BY STEPHANIE ESLAKE
Pianist Shuan Hern Lee is off to a good start in his career.
Actually, he’s off to a great start.
At 16 years old, he’s already studying his music degree at the University of Western Australia. He brings with him a background full of international first-prize wins (think: Germany’s Schumann Piano Competition; the Netherlands’ Piano Competition for Young Musicians; New Zealand’s Keri Keri Piano Competition; and so on…).
When Shuan was 14, he was named the youngest ever artist to receive the AMEB’s Fellowship of Music of Australia diploma, to which he states calmly: “I personally don’t value so much the breaking of records. I only associate it with improving.”
This month, the pianist will open the West Australian Symphony Orchestra’s 2019 season in the Perth Concert Hall, in a performance featuring works by Gershwin and Copland among some other favourites.
Shuan, I believe you started lessons on the piano with your dad when you were 2 years old? Amazing! What’s the earliest memory you have of making music?
Yes, I started piano with my dad at 2-and-a-half. I can barely remember anything from that period of time. Thankfully, my parents cunningly recorded some of my practice videos with my dad.
The earliest memory that I have is practising piano while eating my favourite fruit, watermelon. My parents would often be feeding me while I practised. This would help save a lot of time so that I could work more on practising and other things. People used to ask me why I grew tall so fast; this could be one of the reasons!
At that time, I really don’t remember what piece I was playing. I can’t even remember when was the first time or first piece I performed. According to my parents, I competed in the Fremantle eisteddfod when I was barely 3, performing Mary had a Little Lamb. I watched the video few years ago, and still had no memory of actually being carried up by my dad to the piano stool to perform.
How has learning piano (for pretty much your whole life) shaped you as a person?
Learning piano and music had been part of my life ever since before I was born. My family background is a very musical one, and even my grandparents have been brought up with music. My mum used to learn piano from my dad. I have never really imagined a life without piano before, but I guess with such a background it would be very hard not to play piano.
I don’t think that I can try to stop playing piano and switch to something else. I believe piano has shaped only a small fraction of my musical life, compared to what it has done for my personal life. Life has always revolved around the piano, and sometimes I find that even the way I think about other things [can] get affected by it. I wouldn’t say that piano is something naturally born in me, but I can say that I have been brought up in a piano environment, all my life; that it has grown to become part of my nature, or character.
Other than piano, I would also love philosophy, history, and literature. When I was young, piano would be my toy. Now, piano is my passion, and I can’t imagine living without it.
You’ve since won a string of awards and have performed across the world. How have you found the experience of balancing your very active performance career with your other engagements, such as school?
I was homeschooled all my life, and the first time I have been in a classroom test was two years ago, at the University of Western Australia, for my Music Language course.
For the last two years, I was doing part-time UWA Bachelor of Arts, music major, concurrently with my year 9 and 10 homeschooling. My homeschooling was always done on electronic device, and internet. So I found it very easy to travel and still balance my academic work.
I don’t think I would have been where I am today if I went to school, because my piano lifestyle would not have cooperated with the school curriculum. But regardless, I have many friends even if I don’t go to school. A lot of my friends are all over the world, in places like America, Russia, Italy, and many other places. We all keep in touch and sometimes even plan to meet up in a certain international competition!
What are your plans for the future? Do you intend to become a concert pianist, or do you have other visions in mind?
This year I will start studying full time, as I have already ended my high-schooling. I will no doubt stay there for a few more years, but the future is yet to decide.
One thing is for sure: I would love to carry on competing, performing internationally, and build my career to being a concert pianist. I would also like to go overseas for further studies in piano and music.
You’ll perform in the opening concert of WASO. What are you most looking forward to about this event?
I am very honoured and delighted to be performing with WASO. I look forward to once again working with this splendid orchestra, and with its associate conductor, maestro Elena Schwarz. I am also very looking forward to performing with many accomplished performers in WASO, of which many I personally know.
How have you been preparing for this event?
Not only have I been practising hard for this event, but I have also been continuously researching about Gershwin’s life, style, and the history of American jazz. I am very interested in the history of the 1900s in America.
Also, I am constantly gathering information from recordings, and listening to them for some different ideas and suggestions. I will be having three rehearsals with the orchestra, which I am very much looking forward to.
What advice would you give to other musicians looking to achieve a similar level of success in their careers?
My advice would be to not only practice, but listen and read articles and research on many different things, such as philosophy, history, literature, and many others. These can be already presented in music and can also work together to better perfect the art of music.
Music is a very subjective form of art, and there is never one way that one is supposed to play things. Stick to what you feel and your opinion – of course, after research – and don’t change specifically just for other people’s taste. I believe that, in life, not everyone will be fully pleased with everything or anything you do.
See Shuan Hern Lee perform in WASO’s Favourites, 8-9 February in the Perth Concert Hall.
Images supplied.
