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  • 11 hours ago
At just 25, Penang-born pianist Vincent Ong has made a name internationally, becoming Malaysia’s first finalist and fifth-prize winner at the 19th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw.

Now back home, he aims to inspire young musicians through masterclasses and recitals.

Running from March 20–28 under the MyHeart initiative with TalentCorp, his homecoming focuses on nurturing local talent and giving back to the community.

Read more at https://tinyurl.com/bp7b6yp8

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Transcript
00:06I'm Edward Ling, CEO of Talent Corp. With me is Vincent Ong. Just to recap the
00:11whole event today. Today we are doing the launch of Vincent's homecoming.
00:17So Vincent is a renowned pianist in the world. Last year he won the 19th
00:22international Frederic Chopin competition, which is basically the World Cup of
00:26Piano. The competition is for classical music. The competition is only held once
00:30every five years. So it exists for about 100 years, it was 19. So he won fifth place
00:37and today we are bringing him back to Malaysia to actually share his knowledge.
00:41So we have a few series, one we call the Masterclass, in which he shows Malaysians,
00:46he speaks three Malaysians every session, where he coaches them and teaches them
00:51how to play the piano, observed by a few hundred other Malaysians as well.
00:55So that's number one. Number two, we have a few recitals, which is basically a
00:59concert, a piano concert. Yesterday was one, today there's one. There's going to be
01:02one more in Penang. So Vincent is from Penang. So of course now we are in KL.
01:07We're going to Penang. So homecoming to KL, then also to Penang.
01:10So we invite any questions from the press.
01:13So Vincent, how do you hope to contribute to the music scene, Young Talent here?
01:17And do you have a fantastic plan to guide, mentor or support local musicians here?
01:24So I think teaching is definitely a goal for me long term, but in the future.
01:34But right now I would like to focus more on my performances to get more experience first.
01:39But in terms of guiding young Malaysians, there is definitely a possibility for me to hopefully conduct more masterclasses,
01:52or maybe participate in some local festivals, music festivals here. And apart from giving concerts, yes.
01:58Playing piano is something that requires a lot of time, dedication and attention,
02:02which you this day don't have, you know. Generally they are on the mobile and social media.
02:07So how is it you keep yourself very dedicated to this?
02:12Well, I'm also scrolling on my phone all the time. So I'm not excluded from that.
02:19But I would say, I think classical music, what I've learned from classical music, it trains you to have more
02:31long term attention span.
02:33Because a lot of classical music is longer than other genres, if you compare.
02:41And so it requires you to focus, not only for playing it, but also for listening.
02:46So that's why, that's one of the most important things I think one can learn from classical music.
02:51For me, personally, it's very simple. I'm just very glad to be here.
02:55And you know, for me, it's home. I'm glad to see family, friends and the food as well, everything.
03:03Yeah, glad to be here. Professionally also, I think this is, like I mentioned just now in the talk,
03:10just now. It's, how to say, I'm very glad that we are able to have this concert on a bigger
03:20stage this time in Malaysia.
03:23So that's the very important thing for me.
03:26Yeah. Sometimes, to be very honest, all of this feels a little bit like a dream sometimes, you know.
03:31Like, oh, it's not real, but it is real. So having events like this makes me feel more grounded.
03:37And, you know, to share my experiences makes, it confirms my experience as a musician and what I've done.
03:47For a very young age, you have achieved so much. Like, what is, like, the dream? Like, the dream?
03:52Hmm. Okay. So, so I'm, so I'm not really a dreamer. I don't like dreams because, because I, I'm more
04:02like, can you do this or can you not do this? You know.
04:04So, so for me, I have maybe goals, but not really like, it's not very huge goals, you know.
04:13I, I like to focus more on what I can do now in the near future rather than like, you
04:18know, I want to be a so-and-so who or what or where.
04:22So I'm, I'm just going, basically going with the flow step by step and I will see where that will
04:28take me. Yeah.
04:29So, um, and the dream stage, wonderful performance.
04:33Mm, of, I mean, of course, of course, I mean, there, of course, there are all the, the big venues
04:38out there, of course.
04:40And if you talk about locally, I mean, I hope that I will, you know, come back to DFP maybe
04:45one day.
04:46Yeah, yeah, Philharmonic. Yeah. But, um, yes, again, these are, these, these kind of goals, I, I, I really wish
04:54that one day I could play, but, but, uh, we'll see where, where it goes. Yeah.
04:57Your experience at the Chopin competition, you know, it's the highest stage and you did perform in Warsaw, you know,
05:04the home of Chopin.
05:05What was that like for you and what was your experience?
05:09Well, I think to put it simply, it changed my life, yeah, because, uh, it's such a high pressure event.
05:15There's so much media attention and there's so much, uh, it's incredible how much, um, audience there is, you know,
05:24not only there, but also globally and also back home as well.
05:28So, um, in that sense, it was quite a crazy experience and rewarding as well, because it's, it kind of
05:37taught me how to basically deal with pressure and also to basically, um, rise above the occasion, let's say.
05:53And, um, for me, it's still an ongoing process, this, like, this Chopin, I mean, how to say, learning how
06:02to, uh, deal with concerts and, and performing this kind of schedule is, is, I mean, I'm still learning how
06:10to deal with it.
06:10But, but, but, yeah, it, it definitely has changed my life, yes.
06:40Okay.
07:06And, um, uh, I can say, learning how to deal with um, I've been
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