Newsletter No. 461

10 461 • 19.8.2015 ’ 口談實錄 Viva Voce 學音樂的歷程是怎樣的？ 由於家中有親戚經常練琴，十個月大左右便自覺地跟着用手指 按奏琴鍵，母親見我有興趣，就教我把每隻手指都獨立練習， 如是者每天花上三十至四十五分鐘，至四歲開始正式習琴。 我既享受也不享受練琴的過程。我享受指尖在琴鍵間飛舞，但 要有所進，必須打開耳朵，通過嚴格的自我批判，演奏的深度才 會有所長。自己的瑕疵自己應該聽得最清楚，這個過程絕不是 享受，故學音樂最重要的是耐性。 遇到人說：「古典音樂，別搞我，我不懂欣賞。」你會怎樣 開導？ 音樂不能以沉悶的古典音樂和刺激的流行音樂來區分，兩者分 別其實在於欣賞的難度。就如薯條相對於紅酒，把薯條給孩子 吃，不用教他們也準愛吃。紅酒則不然，由於味道較複雜，那是 要學習後，了解種類和享用的方法，才懂得欣賞的。我不會跟人 說必須要聽古典音樂，因為即使不懂，對生活沒有影響。可是， 如果你願意花些心思去了解和學習古典音樂，你的世界則會擴 大和豐富了。 2006年你首度出任中大駐校藝術家，你希望藉此帶些甚 麽給中大人？ 感謝時任藝術行政主任 蔡錫昌 先生的賞識，獲邀時很高興，認 為是難得的機會，大膽地答應了，隨後便是想如何做一個稱職 的駐校藝術家。 駐校藝術家的工作，不是炫耀個人演奏造詣的高超，而是向 教職員和學生推廣古典音樂。我希望帶給中大人一個訊息：音 樂是生活的一部分，音樂不止於聽講座和音樂會，音樂享受是 可以帶進生活中的。 請說說你在內地參與的慈善工作。 其中一項是跟隨志願組織到四川汶川，向當地教師講授音樂治 療，通過講座和實習環節，讓教師親身體驗音樂治療如何有助 心靈休息，令人放鬆。我亦講解創傷後壓力心理障礙症的理論， 希望結合理論知識和音樂治療，再因應當地文化，幫助老師給 受災學童合適的輔助治療。我另曾與廣西交響樂團合作義演， 為當地腦癱兒童籌款。 你有醫生與鋼琴家的雙重身分，行醫和彈琴的風格可有 相通？ 在音樂上，鋼琴就是我的聲帶，我必須不斷自我批判、鞭策，來 優化這把聲音的傳意能力。這習慣促使我在行醫上亦不停檢討 與病人溝通之道；怎樣與不同的病人溝通？怎樣說最能讓病人 明白？ 另一方面，醫學科學的理性，有助我閱讀樂譜時抽離個人情緒， 檢視樂譜的修訂史，並理性分析作曲家的意思，再把這些因素 融入演奏。 何以寫作起來？ 出版了兩本書──《醫生有本難唸的經》和《醫生遇上怪獸家 長》，都與行醫有關。平日要在看診的短時間內，改正病人的誤 解，講述醫學常識，或是給予忠告，實在很困難，病人也來不及 消化這些資訊。與其每次跟病人和家長說同一番話，不如轉而 在書中以親身經歷為例子，希望讀者看後，了解如何在生活上 調節、教導小朋友、明白醫生提問的目的，藉此促進醫生、護理 人員、病人及其家屬的互動和溝通。 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/?nsl461-william-ng How did you get started in music? At home there was always someone practising the piano. I was only 10 months old then, but I followed suit in hitting the keys. Seeing this, my mother taught me how to use each of my fingers individually. We would go on like that for 30 to 45 minutes a day. At four I began my formal piano lessons. I find practising the piano both fun and hard. The fun part is the fingers flying over the keys. But if I were to get better, to give depth to my performances, I must open my ears and be my harshest critic. I should be the best judge of my own flaws. This is not an enjoyable process. Patience is crucial for learning music. How would you respond to the saying that ‘Classical music is beyond my comprehension and appreciation’? Music should not be simplistically divided into the boring classical and the exciting pop types. The difference lies in the challenges in appreciation. Take French fries and red wine for example. Most children take an immediate liking to French fries, but developing a taste for red wine is a more complicated matter. One has to acquire knowledge of the varietals and the vintages before one can enjoy it. I wouldn’t tell people that they must listen to classical music because life goes on even if they understand nothing about it. But if you are willing to spend time to learn and appreciate classical music, your world will be broadened and enriched. You first became the CUHK Artist-in-Residence in 2006. What did you want to bring to the campus? I was elated to receive an offer from the then Arts Administrator, Mr. Hardy Tsoi , to take up the role. I took it and had Mr. Tsoi to thank eternally for the opportunity given me. The mission of the Artist-in-Residence is not to show off what one’s good at doing, but to promote classical music to staff and students. I hope to convey the message that music is not confined to attending lectures or going to concerts, that the enjoyment of music can be a part of one’s life. Please tell us about your charitable work on the mainland. I joined a voluntary organization to go to Sichuan province which was stricken with the aftermath of the earthquake and talked to the local teachers there about music therapy. Through lectures and hands-on workshops, I let them experience personally how music therapy could be used to restore peace of mind. I also talked about post-traumatic disorders, in the hope of helping the teachers to formulate suitable treatments for the children victims by combining the theory with music therapy. I also joined hands with the Guangxi Symphony Orchestra to hold a fundraising concert for local children with cerebral palsy. Given your dual roles, is there a common thread to your doctoring and artistic styles? Musically speaking, the piano is my vocal cords . I need to enhance its communicative prowess through constant self- critique and hard work. This also makes me constantly review how I communicate with patients—with different patients and for best effects. On the other hand, the rational thinking in the medical sciences helps me to stay detached when studying the scores. It allows me to objectively examine the revisions of a piece of music and get to the bottom of the composer’s mind. Why did you write? I have published two books— Doctor’s Difficult Tales and When Doctor Meets Monster Parents . I found it very difficult to correct patients’ misunderstandings, convey medical knowledge, or give advice during the short duration of a consultation. And the patients don’t have time to absorb so much information. Instead of repeating the same words to patients and their parents, I chose to write about my experiences. I hope that my readers can learn to live a healthier life, teach their children accordingly, and have a better idea of why doctors ask certain questions. I hope the books would help to promote better communication among doctors, health care workers, patients and their families. 2008 年聯合內外全科醫學 中大史上最年輕的駐校藝術家 ( 2006, 2009, 2010 ) 現為公立醫院急症室醫生 MB ChB programme, United College, 2008 CUHK’s youngest Artist-in-Residence (2006, 2009, 2010) Medical doctor, Accident & Emergency in a public hospital 伍慶賢醫生 Dr. William Thaddeus Ng 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/ . Photo by ISO staff