AY : Where are you from Yiyang?
YX : Shanghai, China.
AY: When did you first start playing the flute and piano and why did you start?
YX: I started playing the Piano because my mother’s a piano teacher. On the other hand, I started playing the flute when I joined my school band in 4th grade. I enjoyed it immensely, and managed to persuade my mother to let me take classes outside school.
AY: What do you enjoy the most in your music studies?
YX: Getting a new piece. I do enjoy the novelty of playing pieces I have not seen before quite a bit.
AY: Could you please tell us how you make your practice more fun and efficient for yourself?
YX: I play a lot of scales and arpeggio relating to whatever the key of my piece is in, and I try to variate the rhythm of very quick parts so they don’t get boring.
AY: Do you play in a chamber music group or orchestra and if yes, please tell us about your favourite moments playing in the group.
YX: I play in my school orchestra, and in a chamber group with a few friends. My favorite moments would probably be
AY: How do you balance school academic work with music practice and what is your best advice for efficient time-management?
YX: It’s hard, no doubt, but it is possible to manage practice and school. I am really focused on academics, but I do try to leave at least 5 hours every week for practice. It’s not a lot, but I am not considering pursuing a career in music, so it works out for me. On the other hand, I did choose some harder courses, so it is probably a good idea to choose fewer challenging courses if possible.
AY: Did you find your experience at the 2nd New Talent British International Youth Music Competition a beneficial one? If yes, please tell us why.
YX: I found it very beneficial. It gave me an opportunity to hear and interact with many different talented musicians from different countries, which was wonderful.
AY: Is there anything coming up in the coming months that makes you excited? Please tell us about it!
YX: Going to the Beijing Expo!
AY: What advice do you have for young musicians who have just started learning an instrument?
YX: Always start with piano or something similar. It helps a lot with understanding chords, harmony and how music works in general. If you do want to start on other instruments though, do try to practice around one hour per day.
Thank you Yiyang!