Music

Q: What kind of music do you listen to? A: It's quite eclectic. I go through phases — currently I'm listening to a lot of jazz, which I came to relatively late, and some Vietnamese folk music I've been trying to learn more about. But I listen to fairly wide variety: indie rock, classical occasionally, podcasts that are probably technically not music. The pattern is that I'm drawn to things that reward repeated listening rather than immediate impact. Q: When do you usually listen to music? A: While I'm doing things that don't require language — washing dishes, commuting, running. I find it harder to listen to music with lyrics when I'm trying to read or write, because the language interferes. Instrumental music is better for that. Quiet or podcasts if I need to think clearly. Q: Have your music tastes changed over the years? A: Considerably. I listened almost exclusively to pop and rock as a teenager, which I think is fairly normal — you listen to what the people around you are listening to. My tastes have broadened and slowed down over time. I appreciate more minimal things now, and I'm more patient with music that takes several listens before it opens up. Q: Did you learn a musical instrument at school? A: I learned to play the recorder at primary school, which counts technically but probably isn't what you mean. I tried to teach myself guitar around the age of fifteen and got to a competent intermediate level, but I fell out of practice and haven't gone back to it, which is one of those things I occasionally regret.