Newsletter No. 445

8 445 • 19.10.2014 口談實錄 Viva Voce ’ 本刊由香港中文大學資訊處出版，每月出版兩期。截稿日期及稿例載於 www.iso.cuhk.edu.hk/chinese/newsletter/ 。 The CUHK Newsletter is published by the Information Services Office, CUHK, on a fortnightly basis. Submission guidelines and deadlines can be found at www.iso.cuhk.edu.hk/english/newsletter/ . 崇基學院院長 陳偉光教授 Prof. Victor Chan Head of Chung Chi College 你與崇基淵源深遠，對學院精神有何體會？ 這可說非常弔詭。崇基重視人文精神的承傳，力求建造和育養 每一位同學的價值，惟過分強調個人價值，易流於自大，這是 我們棄絕的。另一方面我們恪守創校的基督精神，那卻是要把 人的價值放到最低，視自己為謙卑侍人的僕人。在尋找自我價 值的當兒，得同時認識自己在造物者眼中，是宇宙裏渺小的個 體，那我們該如何恰如其分地知所努力呢？ 貴為創校書院之一，歷史超逾半世紀的崇基學院有何要 守？ 一直引以自豪的通識精神和博雅傳統必須堅守，但也極之難 守。核心價值無容非議，惟因時代和環境不同，加上群體的組 成改變，面對很大挑戰。 有何要立？ 教育的任務既始終如一，是學生的個人成長，內心素質的建 立，那麽要守要立的也當相同。要立的是在新時代裏活化通識 精神和博雅傳統。但活化不容易，處於這個從早忙到晚的時 代，建立一種生活方式，容許多一點空間尋找深層次的思考， 是艱巨的任務。我從以下兩方面起步：首先，建立院長網誌， 與學院師生探討人生話題，例如今早就剛和大家分享對正在 中環發生的事情的感受。另每星期一在禮拜堂開設半小時的 午間音樂平台，締造心靈綠洲，讓大家學習在生活的常規裏， 稍停，稍靜，稍思，重新出發。 有何要破? 「破」是艱難的決定，要削走一直存在的，需要很大勇氣。時 間按既定的周期運轉，事務不可能無止境擴展。定下優次緩 急，便要汰走次要的，以騰出空間給重要的發展。這是會令人 不安、痛苦、困擾的，不過是必須的。 藝術家的行政不總是一團糟的嗎？何解你卻出任過不少 行政要職？ 沒有風格和獨特個性，很難做藝術家。一位管理人員最吸引 人之處也許便是其風格鮮明的取態和想法，所以藝術家從事 管理可以是優勢。換個角度看，藝術家卻又傾向即興，疏於組 織。猶幸我是作曲的，而音樂正是經過組織的聲音，講求悉心 部署，配搭瑣碎細節，成為有意義的意象。施諸行政管理，或 有合用之處。 音樂對你的人生有何影響？ 學音樂，讓我發現了該在這個廣大的世界裏怎樣認識自己，以 及自己和周遭的關係，最重要的是學曉聆聽和等待。不代入 聽眾的耳朵，我如何和他們溝通？可是，聆聽背後需要漫長等 待，在作曲的過程裏，我往往須停下來，思考何以為繼。在躊 躇難決的時候，必須等待，兩小時，兩天，兩星期……，時候到 了，便會知道甚麽才是最佳的續句。 知音難覓—身為作曲家，可有同感？ 深有同感。在音樂和思想世界裏能找到跟自己接軌的人，哪怕 只是一個半個，已是天大的幸運，也惟其如此，才見珍貴。作 曲於我是高度孤獨、沉悶、無助、無人了解的局面；我熟悉不 過，甚至沉醉其中。但當相知的經驗在意想不到的時候忽地 擦身而過，哎，這世上原來有他是明白的，那真是叫人興奮的 無敵感覺！ 你與哪個時期的作曲家最有共鳴？ 我特愛古典時期和遠至巴洛克時期的音樂作品，愛其組織的 精準、細心和誠意，創作態度的嚴肅，內涵的豐富。這些音樂 愈聽愈能發掘到深層的新義。如果外表華美鋪張，聽着刺激 興奮，可是內容貧乏空洞，豈不可惜？我尊敬這個時期的音 樂，更對這些作曲家心生嚮往。 公務如此繁忙，現在還有作曲嗎？ 當然有。我最怕的便是失去了這讓我興奮的存在價值，這是我 絕不容許發生的。我義無反顧答允了幾項委約創作，這些死線 陸陸續續臨近了。還有一只CD，要在明年完成錄製。 How do you interpret the spirit of Chung Chi based on your decades-long acquaintance with the College? It’s very paradoxical. Chung Chi values its humanitarian legacy and strives to establish and nurture the value of each and every student. Yet over emphasis on the value of individuals will breed self-conceit, which we abhor. On the other hand, we uphold the Christian ethos on which the College was founded, which views oneself as a humble servant to serve but not to be served. So while seeking one’s self-value, one has to think low as a small individual in the vast universe in the eyes of the Creator, and has to reflect on how to develop our strengths with the right force and focus. Being one of the three founding Colleges of CUHK and having a history of more than half a century, what will Chung Chi strive to uphold? General education and the tradition of liberal arts which we have taken pride in. But they are extremely difficult to defend. As times and circumstances change, and the composition of the community differs, the unquestionable core values are facing big challenges. What does it want to establish? I always say that there’s nothing new in the mission of education, which is the personal growth of students through developing their inner qualities. If that is true, what we want to uphold and establish will be the same things. We need to revitalize our general education and the tradition of liberal arts in the modern times. It does not come easy and requires deep thinking, which is a luxury given the hectic lifestyle we are having now. I’m experimenting ways to create new platforms to stimulate reflection. I have built my blog to discuss life issues with College members. This morning I just shared my view on what’s happening in Central now. I also launched a lunchtime music appreciation session every Monday, encouraging people to set aside 30 minutes from their routine, slow down, clear their minds, ponder for a while before taking on the road again. What does it want to break away from? To ‘break’ away from something is a difficult decision. It takes tremendous courage to trim something down which has all along existed. Time has its designated cycle and is limited. To expand business endlessly is impossible. We need to set priorities, and stop doing the less important in order to ease up space for the more important. This could be disturbing, painful and frustrating, but it’s necessary. Aren’t artists poor administrators? How come you have taken up quite a number of chief administrative posts? Style and uniqueness are indispensable calibre for an artist. Similarly, the charisma of an administrator may come from an uncompromising management style and individuality in thinking. So artists could have an edge as administrators. On the other hand, artists are good at improvisation and weak in organization. Fortunately I’m a composer whose job is to organize sounds meticulously in a systematic manner to form meaningful imageries. My strength in this area may prove relevant in management. What impact has music made on your life? Studying music enhanced my self-discovery. I came to understand more about myself and my relationships with people and things around me. And most important of all, I’ve learnt to listen and be patient. How can I communicate with the audience if I do not consider what they would love to hear through their ears? Listening implies waiting patiently. When I write music, at points of uncertainty and indecision, I need to stop and wait. It could be two hours, two days, two weeks …. Who knows. But when the time comes, I will know the best continuation of what has been going on. As a composer, do you think it’s difficult to find a musical soul mate? Definitely! In the world of music, it’s so difficult to find somebody who can read your mind and share your thoughts. You will be the luckiest person on earth if you could find one. It’s so rare and hence so valuable. Writing music always drags me into a lonely, desolate, helpless and unsympathized situation. I’m so familiar with it that I even indulge in it. But there have been some unexpected moments when I could feel somebody around who might have understood and echoed to what I was doing. Such ecstasy is unbeatable! Who are the composers that touch you most? I love music of the Classical and Baroque periods in particular. I love the precision in organization, the attention to detail, the sincerity, the seriousness in attitude and the abundance in content. The more you listen to them, the richer the meaning you can derive. It gives you a brand new experience with every listening. Some musical works are glamourous and elaborate in style, ear-pleasing and exciting, but with nothing worth exploring under the flamboyant outlook. I have full respect for music of those periods and I aspire to be like the composers back then. Do you still write music amid you busy schedule? Of course I do. Losing the value of my meaningful existence is what I fear most. I will never allow it to happen. To keep myself active, I have accepted several commissioned jobs and the submission deadlines are drawing near. I also need to complete a CD recording by next year. 請掃描QR碼閱讀全文版 Scan the QR code for the full version 觀看錄像，請掃描QR碼或瀏覽以下網址： To watch the video, please scan the QR code or visit: www.iso.cuhk.edu.hk/video/?nsl445-victor-chan