Hello, everyone!
I'm a composer, Ha Eun Jee.
So good to see you!
[Ha Eun Jee, composer Q&A :)]
My channel finally reached 10,000 subscribers.
(Clap)
It's been 8? or 9 years, since I debuted in 2013.
It's been a while.
I started composing full time when I was 17.
So it's been almost over 10 years.
But I've never made videos like this,
so I'm here to say hello to you celebrating a milestone of 10,000 subs.
Actually I'm feeling awkward right now.
I don't know what to say or if I'm doing it right.
[Back to the story]
Thankfully, many asked me questions.
I chose some of them and decided to make a short video.
[What is your special tip on composing?]
In fact, I didn't take formal lessons nor go to music school
following any formal curriculum.
I started composing for fun at first
I just loved music and it made me so happy.
That's how I started making music.
I don't think I have a special tip on it,
but I do have something that I think matters most.
First, listen to music as much as you can.
Whenever I get this question,
I always say, "Listen and appreciate music all the time."
In my case, I listen to my favorite composers' music
along with that of diverse musicans
without discrimnating specific genres.
I try to listen to all kinds of music.
In turn, those experiences resonate through my music
as much as I listened.
So I can give you this tip.
Try to listen to all kinds of music
as much as you possibly can.
That's the important tip I personally recommend.
[Who's your favorite composer?]
I love many different kinds of music.
Of all the musicians, I love two composers most.
One is Enrio Moricone who passed away recently.
The other is a Japanese composer, Ryuichi Sakamoto.
Many pieces of my music were influenced by their musicality.
While I was studying music hard,
I listened, analyzed, and imitated their music deliberately.
I studied on my own just like that.
The two composers have influenced and inspired me greatly in a good way.
So I love them so much.
[What is your favorite piece of music?]
There are so many pieces of music I like.
I can't pick just one favorite music of mine.
If I had to pick one,
it'd be Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence by Ryuichi Sakamoto.
When I was a 3rd or 4th grader... I still remember when it happened.
While I was taking a piano lesson, I happened to encounter his music,
and I got shocked to hear it.
I was so surprised to know that such a beautiful melody ever existed.
To this day I'm still enjoying it.
This music makes me feel like I'm in a movie every winter.
Am I the only one to feel that way?
Hope I'm not alone.
Every time I listen to it, it feels so new and evokes novel emotions.
That's why this music means a lot to me.
So I chose this music as my favorite one.
[Is it true that you don't know how to read notes or chords?]
To get the bottom line, I can read notes of course.
This is a bit of misinformation.
I didn't know how to write notes a few years ago.
So I knew how to read notes, I just didn't know about writing them.
Remember it's in the past.
Because I started learning music by myself,
I got used to writing music in Korean.
Now I'm able to write a music sheet with help of a scoring program.
Regarding chords, believe it or not, I know nothing about them.
I just know the very basics.
C major means do, mi and so.
D major means re, fa and la.
It is not that I didn't try to learn on purpose.
As I first experienced music by listening,
I believe it seems natural that music flows out of me.
I once actually bought popular books about musical harmonics,
and some of my friends lent me books about it.
I just closed them away right after a few pages.
(Laughter)
It was so hard, to be honest.
I think it is much better to express my own music comfortably.
[What inspires you to compose?]
When it comes to inspiration,
it doesn't mean that a string of melodies comes to my mind all of a sudden
while walking on the street.
Some of genius people might compose like that.
I believe inspiration is to express what I want to show from deep in my heart.
So it is not something grand to me.
Everything in my daily lives matters.
[When will you have a concert?]
I do want to have a concert.
You know we didn't have one last year either.
Usually I used to perform once a year, a regular concert.
I called each concert, the first star, second star, third star and the like.
But now the stars just stopped due to the Covid-19.
The next star is waiting to rise...
Actually I was planning to have a concert this fall,
yet the situation hasn't been better.
I needed to reconsider the schedule.
For now I don't have a fixed schedule.
I really want to see you at the concert.
I hope we can meet some time soon.
Thank you for asking!
[What was your childhood like?]
I was very outgoing and a bit like a boy.
I preferred playing outside to staying indoors.
I literally climbed and roamed hills catching dragonflies.
I gathered kids to hangout together.
At that time, a type of kickboard was very popular, called Sing Sing Board?
You know, a board with two handlebars.
I roamed all corners of the town with it.
I liked roller-staking so much,
and going to the ice rink with friends.
I liked outdoor activities and I never stayed still.
I think I was in trouble very often.
Not so serious but kiddish trouble.
I loved music when I was very young.
Just like I do today.
My father loves listening to music, though he is not a musician.
That's how I could experience a lot of music.
My father used to collect DVDs or CDs, which is not often used today
Classical music, Jazz, traditional Korean music, Pop opera, and so on.
So diverse melodies always filled the house.
As I was exposed to the musical environment,
I could feel it through my body naturally rather than through theory.
After school I caught dragonflies playing passionately,
and then I listened to the whole songs from Sound of Music alone
when coming back home.
I really liked Pop opera singers, Charlotte Church and Josh Grovan.
I loved these two singers.
When I was a kid, I wanted to get their music CDs so badly.
I remember getting them at the music store.
I saved my pocket money to buy the CDs.
I think my passion for music began as a child.
Music was just like a friend or air to breathe to me.
[How can I learn to play the piano by myself?]
In fact, I'm a composer, not a pianist.
So I personally think I'm not in a position to give you any advice
on how to play the piano or basic knowledge about it.
Piano is my best friend that I am always by its side.
Yet I find it so hard,
I often used to consider deeply about my own compositions for the concert,
thinking why I wrote it this way.
I have rather small hands.
They just appear longer on screen.
Some left comments saying, "You have long fingers."
I wish I had bigger hands.
[Back to the story] So how to learn piano on your own....
Unless you want to become a world-class piano player,
and if you want to love and enjoy music for life,
it'd be a good start to practice music
of your favorite musicians as much as you can.
It may sound so simple.
If we start music with comfort, we'll become better at playing.
Our ability will grow as we practice along the way.
In particular, it applies to music.
Listening and practicing much is
I think about how we become good at playing the piano.
[Have you got pieces of music that had been unfinished or discarded?]
I've got many pieces I stopped writing in midway on my laptop.
Very often I would complete a piece in just 10 minutes.
Other times I would keep pondering over just one bar of music for months.
I have many more pieces of music that I think are not yet complete.
[Which one of your music do you love most?]
It's Run in the Wilderness.
However, I've often said that I hate to play it.
It's so hard to play because of too many leaps.
I'm the one who wrote it that way, so I can't help it....
Run in the Wilderness was the first official music
after I decided to become a composer.
To my surprise, many people like this one so much.
It's so special to me because you love it.
[What makes you drop out of high school voluntarily?]
Those who have known me so long would be well aware of it.
I dropped out of school voluntarily when I was in 10th grade.
I'm being careful talking about this topic.
The educational system seems to be tuned into only the SAT.
Although I was young, I got tired of that system.
So I decided to focus my time and energy
on what I love and can do well to be happy.
In fact, a high school drop-out didn't seem to be acceptable in Korea.
Now things have changed a lot that we cheer those who go their own way.
But just 10 years ago, even though it wasn't so log ago.
The decision to drop out did affect many things personally and socially.
People used to put a social stigma on the drop-outs.
Many actually doubted whether my decision was right.
Through those times, I rather grew firm in the choice I made.
I wanted to make it.
I was determined to make it.
There are many other ways.
And I believe that every one of us has our own way.
It's not fair to say that there's only one right way.
When people blame those who are out of the so-called right way,
labelling them the maladjusted or losers,
I felt a bit bad and sad.
That's when I became more determined to make it.
I wasn't sure of how far I could reach out
or how much I could achieve.
Yet it was my life and I chose to live my way.
I wanted to prove that there could be another way and life.
It was never an easy decision at all.
There were many obstacles, if not too serious.
At that time, I wrote a 10-page report for my parents
about the future plan, what I'd learned at school,
what I wanted to do out of school, how I hoped my life would be,
and including my dreams.
I showed them to my parents.
They felt reassured to know my plans saying,
"We believe you would be alright with these plans.
Do everything freely as you hope to."
I was 17 when I stopped going to school.
Since then I could focus on composing full time.
I have been running my own marathon until now.
I do believe that there are many things we can learn
from the textbooks and public education.
And that's also important I think.
We should cherish everything we have.
Still, I studied so hard
focusing on myself with my own standard.
I kept thinking about what my life should be like,
my life's color, scent and more,
which led to the decision to drop out.
That big turning point sort of made me what I am now,
which in turn influenced my mind toward music
broadened my view on the world and people I guess.
[Are you going to continue writing books along with music?]
Yes.
One of my dreams after I turned 17
is to publish a book with my name on it.
I planned to write three books in my 20's.
It's an ongoing project.
I've published two novels so far.
While writing music, stories hit upon me based on the music.
It's also wonderful to come up with music
that fits in the scenes I imagine.
Music and writing seem to go hand in hand organically.
They are precious tools to express what's in my mind.
I've been writing a diary for long.
I think I'll keep writing alongside the music.
One of my goals is to become a music director
of movies or animated movies adapted from my own books.
This is my dream in the faraway future.
[What does your motto, 'Good Impact', mean?]
The concept of giving impact on someone wouldn't be too big.
Like saying hello or thank you with a bright smile to bus drivers,
if that makes them happy and their life beautiful
then it could be called Good Impact.
I believe each one of us has certain impact wherever we are.
It depends on how we use it in our lives.
In that respect, I earnestly hope my music to flow
with good impact wherever or whenever it spreads.
The reason I want to do better and reach in higher position in the future
is that I can reach out to much more people
sharing good impact.
So I'm trying hard in taking care of my mind and writing music.
Even if I'm not perfect, I'm trying to be honest.
Even if I sometimes lose,
I'm desperately trying to be in good spirit.
Because I put my heart into the music
it is inevitable to reveal
what I normally think or how I live my life.
Music is like meeting soul to soul I believe.
It is magical that the whole-hearted music
can tap into someone's heart.
Although there are many things that are noble and precious,
I personally think art is so beautiful.
And I feel responsibility as such.
Am I being too serious all of a sudden?
Anyways, I want to keep this mindset.
In so doing, I've forced myself live that way.
I'd like to let you know today
that I've been writing music with this attitude all the time.
I know you're cheering me on.
I really appreciate it.
That's what I wanted to tell you.
It's been my Q&A time.
It was so meaningful to me.
It's been possible all because of you.
Thank you so much for loving my music
and for supporting me many ways wherever you are.
That's why I can continue my journey of music.
I hope my music helps you have dreams and courage.
Thank you so much.
Hope you are happy all the time.
I'm here to support you as well.
Thank you!
[It's going to be alright. Wipe away your tears.
The cold will heal and a butterfly is flying on your bruised heart.
Now we're stumbling, but someday we'll blossom dazzlingly
stepping over today's hardship.]