Q and A with Ken Fleet Choral Conducting Scholarship Recipient Victor Cheng
Q & A with Ken Fleet Choral Conducting Scholarship Recipient Victor Cheng
Victor Cheng
The Ken Fleet Choral Conducting Scholarship is awarded annually to an Ontario choral conducting student, helping them pursue educational opportunities above and beyond their established academic curriculum. Usually a $1,000 award funded by the Ken Fleet Choral Conducting Scholarship Fund and administered in partnership with London Pro Musica Choir, Medway High School and Amabile Choirs of London, this year’s award was increased to $2,000 thanks to the generosity of the Wilson Family Foundation at LCF.
We sat down with this year’s Ken Fleet Choral Conducting Scholarship recipient, Victor Cheng, to chat about his career aspirations, Ken Fleet, and the beauty of the human voice.
Hi Victor! Congratulations!
Thank you!
So what drew you to music in the first place? Were there any formative experiences that pushed you towards a career in music?
Growing up I was always into music. I remember regularly planting myself in front of the TV to watch the MuchMusic countdown every week. It was in high school where music really took hold of me. I went to the regional arts program at Cawthra Park Secondary School and had an outstanding conductor, Bob Anderson, who really pushed us all to be incredible artists. I remember singing Nox Aurumque by Eric Whitacre in concert and absolutely losing myself in the music. Time stood still for a moment as I dissolved into the voices of everyone around me. I came out of that concert thinking, “I have to do this again and again, forever.”
What drew you to singing in particular?
There is an innate quality to the voice, which has always been of great interest and fascination to me. Beyond the traditional SATB (soprano, alto, tenor, and bass) and the German Fach system of classification, I love that each voice is as individual as the person behind it. Each person has their own unique shade of sound, from the untrained shower singer to the most elite professionals. Choir, as an extension of that, is like hearing the most dazzling and unique palette of colors. Beyond the auditory experience of it, there is also the sheer physical sensation of singing with other people. Singing perfectly in tune with a group of people is a unique and awesome sensation that can’t be compared to anything else.
What made you decide to transition into the role of conductor?
To be honest, I tell everyone who asks that I fell into it by the ignorance and confidence of being a 19-year-old with something to prove to the world. During my first year at the University of Toronto for music, I decided that I would start a choir with some friends I went to high school with. A few months later, I found myself with a chamber choir of peers, and I’ve got to conduct them! It was an amazing summer that started my career as a conductor, and by the end of the first rehearsal I knew that I had found something I would do for the rest of my life. At the end of that concert season, it was immensely satisfying to see the fruits of our labour, and how we were able to come together to make something beautiful. Beyond that, I found that being the conductor forced me to be a better human; to consider others more deeply, and to be aware of the power of words and encouragement. I always recognize that the position of conductor is one of power and privilege, and that great conductors start by being great people, and then great musicians second.
Did you ever get the chance to work with or sing for Ken Fleet?
I was never directly in contact with Ken Fleet, and never had the opportunity to sing for him. That being said, the impact of his work has definitely touched my career secondhand. Early in my music education, I sang for a few conductors who studied at Western, who also worked with the Amabile Boys and Men’s Choir. They set a strong educational foundation for me, and as I’m aware, Ken set a strong educational foundation for them. In addition to this, through the Ontario Youth Choir (OYC), I have met many choristers and conductors who were affected by Ken’s work. OYC consistently has a strong showing of London choristers, who have come from Western and/or Amabile. Though I was never able to benefit from his work directly, I am surrounded by the work he has put into growing the choral community of London and Ontario.
What do you hope to achieve in the future?
In an ideal world, I would love to have a professional chamber choir which focuses on contemporary choral music, and doing some guest conducting and teaching alongside that. I’ve always been extremely interested in exploring in redefining what we would consider a choral, or even concert experience. There have been so many technological advances in the last couple of decades, and there is a lot of uncharted territory to explore for the music world. I’m keeping a close eye on virtual reality, and how we can use VR to present a new way of entering the concert hall. As for the guest conducting and teaching, I can have a bit of wanderlust, and love the thrill of meeting and working with new people. If all my dreams come true, this bit seems natural to me!
How will the Ken Fleet Choral Conducting Scholarship help you achieve your goals?
I intend to use this scholarship to help me with traveling fees to international workshops and competitions. Establishing these connections will help me to broaden the scope of my studies and get a larger picture of what is happening in choral music in the 21st century. Though it is easier than ever to connect with an ensemble or conductor virtually, I’ve experienced that the initial connection to someone far away is almost always physically. From there, you can continually research and follow their work through Facebook, Instagram etc.
Finally, what’s your favorite music to listen to “for fun”, outside of work?
Typically, I listen to a lot of jazz, though I’ve been slowly expanding my tastes. Some go to albums I put on are: ‘Chet Baker Sings’, John Coltrane: ‘Love Supreme’, Miles Davis: ‘On the Corner’. Some newer things I’ve been listening to is the amazing debut EP from Eloise, ‘This Thing Called Living’, and ‘grae’ from Moses Sumney. I’ll also have to give a shout out to Calgary based Luminous Voices, for their newly released recording ‘Sea Dreams’, on which I make my professional debut as a windchime player!
Thanks for taking the time to chat and have a wonderful afternoon.
Thanks for having me! It was a pleasure.
The late Ken Fleet, with London Pro Musica Choir
About the Ken Fleet Choral Conducting Scholarship
The Ken Fleet Choral Conducting Scholarship Fund was established by London Pro Musica Choir and named in honour of Ken Fleet, the choir’s beloved conductor for 23 years. The scholarship embodies Ken’s passion for music and education and gives young conductors a chance to forge their own path towards a career in choral conducting. Ken taught at Medway High School in Arva, Ontario, where his choral program won the CBC Choral Competition. He also taught at Western, conducting the UWO singers, and co-conducted the Amabile Mens’ and Boys’ Choirs in London with fellow Western graduate Carol Beynon, winning three CBC National Radio Competition awards.