute]. Six months in, my sanxian teacher left! A teacher named Lu Rirong came and he was the conducting teacher at the time. He asked me if I wanted to learn conducting, and I said yes and joined his class.
HK: What do you think it means to be a conductor?
YH: You are like the commander of an army; you have so many responsibilities. You’ve got to have the knowledge of every aspect of the orchestra, the music being played and [you need to] be able to enhance your own musical cultivation. You also have to have knowledge of society, and keep practicing and honing your own skills. Of course, you must have deep musical knowledge, and keep enriching yourself with more musical knowledge.
HK: What do you feel when you are conducting?
YHC: Immense pressure! Being a conductor means reconstructing a static piece of music and organizing the musicians to help the composer deliver the emotions in the piece. Being a conductor also means ensuring the cooperation and coordination of the orchestra, and ensuring that the orchestra has a bright future and reaches a higher level. You need to prepare the design of the concerts—and you are part of this design yourself. You need to ensure the logistics work out, you have to help promote the events and gain sponsorships. But once I step onto the stage, these feelings are all gone and I just focus on making sure the performance goes perfectly.
HK: Were there any memorable moments in your musical career?
YHC: Once, I was in one of my conducting classes, and I was listening to my teacher conduct when suddenly he told me to stand up and conduct. I was surprised, but I did it, and at the end the teacher asked me, “What problems did you see while conducting?” I could only answer, “Nothing.” I was so nervous that I wasn’t concentrating on that aspect. From that experience, I learned that being a conductor means you must have sensitive ears, and be totally tuned in to pick up the music played and analyze the details of the performance.