Electronic music for the future
By Ema Poposka
You have probably heard pipe organs in a church. They produce that powerful, majestic, and unique sound that appeals to all the senses. However, they are very heavy and cannot be moved easily. However, as with many other musical instruments, the development of technology enabled the development of the pipe organ into an electronic instrument that is portable and can become part of your home.
One of the most famous electronic organ models is the Yamaha’s Electone which is a very popular instrument, especially in Japan. Several Japanese composers, such as Akira Miyoshi, Shin-Ichi Matsushita, Minoru Miki, and Makoto Moroi use it to create their music.
RCHK student Angus Yip (Year 11) is joining these famous composers with his Electone composition “Jazz Serenade” that was recently selected as the only Hong Kong representative featured on the website of Japan’s Yamaha Music Foundation.
The electronic organ is a keyboard instrument that emerged in the early 20th century and was based on vacuum-tube technology. The first successful electronic organ in the world was made in France in 1928 by Edouard Coupleux and Armand Givelet. It used electronic oscillators instead of the pipes of a traditional organ and used keyboards and a pedalboard. In the 1960s, new technology replaced the vacuum tubes with transistors and circuitry.
With the digital technology revolution, the electronic organ was equipped with a computer for pre-programming music, auto accompaniment and rhythm patterns. The new electronic instrument is used not only for playing church pieces as is the case with the traditional organ, but also for composing and playing contemporary music such as jazz, rock, and such.
Yip has played the Electone for nine years and has recently passed the Yamaha Teachers Grade 5 in Electone performance. He started composing when he was only eight years old. Angus chose to compose for the Electone as “there are many instruments sounds available and it can create music with different styles.”
The Electone is one of the rare instruments that engage the whole body. It has two keyboards and a pedalboard. You can assign music to each keyboard and the pedalboard separately to suit the music you want to play in a wide range of genres. You can save voice and rhythm data on a USB and share with others or perform at different events. Yip says that his inspiration for the music he composes comes mainly based on his personal feelings and experiences.
Besides playing the Electone, Yip can play the piano and clarinet. He also composes for the piano, clarinet, and other orchestral instruments. It is not a surprise that his favourite subject at school is music, but he also enjoys Individuals and Societies, as well as PE.
When asked about his advice to other young performers and music enthusiasts, Yip says, “‘Practice makes perfect’ is the golden key to become a professional performer.”
Although he doesn’t have any plans for performances in the near future due to COVID-19 restrictions, Yip has a Youtube channel with some of his pieces/arrangements that you can access here.
