The Extensive Language of Kam

First published in New Sunday Times
6 July 2008

The extensive language of Kam
MAX KOH

He is young but his fingers can mesmerise you on the black-and-whites with a repertoire that swings from baroque to modern. MAX KOH finds out more about HSBC Classics Piano Festival 2008 featured soloist and judge Matthew Kam

HE is said to be a rising star in the classical world of music. All of 27, Mathew Kam’s lyrical performances on the piano have captured the attention of critics and composers alike.

One critic described him as an “engaging young pianist (who) rises above the note-spinners; an interesting musician... who shows a winning potential to take you further into challenging music.” The Kuching-born Kam’s interpretation of Rautavaara’s Fire Sermon has even caught the attention of the renowned Finnish composer who called his rendition “perfect”.

With such praise, and armed with a resume that is sure to make every aspiring musician green with envy, it is no wonder that Kam has been invited to perform at, and judge for, the HSBC Classics Piano Festival. For one night, Kam will play two Scarlatti sonatas, Beethoven’s Sonata in E-Flat Major op 81a Les Adieux, a Faure piece and Carl Vine’s Piano Sonata.

Garbed in jacket and jeans, the Australian-based pianist explains his choice of repertoire for the night: “I have chosen such encompassing pieces of music from different eras because I want to show how versatile the piano is. “With Beethoven, the piano acts like an orchestra while with the modern pieces, I am able to demonstrate how lyrical the piano is as a solo instrument.”

Choosing Scarlatti and Beethoven is a given, but what is sure to raise a few eyebrows is the choice of Faure and Australian composer Vine.

“I revere Faure’s compositions because they are close to what I like to express in my heart. In essence, I love the French-playing tone that rings true and just comes from the heart,” Kam explains.

“Vine is a contemporary Australian composer who writes mainly for dance. But I find his Piano Sonata energetic and lyrically infused with rhythm. In it there are jazz harmonies and syncopations as well.

“I have heard his music many times in Australia and felt it was time to include it in my repertoire,” says Kam who won First Prize in the 2004 Australian National Piano Awards. Kam says that it is important to tap into the richness of the music and cites Romantic composers such as Schumann and Brahms as his favourites while Scarlatti stands out from the Baroque period.

Kam began learning the piano at the age of six.

“I went for music classes at a local school,” he recalls, speaking in a melodious voice with an Australian accent. Kam moved with his family to Australia in 1992. When he was 16, Kam decided to get serious about the piano and discovered the repertoire that he was able to perform.

Max Cooke, one of Australia’s leading pianists and professors who formerly trained with Alfred Cortot in Paris, recognised Kam’s talent and decided to accept him as one of his protégés. The rest, as they all say, is history.

Kam went on to win numerous awards and has performed around the world. Kam has also made numerous live and recorded broadcasts and recorded a commercial CD of solo works by Brahms, Faure and Rautavaara in December last year.

Kam moved to Britain in 2005 when he received a scholarship to further his studies at the Royal Nothern College of Music, where he is currently a Junior Fellow in Solo Piano. Since September last year, he has been occupied performing in recitals, auditions and international music competitions in Britain, Australia, South Korea and Belgium.

But Kam says he is glad to return to Malaysia, and recalls fondly his former teachers including Elizabeth Chew. He also remembers how he was first was drawn to classical music.“I was just attracted to the depth of the classical music which is so rich in expression and content. There is just so much wealth of meaning in the music that doesn’t only evoke emotional response but also instigates an intellectual process in the listener.

“It’s like a building where you are able to study its architecture and dissect it by brick to brick. It is my passion to absorb it and refine it as a performer.”

With the night’s repertoire, Kam hopes to express the various styles and establish the intimate relationship that the composers have from period to period. “Although they may differ in styles, I want to focus on the similarities of the musical structures that they share.”

• Catch Kam’s performance on July 10, 8.30pm, at the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre, Sentul. The HSBC Classics Festival 2008 runs July 7-13. Other concerts include Elizabeth Tan, Michael Veerapen Trio, Toh Chee Hung, Dennis Lee & KLPac Simfonietta. There is also the HSBC Piano Competition which features the finest young pianists in Malaysia, of which Kam is a judge. Workshops and masterclasses are also available. For tickets, call 03-40479000 (KLPac) or 03-20949400 (The Actors Studio @ BSC). For more details, visit www.klpac.com.