This July, I had the pleasure of interviewing Brendan Keefe-Au – an accomplished and talented tenor soloist – who also happens to be a Communications and New Media major at NUS (Yes, you might have unknowingly spotted this music maestro in one of the many corridors of FASS!).
Despite being a university student – from concerts to examinations, CNM essays to charity caroling choirs – Brendan Keefe-Au manages it all with great ease. Read on to find out more!
The Ridge: Hi Brendan! So tell me, how long have you been a tenor soloist?
Brendan Keefe-Au: Hi Anupama! I have been a tenor soloist since I was 17. So, altogether about 6 years now. Before that, I sang in my secondary school and junior college choirs (ACS Barker and ACJC respectively).
TR: When and how did you realize that singing was your passion?
BKA: Well, I’ve always loved singing, but never thought that I had any kind of talent until I was 15. I was still in the ACS (Barker) Choir then and my conductor told me that I had a good voice. With her encouragement, I realized I could go higher and do more things with my voice than others could.
From then on, I became interested in becoming a better singer. Soon enough, I started taking singing lessons and discovered a whole lot more to becoming a singer – needing to know languages, musical style, piano, music history, using the entire voice and body to communicate and the business of performing. I used to think that singing was just going on stage and singing, and that idea kind of put me off a little, because I’m the type of person who likes to be highly engaged in my work. But now that I recognize the wide skill sets needed and endless possibilities for development, there has been little turning back.
TR: You have had master-classes with great musicians like Krisztina Laki and Ian Partridge. How has that experience been?
BKA: Very enlightening. I worked with Krisztina Laki when she came to Singapore a few years ago and she was very lovely and encouraging. I worked with Ian Partridge privately in his home in London, and he opened my eyes to many technical problems that I had then. Both of them had very big and successful careers in Europe and naturally, I felt a little scared to be literally standing in the shadows of giants. Krisztina Laki was very successful as a lyric-coloratura soprano and had a very successful career in Europe. Ian Partridge also had a great career, especially as a singer of art song and German Lieder. But I am glad for all the experiences that I have had. I don’t mean just those with Krisztina Laki and Ian Partridge, but also with the many other teachers and people whom I have met in the past 6 years. Sometimes I am sitting in a café doing nothing and the things which teachers and other musicians taught me years ago come back to me. These memories give me fresh ideas and perspectives about how I am living, singing and performing today. So you see, in a very interesting way, the learning continues way after the lesson has ended. And I count myself lucky to have had such experiences.
TR: You have performed locally and abroad in various concerts. Which experience has been your favourite and why?
BKA: Every experience has had its own set of challenges and enjoyable moments. But competing in the solo category in Llangollen in Wales a few years ago was one of the most inspiring experiences I have had. During the Eisteddfod festival, the town of Llangollen in Northern Wales is transformed into a lively and exciting festival ground – where one is often surprised on the streets by dancers and singers from all over the world performing when you would least expect it. The high standards of performances from all over the world was also eye-opening. It’s amazing what kind of talent exists in the wider world beyond Singapore. And one really feels an urgent desire to become better by being surrounded by such excellence. That said, the best part was that it didn’t feel tense or cut-throat at all. I also made friends with people from all over the world.
TR: NUS students are known to always have a lot on their plate, and you are no exception! How do you manage your studies and your role as tenor soloist?
BKA: I’ve learnt the hard way that juggling many things will fail unless one is at one’s optimum all the time. I find the most important thing is to know how to say no. If you know you don’t have the time for it, then one has to say no to taking on extra responsibilities or going on that movie outing with friends. The second thing I’ve learnt is to know how to prioritise and make the best use of every minute I have. Lots of friends complain that I walk too fast. But it’s amazing how much extra I can achieve in a week if I arrive at the library 10 minutes earlier each time than if I had taken my time walking slowly and chit-chatting. Carpe Diem! The last thing is to relax, focus, and enjoy whatever I am doing in the moment. One produces better work when one feels good about him/herself!
TR: You have also carried out many performances on your home-turf NUS; ‘L’heure exquise’ being a critically acclaimed concert in 2010. How do you feel about the music scene in NUS?
BKA: I think we have a great arts scene in NUS! As a freshman, I was very surprised at the wide variety and frequency of performances on campus–a performance is always happening. The best part about this is that a lot of times, students take their own initiative to put up their own performances. I think this is because NUS, particularly the CFA, has been very supportive of young artistes on campus and I hope that this continues. It is not at all easy to raise funds and organize a performance. Additionally, I like the fact that performances continue to be highly accessible to students with low ticket prices or free entry. I also love the fact that a voice faculty has finally opened in the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory (in 2010 I think) after many years of waiting from the musical community. I have enjoyed many performances that they have put up. I hope that many students will appreciate what we have in NUS and attend these performances! There is much to be gained from theatre-going and concert-going.
I realized I could go higher and do more things with my voice than others could
TR: You have developed an interest in and performed many German songs (of greats such as Gustav Mahler and Hugo Wolf). Did a trip to Germany inspire you, or was it the beauty of the songs themselves?
BKA: It was a combination of factors, I think. The first factor was that my former voice teacher studied the German art song in Austria, or lieder, as it is known. She gave me a lot of lieder to study. Soon enough, I fell in love with them. They look simple on the page, but are very difficult technically to do well and involve a lot of intelligence to pull off well. But I find the language beautiful and the character of the music close to my own personality. Every culture’s art song has a distinctive character. Italian songs tend to be passionate and outgoing. French songs are lyrical and very romantic. But German Lieder speaks the best to me. Some lieder can be very silly, others can be very brooding – but for me, they are always sensibly written, poised and never too much.
TR: Finally, you have recently started a wonderful blog documenting your singing experiences, rehearsals etc. How has the experience in the blogosphere been? Has detailing your performances for the world to read changed them in any way?
BKA: If you look at the blog, you’ll find only one post! I’ve had an exciting summer of performances so far but haven’t found the time to blog about it yet. Rehearsals are intensifying right now for my last and biggest project for the summer–my solo recital on August 17th entitled “Stories from the Garden”. Before that, I sang in a concert at the Esplanade of new compositions by Dr. Robert Casteels. One week after, I did a casual evening of crossover music with some German guitarist friends. I have a lot of nice photos and stories in my computer from these projects. So I should hope to get down blogging about all that soon! In the meantime, people could always access it at www.brendankeefeau.com. I’d be happy to have more followers! 😀