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“My whole life is to play the cello and share music - The cello is the purpose of my life.”

Camille Thomas will briefly share with us the three turning points in her life: receiving the Feuermann Stradivarius cello for performance, having Fazil Say dedicating a cello concerto “Never Give Up” to her, and signing a contract with the Deutsche Grammophon for producing recordings.  She will also reveal her journey in bringing music and its beauty and that music can bring hope to people around the world, while she never gives up in overcoming different challenges in her life.

 

Clara: Hello Camille. Thank you for your time to make this interview happen.  I've heard that you've started playing the cello at 4 and have never stopped your musical journey with your cello since then.  As you set out to bring your passion in classical music and inspire people with your cello all over the world, it seems that you could hardly stay in any place for a long time.  How do you strike a balance between your personal life and your demanding career as a cellist?

 

Camille: This is a very good question and I've asked myself too. It's a challenge, of course, because my whole life which I've dedicated to playing and sharing music is about the cello.  I believe this is the purpose of my life.  But it is also very important to have a balance with my private life.  So it's especially a challenge for me because I can never stop thinking about music.  So I need to work on it.

 

Clara: If you could choose again, would you still prefer touring around?

 

Camille: Yes. I think it's a wonderful life.  It's not a common life because I don't have things like office hours and weekends.  But I think it's a big life because I have the chance to share the wonderful message of music, its beauty, and the message of hope that music carries to people all over the world.  I am always touched to see that the listeners are touched by the music I play.  Music doesn't need words to be understood and it speaks directly to their hearts.  I think It's absolutely wonderful to play music all over the world.

 

Clara: Indeed, I agree. You have a very busy touring schedule and you came to Hong Kong because of Premiere Performances Hong Kong's invitation. We are really glad that you can share your music with us on 1 April. Is this your first time working with Premiere? How did they find you? Was there a story behind the collaboration?

 

Camille: Actually, it is a premiere performance literally because I have never performed in Hong Kong. So it's really my premiere performance and my first time visiting Hong Kong. I'm so excited to get to know this amazing city and to play for the people here. In fact, the concert should have happened two years ago. But it was postponed twice because of the pandemic. Now that it's finally confirmed, I'm even happier to see it happen.

 

Clara: When Premiere contacted you, did they send you a request for what pieces to play or were you able to choose your own programme for the recital?

 

Camille: Of course, I was able to choose the repertoire. I think it is very important to choose pieces you deeply love and those you feel will be a good combination with the pianist. I've only heard from others about the pianist Rachel Cheung because I didn't know her before. We've only met two days ago. But Emily from Premiere highly recommended her because she was a great pianist.

 

Clara:  I've just heard about your rehearsal and it was beautiful.

 

Camille: That's why I thought I should choose some pieces in which the piano has an amazing part. This is going to be lovely with our pianist. Then I picked out Chopin's “Introduction and Polonaise Brillante” which is very virtuoso, and also pieces from Grieg and Franck. So the whole programme is really a duo for co-partners and I'm so happy that we can do that with Rachel.

 

Clara: When was your first time visiting Asia, both as a cellist and as a tourist? Do you think there is a big difference between the audience in Asian countries and those in European and American countries?

 

Camille: I think there is. In fact, I'd say every country is different and even more so for different continents. My first time coming to Asia as a cellist but not to play was when I had to pick up the Stradivarius in Tokyo from the Nippon Music Foundation. They sent me an email saying that they were happy to loan me the ‘Feuermann’ Stradivarius. It was in 2019.  So I went to Tokyo just to pick up the cello and then I came back. I stayed only a few hours. That was my first trip to Asia which was very very intense and short.

Actually, I later had many concerts that were cancelled due to Covid but my first performance in Asia was in Korea for the Tongyeong Music Festival two years ago. I played Fazil Say's Concerto for Cello called “Never Give Up”. It was such a beautiful and meaningful piece to play during the pandemic.  Then I visited Japan, and now it's my first time in Hong Kong and I'll be in Korea again. There are many plans for performing in Asia. I love to play in Asia because the public is very appreciative and thankful for the music and for the fact that you come from Europe to play. I am much impressed by their big love and big respect for music, and the big knowledge that the community know about music. It's always quite extraordinary to come.

 

Clara: When did you come? Which seasons?

 

Camille: I'm okay with coming to Asia during all seasons. It was spring when I was in Tongyeong in Korea and I could see the cherry blossom trees. This time I had a chance to see them in Tokyo again. I was also in Japan last summer. It's always, always beautiful.

 

Clara:  I think it is more so especially when there are the cherry blossoms. You're very lucky. Apart from the performance, you also do recordings. The Deutsche Grammophon (DG) is a German classical music recording label and the oldest surviving established recording company. It has been associated with a huge catalogue of notable recordings from classical to contemporary pieces performed by prestigious musicians. I'd like to say congratulations because you were the first female cellist to sign a contract with DG in 40 years. How do you feel about your collaboration with DG? What do you think was the reason for them to collaborate with you?

 

Camille: Thank you so much. First, my feeling about my collaboration with DG is that it was a big honour and a big responsibility because I feel I have to be as good as possible.  I really need to give my best to deserve this huge honour. I'd say it changed my life. It was 2017 and everything happened too fast. When I was invited to play in a TV show hosted by Rolando Villazón called “Stars of Tomorrow,” the people from DG heard the performance. Then they came to listen to me when I was playing in Berlin. They actually called the venue. However, about two weeks later, I suddenly received their proposal for signing a contract with me.

I couldn't help but think, “Wow, what's happening?”  I felt so happy and also so scared because I felt the responsibility. Then things went on very quickly and I recorded my first album for Saint Sean and Offenbach and also held mini-concerts. What I could say about this experience is that I learned a lot by doing. I was not ready for everything.  For example, I didn't have a lot of experience in playing with orchestras before. So there were many first-times. But I went for everything because I have such a great desire to play and to make the most beautiful music possible.  I believe this is a great chance. As I Iooked back and it's been 6 years, I can feel that I've become a much better cellist. Now that I've learned so much, I'd like to give you an advice - just go for it and you'll learn. You'll also learn from all your mistakes and your crises on stage. You learn to play music by playing it. So I'm very happy that I took this challenge and went for it.

 

Clara: Great! You are so humble.

 

Camille: Being humble is important.

 

Clara: Speaking of your work with DG, I'm particularly interested in your 2020 album “Voice of Hope”. One of the pieces “Never Give Up” was composed by Fazil Say who responded to the terrorist attacks in Paris and Istanbul in 2015 with music and dedicated this cello concerto to you. In fact, you are also passionate about helping others through music so the album was recorded in partnership with UNICEF. Can you tell us more about the story?

 

Camille: This cello concerto is also one of the events that changed my life. I would say performing this concerto, receiving the ‘Feuermann’ Stradivarius for performance, and signing DG are three turning points in my life. 

I met the acclaimed Turkish composer Fazil Say in 2015 and we stayed in touch afterwards. He said he'd love to compose a cello concerto for me. One week after the terrorist attack in Bataclan, Paris, he told me, “Yes, I've started to compose because I felt so much pain. I had to find a way to express it and overcome it through music.”  That's why the cello piece is called “Never Give Up.”  The idea behind the music and the concerto is that we should never give up on mankind, on beauty and on hope.  

So I premiered the piece in Paris in 2016 with the Orchestre de Paris and Fazil was with me. It was really amazing to have him next to me all the way because it was the first time in my life that I could witness the birth of a concerto and work with the composer. I went to Istanbul and we played together. He was on the piano and played for the premier too. The audience were literally crying because this piece spoke about today and our world which was extremely actual. I felt that this was an extremely important message. So I decided immediately to record this piece with several pieces related to peace, which can make me feel very stringent and help the listeners to find the power to grow and to be hopeful from the music.

 

Clara: Thank you for the message. We should never give up. Unlike classical cello pieces which have been played by so many musicians and have different interpretations you may take reference to for your playing, “Never Give Up” is freshly written and tailored for you. Was it easier or more difficult to practise and perform new pieces like this?  How long did it take for you to practise before you got ready for the recording?

 

Camille: It’s different at the beginning and of course it’s a bit more difficult because you don’t have it in your mind. You have to listen to it with your ears. But other than that, it was not so challenging. My difficulty was that I had to learn it with little time.

I remember Fazil kept on writing to me on WhatsApp, “Did you start?”  “Did you look at my score?”  To tell you the truth, I didn't because I had no time. I wasn't even sure what was happening at the time.  Perhaps I was too busy with many upcoming concerts and different repertoires. I'm the kind of person that always needs to practise the pieces before I perform. Since there was already a series of performances scheduled, I really didn't have much time to learn new things - not to mention that I had to be extra focused and concentrated in order to learn something completely new. That's why at the beginning of practice, it'll need some time. I believe I only had 3 days to spare at the time so these three days must be fully focused and devoted to the piece. Fazil started to get repertory because I was too busy to answer him. Then I talked him to peace, saying that though it was a little bit late, I could be very fast because I would be completely focused on the piece. 

So not as a reference, I'm always too late to start and every time I always find that I should have started even earlier. This is really difficult for me.

 

Clara: We all struggle to do well but we never seem to get away from failing. I can totally understand.  So keep it up!

 

Camille: Yes I will.

 

Clara: Comparing new compositions like “Never Give Up” to the traditional cello repertoire, do you have a preference for performing them? 

 

Camille: I love to play pieces when it has and speaks about emotions with lots of musical expressions, and when it has a story. So my choice can be anything as long as it has something to say. Then I can make lots of music. 

 

Clara: Time is running out. Let me ask my last question. It is undeniable that your cello techniques are outstanding and your performance is also well-praised and recognized. But to become the Camille Thomas we see today, you must have encountered and overcome many challenges. I'm sure many cello students would like to hear how you motivate or help yourself to continue playing the cello. Cello lovers would love to know how you succeed too. Can you share your insights and advice with us?

 

Camille: Of course. I believe the most important thing would be the love for music. Love and desire to share this love. That’s my motivation for every day. 

The journey is very difficult. It was not easy for me as well. But I think for everybody, we all have to face our own challenges and I’m very lucky to still be able to play today.   Looking back, I’ve always loved music so much and I listened to music all the time. It gave me all my energy and saved my life. It is because I could feel different emotions when I listen to music. I may think that life is worse, such as feeling more sad when I listen to sad music. But when I’m in love, I’ll love even more. Music has made me want to investigate what makes me feel that way. It helps me reflect on the past - that’s the power of music and my motivation.

Another more practical advice from me is that knowing everybody has a difficult life, we should never give up. I remember when I was much younger and went to see someone performing a concerto, I was absolutely in awe, thinking “Is that even possible to perform? It’s so difficult!”  Now I’m the one doing the same thing, I believe this is a result of so much work, so much dedication and also lots of failures. You have to accept that failure is part of the journey. So the key to success is to always be reborn from failure because we all play the wrong notes; we all miss entrance exams; and we all don’t pass competitions from the first round. 

I’d really like to share a secret, my past experience, with you. When I was 16, I was not accepted to the Paris Conservatory (Conservatoire de Paris). I felt so desperate that I thought my life was over and I’d never be a cellist. Then my mom saw me so depressed and applied for Hanns Eisler Hochschule für Musik in Berlin, Germany for me. She encouraged me that, “Just try and you can always try Paris afterwards”. So I went to try that school and I was accepted. Though I took the offer to study in Berlin, I was still thinking, “I just want to go to Paris.” Had I known little that I never left Berlin after that. It was the biggest change in my life.  I never thought that it would start my journey.  So sometimes failure can open you another door.

The last advice I have from my dear teacher Frans Helmerson is that the key in learning is to become your own master and is to learn how to practise. It is because everything you do on stage is a result of your practice. It’s not about the allowance of the time you spend on the cello. 

It also took me a lot of time to understand how to practise well. I think it’s about giving your brain and your body all the good information, gestures and decisions in playing.  Also during the practice, you need to make your little plan, a little cooking for your music. It’s a bit like sports which is not really intangible like art to practise. It’s very much to do with the brain so that when you perform, you can just let go of your body and your muscles will know what to do. Then it’s really not much about your body anymore.  You can just open your heart and be in the music and play. But this can only happen if your goals for practices are very clear and your practices are strong. What’s difficult is to learn how to practise that well and to become your own master in terms of hearing yourself and knowing what you want to hear while still being yourself. 

One thing I like about Frans Helmerson is that he didn’t try to make every cellist sound like how he plays. Everybody is an individual and everybody is unique. Also, Coco Chanel said, “There is no one like you. You are the only one you.” So you should just need to know that and give your own playing because this is what will touch people, the sincerity of your playing.

 

Clara: So the way is to learn how to practise to become your own master.

 

Camille: Exactly!

 

Clara: Thank you very much for your time today for the interview. I’m very much looking forward to your performance on 1 April. I hope to see you again in Hong Kong soon.  Please enjoy the rest of the days in Hong Kong. 

 

 

 

 

 

  When we introduce cellists, we often tend to discuss some foreign musicians who are active or even already a legacy. However, if the audiences also want to know local musicians in Hong Kong, where should they start? With this question in mind, we invited Richard Bamping, one of the most representative names in Hong Kong at present, for a simple conversation. He is a figure known as the principal cellist of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra since 1993 among cello listeners, and also teaches at the Academy for Performing Arts. Over the years, he has trained many local cellists.

    At the end of October last year,, he completed the virtual ensemble collaboration with the Vienna Haydn Symphony Orchestra, which he and the Orchestra performed in two cities separately. Before the performance, we asked him to share his experience of this new ensemble method, as well as how he sees his own teaching and musician life. This cello giant of the city has also proposed methods for cello lovers to improve their playing skills in his eyes. The following is a brief recap of the interview:

 

1. Can you please share with us this experience, how does the rehearsal go and how do you feel from having this virtual practice with other musicians far from Europe?

 

    Often we do concert and stream, but never we do an orchestra in Vienna and one soloist in Hong Kong, at the same time, live. Therefore, it has been very complicated to organise.

    In this experience, sound technicians has become extremely important - if the sounds come in live on stage is not big enough which I cannot hear the orchestra, I can’t play! So the biggest problem here is that the sound tracks cannot be in two levels, yet they are from different microphones and the sound balance is very difficult to achieve.

    There’s almost a 2-second delay of the sound comes from Vienna. Yet there isn’t any method to fix the delay. You cannot escape this speed of light, which makes the signal to get here. It(the delay) actually make big differences when you play.

    For example, at the end of a Cadenza, when there won’t be any orchestras playing with me, I just play with the sound which comes out from the orchestra. So it’s a bit like playing Karaoke, Karaoke Haydn. But the problem is when I am playing the Cadenza, they cannot hear me from Vienna. So the conductor needs to listen to my delayed Cadenza and she has to estimate seconds early to play in the orchestra. It’s really complicated.

 

2. What does it mean by teaching a cello student?

 

    Teaching has a terrific responsibility. You just need to encourage people in whatever way you need,  or the way you think they will be benefited from. It’s not always about fingering or balancing or playing cello. I have quite a few students who hadn’t become Cellists, but I felt like I have tried to give them something anyway.

    I just try to make people a little bit better, for example, I teach them about discipline. When you play an instrument you need a lot of discipline and that’s useful for whatever thing you do in your life. 

 

3. It has been nearly 30 years since you were appointed to be the principal cellist of the Hong Kong Phil. What is the most significant change you think you have, as the principal cellist here, or in general the orchestra has?

 

    In the last ten years we have gone through quite a lot of things in the structure of the orchestra. Now we have involved more new players. The orchestra is hiring more, which obviously changed the operation. And I think that it plays a huge difference to the sound of the orchestra, that’s the main difference. Also, we have a fantastic conductor (Jaap van Zweden). He just doesn’t tolerate anything below the profession and has the ambition to create something more special. And I think we have largely achieved. Just before this awful pandemic happens, we won the Orchestra of the Year award^[1], which is an amazing accomplishment.

 

4. What do you think of the scene of cello music in Hong Kong now?

 

    We have some more auditions at this moment and the quality at this time is amazing, much better than we had before. It is more encouraging because we can see more people trained overseas and they have decided to come back to Hong Kong. They see that Hong Kong has a musical future. You know a lot of overseas countries are struggling with arts programmes and the orchestra itself. But in Hong Kong I would say the government is doing a good job in art.

 

5. What cello or more specifically music means to you?

    Music feeds your soul that no other kind of art can do. It is like the mountains of the world. It is not about language and culture, because it is universal. For me, I suppose the most important music to me is Bach’s Cello Suite. It’s the first cello music I knew and to me, it defines what a cello can do. 

 

 

6. Hong Kong Cellist Society is for cello lovers and players and some of them may still be in the beginning stage of cello playing, is there anything you want to share with these freshers?

    We are really lucky these days. We have YouTube, an absolutely amazing place where almost every recording is on there. There are truly inspiring wonderful videos about how to play a cello and from all of the greatest cellists throughout history. In YouTube there are some sharings of their performances which you can watch, no matter just some videos or lessons; Watching master classes is the greatest lesson to learn for yourself. It’s unbelievably powerful.

 

 

Cello is an instrument which when hugged feels warm, it calms your being.  In the Hong Kong Cellist Society, we wish for more people to experience our goal, which is to explore cello music.  Cello music is an art for making music through a cello.  Cello music is not only playing a musical instrument, the vibrations felt by one’s body is special since it becomes your artistic voice.  This artistic voice is connected to your subconscious which you may be unaware of until the music is played out. 

 

The journey starts here, but there will be more to discover.  You soon will realize there is a hidden treasure in you, which is waiting to be unearthed.  Most of the time, you have never realized that this treasure was a part of you and whether you are ready to understand it before it happens.  From my experience, this realisation is absolutely a shaky yet surprising moment.  When facing this moment, some people escape, they may not be ready or see the value yet.  There are some who will be on the edge to continue because they have plenty of considerations.  In this instance, the Society provides you with cello music events to get through your music journey better.  The door is also open for cello lovers who may be interested in learning.

 

Despite the Covid outbreak and lockdowns this year, you may find some articles introducing an unforgettable master’s cello music pieces and it’s stories, and other columns which bring exciting new compositions for cellists to explore.  You may also find the shares by Hong Kong cellist like Chor Kai Hei.  

 

An event “Time travel with Cellist Brian Bromberg” was held in early November to share how cello music was developed during different periods of time.  Towards the end of the month in our member event,  Mr. Billy Chan, the professional dancer, will lead us to discover the body-mind connection through the movement activities before the performance training.

 

At the end of the year, let us celebrate and look forward to the writing from Mr. Larry Ng, a professional mime,  who will share how he  interprets and uses cello music in his mime performances.   

 

Last but not least, if you love cello music, why don’t you give yourself a opportunity to touch and experience this amazing instrument by applying to our ongoing promotion courses designed for music lovers including adults and kids.   “A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.”  Hope to share this beautiful journey with you.

 

   

Sometimes we just have to be impulsive and do what we want. That is why Clara Tsang’s musical story was able to meet people like you.

"Just Meet You" album includes 8 cello pieces and each of them represents a fragment in Clara's musical story with emotions varied from joyful, tearful, agitated to irritated. The red album cover is fabric wrapped with engraved letter print for delicate relief and Z-folded inside page unfolds a thinly hazed forest with morning light shining through. This is a scene from Clara's dream and recorded her past and present in music. From the layered music to physical touch of the album, it is hoped that the audience will be able to enjoy Clara’s musical story from every detail.

“To publish an actual CD album on purely classical music in a digitalized world, I feel like a trout working hard to swim upstream. This is my dream. I hope that people who love my music will be able to listen to it in my concert and also listen to it anywhere any time, i.e. no time and space constraint. This is my present for them on our destined encountering.”

---Clara Tsang

 

Cello album "Just Meet You" is on sale now via the following channels:    

Cello Factory
Workshop 3, 11/F, Block A, Wing Kut Industrial Building, 608 Castle Peak Road, Lai chi Kok, Hong Kong

Hong Kong in store
CD Warehouse branches
CD Plus
Ka Wah Record Co. Ltd.
Rock Gallery
The Beat Records
and other distributors

Macau in store
Centro Audio Visual Tin Vek

Taiwan in store & online
ESLITE (In store & online)
Books.com.tw (Online)
Five Music (In store & Online)
Chia Chia Record Store (In store & Online)
Taipei Musiker House (Online) 

Japan online (Japanese only)
Rakuten