Memory of A Master in Music and Life -  Mr. Su, Sen-Yun

So many good memories…

太多美好的回憶……

I joined the Hsin-Chu High School Choir since the freshman year.  Those lessons turned out to be the best music training I ever had.

我高一時加入了竹中合唱團，那是我到目前為止，接受過最好的音樂訓練。

I recall Mr. Su's passion in the pursuit of perfection in choral arts and his patience in conveying his idea to us. When we did what he taught, we began to appreciate a new horizon that is a beauty for which words simply could not do justice to express.

我還記得蘇老師為追求盡善盡美的合唱藝術所展現的熱情以及耐心。他會不厭其煩地一遍遍反覆講解練習，讓我們了解他的想法。當我們終於達到他的要求時，我們也體驗到另一個層次的美感，那是無法以言語完全形容的。

And his talent in arranging songs is unparalleled. I have yet to see songs that top the ones arranged by Mr. Su.  Examples galore: “Tien Lun Ge”, “Up to the Mountain”, “Gu Shian (Home Land)”, “Dau Chin”, …too many to count.

此外，蘇老師編曲的才能也少有人及，我還沒見過比蘇老師編寫的合唱曲更出色的曲子。蘇老師的精采曲目多不勝數，隨手舉來，就有《天倫歌》、《上山》、《故鄉》及《道情》等。

Because of his teaching, many of us students went on to enjoy this art in our lifetime. He really enriched our lives.

由於蘇老師的教誨，許多他的學生也一輩子喜歡上音樂這門藝術；他真正豐富了我們的生活。

He can be funny sometimes.  Once during practice, he tried to show us how to breathe.  The seemingly conservative Mr. Su took off his shirt and showed his sweat shirt and used his hands to form a big oval shape on top of his diaphragm area, and saying: “Professional singers are bigger than this, mine is smaller scale.”  We noticed that there was really a bulge of oval balloon area, we got the idea.

蘇老師也有風趣的一面。有回練唱時，他向我們示範如何呼吸，平日保守的老師把襯衫脫了只剩內衣，然後以雙手在腹部橫膈前方形成個橢圓形，說：「職業歌唱家的肚子比這還大，我的還算小的。」我們都看到他的肚子果然像個氣球般鼓起，當下也抓住了竅門。

Yet, he is very humble. When we done performing, he has a unique deep slow "thank-you" bow and disappears from people's attention, literally, and quietly working on his next captivating piece. When students chatted, we often wonder "what's up" with him. And when he handed out new music that was hand-scripted and freshly printed in oil-ink, we were curious and anxiously wanted to know what the final "shape" of this new piece would be, like little kids looking up to mother's cooking.

蘇老師是位非常重禮數的謙謙君子。每當我們演唱結束，他會朝聽眾緩緩地深深一鞠躬，然後下台。之後，他又靜靜地「躲」起來構思下一首曲子。合唱團團員們私下聊天，經常會猜蘇老師正在忙什麼。當他發下親手謄寫、油墨未乾的新曲子時，我們都迫不急待地想知道新曲「長得」什麼樣，就好比小小孩期待母親今天會燒出什麼好菜一樣。

He is a great teacher, I appreciated him very much, and I will miss him dearly.

蘇老師是位了不起的老師，我非常感激他，也將深深懷念他。