Singaporean Goh Kheng Long had never been fluent in Mandarin and still struggles with it today. But that has not stopped him from excelling as music director for Mandopop megastar Jacky Cheung's 60+ Concert Tour.
On Goh Kheng Long’s first trip to Taipei for a recording session, he called the record company to complain that no one had picked him up at the airport’s arrival hall.
Recalling another instance where his Mandarin was put to the test, Goh told CNA Lifestyle ahead of Friday night’s first show that he once sent a message in Hanyu Pinyin to the concertmaster during Cheung’s previous concert tour to tell him he wanted a string quartet – and received four types of porridge in return.
He recalled in amusement how, the first time he visited Beijing to record an orchestra, two reporters showed up to interview him but gave up after asking just two questions. His wife, Tay Ting Ting, had to take over the interview, he said. With some songs, the original arrangement he had worked on at home sounded"quite different ... when everyone plays together". But he described that experience as"quite a joy".
"I was shocked, amazed and really impressed by how he, even after 60, 70 or 100 shows, still continued to think of new ways to improve his singing," Goh shared, pointing out that Cheung's intention was not to"make life easy for himself" but to ensure that each concert maintained a good flow.Goh has worked with many big names in Mandopop, including A-Mei, David Tao and Wang Lee Hom, but Cheung stands out because “he really knows what he wants”, said the music director.
He became the keyboardist for local band Jive Talkin’, which performed at Hard Rock Cafe after it opened in Singapore in 1990, and got to jam with renowned acts like Eric Clapton and Miami Sound Machine, even hanging out with them at the bar after their gigs.
Singapore Latest News, Singapore Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Top US, Chinese diplomats meet at Asean talks as tensions risk flaringJAKARTA — The top United States and Chinese diplomats met on Thursday (July 13) for the second time in as many months, seeking to manage tensions that risk flaring anew over alleged Chinese hacking.
Read more »
Asean-plus-three to meet on South China Sea, economic tiesJAKARTA — Economic cooperation and the disputed South China Sea will be on the agenda when Southeast Asian foreign ministers meet their Chinese, Japanese and South Korean counterparts for Asean-plus-three talks on Thursday (July 13).
Read more »
Blinken to meet China's Wang Yi in Jakarta at ASEAN meetings: US State DepartmentUS Secretary of State Antony Blinken will meet top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi on Thursday (Jul 13) as officials gather in Indonesia for ASEAN meetings, the US State Department said in announcing the la
Read more »
BTS fans go wild with memes after Jungkook releases music video teaser starring Han So-heeAlthough some BTS fans had mixed reactions when it was rumoured that Korean actress Han So-hee would participate in Jungkook's music video for Seven, they might be singing a different tune now. In the 24-second-long teaser video released yesterday (July 12), Jungkook, 25, and So-hee, 28, seem to be engaged in a heated conversation as the camera cuts to a...
Read more »
Watch the video: K-pop supergroup BTS' Jungkook releases solo single SevenThe BTS member's song Seven features American rapper Latto and the music video includes a cameo by South Korean actress Han So-hee.
Read more »
Buying Taylor Swift resale tickets? Here's how to avoid getting scammedBuying concert tickets from resellers on Carousell? What are the red flags and what can you do if you’ve bought fake tickets?
Read more »