2018-05-12

【Aiden in English】

        I can’t seem to fathom how far I’ve taken piano. At the start, I was pretty certain piano had literally no use in my life other than a skill that my mom can brag about at parties. Then again, come to think of it, I’m also pretty certain other kids feel the same way at first. Once the initial phase is over, you enter the period where you are good enough to play actual songs near profession levels with the help of a teacher. At this point, I begin to expand my playing styles, from the original classical music to movie scores and jazz. This continues to fuel my interest.

        Simultaneously with piano, my skill on the sax grows correlatively. I join the Pennbrook Jazz Band and experience for probably the first time what it feels to sacrifice so much into a group contribution. It was hard since my jazz background was minimal, and I didn’t have anyone to go for help other than during jazz practice. However, I think that this year was pretty successful, obtaining Superior at every jazz festival we went to. 

        On the contrary, I’ve never won nor received honors in any piano competition other than the Golden Key Music Festival since I started to play piano at age 7, which guarantees a prize pretty much no matter what the performance is. Now I suppose I’ve delayed enough, so here it is: I’m probably going to stop piano lessons after I pass the piano exams recognized by the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM). I know, it feels like a waste to end it so suddenly after eight years, but it’s now or later, so I choose now. Homework is becoming a legitimate problem for once, and the out of school activities are picking up the pace. If there is a good time to quit, it would be soon.

        This is only a warning. I haven’t decided on ending it until around later this year. There are a bunch of horror stories about the tenth grade and the vamped up classes in North Penn HS, which partially influenced my decision. The other is that I know at some point I would reach the limit of skill. By no means, I am talented, which is somewhat why I’m surprised as to my progress. Recently, I’ve felt that I’ve taken enormous steps, much larger than when I first started. Maybe because I’m expanding my music collection or because maturity, but I don’t think these two factors will be enough to motivate me through the tenth or eleventh grade. While I may be stopping lessons, I’ll still use my skills in other events. 

        While this may soon be the end of an adventure, I will say life always goes on, but things you learn never leave. For the longest time, I felt as if getting rid of the piano from my mind would be nice, but recently, after experimenting on other music, I discovered how much fun exploring music on your own can be. However, perhaps this is a bit of my mom’s fault as well, but I practiced some songs for way too long. For example, a few years ago while I was still coming into the later years of elementary school, I practiced a basic Mozart piece for at least a quarter of a year in order to make a perfect pitch upon an upcoming piano competition. That was near unbearable, considering I essentially had the song down after three months (in fact, my level went down as I continued to play, probably because of carelessness). Furthermore, mom pressured me into extreme situations, including this one particular traumatizing moment when I was forced to play on the main stage piano in the lobby of the cruise ship. Just thinking about it makes me want to curl up in a corner. Moments like these really discouraged my overall enjoyment of music. As a matter of fact, they very much diverted me from enjoying classical music in general for about three years. What reignited my interest within was movie scores, with tender melodies and the ability to bring about emotions unlike any other type of music. Along with jazz, recent events have sparked quite a new burn for music.

        However, after this year’s Golden Key Fest, I’m kind of onto the final stretch of things. Maybe something along this line will change my mind, but the track, as of right now, is clear.

【红霞译文】

        我好像无法理解怎么会与钢琴结缘，原本以为除了在聚会上可以被妈妈当成炫耀资本几乎别无用途，回头仔细再想，其他同伴肯定也有同样的感觉。一旦度过起步阶段，在老师的帮助下琴技逐步达到足以弹奏高难度的音乐作品，我由此入手开始拓宽演奏风格，从古典音乐至电影插曲再到爵士乐，方才不断培养出对音乐的兴趣爱好。

        随着琴艺日见进步，本人萨克斯管吹奏水平也相应提高，加盟宾溪初中爵士乐队恐怕是我平生第一次乐意不惜代价，说来并非易事，毕竟在这方面自己底子薄经验差，平常又无人指导，仅靠乐队排练学点爵士技巧。就这么一年光景，咱乐队总是载誉而归，逐个摘取爵士节桂冠。

        相反地，自打七岁初学钢琴以来，我除了在“金钥匙音乐节”上展露头角从未拿过其它比赛名次，暂且不谈个人演技如何，唯有音乐节保证让我挂个名得块牌，现在看来我过于优柔寡断，这么说吧：待英国皇家音乐学院考级结束我真有可能打退堂鼓，经过八年抗战，突然告别钢琴未免感觉前功尽弃，但该发生的事情终究要发生，不如就此打住，再说家庭作业极度加剧，课外活动越来越多，如果想找机会做一了断，还得赶早不赶晚。

        这只是预警而已，没准儿到了年底我才会拿定主意。高二需要严阵以待，而北宾州高中早已草木皆兵，多多少少左右我的决定，何况本人钢琴技巧已发展到极限，脑子本来就不够使唤，能取得今天的成绩已然超乎意料。最近我进步很大，甚至比刚开始学琴时更加明显，也许离不开音乐积淀，或者归咎长大成人，但是单凭这两个因素尚不足以激励我走过高二乃至高三，好在即使停止钢琴深造，我还会把这项才艺发扬光大。

        钢琴生涯可能即将结束，但在我看来生活总要继续，学到的东西永远不会离你而去。长久以来，我巴不得把钢琴抛到九霄云外，直到最近因为接触了其它音乐才发觉凭借个人爱好去搞音乐该有多大乐趣，这不能不怪妈妈失策，我在某些曲目上耗费太多功夫。记得几年前正值小学高年级阶段，为了追求视奏演技完美，我至少花上一个季度反复揣摩简单明了的莫扎特作品，无聊到了极点，三个月下来这首曲子被弹得臭不可闻（可能因为练琴时心不在焉而殃及弹奏水平）。此外，妈妈还让我困窘不堪，有回竟然强迫我在游轮大厅演奏，我恨不能钻进犄角旮旯，音乐带来的精神享受顿时荡然无存。之后一连三年我不再热衷古典音乐，幸亏电影配乐别具一格，婉转细腻的旋律和震撼心灵的魅力重新唤起内在激情，另有爵士一路相伴，近来学校活动给音乐注入了新的元素。

        然而，今年“金钥匙音乐节”过后我要着手扫尾工作，期间也许想法还会发生变化，但到目前为止去意已决。

Today in History(历史上的今天):

2014: In Memory of Glada Hurt(纪念哥兰达赫特)

Crosslinks(相关博文):

2017 Golden Key in Carnegie Hall(2017年卡内基金钥匙音乐节)

2016 Golden Key in Carnegie Hall(2016年卡内基金钥匙音乐节)

2015 Golden Key in Carnegie Hall(2015年卡内基金钥匙音乐节)

2014 Golden Key in Carnegie Hall(2014年卡内基金钥匙音乐节)

2013年卡内基金钥匙音乐节(2013 Golden Key in Carnegie Hall)