David's Notes from Medicine to Music
9 April 2024
David Fung, piano
Joining Australia Ensemble UNSW's second concert of 2024 on 18 May, is phenomenal international pianist, David Fung.
Former UNSW Medicine student, David Fung interviews with us ahead of his upcoming performance where he delves into his career trajectory post UNSW, and shares invaluable advice to aspiring musicians.
Tell us about your career trajectory, from studying Medicine and Music at UNSW, to becoming a sensational international performer.
Music was an integral part of my life at five years old when I started violin lessons at Lane Cove Public School. My love affair with piano began shortly thereafter and continued through my first year as a medical student at UNSW during the course of which I won the ABC Young Performer of the Year Award. I subsequently deferred my medical studies to pursue a career in music. I was the first piano graduate of the Colburn Conservatory in Los Angeles, and I spent several years studying in Hannover, Germany, and at Yale University. Since then, I have collaborated with many leading orchestras in the world including Cleveland Orchestra, the Detroit Symphony, the Israel Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the San Francisco Symphony working with conductors such as Marin Alsop, Gustavo Dudamel, Stanislav Kochanovsky, Lan Shui, and Christian Zacharias.
What are you looking forward to most in Australia Ensemble UNSW’s second concert?
I'm looking forward to returning to UNSW, my alma mater, and performing at the Sir John Clancy Auditorium which holds a special place in my heart. I feel a strong connection to Mozart's music, and the Kegelstatt trio embodies the lyricism and joy that Mozart conveys so effortlessly. The Schumann Piano Quartet is a masterpiece in the chamber music repertoire, and its devastatingly beautiful slow movement serves as the centrepiece of the work.
What would you say to your younger self who just started studying as a first year?
Be curious: Learn as much as you can about the music you are playing, and immerse yourself in its details. Be curious about the world around you, especially in the field of humanities. When I was a student, I attended every concert I physically could, and those sound waves are still in my DNA. This includes concerts by my classmates from which I learned volumes.
Be kind to yourself: A career in music is a marathon! It takes a lot of nos to get to a yes. Find joy and fulfillment in the process of creating, rather than in the performance itself. It's also important to view performances as an opportunity for further self-awareness and growth. In an industry that promotes perfection, it's easy to be paralyzed by self-loathing and self-criticism. Being kind to yourself often allows for kindness and grace to be extended to others.
Be flexible: It’s important for young musicians to give themselves the permission to be flexible in their goals and to reevaluate them often. There are infinite ways of creating and communicating art, and as such, there isn’t one path to success in music. The beauty of music is that you define what success means to you by pursuing the avenues that interest you the most.
Join us for Australia Ensemble UNSW's second concert of the year and witness David's virtuosity in collaboration with Australia Ensemble.