Interview d'un technicien taiwanais : Shin
台灣技師訪問: 勳
Hello Shin, where do you come from? Where do you live?
Bonjour! This is Tzung-Shiun (Shin) from Taiwan. Currently, I live in Kaohsiung, a sunny southern city similar to Marseille with population about 2.7 millions. It has a fairy large size on the mountain side, which makes it a great destination for nature and outdoor activities such as hiking, river tracing, and waterfall experiencing.
你好，Shin，請問你從哪裡來？現在都居住在哪裡呢？
大家好! 我是來自台灣的勳，目前生活於高雄，一座人口約270萬類似法國馬賽的陽光城市。它擁有廣大的山區腹地，因此成了體驗大自然、登山、朔溪與瀑布等戶外活動的完美去處。
How did you learn to be a piano technician?
I went to a vocational school in USA called North Bennet Street School to study at their Piano Technology for two years. It’s a full-time program so we were at school practicing about 8 hours a day and 5 days a week. Though my classmates and I were burnt out everyday after class, but the ups and downs really pulled everyone together and made us like a big family even after the graduation.
你如何學習成為一位鋼琴技師呢？
我的專業養成於美國 North Bennet Street School技術學校的鋼琴科技系。它是兩年分軌的全天課程，所以大家每天都會在學校練習至少每週五天，每天八小時。雖然同學們與自己在每天課後早已疲累不堪，但一路走來的酸甜苦辣已把大家緊緊拉住變成了一個大家庭，既使在畢業後也是一樣。
What are your main daily activities?
It depends, but often they are aural tunings, repairs, interpretation and road trips.
Due to Taiwan’s location, typhoons and monsoon are just like our frequent guests and the tropical weather makes everyday hot and humid. Pianos are so hygroscopic, easily out of shape and rusted. To fit the unpredictable strings’ behaviors and inharmonicity, I tune with ear and try to regulate pianos on regular service for the immense seasonal changes. Tight center pins, loosen bridge pins and separated ribs are easily found here.
Since there are no schools in Taiwan, how to update the field with contemporary knowledge is a big task. One of my jobs is to interpret the appropriate material into Taiwanese and Traditional Chinese characters.
My working radius is about 100 km, so every work is like a roadtrip. While driving, I enjoy meeting old villages and local people and naturally we just talked about cuisine and history. Sometimes, it is hard not to get lost in those beautiful winding roads near the ocean or inside the mountain, but you know that was certainly a serendipity.
請問你每天的主要工作有哪些呢？
這要看狀況，但通常是純耳調音、維修、翻譯和公路旅行。
由於台灣的地理位置，我們有颱風與季風等常客，熱帶氣候也讓每天都非常的炎熱潮濕。鋼琴易受濕氣影響、難維持與易生鏽。為了找出難預測的琴弦震動行為與不諧和音，每次我都會使用耳朵去調音並試著做些調整以應付巨大的氣候變化。緊繃中心釘、鬆裂的橋釘與脫膠響棒在這裡真的是太常見。
台灣沒有技術學校，因此如何更新產業的當代知識是一項大挑戰。自己的其中一項工作便是把適合的資料翻譯成臺語和華語。
平常的工作範圍大約是周遭100公里，因此每次工作都像是一趟公路旅行。一路上我享受認識這些老村庄與在地人，接著我們便會開始聊起小吃與歷史。有時候，很難不在這些依山傍海的美麗迂迴小路中迷路，但妳/你知道這絕對是一個不期而遇的美好。
You’re a keen traveller. How many countries have you been to? Which factories, schools have you visited?
In my memory, it’s about 14 countries. The factories that I have visited are August Förster, Bechstein, Blüthner, Bösendorfer, Klavins, Mason & Hamlin, Renner, Sauter, Steinway & Sons (NY). And the schools are NBSS, OWS, Helsinki Conservatory of Music and ITEMM.
Traveling seems to be a good way to rebalance my views on skills, values and life. Many things, either positive or challenging, happened everyday in different part of the places on the earth. I guess, through exploring and introspecting, my heart got to see and feel more of this world and myself as a person.
你是一位很熱衷旅行的人。請問你去過多少國家呢？有哪些製造商工廠或學校是你也拜訪過的呢？
印象中我去過約14個國家。參觀過的工廠有 August Förster、Bechstein、Blüthner Bösendorfer、 Klavins、Mason & Hamlin、Renner、Sauter、Steinway & Sons (NY)。學校則是美國的NBSS、德國的OWS、芬蘭的Helsinki Conservatory of Music與法國的ITEMM。
旅行似乎是一個能重新平衡自己在技術、價值觀和生活上種種觀點的絕佳方式。許多事情，無論是正面或是富有挑戰，每天都會在世界的各個角落發生。透過探索與內省，我想我的內心能看見並感受到這世界與自己身為人類的更多面向。
Can you tell us about the Taiwanese Association of Technicians?
Of course, it is my great pleasure. Taiwanese Piano Technicians Association (TPTA), a member of IAPBT, has founded in 1976 and there are about 200-ish active members. Heavily influenced by Japanese dealerships, most technicians have their trainings either from Yamaha, Kawai or field apprenticeship. Nowadays, with markets downsizing and hands-on training shortage, how to keep this traditional crafts alive while moving on becomes our top priority.
你能跟我們介紹一下台灣鋼琴技師協會嗎？
當然，這是我的榮幸。成立於1976年的台灣鋼琴技師協會是IAPBT(國際鋼琴製造與鋼琴技師協會)的一員，有執業的成員約有200個。在日本經銷商文化的大幅影響下，大多數的技師都是從Yamaha、Kawai或學徒制中訓練出來。在市場萎縮和實作訓練缺少的今日，如何讓傳統工藝存活下去的同時一邊往前邁進，變成了大家的首要目標。
You visited EuroPiano France Board at ITEMM in September, what were your impressions of this visit?
I have to say my all my impressions at ITEMM visiting EuroPiano France Board were more than stunning. People were great and the atmosphere was awesome.
During the visit, Claudia San Pellegrino, Océane Balzano, and Océane Charlier have been very approachable and helpful detailing EuroPiano France and ITEMM. We started with talking about their experiences being Board members and what the challenges were. Then, the discussion was moved on to the differences among school trainings, field culture and the association development. We all care about the industry and the future generation, which easily makes the conversation very productive and profound.
On the other hand, they and the instructor Maël kindly showed me all the space and curriculum at ITEMM. It is a very experimental and inspiring school as 3-D printer, liquid nitrogen tanks and sound labs are offered to run students’ projects. One thing that also makes the school unique might be its set-up of various programs of instruments, so piano technology students have chances to communicate with wind, guitar and luthier students. It is absolutely like a playground for piano technicians, isn’t it?
After lunch, we sat with all instructors and students and shared our stories and passions. Being able to sit there and listen to what they said were just amazing and warmed my heart. I am convinced that all the laughters and tears happened at that moment will form a lifelong friendship and support through all our careers. For this, I am so grateful for the chance knowing every soul in EuroPiano France Board and ITEMM.
九月的時候你在ITEMM拜訪了歐盟法國鋼琴技師協會，請問那一次的印象如何呢？
我必須說自己所有在ITEMM拜訪歐盟法國技師協會的印象真的是太棒了，大家都很友善而且氣氛融洽。
參訪期間，Claudia San Pellegrino、Océane Balzano和Océane Charlier在詳細介紹法國鋼琴技師協會與ITEMM時，都非常的平易近人與樂於幫忙。我們首先討論起身為理事的她們平常如何處理事務與所面對的挑戰有哪些；接著，也談到了不同的技術學校訓練、業界文化和協會發展的差異性有哪些。我們都很在乎這個產業與未來世代，而這些共通點也輕易的讓彼此的對話富有成果與深度。
另一方面，她們與指導老師 Maël很大方的展示了ITEMM所有的教學空間與課程。這是一間極具實驗性與發人省思的學校，因為它提供了3D列印機、液態氮瓶和聲響實驗室給學生在各自的實作研究裡使用。另一個讓這間學校很特殊的原因也可能是它的科系配置包含了許多不同的樂器領域，所以鋼琴科技組的學生能有機會跟製作管樂、吉他、提琴的其他學生們討論。這完全就像是鋼琴技師的遊樂場，不是嗎？
午餐後，我們與教師還有學生一起坐在草地上分享著我們的人生故事與熱情所在。能有那個機會坐在那裡去聽大家所說的一切真的是太好了，而這也溫暖了自己的心。我確信在那刻所有的笑聲與淚水都將變成未來彼此一生職涯路上的友誼與支持。這些，都讓我萬分感激有這個緣分認識了法國鋼琴技師協會與ITEMM裡的每個特別的靈魂。
What is your next destination?
That is such a great question. It’d be wonderful to visit more European hands-on manufacturers and conventions, rebuilders in France and vocational schools in Japan and Switzerland. Getting exposed to million views really helps me think in terms of making, rebuilding and improvising. Is the way we do affected by suppliers, climate, or culture? That always fascinates me.
From another interpretation, the “next destination” in my heart is to diversify the field hands-on education in Taiwan and promote the cooperation with international technicians and nonprofits. Being open-minded and altruistic might offer us opportunities to grow as competent piano technicians and humans who care about others in this fast-paced society.
你的下一個目的地會在哪裡呢？
這是一個很棒的問題。如果未來能參觀更多歐洲的純手工製造商、大會、法國的翻修技師和日本跟瑞士的技術學校就太完美了。能接觸到百萬種的觀點真的是幫到自己在製作、翻修與隨機應變這些領域上的思考。 我們現在做的方式是被材料商、氣候還是文化所影響到的呢？這個問題真的很吸引我。
從另外一個角度來說，自己內心的下一個「目的地」是去多樣化台灣業界的實作教育和推廣跟國際技師與非營利組織的合作。保持著心胸開闊與利他心態或許能提供我們一個成長為一個有足夠能力，且在這個快速變遷的社會中，在乎著他人的鋼琴技師與人的機會。
*Published in juillet 2024 in MAGAZINE EUROPIANO FRANCE (l'association française des technicien.ne.s. pianos).
此文章於2024年七月發表於歐盟法國鋼琴技師協會月刊上。
後記 緣由 –
Such an honor for the inviting from the EuroPiano France to share all the challenges and hopes I’ve got over the years.
由衷感激法國鋼琴技師協會(EuroPiano France)的邀請，讓這些年自己所面對的挑戰與期盼能被更多人看見。
We share similar background and do care about the industry and the next generation, making all the moments monumental. When you do things not just for yourself, the whole world will be with you.
我們有著類似的背景，一樣在乎著產業與下一代，因此這次的相遇顯得格外深刻。 當你的心態是利他時，全世界都會陪著你的。
Thanks again to Claudia San Pellegrino, Océane Balzano, Océane Charlier and Maël for sharing your lives and friendships.
再次感謝Claudia San Pellegrino, Océane Balzano, Océane Charlier and Maël 的人生分享與友情。
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