My mom was in certain art circles when she was a young adult from her choral group (Xing Shi He Chang Tuan). She dropped out after deciding that art made no money. When I was older I was really impressed she was in the same circle as Kuo Pao Kun and went to his home for a gathering. (I think art people do not party.) His daughter Jian Hong was very small then. My mom said that Mrs Kuo was a beautiful lady and she dances. My piano teacher was from those circles. 杨运珍老师 (Yeong Yoon Ching) was strict but not terror inducing. (There is another piano teacher Ong Lip Tat who is well known for churning out piano talents – there are terrifying stories of shouting and books being thrown on the floor if you are lazy and a bad student.) I was not a very good musically (cannot play with feelings that I don’t have) and not a particularly dedicated student (30 mins of dutiful mostly bad practice). Her husband, Uncle Hui Kun (Chia Wei Khuan) was gentle and kindly to the kids who came to his home to learn piano. He became the choir conductor and  eventually went to do other teaching work. I have no idea what happened to the choir. I had a brief memory that they came from well to do background and knew each other while in the same school abroad and that he had a higher educational qualification. They must be retired now. 

My mom was intent on marshalling my interests. Piano was good – a lot of rich middle class children learnt the piano. We weren’t rich – I wasn’t sure how middle class we were. She fiercely opposed that I had hobbies: writing, watching theatre, reading, orchid keeping – if she had a magic wand I think she use it to wither my interest. I don’t think she does it on purpose, rather we have different interests. I only talked about work with her. She enjoyed the politics, the work dynamics, the stories about bosses and eagerly wanted to know “what happened next” at work. It wasn’t boring – she was a sounding board for me. I had at one time, wished I had a mentor who knew how to navigate the professional world. She worked exclusively in SMEs and didn’t know the skills needed for professional success.   My younger brother played a lot of computer games and had horrendous school results, smoked (at one time), drank (who didn’t) but she never interfered much with his hobbies.   

What would have happened to me if I was left alone with my interests? I think, not much. I won’t be a great starving artist because I am a dilettante at best, a wannabe at worst. I lack the drive, personal skills and ambition to be a great starving artist. It’s not that easy to succeed in one’s ambition.

Today as I waited for my child to finish her lessons, I took a peek at another child tinkling at the keys and noticed her bad finger posture. I said to my daughter later that I would have been patted by a ruler if I did the same thing at music class. Music class is not for crybabies!