Text | Ling Zi
Tian Feng is one of many grassroots amateur violin teachers in China. He is a retired professional player in a local orchestra and truly loves music. He was ordinary and probably had no particularly glamorous achievements. In his words, "We are the ones who lay the foundation." My life is simple, but I'm content. Because I have the trust and love of students and parents. I have a violin that loves my family and I love violin. ”
I got the news of Teacher Tian Feng's death on the train on a business trip, and the tears couldn't stop rushing out. On October 21, the beloved teacher Tian Feng left us forever at the age of 76. The passenger sitting on the sidelines silently handed me half a pack of tissues and carefully asked, "What's wrong with you?" I said, "A friend of mine left. She advised me, "Life, old age, illness and death, the long feelings of man." This is a reality that everyone understands and must face. You're not young anymore, so let's go with the flow! "But I still can't suppress the tears that keep pouring out...
Care for students like a father
Tian Feng
Mr. Tian Feng and I have known each other for nearly 20 years. That was at the 3rd National Violin Symposium in Xiamen in 2002. Teacher Tian Feng was one of the delegates. I also learned from that activity that Teacher Tian Feng is a famous violin teacher in Anhui. Although he had not yet retired from the orchestra at the time, he was still teaching "amateur". But it has made remarkable achievements in the field of violin teaching in Anhui Province. I remember asking for a formal interview with him to talk about his teaching experience. He immediately waved his hand and said, "I'm just playing in my spare time, I don't have anything to say, don't interview me." ”
Because of his working relationship, he became the object of my pursuit for many years, and we had more contacts. I've had the privilege of seeing more about his teaching achievements, his dedication and his love of music and his love of his students. All of this has made me know and admire him day by day. We became close friends with a friendship of nearly 20 years.
During my first Summer Camp for String Performers in August 2002, I happened to be in Hefei interviewing their provincial violin competition. Tian Feng was very excited when he heard that Zhao Wei, a professor at the Central Conservatory of Music, would be appointed as a camp expert for the summer camp, and asked me, "Do all students have the opportunity to teach Zhao Wei a lesson?" I said yes! He said, "Then I have two students, and I have to let them go!" Let them pull it to Teacher Zhao and let Teacher Zhao see what problems I have taught. If she can teach my students, she is teaching me. I can also be promoted. ”
The two students, one named Li Xiangru and the other named Ni Ya. Not only did they get the personal guidance of Professor Zhao Wei in the summer camp, but Professor Zhao Wei also learned about The teaching level of Teacher Tian Feng through these two students. She fully affirmed Tian Feng's teaching. Later, the two students were successively admitted to the Affiliated Middle School and the University of the Central Conservatory of Music, and became the students of Professor Zhao Wei and Professor Chai Liang respectively. Today, they have all embarked on the path of professional music with academic success, becoming violin teachers at the Central Conservatory of Music and the School of Arts of China University of Petroleum.
The summer camp was held in a fishing village on Long Island in Shandong Province, and the traffic was very inconvenient, and it was necessary to take a green-skinned train and then reverse the car and reverse the boat to reach it. Li Xiangru was only 9 years old at the time, and her parents could not come to send her. In the era when long-distance calls were expensive and mobile phones were still charged in both directions, Teacher Tian Feng, like his own children going out on a long trip, called the camp many times to learn about Li Xiangru's situation. Li Xiangru participated in the selection of songs for the camp ensemble competition, and he had to personally ask about it, as if he were worried about his stomach. After every call with me, he would say embarrassedly, "I'm sorry to break your bill again." I'll give you a phone subsidy. This kind of father-like love, young Li Xiangru did not know at that time.
When Ni Ya was admitted to the Central Conservatory of Music, Teacher Tian called me at the first time to announce the good news. He said, "Ling Zi! You are a camper of the first summer camp and have been admitted to the Central Conservatory of Music! I'll give you the good news! "I said, it's amazing! He is your student and you should be most happy! Teacher Tian did not deny it, saying: We are happy together! Without this platform you give them, they can't progress so fast! I'm also progressing with them! How happy I am that you understand me the most! ”
Send good seedlings to the famous teachers
Tian Feng in the teaching class
In the living room of Teacher Tian's house, there are no pictures of celebrity masters hanging, but a poster of his first student graduating from the Central Conservatory of Music, the little girl Cao Yingxue from the foot of the Huangshan Mountains. It can be seen how important the student's achievements are in his mind. After graduating from the Central Conservatory of Music, Cao Yingxue returned to Anhui to hold her own solo concert. She said that the most important audience in her heart was Teacher Tian Feng, and she regarded this as a report to Teacher Tian. Cao Yingxue also wants to be a competent grassroots violin teacher like Teacher Tian. After Teacher Tian Feng became seriously ill, she silently took over many of Teacher Tian Feng's students and shared the burden of teaching for her teacher. She said that this is not only for gratitude, but also for inheritance, to reassure the teacher.
Today, Jiang Yiying is already a second-year student of the Central Conservatory of Music, and in recent years, she has continuously won awards in various professional competitions at home and abroad. She was also sent by Tian Feng to the Central Conservatory of Music.
One day many years ago, Teacher Tian suddenly called me, but there was some hesitation in his words. I said, "If there's anything you can say, just say it." He said, "I want you to lead a line, can you please ask Teacher Lin Yaoji to give us Jiang Yiying to listen?" I think this child has a lot of potential, if he can learn from Master Lin, he will definitely have a better development. When I later told him that Master Lin agreed to take the time to listen to Jiang Yiying playing the piano, he was excited and asked twice in succession: "Really agreed?" I really agreed! ”
In order for Jiang Yiying to see Lin Yaoji, Tian Feng and his wife also made a special trip to Beijing. They must personally accompany Jiang Yiying to Teacher Lin's piano room. Tian Feng said, "I brought this child with me, and I know her advantages and potential better." He especially hoped that Lin Yaoji could accept this child, hoping to introduce Jiang Yiying's situation to Lin Yaoji in person. Before the meeting, Tian Feng was a little afraid, and he struggled for a long time about whether he should bring gifts to Master Lin and what gifts to bring. It was as if he were going to send his children to the Master. Jiang Yiying lived up to the expectations of the public, and with her own talent and potential, she was really favored by Mr. Lin Yaoji and accepted as a disciple. After receiving this confirmation, Tian Feng was happy like a child. He was grateful for Mr. Lam Yiu Ki's insight and pearls, and was also touched by Mr. Lam Yiu Ki's simplicity and sincerity in not accepting gifts and not eating. He was overjoyed that his students could become Lin Yaoji's students.
That day, when he was parting from Lin Yaoji's piano room, Lin Yaoji said to Tian Feng, "You taught very well. This child is a good seedling with potential. You didn't look away. I'll take it for a while to get to know her better and see what kind of development she has. I think she can make a difference. Hearing Lin Yaoji's evaluation of his students, Tian Feng was very moved. He said: "Teacher Lin is a true master, he is so humble, so sincere, so approachable to our grassroots teachers. He is the banner of Chinese violin education in our hearts! Jiang Yiying was able to get the affirmation of Teacher Lin, which made me more confident in my teaching. ”