Etcetera
What attracted you to the piano?
My first response to the piano was in the womb--that is, kicking when I heard 20th century music, and not kicking to anything pre-20th century.The kicking wasnt just a one-time case--it was every time I heard music! Who knows what it meant, for I love music from both eras. It was then that my mother realized I was already listening from within. She performed her final masters recital at USC while 9 months pregnant with me, due at any second. When I was a couple of years old, I would always wander into the room where she was teaching and try to reach up to the keys. No matter how many times my mom carried me out of the room, I would crawl back in and repeat my efforts. When she took piano lessons with her teacher, I would sleep under the piano in my mickey mouse sleeping bag, and not too long after, my mom decided to let me have lessons as well. So there it began...
How to do you deal with the pressure and being on stage?
I've learned that I can't really ever get away from nerves, but I've also learned how to better deal with it. Some people even do better with the extra nerves (like Shawn Johnson mentioned about herself in one of her interviews). I try to remember that everyone has good days and bad days, and that I'm not aiming for perfection. To relax, I turn to the benefits of good sleep, energizing yoga, the California sun, hot baths, and friends. If we don't have our health and our sanity, we won't have much to work with! Conversations with friends always keep me in perspective. I am lucky to have good friends far and wide, and am still really close with friends that I met at 2 years of age!
Does the traveling ever get tiring?
I've really come to love traveling. I want to see as much of the world as I can before I say my good-bye to it! Realistically, I don't always have enough time to fully absorb the city or country I'm visiting due to rehearsals, tight schedules and such; sometimes a quick picture here and there is all I can do! But I think it's so important to take the time to learn about and experience new and different things. As musicians, we tell our stories through our music; and if we don't live, then what do we have to tell?
Any thoughts on teaching?
One does not realize the extent of dedication, involvement, and love a teacher has until he or she starts teaching. There's so much that goes into nurturing a student before sending them out into the world. It's more than teaching them what's on the page--it's about awaking them, inspiring them to want more, pushing them to the next plateau, and sending them home with ideas they have never fathomed and abilities they never dreamed they could have. I never expected such a feeling as when I hear and see students improve from week to week. It is truly a noble profession! Being in the university environment is fantastic because I get to be surrounded by the bustling energy of young people. I love working with undergraduates--it's their first time leaving home, and I think that as a teacher, I am the next most important role in their lives after their parents and family. I love every single one of them as if they are my own children.
"Dr. Fong, I cannot thank you enough for teaching me this year;
you were an inspiration at all times. No matter the composer or the
complications on my part, your patience and love for ideas guided
me in the right direction, making each lesson a revelation of sorts.
I will miss you tremendously this summer."
Can anything be more rewarding?!!!
Are you from musical family?
My mother teaches piano to a studio of twenty-some and used to play the erhu; my brother played violin for many years and surprisingly still has chops on the violin even though he's a physician. My father has never had any formal musical training, but I have in the past heard him play the dizi (bamboo flute) beautifully. He and my mother both also have beautiful voices, both humming and singing all the time.
What type of music do you listen to?
As much as I love Classical music, it keeps my brain constantly in thinking mode more than I'd like; I love jazz, latin lounge, big band which I find so relaxing--my favorites include Pink Martini, Brubeck, Sinatra, Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett, Art Tatum...
Tell us about the Selvaggi Trio.
In 2007, three lovers of chamber music, violinist Jun Iwasaki, cellist Patrick Jee, and myself came together and formed the Selvaggi Trio. The trio is named after Holly Selvaggi, a mentor and inspiration who, along with her husband, have provided housing in their home to many students studying at the Cleveland Institute of Music, including Jun Iwasaki. Patrick, Jun, and myself each have full-time jobs and live in different states, so it's fun to meet in different places to rehearse and perform. We have a wonderful time sharing ideas about music, making music, and laughing together. They have wonderful personalities and are amazing musicians.
Favorite composer or piece?
Difficult question. I can't just pick one, but Bach seems to always be in the top 3.
What is an ordinary day is like for you?
My days are never the same. On some days, I might be preparing entirely for a performance, practicing throughout the day, stopping just to eat and return e-mails. On other days, I teach my students at Chapman University Conservatory of Music private lessons, master classes, pedagogy classes, literature classes, chamber music, and coordinate all the events for the piano department and the eleven adjunct piano teachers. Some days are entirely on planes, trains, taxis, ships, etc. Of course, there are also the few days when I vegetate with a couple of movies and do nothing at all.
Any thoughts on Classical Music?
From what I have noticed, many artists are moving beyond traditional performance practice and immersing themselves in the world of more contemporary influences, jazz, pop, etc. I know that I have recently also begun to do so, and enjoy the various audience-friendly art forms without having to compromise any artistic integrity. I also see the move away from the stereotype of the classical musician with formal styling and stage presentation, as many performers are collaborating with modern designers and visual-friendly sets.
Do you play sports?
I've been meaning to get back into sports, since I was very athletic as a child. I was on the volleyball and basketball teams and took swimming and gymnastics lessons. In high school I played varsity tennis and participated in many tennis tournaments, at one point the top-ranked player in my county. Nowadays I love yoga (ashtanga, hatha, but mostly bikram), pilates, and long walks on the beach, but would like to get back into competitive sports sometime soon.
Where did you grow up?
I was born in Temple City, California, raised in Bakersfield, California (the hottest place on earth), and I currently live in Long Beach, just a 3 minute walk from the ocean. So I'm very much a California girl except for the 6 years I lived in Cleveland, Ohio. I believe strongly in the healing effects of the sun, which is why I love California.
Do you play any other instruments?
I played cello for 13 years because I wanted so badly to be in the orchestra with my friends. I ended up loving the cello, playing chamber music, gigging in weddings, participating in various orchestras, and continuing through college as principle cellist of the USC Community Orchestra. After college, I put the cello away but have lately been itching to play again.
In the kitchen ...
I'm the eater and the dish washer; and I'm obsessed with my Nespresso machine which gives me my daily coffee, mocha, latte, and cappuccino.
Favorite Dining Experiences:
Home, French Laundry, Aureole (Las Vegas), Chicago: Nomi, Tru, Avec, Wiener Circle; Sushi Ota (San Diego), Castagna (Portland); L.A.: Mozza, Pink's, New Capital Seafood Restaurant; Night Market in Taiwan; Outdoor Market in Barcelona; Cleveland: Flying Fig, Lola/Lolita; fast food; IN-N-OUT
Most embarrassing moment?
There are many, but I think going through the car wash with my window open , jets blasting into my face, has to be one of the tops.
Tell us some things we don't know about you.
-I once auditioned for a part in a movie (it was for the part of the star actress) and failed miserably; but I became her stand-in, and for two weeks, was on set from 5am to 2am around the clock and learned a lot! It's not as glorious a life as we imagine it to be.
-In addition to my BM in music, I have a Bachelors of Science in Public Policy and Management--emphasis Health Care, and a minor in Business Administration
-I am certified in CPR/AED/First Aid, indoor skydiving, hand-gun shooting.
Do you have any pets?
I had puppy for a short time but gave it away to a close friend because I recognized that with my lifestyle and traveling schedule, my puppy was alone too much, and I didn't want it to have to be in a kennel for long periods of time. When my life settles down one day, I'd love to adopt another pet.
Morning or night person?
Definitely NOT a morning person and I defend this with the fact that in my field, I have to be at my prime usually around 8pm, so of course my day is shifted! I do try to take naps if I can.
Who do you want to meet?
I'd like to hang out with the cast of Cirque du Soleil. I'm absolutely fascinated by the show and have made it to about 10 of the different shows around the nation so far. From the minute it starts, I don't want it to end. I would love to watch them train, and to get to know some of these superhumans!
Song of the moment?
This is not just the song of the moment for me...I performed this song last year and was so moved by it that tears fell from my face as I performed it. It's a song that has great meaning for me and is always with me. It's Mahler's - Ich Bin Der Welt Abhanden Gekommen.
Favorite movies?
I love all comedies, especially if they have an element of romance in them. I think I may have watched ALL of them, and yes, Im even entertained by the ones which have received as low as 12% on rotten tomatoes.
Favorite TV shows?
king of queens, modern family, how i met your mother, animal planet, deal or no deal, two and a half men, threes company, 24, and travel channel.
Celebrity you are said to look most like?
At least 3 days a week--Lucy Liu.
Food weaknesses?
I succumb to all cheeses, nutella, hot wings, kettle-cooked chips, crab in any style, fruit roll ups and sour candy, ramen, popcornopolis (almost every flavor), Häagen-Dazs, reese's peanut butter cups, fries from these 4 places: In n' Out, mcdonalds, tommy's in cleveland or great steak and potato
If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go?
There are so many places I still haven't been, but I hear that the only seven star hotel in the world, the Burj, is in Dubai, and there's an underwater-themed restaurant. It just sounds so exotic, so it's definitely on my list.
Hobbies?
I've always loved arts and crafts since I was introduced to it in pre-school, and to this day, I love making things (holiday crafts, cards etc.), designing things, cutting and sewing up clothes. Anything messy involving paint, glue, colors, fabrics, clay is fun to me.
Languages other than English?
Fluent Mandarin, Fluent Taiwanese, 5 years of Spanish, 8 years of French (but this was from age 2-10.
Introvert or extrovert?
Quite introverted--I can enjoy being a hermit, locking myself in a library, in bed, or near a piano. But with people I'm very comfortable with, I'm a complete goofball; when it comes to family and loved ones, I definitely have separation anxiety.
Favorite season?
In California, we only have one season. When I'm in the east, snowy winters are my favorite.
Bad habits?
Singing out loud in public without shame, nail-biting when nervous, purchasing many useless gadgets that I see on infomercials, and online shopping (it's just too easy to click submit and receive a fun package at my door without the fuss of SoCal traffic and crowds of people!)
Allergies?
Yes. I cannot wear wool, cashmere or angora; I cannot drink more than two tablespoons of alcohol (so far, I must agree that I am a cheap date); I get tennis-ball size welts with each mosquito bite; I cannot sit in grass; I get itchy all over if I'm near a cat; I cannot stand unkind people.
In your CD player?
My friends cds. I have many friends who have recorded on different labels, classical, pop, and rock. I always buy all my friends cds and keep them close to me. Also, I can play Christmas songs 365 days a year. Even when it's 100 degrees out, I get a warm fuzzy feeling. It drives my family and friends nuts. But I never cease to be amazed by the power of music--I can hear a song or piece of music that I haven't heard since childhood, and it could transport me right back to an exact situation, place, time, and sentiment of when I first heard it.
Most recent book you've read?
Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky
Quote or poem that reflects you?
You my soul, you my heart;
You my bliss, o you my pain,
You the world in which I live,
The heaven in which I float
O you my grave, into which I eternally cast my grief.
You are the peace, you are the rest,
You are the heaven upon my bestowed,
That you love me makes me worthy of you,
Your gaze transfigures me;
You raise me lovingly above myself, my good spirit, my better self.
~F.R
If you could choose one superhero power, what would it be?
Teleport/time travel. I'd be able see far-away friends and family at the blink of a second, and I could look at history up close. I don't think I would go into the future though.
After concert ritual?
Many musicians like to celebrate after a concert and go out with a group of people--on occasion, I like to do the same; however, I'm typically pretty exhausted after a concert, and whereas having a drink and socializing is re-energizing for some people, I'm usually the one nodding off in the corner. If I have the choice, I usually head home or back to my hotel room, enjoy a bath, sip some tea, and get some good laughs from late night t.v. or a phone conversation with a loved one before a deep sleep and early flight.
(Q&A to continue) . . .
Feel free to email Grace with any other questions you might have!
Grace Fong
Concert Pianist
photo by mike figgis
Copyright © All Rights Reserved by www.pianistgracefong.com
bitty boppy betty
played by pink martini
