It is a great honor to be interviewed by CAET, especially during this ongoing COVID19 epidemic worldwide. I would like to share my feelings as a musician about composition correlated with human sorrows.
Artwork comes into existence thanks to artists with utmost sincerity and authenticity for art. Without such feelings and aspirations, they cannot truly get touched and inspired or have creative impulse. Art-making totally comes from the heart. This cosmic law identifies the function and role of art in human society. I value the exceptional position and power of art in the face of sorrows and sufferings. It can awaken our genuine insights and boost hope and longing for beauty within us. It can serve as a source of strength in our struggle against grief and pains.
Undoubtedly, I am a musician who composes music from my heart to empower and signify the sound. Music has its origin in notes, invisible and intangible, which can only be heard and felt from the heart. Considering all kinds of art, music is particularly nihilistic. Taking into account all substances of human beings, music is exceedingly shadowless, borderless, intangible, shapeless, tasteless, and colorless. However, music is eminently practical, useful, and indeed effective. It is regarded as a good medicine for the spirit or the solace of the soul in short, music can be human redemption. Having been accompanied by music through most of my life since I started to play the piano at the age of 5, I share such feelings with my colleagues, friends, and teachers.
We have been inevitably inundated by many devastating scenes during this epidemic. Staying at home in Shanghai, without any direct personal experience in Wuhan, I feel an impulse in my heart, echoing the atmosphere through time and space, to sit in front of the piano, with my eyes closed, and let my fingers flow on the black and white keys as a sincere response to the great compassion and love of human kind.
I prefer to improvise with my composition, to be spontaneous, to follow my heart, to listen to my feelings, and thus allow my inspiration to flow freely. Online sharing has become the most effective way of communication nowadays. I just hope it can bring comfort and hope to those who are feeling frustrated, to those who are suffering, or even panicking, during the epidemic. I sincerely hope that CAET Journal can gather collective wisdom through interviews with me and friends across the fields that might lend support people widely, encourage them to have faith in life, and consolidate our experiences as strength! Such wisdom not only will help us go through this difficult time but will also illuminate, enlighten, and inspire in our struggle against sorrows in the future!
Last but not least, I would like to send my best wishes to all of you. Music is love; may everyone feel it universally.
Xiang-dong Kong
February 26, 2020, Shanghai
音乐是爱
孔祥东，中国
非常荣幸接受CAET期刊的专题采访，尤其在当下COVID-19新冠疫情在中国以及全球开始蔓延的期间。首先作为一个音乐工作者，我想谈谈自己以对音乐创作和人类悲哀的结合的这个感受。
其实所有的艺术创作来自于艺术家的真诚、诚实、真心和实意。因为缺了这个感受和发心，是不会有真正的灵感抵达，也不可能产生艺术创作的灵感冲动的。所有的艺术创作其实都来自于我们每个人的本心。那这宇宙定律的设置，也就是定位了艺术在人类社会当中的功能和作用。所以我觉得在任何悲苦面前，艺术就能发挥超乎寻常的功能和力量。它能唤醒我们的真知；唤醒我们每个人心中对美好的希望和向往；更能给予我们去抗争悲苦的一种力量源泉。
那么作为一个音乐工作者，毫无疑问我应该是用音乐及发自内心的真诚，来赋予声波更多的力量和意义。所有的音乐创作建构在音符之上，但其实音符是我们看不见摸不着唯一能用耳朵听见、心灵感受的东西。可以说在所有的艺术形式当中，音乐是最虚无的；在人类所有的事物当中，音乐也是最无影、无边、无形、无状、无味、无色的。但其实音乐却是最最实在、最最有用、最最有效的一样东西。我们把它称为心灵的良药也好，灵魂的救命稻草也好，总之，作为一个从5岁开始习琴，然后和音乐相伴了大半生的我来讲，我跟我的所有的同道、同事、同行、同好们、前辈们，都有同样的感受，那就是音乐可以拯救人类！
在当下时节，可以说每一分每一秒都无法避开眼前的灾难景象。虽然自己身在上海不在武汉，虽然自己宅在家里没有去现场感受，但是所有的这种氛围穿越了时空，都会在我心中折射出一种冲动，那就是坐在黑白琴键前闭上双目，让自己的手指流出真诚对人类的大悲大爱。
我当下自己创作的方式比较偏向于即兴创作，也就是随性、随心、随感、随愿而发的灵感流出。那么在线分享也是成为目前当下最有效的方式。只是希望能够让这样的一种传播和分享，能够给更多的在疫情中困顿的人们、受苦的人们、甚至恐慌的人们，带来一丝慰籍、带来一丝希望。也衷心祝愿CAET期刊杂志能在当下时节，通过采访我和其他的各行各业的朋友们汇集起来的一种重量智慧，能够普惠众生，让更多的人在这个疫情中看到希望。同时能够把我们的感受总结起来，汇聚成一种力量。不仅是度过这一次疫情的难关，更多的可以成为未来、将来还会有的人类悲哀的一种启示、启迪和启发！
最后就是送上我个人最美好的祝愿：“音乐是爱，让这份爱普洒人间”。
孔祥東
2020年2月26日于上海
