It was said that by failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail. I, terribly, prepare too much. I get so wrapped up in what should happen. I lost too many times the opportunity to be amazed, if not amused, by what was unpredictable.
The great film score composer Elliot Leung(梁皓一) is lucky, not only because he is at his golden age of 28, but because he has planned his life well and yet when things did not happen as he wished, he never got thrown off or discouraged.
Elliot put his hands together and smiled, “I know what I am doing. Ever since I was a child, I have wanted to cry for the moon and do the impossible. If my dream has a less-than-10% chance of happening, why should I be unhappy?” I was puzzled, “Why should you do it?” He explained, “To succeed is to be uncommon. I always look for a career that does not presently exist and work out a situation that cannot presently be allowed.” I admired, “It must be your way to create future success!”
Elliot came from a family filled up with artistic inspirations. His father aspired to be a painter and his mother aspired to be a musician. Only Elliot’s ambition was fulfilled.
Elliot said, “My parents sent me to good schools including St. Paul’s Co-educational College Primary School and International Christian School. I played piano, cello and learnt how to conduct music. At the end, I decided to be a composer. Great pieces of musical work containing beautiful movements are the source of all spiritual joyfulness. A composer is the first one who gets off the mark in the chain of music.”
I asked, “At your age, you are a tremendously successful composer. How could you do it?” Elliot grinned like a Cheshire cat, “I just got one thing right and the rest are hard work and luck. When I had to decide what college to go, I told myself I should find a music master who could help my dream. My dream was to combine classical concert music and digital music and present a new kind of music for the future. After researching different ones, I chose Wheaton College Conservatory of Music in which the eminent master Martin O'Donnell who wrote excellent music for the world-famous video games Halo, Myth and Destiny. Master O'Donnell is a choosy teacher and got only 2 pupils. One was me! Apart from coaching me, his slanting rays shone into my open window, lighting up the room of my life. I was given many great opportunities because of his connections and reputation!”
I asked, “Since 2016, you have achieved a lot: music scoring for 2 blockbuster films Operation Red Sea (紅海行動) and The Battle at Lake Changjin (長津湖), composing for the 1st ‘metaverse concert’ by Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, being a member of the prestigious management company Kraft-Engel which is one of the world’s leading agencies specializing in representing film and theatre composers.”
Elliot added, “I will have another concert in Shanghai. I will produce a music album with Sony. I have been working on a film scoring project for a Hollywood production. I am writing music for a video game called Six Days in Fallujah. Being busy is great because it shows that my contributions is valued. It also shows that I have a ton of responsibilities. But, I never feel overstressed as I am glad that I can do so much.”
Before I called it a day, I asked Elliot, “What will be your future like?” He gave my question a serious thought, “I will treasure my amazing opportunities. I will work very hard. I will fly back and forth to work. Everybody is just going, but I must keep going extra miles. Music composing will be my career. I don’t want to do conducting in music. I think it will be a fun time if my music can be interpreted by others instead of myself. The technology challenges the art, and the art will inspire the technology. I am very lucky to live in a brave new technological world. I really aspire to blend fine concert music and digital music together. There will be a whole assortment of impossible tasks waiting for me to tackle. I am excited about chasing my dreams over and over again.”
I pretended to be puzzled, “Do you think other young people can follow your example?” Elliot conceded, “I may be too lucky. I do wish other young people to keep believing and dreaming. Hold fast to the dreams. At the same time, remember that curiosity is one of the most important elements of success. Do have a good understanding of how the world will go. Learn the ability to express yourself without fear. Never feel shy because there must be people around you who share the same music. Don’t bother your boss or colleagues too much and develop the room for trying to make your own decisions which you think may be right. Independence is doing the right thing without being told.”
Finally, Elliot had a brainwave and said, “In Asia, people used to think film scoring is a supplementary and secondary job for filmmaking. This is very inaccurate. We are not just soundtrack writers. Film music composer is surely part of the team but does not simply serve the director. It is a job of collaboration and he can be as important as a director in terms of creating wonderful inspirations of a film.”
The social unrest in Hong Kong in 2019 is the worst time but it can be the best. Nothing in life can be worser than that because everyone is back to the starting line. Why don’t you get your sneakers and run now!
Maurice Lee
“The Rescue" Interview with Composer/Music Director Elliot Leung https://youtu.be/RdJvZr7zB_s Acknowledgement – Elliot Leung
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner
