Following in his father’s footsteps
Lee’s son, Yu-lun (a.k.a. U-Learn), has since followed in his father’s footsteps. As a child he would try to imitate his father, and when he was four years old he produced his first whistle. When he was seven, he took the stage with his father for the first time and with no rehearsal performed “Colonel Bogey March” (of Bridge on the River Kwai fame) to thunderous applause that left him feeling that being able to whistle was really something.
In elementary school, Yu-lun volunteered to perform for his classmates, but received only their taunts. After that, he didn’t willingly whistle in front of other people.
But one day while Lee Chen-chi was practicing “Yangming Chunxiao,” Yu-lun piped in and began to accompany his father. Not only did he perform the whole piece splendidly, but his technique was even more refined than his father’s. “I’m still practicing, but you just nailed it,” his father said. Lee then invited Yu-lun to begin performing by his side.
While performing, Lee and his son infect the audience with their passion, and the interplay of their expressions and movements creates the unforgettable spectacle of a masterful performance by the father‡son duo.
The secret to their success is that through the whole performance, when Lee Chen-chi whistles Yu-lun intuitively understands his father’s cues. This makes them ideal partners.
Lee Chen-chi is today a leading representative of the art of whistling music. His finest protégé, Yu-lun, can not only perform renditions of Chinese music but also of Western classical music, jazz and pop. He excitedly shares this whistling art wherever he goes, demonstrating that the primitive, emotive music made by the human body has the power to penetrate the human soul.
Lee Yu-lun’s whistling can be heard enticing customers at the end of MacDonald’s commercials and in the Taiwanese film The Village of No Return (2017). In addition, he has released a whistling jazz album, Make Me a Channel, and formed a trio with other whistling enthusiasts.
Lee Yu-lun has also collaborated with a publisher to produce teaching materials for whistling music. These materials rely on easy-to-understand combinations of text and illustrations that allow teachers to put them to use in the classroom without the need for lengthy preparation. He has also worked to cultivate talent for cross-strait whistling competitions that include participants from both Taiwan and mainland China.
Lee Chen-chi and Lee Yu-lun have brought whistling music to the National Concert Hall. (courtesy of Lee Chen-chi)