After Zhou Yan said this, he felt a little emotional. In the past few years, he had been busy outside and things at school had fallen behind a lot. Sometimes he almost forgot that he was a teacher.
After teaching for so many years, suddenly one day, he did not often appear in the classroom or on the podium. He did not get used to it, and he also missed teaching students on the podium every day.
Smiling slightly, Zhou Yan continued, "When you were rehearsing just now, I was listening to the whole thing. After listening, I felt very pleased. The school's enrollment in recent years seems to have been very successful. As a whole, your batch of students The level is very high.”
This sentence is a bit of a joke. This group of students is about the same level as other students. There is nothing outstanding. Moreover, you can't hear anything from just a few pieces of music, unless each of them is singled out for Zhou Yan to solo.
Although Zhou Yan's ears can clearly hear the performance of each member during the performance, this kind of temporary repertoire, coupled with the ensemble, cannot reflect the overall level of a performer.
When Ye Guangjie called them up, he certainly didn't expect him to find fault with the students. He mainly wanted to encourage them.
Therefore, Zhou Yan is not stingy with words of praise.
After finishing his words of praise, Zhou Yan added, "Of course, because your level is very high, you need to practice more. The orchestra's performances are a good training opportunity, but when you are not performing, you have to focus on your weak points." Strengthen. I have seen some very good young people focus too much on performances and neglecting their daily training, which ultimately leads to their inability to improve to the next level. It is really a pity.”
This is what Zhou Yan said from the bottom of his heart, and it is also a common problem among many performers. After many performers have been exposed to too many performances, they have no time to focus on their daily training.
After all, compared to training, performing is so much fun.
This situation has happened to their Piano Youth Ensemble before. Many students think about performing every day and usually only practice the pieces they want to perform on stage.
For example, Ma Dongfang, for a while, was practicing "Drinking the Yangtze River Water" and "Journey to the West Fantasia", hoping to be even more brilliant during the performance.
In the end, it was Zhou Yan who stopped it, stipulating that they must ensure time for practice and study.
Many performers remain the same for one, two, or even ten or twenty years, because they neglect their usual practice and study and always stay in their comfort zone.
After Zhou Yan said this, the students didn't say anything. Next to him, Sun Dong cried bitterly, "Director Zhou, you don't know. Now the conditions of the piano room in the school are very poor and the number is not enough. In recent years, the school enrollment has increased. It is really difficult for students to make an appointment with a piano studio. Sometimes, if they are majoring in violin or other majors, it is fine. But if they are majoring in piano, many of the piano studios cannot be used. I am not talking about the teachers in the musical instrument department. Irresponsible, I didn’t take good care of the piano, but my budget is limited, and many pianos are difficult to maintain.”
Ye Guangjie nodded and said, "Yes, and the piano room is soundproofed..."
"The soundproofing is no problem, the piano room has not been built for a long time."
"Some individuals do have problems..."
Zhou Yan felt something was wrong when he saw Ye Guangjie singing harmony with Sun Dong.
Why did these two people suddenly complain to him about the school's facilities? And in front of the students? It is inappropriate for a teacher to complain about school infrastructure in front of students.
There are not enough piano rooms, and it is true that pianos are old.
Every teacher and student in the school has a need for a piano room. It is okay during non-prime hours, but problems often arise during prime hours.
Moreover, various departments often have conflicts because of matters related to the piano room.
At present, Yangyin has not yet implemented a fixed-point system. You have to make appointments for piano rooms by yourself. Whether you can get an appointment at a piano room mainly depends on whether you make an appointment early and how the management office makes arrangements.
Unlike later, students in each department had a fixed quota of piano points. For example, students in the piano department had a quota of 150 hours per month, students in the folk music department had a quota of 120 hours, and students in other departments had a quota of 90 hours.
Because there is no such system now, piano students often make trouble, saying that they need the piano room the most, but they are not allocated more time.
The piano room building is open sixteen hours a day, but it is still not enough.
However, Zhou Yan cannot solve these problems.
Zhou Yan squinted at the two of them and thought to himself, maybe they wanted him to donate the piano to the school...
This is treating him as a big dog.
If Ye Guangjie and Sun Dong really wanted to get some benefits from him for the students, they would be in a hurry and seek medical treatment.
But Zhou Yan can also understand that Yangyin's current situation is indeed very troublesome.
Yangyin moved to No. 43 Baojia Street in 1958. At that time, in addition to one ancient building, there were only five tube buildings in the courtyard. In 1975, Premier Zhou personally approved the construction of the new school building.
Ten years later, a 16-story Qinfang Building and a 7-story comprehensive building were built, which were opened in 1986.
In the beginning, these buildings were barely enough. After all, the school only enrolled about a hundred students each year at that time. However, now the school's annual enrollment has more than doubled, and there are more than a thousand students on campus.
Today's teaching rooms in Yangyin are already very crowded.
The school has also considered expanding the school building, but this will not happen overnight.
Moreover, the school's main focus in recent years has been the establishment of the "211 Project", and it has no time to do other things.
A few days ago, Zhou Yan talked about this matter with Liu Lin. It was obvious that Liu Lin was also very worried about the establishment of Project 211.
Liu Lin was not in good health to begin with, and his complexion has become worse and worse recently.
Last time, Liu Lin himself expressed frustration, saying that he might not be able to insist on the establishment of the 211 Project.
Liu Lin had wanted to take a medical leave before, but because he was really concerned about the establishment of Project 211, he persisted until now.
The last time Zhou Yan met Wang Cizhao in the principal's office, Liu Lin was talking to Wang Cizhao about the establishment of Project 211. Now the establishment of Project 211 in the school has been handed over to Wang Cizhao.
Wang Cizhao is good at communication and is indeed a suitable candidate.
From the outside, Yangyin seems to be in a good position, but they don't know that there are a lot of things going on in the school that make people worried.
Zhou Yan said with a smile, "The school has developed rapidly in the past ten years, and teaching resources have gradually been stretched. The leaders are also trying their best to find ways to help everyone solve these problems. Speaking of which, I am a lucky person."
Hearing Zhou Yan say that he was a lucky man, the students became interested and curious about why he said that.
"I entered the school in 1987, not long after the piano room and the comprehensive building were built. At that time, it was not difficult for us to use the piano room. We could usually make an appointment in the piano room during the golden hour in the evening. If it was during the day in the middle of the week, the piano room would be available. Basically it’s a casual appointment.”
The students all showed envious expressions. Who wouldn’t want to be able to make appointments casually in the piano room?
"Teacher Zhou, you were so happy before." "Yes, I am extremely lucky. Our previous senior brothers and sisters didn't have any decent piano rooms to use. Last time I and Director Guo, Guo Wenjing, you You should know that he is my senior fellow in the same department. When they were in school, it was extremely difficult to practice the piano. They often had to go to the teachers’ homes to practice the piano... Like our composition department, one thing is good, but the piano is not good. It’s not a necessity either.”
"Senior Brother Guo majors in violin, which gives him an advantage over other students who major in piano. When he is composing, he can often just hold a violin and start playing."
Originally, they were talking about the shortage of piano rooms. Now they heard Zhou Yan talking about the past in the school, and the students also listened with interest.
Although they are not from the composition department, they have heard many stories from the composition department.
There are two generations in the composition department that are relatively famous.
The generation of Tan Dun, Guo Wenjing, and Ye Xiaogang is called the golden generation.
The other generation is the generation of Zhou Yan, Jia Guoping and Li Tao ten years later, which is called the Silver Generation.
In comparison, the Silver Generation seems to be inconspicuous. Jia Guoping is still studying abroad. Li Tao went to Zhou Yan Studio to make soundtracks. The most famous Zhou Yan is more famous for his popular works.
"Teacher Zhou, what instruments do you use when composing music?" a student asked curiously.
"Of course it's a bamboo flute. Teacher Zhou's bamboo flute is so powerful."
"Yes, I heard that Teacher Zhou's bamboo flute is master-level."
Zhou Yan majored in bamboo flute. Many students know that some of Zhou Yan's pieces are often played in folk music today, including "Floating Fragrance", "Drinking the Water of the Yangtze River Together" and "Fantasy on Journey to the West".
Rumors about Zhou Yan's bamboo flute skills are getting more and more exaggerated.
His bamboo flute level was indeed similar to that of bamboo flute students at that time, even in the middle and upper reaches. However, after so many years, he has not improved much, let alone a master level.
Zhou Yan smiled and waved his hand, "When I compose music, I basically use whatever instruments I have at hand. If I don't have any instruments, I just use my imagination, and when I have time, I will use instruments to verify it."
In fact, this is also the norm for most composers. When composing, musical instruments can only serve as auxiliary instruments, and more often they rely on theory.
This is different from pop composition. Many pop music creators don’t even know much about music theory. They can just find an instrument and play it a few times, or even just hum it by themselves, and they can compose a good-sounding pop song.
Because popular composition only requires simple melody, music theory is not required.
They don’t need to understand any harmonic direction, texture, or orchestration.
At this time, Zhou Yan changed the subject and talked about the orchestra's performance just now, ""Oracle Bones" is Brother Guo's most eloquent work this year. In the music, he describes the ancient legend of Nuwa mending the sky. In this work , he used fifteen instruments, mainly percussion, and the shocking feeling of the vocal part and the metal percussion instruments complement each other.”
"Oracle" is a chamber piece composed for mezzo-soprano and fifteen instruments. This is not the first time that Guo Wenjing has shown his interest in percussion, but it can show a change in his choice of melodic materials.
The students held their breath when they heard Zhou Yan commenting on their performance. This piece has been performed in Europe and has been unanimously praised by music critics. You can imagine their pressure.
Especially the girl in charge of the vocal part. After all, she is the only one in the vocal part, so the good and bad are obvious.
Zhou Yan also looked at the girl, "Maybe because it's a rehearsal, you want to put more passion into tomorrow's official performance, but I suggest you learn more about the story of Mending the Sky and get a feel for it. I can hear your control in the mid-bass range, but the power is slightly lacking. The mezzo-soprano in the vocal part should describe the scene of the sky breaking apart, causing chaos, the earth blazing, and countless evil beings suddenly appearing. , chasing and devouring innocent humans. Nuwa cut off four huge turtle legs to support the sky, repaired the damage, and restored order. Your singing needs to be full of burning and heartbreaking feelings, and you need to control the madness. Be as comfortable as possible, never hysterical..."
The female classmate said anxiously, "Teacher Zhou, please speak slowly, I can't remember it all at once... How about I get a piece of paper and write it down."
Zhou Yan waved his hand, indicating that she shouldn't be nervous, "You don't need to remember these, you just need to feel it."
After talking about the issue of the vocal section, Zhou Yan then talked about the issue of musical instruments, "The four metal percussionists still need to be stronger. In this score, silence is an important factor, and every single sound is It seems to be breaking the silence, and the rhythm must be steady. Even when playing with all your strength, it must be steady without any problems. The essence of percussion is power control and rhythm stability.”
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Zhou Yan looked at the harp again, "Have you noticed that Brother Guo only used perfect fourths and perfect fifths in the mezzo-soprano solo part and the harp part?"
The students all nodded. They naturally noticed it, but they didn't know why. Guo Wenjing didn't explain this to them before when he came.
Seeing them nodding, Zhou Yan smiled and said, "This is one of the changes in Senior Brother Guo. His current musical vocabulary and melody rely more on pure fourths and pure fifths, and have become more harmonious. Maybe you have heard of Senior Brother Guo's previous work "Madman" "Diary", that work is already very melodic. He is very popular in modern times. A good balance has been found between sex and melody. From "Diary of a Madman" to "Oracle", it is an attempt, a change, and an extension and development. If you can understand the changes in between, you will naturally understand better. The work "Oracle Bones""
When Zhou Yan was saying this, the conductor of "Oracle Bones" kept nodding. Although Zhou Yan was talking to the harpist, in fact, these things he said were more useful to the conductor.
At this time, Sun Dong couldn't help but applaud, "Director Zhou deserves to be from the composition department, and his analysis of the music is really wonderful. I even have the illusion that you know this music better than Director Guo. Last time I talked to Director Guo When chatting, he didn’t seem to understand these changes in himself. ”
Zhou Yan said with a smile, "Because when creating, I usually don't think so much. For example, about pure fourths and pure fifths, maybe Brother Guo himself doesn't know why, but there is a voice in his mind telling you to do this. , not consciously. At this time, we are more willing to follow the inner voice. Many times, we cannot explain the good effects of the work, because these are properties that cannot be explained theoretically. ”
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Ye Guangjie laughed from the side and said, "Why do I feel like you gave us a composition theory class?"
"This isn't called a composition theory class, it's just a trial for interest at most." Zhou Yan laughed, "That's all for today. I won't delay your rehearsal here. I hope you can perform very well tomorrow."
< br>
Sun Dong took the lead in applauding, "Okay, let us bid farewell to Director Zhou."
Zhou Yan waved his hand, turned around and left the stage.
Wang Zuxian was already waiting at the edge of the stage, and the two of them left the concert hall together.
Seeing Zhou Yan walking with a well-packed girl, the students couldn't help but gossip.
"This can't be Teacher Zhou's target."
"Isn't Teacher Zhou married?"
"It's a pity that I didn't see what Mr. Zhou's partner looks like."
"I thought Teacher Zhou was with Wang Zuxian."
"Yes, it has been spread before."
Ye Guangjie coughed lightly and interrupted the students' gossip, "Have you all remembered what Teacher Zhou said just now? Although time is running out, there is still a chance to make adjustments. Teacher Zhou is no longer teaching. You It’s not easy to hear him lecture you.”
"Thank you, head, for helping us get such a good opportunity." A student immediately flattered him.
Ye Guangjie was happy in his heart, but he remained calm on the outside, "If I don't do it for you, who else can I do it for? Okay, let's rehearse well." (End of Chapter)