When The Macau Post Daily last interviewed Peggy Chan Pui Ian (formerly Peggy Chan Pui Yan) back in October 2020 she was in her third year at the prestigious Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing (中央音樂學院; CCOM).
Now almost three years later Chan is doing her master’s degree in Guzheng and composing music for the instrument which has been published and has even been asked to compose pieces by another ensemble. She has also performed for President Xi Jinping and been a judge for a music competition in Shanghai.
The Macau Post Daily spoke to Chan on Saturday before she left for Beijing to resume her studies after the summer break.
Chan said, “In 2021, I performed at the huge Centenary of the CPC (Communist Party of China) Arts Performance in the National Stadium, entitled “The Great Journey” with my classmates from Beijing. We had to go to a training base for two months before the show to prepare and practise. There we learnt how a big event is put on.”
This was not the first time that Chan had performed for Xi, she said: “When I was 14 I performed at the concert to celebrate the handover of Macau. I really didn’t expect to be asked to perform at such a big event in Beijing.”
“I also arranged two pieces, a piano piece by Debussy and a traditional Cantonese song “Waterfall” for the guzheng with my teacher Su Cheng which we debuted on CCTV. After the TV show the scores were published and produced by Beijing Universal Audiovisual Publisher.”
Chan went on to say that she was very thankful to Su for teaching her so much and for giving her so many opportunities.
Going to the next level
In 2022, Chan graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Guzheng Performance. “I am now studying for my master’s degree; there were only six places on offer and I obtained the highest mark of overseas students in the Master’s Entrance Exam. It was a hard competition and I was really proud, my family were too”, Chan said.
In October last year Chan arranged with Su music from various films for the guzheng, “Walking in Paris” in a jazz style and “The Last Emperor”. Chan said that the pieces were performed by Cheng’s Guzheng Orchestra, made up of Su’s students. Chan said that Cheng’s name also means singer in Putonghua. The concert was held in the Concert Hall of the National Library.
Last year Chan was asked to be a judge in the Central Conservatory of Music (CCOM) Music Festival for Kids and Teens. Chan said, “It reminded me of when I was little and played in competitions in front of professional judges. Being a judge gave me a different perspective and I was happy to be there.
“I also performed with Su’s orchestra in the Shanghai Conservatory and visited an instrument-making factory where I learnt about the manufacturing process; they had some beautiful instruments there.”
Moving away from traditional conceptions of guzheng
When I first met Chan many years ago when she was still a schoolgirl, she was experimenting with different genres of music on her YouTube Channel by asking for requests. Many people from overseas were asking her to play rock songs on the guzheng and she built up quite a following. That stopped after that summer of experiments.
Chan said on Saturday, “The guzheng is a traditional instrument and I always want to explore how far it can go. I have written music with jazz and tango arrangements. I wrote the Dance of Strings as my final piece this year.
“That summer was the start of the experiment, some were successful, some not, I use the guzheng to play different genres of music – modern music- not in the traditional style”, she said.
Chan also said that she would like to try to use the guzheng to tell the story of Macau. “My ultimate goal is to write something about Macau using different genres of music, all about the place where I was born and grew up; I am doing research and preparing for it but I don’t know if I can, but that is my goal”.
She added, “I have written the music of Nan Yin, - a southern Chinese musical style called Fantasia on Southern Melodies, a modern adaptation but I haven’t performed it yet.”
Chan went on to say, “I always write and wait for the opportunity to perform the pieces.”
Professor’s advice
Chan said of Su, “I want to thank her so much, she has taught me a lot and given me so many opportunities; she has not only taught me how to be a musician but also how to behave. She is not only my professor of music but also my life.”
Chan went on to say, “I know there are many students who work very hard but I am lucky to have someone to give me advice and make sure I am not walking the wrong road; if I doubt myself she builds me up and trusts me, she tells me that I am the right person to do this, she always encourages me to try something new and not be afraid to fail.”
Playing at the concert hall of the National Library on September 21, 2022. All photos provided by Peggy Chan Pui Ian.
Graduating on June 1, 2022
Posing as a judge at the Central Conservatory of Music (CCOM) Music Festival for Kids and Teens on June 22, 2022.
Peggy Chan Pui Ian participating in the Centenary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Arts Performance, ‘The Great Journey’ at the National Stadium in Beijing on June 29, 2021
Playing ‘The Waterfall’ on CCTV, with teacher Su (left) on March 11, 2022.
