Steadfast Like a Samurai

BySETO KIT YflIM about the challenges of making a violin concert Utmost Love - The [email protected] living as a musician. Violin. "I consider myself very fortu- Apart from playing in the RTM CLASSICALLY-TRAINED violinist nate in this aspect. Since I am not Orchestra, Lee has been invited to Ken Lee recently released his first Steadfast like the eldest child, I could choose to play at the Istana Negara. He has album which he titled Samurai. A pursue my own interests. So, my also performed in Bangkok with move which got many asking, what parents have been largely very Thai royalty in the audience. has a Japanese Samurai got to do supportive of my career choice," In line with his pop-rock inter- with classical violin music? said the full-time musician, who ests, Lee has performed alongside The musician who hails from a Samurai co-founded the Fiddle Music local artistes like Datuk Siti Johor Baru said that he may be a Center in Johor Baru. Nurhaliza, Shila Amzah, Yuna, soft-spoken fellow yet he is every other cultural works. up quite easily, and found it a Lee graduated Datuk Sheila Majid, Jamal Abdillah bit as single-minded and steadfast In fact, the tale even made its lot of fun. And, I quickly from UCSI and rock band Wings. as a Samurai when it comes to pur- way into the West with a 2013 realised that I was actual University with a Among the international acts he suing his calling in life. Hollywood movie titled 47 Ronin, ly quite good at it," said Bachelor of has worked with are Chinese com- "I love Japanese culture and I which starred Keanu Reeves. Lee, who holds a Music degree in poser/singer Liu Jia Chang, Hong feel that their music is full of soul. I Lee has been promoting his degree in classical Classical Violin Kong singer-actor Jordan Chan and also admire the fighting spirit of album with live performances of violin performance. Performance in Canadian-born Hong Kong singer- the Japanese Samurai. So, I selected pieces such as Chromatic His love for violin 2009. actress Joyce Cheng (daughter of incorporated these elements in my Combat. "It was inspired by the led to a lifelong Four years late Hong Kong comedian Lydia music," he explained. works of a Russian composer who study of music. later, he gave his Shum and singer/actor Adam Samurai is an album comprising employs a lot of chromatic scale, But, like many first contemporary Cheng). nine songs with thematic titles like which we combined with the other Asian families, Next, Lee hopes to be able to Comrade, Edo Night, Samurai, Turkish March and played in the his parents initially work with local singer-songwriter Sakura No Mori, Maiko, Searching, vein of J-Rock. voiced Namewee. Chromatic Combat, Glorious Fight "It is sort of a medley piece with concerns and Fall. a J-Rock feel. There is a sort of Lee spoke of how each song is a Disney feel that is very much in different chapter in a story that line with Mint G's style," shared revolves around a historical event Lee, who is thankful to his producer in 18th-century Japan that is Mint G, who spared no expense in referred to variously as the Ako the production of the album. • Incident or 47 Ronin. The music was arranged in Briefly, it is a planned act of China while the mastering was vendetta perpetrated by a group of done in South Korea. The music 47 ronin out to avenge the death of video was shot in Japan. their leader. (The Japanese word Lee, who is in his 30s, said he "ronin" is generally a term of does not remember what brought dishonour which refers to a about his love for the violin. Only samurai who has lost his master.) that he has not been able to put it Violinist Lee pays tribute The tragic tale of vendetta was down since he started playing the to Japanese warriors in his so legendary that it has become a instrument at 13. album, Samurai. — LOW recurring theme in Japanese art, "I was in high school when I LAY PHON/The Star literature, theatre, cinema and started to play the violin. I picked it .

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