Today we’d like to introduce you to Megan Shung.
Megan, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I was born in Houston, Texas, and grew up in Taipei, Taiwan. In 2001, my family emigrated to Los Angeles, California for the classic “American Dream”. Remember how awful middle school was? Now imagine you didn’t know that your pants were too high, that it’s not cool to bring smelly dumplings for lunch and always getting picked last in PE because you can’t speak the language. I toughed out my three years of middle school as an ELD student and by the time I attended the LA County High School for the Arts, my accent was gone. I pursued my classical violin performance degree at the Cleveland Institute of Music in Ohio and successfully assimilated myself as a born and raised American. Being an immigrant was hard, but I now appreciate the benefit of being connected to two continents, cultures, and languages. You become adaptable, empathetic, and resourceful. In many ways, it gifted me with a unique perspective and edge.
After 20 years of intensive classical music training, I needed a break. Many creative individuals in LA, especially ones in the jazz community, inspired me to forge an honest path that I can call my own. From building a home recording set up to reviewing effects pedals; From acting in musicals to contracting a jazz orchestra. LA is a magical place to explore your artist’s dream and I was having a blast. If the average human life expectancy is 79 years, you could say that I’ve only just begun.
During quarantine, I completed my first original project – “Elements of Chance: Geologic Formation”. In this experiment, four musicians in four locations performed a live improvisation on Zoom, we found the performance satisfying despite the distance and latency. Instead of fighting to “go back to normal”, the quartet embraces the change and moves forward with a new element – the 5th performer. I received many glowing reviews after the release and it was heartwarming to see how this project touched so many. It’s only fueling my desire to make more art that reminds people of what beauty is.
I spend much of my life as an educator. From teaching one on one music lesson to training classroom music teachers in public schools, I believe that it is a fundamental human responsibility to be a life long learner. Humans are creatures of habit and one of the most challenging tasks is often to grow a fixed mindset. Therefore, I am often in awe of great thinkers and teachers who can consistently challenge one’s ideas so elegantly.
It is possible that a life long learner will always feel that they’ve only just begun, no matter the age. I am so damn curious about all the things in the world that I still don’t know. Whatever the next chapter in this post-COVID world will bring, my philosophy remains this same: To inspire, and educate the future to be deeper thinkers with a thirst for new ideas.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
What is a smooth road? Would you trade the skills and experience you’ve gained for a less challenging path? If the struggles are necessary growth, would you still consider them struggles, or is it a necessary rite of passage? Then is it an obstacle after all? Chicken and egg question, enough to drive anyone mad.
The inner struggle of many artists is fear. As Stephen Pressfield had pointed out, “The counterfeit innovator is wildly self-confident. The real one is scared to death.” The biggest obstacle is to impress me and push myself through before giving in to the fear of not good enough. Easier said than done and almost impossible to gauge when you are young and inexperienced.
Can you give our readers some background on your music?
I am an international classically-trained violinist adept at non-traditional performance practices and styles including jazz, rock, pop, new music, and R&B. A versatile performer on both acoustic, amplified acoustic, and electric violin. I’ve taught in private schools and title one schools, held the title of a Suzuki teacher, guest clinician, administrator, and board member. I also have a comedy career planned for when I’m an old retired lady with no filters. I’ll keep you posted. These days, my typical post-COVID week is home recording tracks for film scores, writing string arrangements for a pop tune, and teaching Zoom violin/viola lessons online.
I am most proud of my dedication to excellence, no matter what I am doing or the kind of music I am playing. I enjoy the variety of my work and the challenge that comes with doing something new as my specialty. But most importantly, I believe in producing, delivering, challenging ideas to the next generation – Encouraging critical thinking skills and the ability to debate ideas. Many conflicts in the world are related to the lack of ability to empathize with another. With my unique background, I find a sense of responsibility to be the bridge and present a different point of view to bring communities together. Despite being a fairly active performer, my primary objective is always better myself as an informed and relevant educator.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Nothing.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.meganshung.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/meganviolin
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