Could you share with us your musical background and your guitar training and experience?
I started playing guitar at 15.The very first guitar I had was an acoustic guitar given as a birthday present by my sister. With attractions by various artists of my life, I learned to play my favorite folk, pop and rock songs on the guitars days and nights. I managed to learn the classical folk song "Dona Dona" in 3 days, right after I have my first guitar. I played by imitating records, reading books and picking some techniques tips from my buddies. I joined a pop band as lead guitarist at 19, playing mainstream pop rock in parties.
Few years later, I established a rock band named "Signal" and I was engaged in different instrumentation at different stages (guitar, keyboards, vocal and drums). The band played heavy metals and there were not too many opportunities for heavy metal during that time. In 1998, I joined another band called "Icestone II" as bass player.Our style was 100% Reggae and Blues. We wrote many songs of our own and participated in few stage performances, such as in「 添 馬 艦 海 濱 樂 逍 遙 」．蒲 窩 concert, 銅 鑼 灣 CityDancer show, 屯 門 「 黃 金 海 岸 」露 天 騷.
In year 2000, I started picking up guitar again as the band's lead guitar player and participated in few performances such as 藝 穗 會 (Nokia Gallery) concert, 「 Asian Beat 2001 」(finalist), 深 圳 「 無 心 快 語 酒 吧 」show, Memory of 4/6 outdoor show in Mong Kok Southern Stadium. All my trainings were self-taught without a teacher until I met Ian Fu.
Tell us about your experience of learning Flamenco Guitar.How do you start learning with Ian Fu?
That was quite a coincidence. I'd never thought of learning Flamenco guitar in my life. In early 2004, I bought a Flamenco guitar CD of a famous guitar master "Gerardo Nunez"; I was totally impressed by his skill. The kind of music was probably from another planet.Not lately, my friend introduced me to join a Flamenco guitar workshop conducted by Ian Fu. I learnt what is Flamenco guitar and history of Flamenco music there and I started learning Flamenco guitar from Ian in April 04. I learnt lots of basic technique and compass in Flamenco. All those were quite traditional but essential in all senses.Starting from easier pieces Sevillanas, Rumba,then to more complicated Alegrias, Fandangos, Farruca etc.I could play 5 different pieces in 5 months and performed them all in the 1st Flamenco Workshop in September 04.
What is your feeling about learning flamenco guitar and your basic training is really rock and other guitar type ? Are there any difficulties? How do you compare learning Flamenco Guitar with other type of music?
Frankly speaking, all my skills in guitar playing in the past 3 decades are mostly self-learning, observing and listening.Switching from electric/acoustic guitars to Flamenco guitar on one hand is manageable as I have the left hand with trained speed, good and precise rhythm, but on the right hand, it is kind of handicap in the beginning as I normally used a pick on the right hand.Keeping fingernails and making different sound out of the fingers are so difficult to handle. Fingerings like Resguardos; Picado; Appegio and Tremolo are all complete strangers to me and I have to spend a lot of time to train my right hand intensively. After 2 years, it's more manageable but still far from being ideal. I think all kinds of music could serve as a platform to express feelings, that's no difference amongst rock, Jazz, souls, classical and flamenco. I find lots of elements are quite common in Flamenco music as compared to rock/blues in particular the passion and energy inside.
You had started from scratch and picked up Flamenco Guitar with no experience in the beginning and finally perform within one year of training.Could you talk about your performance and preparation experience for your first performance in then Hong Kong Space Museum?
Precisely, it's ten months.I have never thought of performing when I started learning Flamenco.I would say that for anyone to perform, he must have achieved certain standard. As a stranger in this kind of music, participating in a ticket-sale concert in Space Museum within ten months is unrealistic with 6 songs of moderate difficulties, I think it is kind very difficult to achieve. It was a tough moment but after all it was fun.I had worked hard to commit to the standard, expectation and schedule set by Ian. Gladly, the result of the performance was very encouraging and I enjoyed very much in the show. My background as an experienced performer and being nobody in Flamenco did help me to manage the stage fright or stress on stage.
They are concerts in Nov 2006. What is your expectation and what you want to do in the Mi Camino Flamenco Group and related concerts?
Firstly, I have to boost up and smooth out my technique, especially on right hand, to be more Flamenco. Secondly, I would like to play some new pieces different from previous shows and at the same time, I have to extend my expectation in this show to be able to perform with more Flamenco feels and passions. Our previous performances were mainly guitars which I believe have areas of improvement by flowing in different instruments such as bass and percussions. It will be more powerful and colorful if the group can be involved more elements like a band.With my previous experience on drums and bass, no doubt I would like to engage in other parts other than guitar in our future shows. Anyway, all performances to me are all precious moments. I will certainly do my best and enjoy it.
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