For Good Measure

Vivian Fung - Part 4

March 20, 2023 Vivian Fung Episode 42
For Good Measure
Vivian Fung - Part 4
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For Good Measure, by Ensemble for These Times (E4TT)
Episode 42: Vivian Fung (part 4)

Looking for a way to listen to diverse creators and to support equity in the arts? Tune in weekly to For Good Measure!

In this week’s episode, we talk to Vivian Fung, who speaks about how becoming a mother has helped her grow as a composer and gives advice for emerging artists. If you enjoyed today’s conversation and want to know more about Vivian Fung, check her out here: vivianfung.ca. Parts of this episode originally premiered on March 2022, found on Youtube, click here.

This podcast is made possible in part by a grant from the California Arts Council and generous donors, like you. Want to support For Good Measure and E4TT? Make a tax-deductible donation or sign up for our newsletter, and subscribe to the podcast!

Intro music: “Trifolium” by Gabriela Ortiz, performed by E4TT (Ilana Blumberg, violin; Abigail Monroe, cello; Margaret Halbig, piano),  as part of “Below the Surface: Music by Women Composers,” January 29, 2022
Outro music: “Lake Turkana” by Marcus Norris, performed by E4TT (Margaret Halbig, piano), as part of “Alchemy,” October 15, 2021

Transcription courtesy of Otter.ai.

Producer, Host, and E4TT co-founder: Nanette McGuinness
Audio Engineer: Stephanie M. Neumann
Podcast Cover Art: Brennan Stokes
Interns: Roziht Edwards and Merve Tokar

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Nanette McGuinness:

[INTRO MUSIC] Welcome to For Good Measure, an interview series celebrating diverse composers and other creative artists sponsored by grant from the California Arts Council. I'm Nanette McGuinness, artistic executive director of Ensemble For These Times. In this week's episode, we continue our conversation with Vivian Fung, who we spoke to in March 2022.[INTRO MUSIC ENDS]. You've written eloquently about combining motherhood with being a creative artist saying, "When I was 19 and highly impressionable, my then-mentor David Diamond offered this advice at a pre-concert lecture moments before my MY debut, ‘You

will have to choose, Vivian:

either you will have a wonderful life as a composer or you will have babies.’ Being entirely green, I believed what he said and for the next twenty years I proceeded through life with the intention of being childless and focused on the singular pursuit of a composing career.” Has this changed now some 20 plus years later?

Vivian Fung:

Well, you know, I have a son now who's six, and this is gonna, this is gonna age date me, but I had my son when I was 40. So I was, uh, you know, talking about late bloomer. And I, you know, for a long time, I didn't want to have children because of the quote that you just read. But you know, things change, you need a partner and to, your priorities start to shift. And I have to say, you know, motherhood. And this is, you know, that's, I like to talk about it, because it's still very much taboo has been a burgeoning of creativity for me, because you're no longer focused on me, you know, it's not about me, or it's not about AI, it's about, you know, making the world a better place for your child or for your children. And that really puts a different perspective on everything, and it puts a different lens on everything, and it becomes. So I don't know, nurturing, and that you're not just nurturing one person, you're nurturing this community, right? And because it does take a village, and it also makes you think about, you know, your, your impression your influence on other people. And so, composition is a means for me to do that, I think. And it's beautiful, because a lot of the compositions that I've done subsequent to that has been through the eyes of my child, you know, I've composed a piece called it was it was just performed with the element and symphony, child's dream of toys, and it's about the journey, and it's all fast music, you know. So, I think, since having my child, actually, my creativity, and my output has actually really increased and I compose more quickly. And with bursts of energy that I've never, that I've found that I didn't even know that I had before, you know. So it's been really quite wonderful for me, not to say that everything is wonderful about having children. And I wouldn't say, you know, to have children just because you want to be creative, right. But but that's a different thing. But But I think that, for me, it's just, yeah, it's, it's the opposite of what I was led to believe, you know, that once you have children, that's the end. It's for me, it's was really a beginning of another chapter.

Nanette McGuinness:

That's fabulous. One of the things that's changed during my career has been the world's openness to people saying that they have children, and bringing them to work with you, beyond a special bring your kid to work day. It used to be that kids were hidden somewhere and didn't come. Even if you had a child who could sit still during a rehearsal. There was no thought or possibility of bringing them. But that has changed. And that's very cool. You're passionate about mentoring young composers and are devoted to teaching and fostering emerging talent. Do you have any advice to give young or aspiring artists in these times or in any times?

Vivian Fung:

I think, you know, I took me a long time to figure out things and where I fit in my voice and all that. And I think I go back to Do what I was saying before, to trust your intuition. So, you know, beginning composition students, or even if you're not beginning composition students, you'll get a lot of advice about things, and you'll have a lot of courses and other stuff. And I think the thing is to, to return back to is to always trust your instincts about what is right, or where you fit in, or how to find your voice is to just really listen to that inner voice that will really guide you through to to what you want to do, whether it be composition or otherwise. And I think that that is really important that that has sustained me through really hard times. And also been integral it's for me to make certain key decisions about life and about things and, you know, even as fundamental as having a child, you know, if I listened to all my metros, then I wouldn't have a child. Right. And and it, you know, it's really important to cultivate, cultivate that inner voice, that inner strength and that inner that that force that will hold you together. That's really important.

Nanette McGuinness:

What are your current artistic goals for yourself? Do you have any projects coming up that you're excited to share with our listeners and viewers?

Vivian Fung:

Yeah, I've lots of projects that I'm that are brewing. I think I counted like something like eight, seven or eight projects this year. And I do want to mention that, you know, this idea of cultivating that oral history with my family. And, you know, I've composed these opera scenes. It's called Grover and friends and alarm. And it's really about, like cousins and my family and their journey, you know, escaping the impression of the camera rouge, and coming to a new country, and all the trauma that's associated with that. So, I would love to cultivate that into a full length opera in the near future. And I'm working with a fabulous librettist on that. And so, yeah, I mean, I think all the other projects are really cool, too. And I don't know if we have time for me to mention everything, but I'm working on. I just finished my fifth string string quartet. And then I'm working on a piece for two pianos and two percussion, for group in Philadelphia, network for new music, and then another orchestral piece for River Oaks Chamber Orchestra down in Texas. And then, you know, in Canada, he Concerto with the Vancouver Symphony, so all all over the place, and then, of course, our project together. So yeah, lots of wonderful things.

Nanette McGuinness:

[OUTRO MUSIC] Thank you for listening to For Good Measure, and a special thank you to our guest, Dawn Norfleet for joining us today. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to our podcast by clicking on the subscribe button and support us by sharing it with your friends, posting about it on social media and leaving us a rating and a review. To learn more about E4TT Our concert season online and in the Bay Area where to make a tax deductible donation, please visit us at www.E4TT.org. This podcast is made possible in part by a grant from the California Arts Council and generous donors like you. "For Good Measure" is produced by Nanette McGuinness and Ensemble for These Times, and designed by Brennan Stokes. With special thanks to audio engineer extraordinaire Stephanie Neumann. Remember to keep supporting equity in the arts and tune in next week "for good measure." [OUTRO MUSIC ENDS]

You’ve written eloquently about combining motherhood with being a creative artist, saying, “When I was 19 and highly impressionable, my then-mentor David Diamond offered this advice at a pre-concert lecture moments before my MY debut, ‘You will have to...
You’re passionate about mentoring young composers and are devoted to teaching and fostering emerging talent. Do you have any advice to give young or aspiring artists in these times, or in any times?
What are your current artistic goals for yourself? Do you have any projects coming up that you’re excited to share with our listeners and viewers?