Piano artist Tran Le Bao Quyen: classical music is not a luxury

Piano artist Tran Le Bao Quyen has just returned to Vietnam after 12 years of studying and training in the Federal Republic of Germany. 12 years of practicing in the cradle of European classical music, what the female lecturer at the National Academy of Music always wondered about was how to rid itself of misunderstandings and prejudices about classical music, thereby building a generation of artists in the future.

Before the 5th "Warm Heat" concert - an annual music event that Tran Le Bao Quyen and her younger brother violinist Tran Le Quang Tien have performed for the past 7 years, she expressed her thoughts on music education.

People are afraid of classical music because they think they have to understand to listen

After 12 years of studying in Germany and having many opportunities to stay and work, why did Bao Quyen choose to return to Vietnam?

- 12 years ago, when I went to Germany alone to study music at the age of 18, until the end of last year, when I was busy packing my belongings, cleaning and returning home to Vietnam at the age of 30, I had not thought for a day that I would stay in a land other than where I was born.

If everyone is able to be present in the world with their own mission, my mission is to teach music and perform in Vietnam. I believe that classical music audiences in my home country need people like me.

For Vietnamese people, the concept of "classical music" associated with academic and scholarly things, in other words, is out of reach of the general public. Therefore, the audience of classical music is just a small community. What is the reason you are so addicted to it?

- Is the academic or scientific level that you mentioned not convincing enough for us to pursue it? People always want to reach the top of the best and the highest. In this aspect, academic art in general and classical music in particular are similar to science, what we do not know and have not conquered is even more attractive to us.

However, if we say that classical music is out of reach for the general public, it is a wrong prejudice. The scientific calculation of classical music lies in the strict structure and rules, in strict symmetry, in the richness, in reasonable cases, or in the standardness of the notes, charisma, and gestures when performing.

When learning classical music, musicians also practice it with meticulousness, strictness, and standards. So classical music is a very educational music, it is suitable for everyone.

But perhaps the majority still believe that classical music originated from Europe and the West. Is it not suitable for the souls of Vietnamese people?

- That is another prejudice! Hip-hop culture belongs to African-American people. Pop and Rock both originate from Europe and the US. Bolero of the Spanish, who migrated through Latin America and then traveled to Vietnam. Those music genres are not of the Vietnamese people but are loved by the Vietnamese people.

The important thing is whether we have the opportunity to listen to classical music as much as Bolero, Pop, Rock, Rap or not!

I dare to affirm that because classical music is not the soul of the Japanese, Korean, and Chinese people, but today, the three Asian countries that are very close to us in that spirit are possessing a developed classical art form no less developed than Europe.

In fact, the music genres you mentioned are all popular music and are much easier to understand than classical music?

- Many people have told me the same thing! They said: "I listen to classical music but don't understand anything, don't imagine anything, don't know what it's talking about". I reassured them that, I understand it is the job of a player like me. The listener just needs to feel. When I heard the sound, I was happy, when I was sad, I was sad, when I wanted to dance, I danced. Those innocent emotions do not need to be understood to flow, because that is human instinct.

Of course, artists must understand what the work says to convey those emotions to listeners.

Property must be understood that listening to classical music is a psychological barrier that makes people "afraid" and lose the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of classical music.

"The price of buying a piano is cheaper than a new iPhone, what is called a luxury?"

In your opinion, is the concept of "must have conditions to learn classical music" or "learning classical music is a luxury" prejudiced?

- If it was 10 - 20 years ago, that concept was not wrong. The cost of buying a piano is too expensive compared to the average life of Vietnamese people. But today, that concept is no longer suitable. The price of buying a dan is only from 20 - 25 million VND, not as expensive as a new Iphone, much more expensive than an electric motorbike that parents still buy for their children in high school, what is called a luxury? The tuition fee for studying the dan is not equal to one English - IELTS certificate.

When researching schools in Vietnam, I felt heartbroken because it is rare for schools to be equipped with piano. Some schools allow students to play recorders, priced at over 100,000 VND. An average of 2,000 students at a primary and secondary school have to spend about 200 million VND to buy a flute. That 200 million VND is enough to buy 10 piano players.

Meanwhile, a school only needs a guitar. How many years a player has been used, how many generations of students have benefited. The budget is certainly mobilized, the important thing is whether we attach importance to music education for students or not?

From your teaching experience, do you find it difficult to teach students about classical music?

- It is not difficult if teachers have expertise. I also want to resolve another prejudice that is having to have talent to play the instrument. After many years of living in Germany, I have realized that every child can play the organ if taught correctly.

To become a great artist, talent is needed. To become a music player and music lover, you only need to study and practice persistently, like any subject or professional field.

But as the saying goes, "to teach a child, a village is needed", schools, families and society must also join hands to bring classical music to children. How to give them the opportunity to access classical music anytime, anywhere as they are approaching all music genres on social media. Children are like white paper, what do we want to write on them?

Every time I pass through airports or set foot in big buildings in Europe, Korea, China, I see three-legged piano players placed in the lobby and pond of Vietnamese wishes! I also wish to bring the instrument to high mountains and remote islands so that children who have never been to the city can see it with their eyes, hear it with their ears, touch it with their hands and vibrate with the beautiful sound of classical music.

compared to professional classical music teaching, what do you have to worry about?

- I really like teaching "national" students, not too fast, too smart. People often think that you have to be very smart to learn the instrument. But smart people often lack patience. While learning a viola requires practice meticulously, persistently, without rottiness, I think there is no more appropriate word than the word "favorite".

The path to becoming a classical artist cannot be short-lived, requiring a lot of effort, time, and little bit to sharpen your intelligence and your hands to reach standards.

We have a lot of talent, but we lack many conditions for those talents to develop and accept to enter the path of hard work to reach the peak of the profession. That is what I care about most and desire for change.

Thank you to artist Tran Le Bao Quyen for this conversation!