September 02, 2019
The Paul Abisheganaden Grant for Artistic Excellence is offered each year by CFA in honour of the legacy of the great Paul Abisheganaden and his impact on the arts, both at NUS and across Singapore.
The 2019 recipient was Joey Lau. We spoke with her about what it meant to receive this honour and what she did with the opportunity.
What made you apply for the grant?
I was alerted to the grant by my violin professor. I felt that it would be a great honor to be awarded this grant as it is established in memory of the late Paul Abisheganaden who is a distinguished arts pioneer in Singapore and also a Cultural Medallion winner. I’ve always been keen to attend courses and refine my craft and develop further as an artist and that’s exactly what this grant allows recipients to do.
What did you do with it? Can you share any details or stories from the course you attended with the funding?
Thanks to the grant, I was able to participate in a Summer Violin Institute at Northwestern University in Chicago. This is a two-week course where each student plays in six masterclasses with different professors. The masterclasses are also open to the public, hence we could watch and learn from other students as well as the professors running each session. I chose this opportunity because there was a specific professor I was interested in studying under for my master’s degree after graduation. However, after having a lesson with him, I discovered that they may not be an ideal choice to study under because of the differences in our physiques. This affects how the sound is produced on the violin. While I’d never considered this before, being able to meet and play in person made me realize how different physiques matter so much in violin playing. Nevertheless, I still loved his playing and enjoyed his masterclasses.
My disappointment at this incompatibility soon evaporated as the diversity of the course meant that I also had lessons with other professors as well. Thankfully I found a professor that I really liked who is very passionate about teaching and also very effective in solving the problems that we encounter. I networked with this professor and hope to audition for his school after my current studies!
This Summer Violin Institute experience not only expanded my knowledge through the lessons and masterclasses that I attended but also connected me with so many new people in the field. During this course, we also got the chance to perform for the public and it was a really nice experience for all of the students who went there, as the learning environment was exceedingly positive as well! This makes learning much more fruitful and fun!
Do you expect the grant will have a lasting impact on your arts career?
This grant will have a lasting impact on my arts career as it allowed me to develop further as a musician in various aspects such as performing, understanding of music, violin playing and how the violin works. I was able to find a professor that I am keen to learn from and I also met many other renowned professors who are great pedagogues internationally. The lessons that I have learned from my time there will definitely stay with me throughout my arts career. Since I now have a professor that I definitely want to study under, the Paul A Grant has helped me identify the next huge step in my arts career, and it might be my last time studying under a professor full time before I start working professionally. Hence, it has impacted my future arts career tremendously.
What advice do you have for aspiring applicants?
Don’t be afraid to try doing things for the first time. Some choices you make may not be the best, but one has to learn how to work through with the choices made and make the best out of it! Making mistakes is what helps us improve.
What’s next for you? Where can we see your work?
I’m currently preparing for my auditions for graduate schools and my senior recital that is happening in April. I do have some performances planned for this year and hope see many NUS faces there once I know the dates.
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Applications for the 2024 grant are now open and will close on 31 Dec 2023. Find out more here.
[Photo by Gilbert Chan (PIXELMUSICA)]