Midwest Young Artists Blog

Welcome Home Concert in Millennium Park at Pritzker Pavilion

2007-08-14T08:21:00.000-05:00

Midwest Young Artists Symphony Orchestra performing Peter Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op. 64
Summer 2007 China-Korea Tour Group posing for a final photo at Chicago's Bean

Our tour photos on display at Millennium Park were enjoyed by many.

Family, friends and many Chicago music lovers came out to enjoy the beautiful evening and exciting music in Millennium Park on Monday evening.

Dancing to the tunes of the Midwest Young Artists Big Band.

From Dr. Dennis

2007-08-12T00:53:00.000-05:00

Where do I begin?

It seems that my whole life is about “thank you”. I can’t even make music myself so I’m constantly finding it important to say, “thank you”. This trip is no different so here goes – thank you to and for the following:

1st and foremost, thank you to the person who most closely shares in my dreams. To the smartest, hardest working and most beautiful person I’ve ever met – my wife, Karen. She has been so responsible for this trip. No one has any idea the number of sleepless or sleep-deprived nights she has spent in preparation and during the actual tour. She is an amazing person and I will pray for all those who were on the trip that you find someone in your life that you can talk with and work with like I have with Karen. It makes the journey so wonderful, albeit sometimes stressful!

2nd I think we should thank Pat Pearson and Nic Meyer for their help and work in keeping track of everyone and organizing our moving from place to place, as well as for their musical contributions. The jazz band never sounded so great and it’s the first time we’ve had a choral aspect to the tour. All the concerts were well received, even those in smaller cities and in concert halls that were not used to hearing orchestras and/or jazz bands. With standing ovations in the major halls in Seoul, Beijing and Shanghai as well as enthusiastic receptions every place we played, the groups on this tour helped to expand MYA’s reputation as one of the premiere youth music programs in the world today!

Thank you to all the great chaperones, parents and alumni help, including all the people responsible to keep track of students as well as set the stage and pack the truck. It’s simple – everyone helped everyone – it was like a family where everyone was concerned about others and pitched in when it was needed. I wish you could have seen the care all shared for their colleagues.

A huge thank you to all the students, alumni and chaperones who played in the ensembles from Mr. Daugherty to the youngest member, from the violins to the percussion, from the coolest jazz to the beautiful voices to the sweetest string player – everyone contributed to the best musical tour we’ve ever had. And I never heard a “discouraging word”. No one complained about anything. Everyone dealt with the best and the worst of situations with class and appreciation.

I’d be amiss if I didn’t mention the financial support we received from the Illinois Arts Council, Northern Trust Bank, David and Beth Wang. This allowed us to keep the cost of the trip lower – in fact, much lower than any other 20-day trip to China and Korea than we have heard of. It also allowed us to help some students who we needed for instrumentation, as well as whose families have been part of MYA, and really wanted to go. but needed some assistance in making it possible.

Lastly, I want thank the parents of all the students who traveled with us. Thank you for raising such wonderful young adults, for teaching them about cooperation and for trusting us to have them in China and Korea. You cannot believe what excellent ambassadors they have been.

Neither can you realize what excellent concerts we have given unless you heard them. They have gotten progressively better and the last two in Beijing at the Library and at the Seoul Concert Hall were truly professional level.

So thank you, EVERYONE for making this trip such a wonderful success!!!

Successful Musical Experiences

2007-08-12T00:01:00.000-05:00

As we sit here on the plane, we think back to the musical experiences of the tour. Similar to most any tour, we were faced with some beautiful halls and some not-so-beautiful ones. Each venue brought new challenges, some of which proved more difficult to overcome than others. Yet each concert certainly had its high points.

One of the most difficult challenges were the audiences in China. At home we are used to quiet audiences, yet at all but two of the Chinese venues the audiences would talk, move about, and answer their ringing cell phones so much so that it was sometimes difficult to even hear the orchestra!This, combined with the extreme heat at some of the venues, simply forced us to concentrate that much harder. While it was disheartening at first, it was a lesson in cultural difference that allowed us to reflect on what our music means to us and what it might mean for a new audience thousands of miles from home. In the “small” (6 million inhabitants!) city of Xi’an, for example, it may likely have been the first classical concert for much of the audience, including our local tour guide! The audience noise during the extremely quiet and subtle opening to the second movement of the Tchaikovksy was so loud that Dr. D was visibly shaken and considered starting over. Yet the concentration required to overcome the distraction translated into Cala O’Conner’s most marvelous rendition of the horn solo in that movement. The audience soon quieted and their applause at the end of the movement demonstrated that we had reached some sort of common understanding.

Perhaps the clearest example of musical growth came in Appalachian Spring, the first performance of which was not our strongest (perhaps we were all still a bit jet-lagged!).We were frustrated because we knew we could do better and with each performance we improved. Before our second to last performance in Beijing, Barbara Butler shared a story with us about the importance of focusing on the overall musical experience rather than each individual note. That night we played Appalachian Spring better than we ever had. It was clearly a turning point for the orchestra.

By our last concert in the Seoul Arts Center, a hall to rival Symphony Center, we felt we had reached a level of musicianship worthy of the hall. Indeed, there was a palpable sense of excitement that night during our finest performance of the Tchaikovsky.

All in all, the tour was an extremely successful musical experience. Any chance to play the same great repertoire on multiple occasions, however challenging the environment may be, can only lead to deeper appreciation of the music and sense of ensemble for the orchestra. We know the members of the orchestra will never forget the tour, in large part because of the wonderful musical growth and experiences that came from it.

Peter K., Bassoon
Robert B., Violin

Small World After All

2007-08-11T23:53:00.000-05:00

We're on the plane flying over Minneapolis, and I must admit that it feels good to be home. When I was leaving the airport today in Seoul, I could not help but notice a weird feeling inside of me. After 3 weeks in Asia, I had gotten used to the regular old schedule of waking up early, performing, traveling, and staying in hotels.I had also gotten used to the foods, smells, and sounds of a world that only a month ago was so foreign and strange. Did I even remember the way normal life worked? What did a hamburger taste like? Homework? What is that? There are so many things that I will have to re-adjust to, but that’s ok. If you can get used to China, the United States will be a piece of cake.

By now we have just crossed over to Wisconsin, and knowing that the end is near I guess that I should consider any knowledge or wisdom that I have gained from this trip. While I have learned and observed many different things, I think there is one big concept that we all can take home from this trip.The truth is that China and South Korea really are not that different from the U.S. Ok, I know what you are thinking. In the U.S., fish balls are not a part of our diet, and we do not ride our bikes from our home to Wrigley Field, but look at the greater picture. The details may be different but everyone’s goals are remarkably similar.When I stayed in my two home stays, it was obvious to me that my host family had many of the same concerns and values that my own family had millions of miles away.They valued education, family time, health, and a safe home environment. Yes, while “family time,” with my host family was going to an underground pool hall with a bunch of teenage rebels, which might be very different from what the Fatums would do on a Saturday night, the goal of going out and having fun is exactly the same.

In a time when so many parts of the world seem shockingly foreign, strange, and even dangerous, it is important to remember that most families around the world share the same fundamental values as you and me. While there may be different economic, governmental, or societal barriers that impede a person from achieving these goals in different cultures, we all strive for the same things. It really is a small world after all.As human beings we each have our own stories, and I am happy to be adding such an exciting chapter to my own growing story! This has been a fantastic experience, and I cannot wait to be a part of the next MYA trip!
Michael F.

Korea reflections

2007-08-11T23:48:00.000-05:00

We have just left the Novotel Hotel in Seoul and are on our last day’s adventures. We are sad to leave, happy to go home and grateful for all the wonderful opportunities to share our kids’ gifts (and be with them as they do), to see and experience so much cultural heritage here in Korea and in China.

I must say I was so glad to get to Korea. The pollution in Beijing is overwhelming – the sky is yellow or grey and it is difficult to breathe. My sinuses are just now getting back to normal, thank God! Korea is clean, has clean bathrooms (and lots of western toilets WITH TP) and the people are delighted to help tourists. When we went to visit cultural heritage sites or other touristic places there were souvenir shops but no “sales pitch” like in China. Many of us could have stayed another week. Prices are higher for some things, but some kids got some deals on shoes or other items. Food is delicious, healthy, not oily and all restaurants are required to use mineral water so you feel safe, Being vegetarian here is pretty easy.

I wanted to share some observations about the temples.I had been reading Journey to the West which is an early novel, based on the historical journey of a Chinese Tang Dynasty priest who was sent to India by the Emperor to bring back more Buddhist knowledge and help to spread Buddhism in China (and then Korea & Japan). I visited the Pagoda in Xi’an, which was built to store the books of sutras or knowledge he brought back and also contains his relics. It was so lovely and not commercial in the least.

I made a point of visiting a Daoist Temple in several towns and other Buddhist temples, too. I wanted to visit a Confucian temple, but was not able to—we just drove by the gate. The Daoist temple was very interesting. Daoism is based on the philosophy, written in poems, by Lao Tzu. His poems are so beautiful and talk about the Being and the Way, basically describing the state of being of an enlightened person who lives in the present moment, totally aware of one’s internal state of being, and the external reality as well.
I was wondering how the temple would be set up and how ceremonies would be conducted. The Daoist temple we visited in Souzhu was set up very much like a Buddhist temple, complete with statues of Buddha, the 2 bodhisattvas and protecting beings which flank them. THEN in nearby shrines were temples to the gods of longevity, luck, Guanyin (the Chinese Buddhist and others. Apparently, Lao Tzu never wanted to write down his teachings, but just before his death his students begged him to write things down and so he finally relented. He probably figured what would happen after he died. When the religion developed it included all the shamanistic elements of nature powers, superstitions (good luck god), occult and alchemy. Now most temples I visited (be they Buddhist, or Daoist ) include shrines to honored figures of the eastern triad: Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. This morning I went to a Buddhist temple and among the shrines was one with the whole pantheon. Also the home of the fortuneteller at the Korean folk museum, this was the case.

Perhaps this reflects the viewpoint of the author of Journey to the West (c 1400’s written about the voyage during the 700”s ad) which is to honor and respect Buddhism, Taoism and Confucionism as having much In common, especially their roles to uplift, educate and promote spirituality and human values..

When I went to meditate at the Buddhist temple in Seoul, I chose a shrine that only has Buddhist figures (the 3 mentioned above). There were red pillows piled up to use for meditation or for worship. People typically bowed 4 times before entering and there were white candles available for purchase in front of the main shrine. People light a candle (in a granite table filled with water an inch or so deep. The wax runs down into the pool and supports the next candles to be placed there – very practical and beautiful. Only $1 each. Free incense is there to light and place in incensors filled with sand, to carry your prayers heavenward.

I sat near an ancient bronze bell in the corner of the temple where there was a nice breeze. I did my breathing practices (which calm and center the mind & emotions) and then meditated about half an hour – just as I was finishing, a recorded male voice chanting “Om Mani Padme Om” (a traditional Buddhist chant) along with some other words in Korean, and banging a wooden block, in a rhythm.During the chant, worshippers bowed (from standing to kneeling with hands and forehead on the floor, which is the traditional kowtow or way of showing respect. One woman near me had a notebook with a drawing and some Korean words written in beautiful calligraphy on her pillow as she did her bowing. This temple, which was across the street from the COEX Mall, ironically, (though you would never know it when you are inside—it feels so tranquil and serene) is a Zen Buddhist temple.

This chant was different from the worship service I observed at another shrine at the same temple before I began my practices. The shrine was a Daoist one and the priest or monk, who wore a grey jacket and pants and white scart and red vest, kowtowed as he chanted and the other worshippers did the same. He did not use a musical instrument. At all the altars, there were bags of adzuki beans, rice, melons and apple pears (a fruit like an apple and a pear).

There were about 7 or 8 shrines at different levels of the lower portion of the mountain. And there were probably 100 or more people worshiping when I was there between 7:45 to 9:45 a.m. There was a clear majority of women, but about 1/3 were men – in their 40’s or older. The women appeared to be between late 20’s –to 70’s or so. I think I was the only westerner – although I saw a sign for a Temple Stay program of 2 or more days, where you can live among the monks as they do –eating and following the same schedule, so maybe there were more tourists or westerners I did not see.

I really enjoyed my meditation and stay there! I loved Korea!!!
Pam B.

Possible delayed departure from Seoul

2007-08-11T03:58:00.000-05:00

We're in the Seoul International departures awaiting our flight home to O'Hare. When we checked in Asiana Airline told us the flight was delayed 30 minutes. However, as of this posting we're hearing the delay is only 7 minutes. You might want to check our estimated arrival time before heading to the airport.

Flight OZ 236 arrival at O'Hare 6:00 P.M. Aug. 11, 2007

Korean Folk Village

2007-08-11T03:00:00.000-05:00

When we arrived at the Folk Village there were several different school groups of very cute little kids wearing interesting uniforms and carrying cute backpacks.

At the entrance to the village we were told to write a wish on a little slip of paper and tie it to the rock.

Inside the village there are traditional Korean homes featuring crafts, household furniturings, cooking techniques and farm implements. Growing above one pathway were these hanging green fruit. Maybe they're some type of melon?? We couldn't read the Korean signs.

A sudden downpour sent us scurrying for umbrellas and building overhangs.

Some clever MYAers sought shelter from the downpour in a covered porchlike structure - NO SHOES, please! The floor was raised above the ground about two feet.

After about 5 minutes the sun broke through the dark cloud and the only sign of rain were the puddles along the sandy pathways.

Tightrope walker performing amazing and funny stunts for us.

Traditional Korean dancers and musicians.

Some of us tried out our skills at arrow throwing. Emily was the champ!

The object is to bounce your opponent off the board into the puddle of mud.

Poor T.J. didn't pass his school exam. Maybe next time he'll study harder.

The best way to settle MYA disputes between chaperones and students.

Count Down

2007-08-10T19:49:00.000-05:00

As we countdown the hours until we fly back home, we have so much to be thankful for. We are grateful to all the parents who supported and encouraged their students to participate on this concert tour. We know that the students learned so much and that their lives will be touched in ways we don’t even know yet.

We are also grateful to the parents who came along on the tour for all their help. It was nice to have the extra eyes and hands at many times. In particular, we owe a huge debt of gratitude to Pam Owens (Elisabeth, violin) who went above and beyond the call of duty. Pam posted the blog each night in China. You may have noticed that we did not post anything when we arrived in Korea. Pam quickly volunteered to stay behind in China when a student on the second flight lost her passport and couldn’t leave. In a split second, she made the decision that she was the best person to stay and handle the situation, leaving her daughter and suitcase, and plunging into the unknown of dealing with a lost passport in China. For two days she went to the U.S. Embassy and Chinese security offices, waited in lines, and adroitly and fortuitously managed to get a new passport and visa, and onto another flight to Korea yesterday. How can we ever say thank you enough for what she gave up to help out an MYA student! (note from PAM: What to do when left behind in China? First, go to the American Embassy and then call your 8 year old Chinese friend, Cynthia. Take full advantage of your extra time in China and go to the best Peking Duck restaurant in China with Cynthia's grandfather and get a certificate saying you were served their 1,150,249,510 roasted duck.)

We also are thankful to Yvette Stinehart (James, cello) who met us at the hotel in Shanghai with 5,000 concert programs that she had arranged to print for us.Yvette never stopped helping the whole time we were in Shanghai. She brought us herbal medicine to prevent heat stroke, took the parents on a fabulous tour, complete with hairdos and massages, arranged for a tailor to come to the hotel and take measurements and orders for suits and clothing, invited fourteen young musicians to join our orchestra for the Chinese folk songs we performed at the Shanghai Concert Hall, and was just on top of every aspect of our time in Shanghai!!!

In Seoul, Mee Kim (Maria, harp, and Michael, bass, MYA Alums) made all the arrangements for our concert in the Seoul Arts Center. A packed hall filled the 2500 seats, an audience Dr. D was told was nearly twice the normal size for concerts in this beautiful hall. Mee, an MYA Board member, put MYA’s philosophy of making classical and jazz music accessible to as many people as possible into action. She gave tickets to many people who do not normally have the opportunity to attend a concert in the Seoul Arts Center who enjoyed Copland, Tchaikovsky, and the best of our jazz tunes. It was such a high finale to perform at SAC!

Mee Kim also arranged for us to tour the Kim Koo Museum which opened in 2002 to recognize and honor the work of her grandfather as an educator and leader of Korea when its provisional government was in Shanghai while Korea was occupied by Japan, and his return to Korea after the Japanese surrendered in WW II before he was assassinated in 1949. After the tour, we were all treated at the museum to the best buffet we had had yet on the tour, complete with unlimited, fabulous ice cream. We all thought Binggrae should start marketing this ice cream in the States.

As long as we’re talking food, you should have seen the lobby of the hotel when Keunsup Shin’s (viola) grandmother had 30 pizzas, sandwiches, coke, sprite and water delivered to the hotel (from Papa John’s, no less!) You never saw so many happy, excited faces!

Finally, you have no idea how proud we were of the music directors and leaders on this tour! I really think that of all the concerts I’ve seen Dr. D conduct over our last 35 years together, his conducting at the National Library in Beijing was the best yet! Audiences in China are less sophisticated than in the States because classical music is not part of their tradition, yet our students under his direction had the audience engaged throughout the all-classical program.

The next evening, Nic Meyer and the Big Band had the audience on fire at a concert for young children in Tian Jian, a city two hours from Beijing. To hear the band and see how our students have developed under his and Bruce Daughterty’s leadership and direction brought tears even from me, especially I watched a young Chinese student just naturally dancing to the music the whole time. It was so special. John Fatum’s drum solos in Sing Sing Sing were outstanding, and he knew, and the band knew, he had nailed them. They had to be so proud of their performance!

We can’t tell you how appreciative we are for the opportunities so many have given our MYA students and us! We hope you will come to the concert at Millenium Park on Monday, August 13, at 6:30 p.m. We are so happy the City of Chicago will host this final performance at Pritzker Pavilion, and appreciate the help of Stephen Fatum (Michael, trumpet, and John, percussion) and Susan Cook, our Marketing and Communications Director, who have been working very hard while we were gone to coordinate all the arrangements.
Karen Dennis

Appreciating Cultural Differences

2007-08-10T17:38:00.000-05:00

As I type this, we are on the way to a Korean folk village, about an hour from Seoul. Leaving the hotel was a small ordeal due to a sudden downpour. But I waited about a minute, and the rain all but stopped. That seems to be how rain works here – completely unpredictable. If you’re not sure, carry an umbrella wherever you go.

Now that we’re in Korea, I’ve had a chance to think about a couple aspects of our time in China. As you’d expect, the whole vibe is different. If you’re in a line for something like airport security, you will get cut if you don’t actively protect your spot. This applies to driving on the road, as I’m sure has been mentioned. Traffic lights and roadway signs don’t mean much, but somehow, it all works out.Sure, we saw a few accidents in our time there, but considering the lack of rules (that are followed) I’d say that’s pretty good. To us, it may seem a barbarous way to go about, but it all somehow flows. You can bet people don’t sit idling at red lights if there’s no one coming the other way. The pedestrians don’t flinch when the cars and trucks are mere inches from hitting them. When our three-bus caravan would run red lights (which was often), there wasn’t any honking or outward signs of anger. They let you do what you need to do, but they may get very close before they stop. It can be a little unnerving, but traffic actually seems to flow a little more smoothly because of these unspoken rules of the road.

I think being in China has relaxed me a little with things like driving and not getting road rage. However, I feel a little less meticulous with cleaning up after myself. They seem to just leave things everywhere, and expect someone else to take care of it.Although when we’d try to arrange tables or move our luggage, someone would jump in to take care of it. There were a lot of people that would work at the hotels and the shops, and they must want something to do. I have a Chinese friend back home, and a couple years ago we were walking down the street eating some burgers. When he finished, he just threw his trash in a ditch on the side of the road. I yelled at him until he picked it up, but now I understand why he did that.

Another difference that I liked is the buyer/seller relationship, where the seller is very active in trying to reel in buyers. Sure, all the hassling can be quite obnoxious, especially in the confines of the Silk Road Market (the one with 7 floors of mostly fake stuff), but the relationship is more open and honest. Yes, honest. The sellers want you to buy stuff, and they let you know it. As the buyer, you can share exactly what you think about their wares, and exactly how much you think it’s worth (or more likely, how much you want to pay). They open with an absurdly high price, which is what they’d love you to pay for it, but of course you wouldn’t. So you let them know what you’d like to pay, and eventually, after threatening to leave, you get to a price you like. Or, if you don’t want their stuff, you just tell them, or walk away.This open dialogue is how I imagine commerce took place in past eras. But today, in the US and in other developed and commercialized countries, this aspect has all but disappeared in the small- and medium-ticket market. Our prices are mostly locked down (and to be fair, kept reasonable) by larger chain stores. So where should we, the nascent consumers, learn to bargain when it comes to big-ticket items like cars or even furniture? Thanks to my time in China, I’ve learned how to save myself money on purchases, and to not be afraid to ask. I have also learned to leave emotion out of the equation. I won’t be surprised if the next time I go to buy something in the States, I’ll try the walk-out trick, but they’ll happily show me the door.
James R.

Hat shopping in a Korean Folk Village

Final Tour Concert at Seoul Arts Center

2007-08-10T17:26:00.000-05:00

Ahn Young Ha Sae Yo Mom, Dad, and Peter!
Arriving in Korea was such a radical change from China; the most obvious change of course was the weather. Monsoon season has been longer than expected so we have had occasional showers everyday. The cooler weather coupled with the return to Western style toilets have lifted everyone’s spirits! Seoul is a beautiful city with lush forests, seas, and mountains in addition to the stark contrast between traditional and modern architectural landscapes.
Our concert in Korea was thoroughly brilliant and the most moving experience I have ever had with any orchestra. The Seoul Arts Center was larger and had far superior sound quality than any venue I have seen or even dreamed of playing in. There were seats even behind the stage in a balcony, which was intimidating at first because our playing would be enjoyed or scrutinized from every angle.We had a longer rehearsal than normal because we wanted to dissect and perfect each phrase. The dedication of Dr. Dennis, Mr. Pearson, and each orchestra member was tested and demonstrated during the performance because the Tchaikovsky sounded spectacular. We received applause after each movement and relished in the standing ovation and cheers after the final note rang through the audience. We spent so much time living the music during this trip that it was rewarding to see our hard work and calloused fingers recognized and appreciated. We all owe so much to Dr. Dennis for teaching us how to embrace music for all of its possibilities and for giving us an accepting place for us to play our hearts out. This concert would not be possible without the benevolence of Ms. Mee Kim and her family, who has treated us with such generosity throughout our stay in Korea.
We are on the bus now driving towards lunch at an underground mall. The food here is delicious and spicy! After dinner yesterday we saw a show of traditional Korean folk dancing and singing! All of the performers had so much talent! I cannot wait to return home and share all of my pictures with you! See you in a few days!
Love, Kathy A.

Who are we?

2007-08-09T13:03:00.001-05:00

Barrington High School
New Trier High SchoolLake Forest High School StudentsMark Zinger (DePaul University Professor) studentsEvanston High School Students
Maine South High School StudentsStevenson High School StudentsGlenbrook South High School
Glenbrook North High School
Highland Park High School

Nanta Show in Seoul, South Korea

2007-08-09T12:45:00.000-05:00

We went to a cooking show called “NANTA” and there were five amazing chefs; four guys and one girl. The shows main act coupled music and comedy with drumming on pots and pans and getting stuck in garbage cans. Because the theme of the show was “cooking for a wedding” they asked a few audience members to come and help them out on stage. They picked TJ and Andrea to go up and try their cream of potato soup. TJ was distracted while they switched his bowl with Andrea’s because a fly flew in her bowl… Ha! Ha! They ended up becoming the bride and groom of the wedding. By the end of the show, the chefs threw little plastic balls everywhere. We all attempted to leave the theater with the balls, but the lady at the door took mine. Some lucky other MYA kids, got away with taking the balls, though. The chefs signed autographs after the show. It was so fun! The next show we saw was a Korean folk dance. It had many dance and drumming styles that resembled the ones in NANTA. NANTA was a more modern version of the Korean folk show, with food. The men wore hats in both shows with a ribbon type thing on the top that swung around really fast. In the Korean Folk Show, the man break danced with the ribbon on his head. Another man in the same show had a flower thing on his head that swung around, as well. I was very amused by the break dancing ;)
Evelyn

So, MYA is in Korea and loving it. After the two flights were re-united last night for dinner, we saw Nanta’s Cookin’ which was basically a Korean Blue Man Group/Stomp, which was absolutely hilarious. It was the story of 3 chefs who had to prepare dinner for the emperor by 6 o’clock, but the maitre d’ had a clumsy, easily-distracted nephew that was supposed to help out. The music was truly spectacular and the actors were outstanding. It was the perfect way to start our stay in Korea.
This morning we did something that everybody enjoyed—we slept in. Wake up calls were forbidden and I think everyone appreciated a morning of rest. Right now we’re in the hall for our final concert of the trip, and it’s easily the most spectacular place we’ve had the opportunity to play in. We’re lucky to have a nearly full audience tonight; about 2,000 of the 2,500 seats are sold out. After eight concerts playing this music, we’re pretty prepared. We all miss our families and friends and can’t wait to see you in 3 days!
Tessa

Tian Jin Concert

2007-08-08T11:58:00.000-05:00

Okay, a quick update… Last night we drove to Tian Jin to perform. The drive was an adventure in itself. During the daytime our bus driver essentially honks at every vehicle in his way, and since we’re usually going faster than everyone else, this means a near constant rhapsody of bus horn. Not too conducive to sleep! On the drive home he switched to flashing the brights – quite a hair-raising ride, on top of the hair-curling visit to the rest stop. When we arrived in Tian Jin the jazz band rehearsed while I worked on fixing Wills’s tenor. We all really appreciate the opportunity to play through and talk about the tunes we’ve been performing, because every chance we have to tighten something up makes us more excited to perform again. Wills and I skipped dinner to continue working on his horn, and with the help of Charlie Geyer we got the thing working – a small miracle for sure, and a relief to all of us because he’s been playing so beautifully. For the first time on the trip the big band took the second half of the concert, and I’m proud to say that we rocked! The audience was genuinely interested and enthusiastic and wanted another tune at the end of our set. I panicked because I thought we were out of tunes, but the kids quickly reminded me that we hadn’t played Sing Sing Sing. John Fatum took us through a rousing version of the tune (I played from memory because I foolishly left my music off stage) and the crowd loved it. The highlight of the concert for me was seeing all the Chinese kids in the audience bobbing along to the music. Jazz is still quite new here, and this was likely the first time any of them had heard a live jazz band. I know they will remember those awesome American kids playing jazz when they hear it again later in life.
Nic

The Great Wall

2007-08-06T13:52:00.002-05:00

Great Wall Weather Report: Cloudy, hazy, foggy, misty, gray and mystical
Dear Aunt Joanne…and everyone else who likes reading our blog,
Yesterday we visited one of mankind’s greatest anomalies, the Great Wall of China. Driving through the country on our way to the Wall, we should have seen some of the most beautiful scenery on the whole trip. However, all we saw was a blurry mass of green and gray outlines. The fog was so thick it was impossible to see the mountains on either side of the bus. As we neared the Wall we could vaguely see in the distance pagodas and watchtowers on the wall. We stopped for a quick photo op and began to climb. Unfortunately, the jazz players could not climb with us because they had to play a concert on the wall. As we climbed up more than 1,500 steps to the top (Kate I. counted them), the air became thinner and the thick gray clouds swirled around us. Soon, we could hear faint music in the background. The music floated up through the clouds and we recognized it as “Big Dipper”, one of our favorite jazz pieces we have heard so many times during our trip. It was amazing that, although so far away and unable to see through the haze and clouds, we could hear our friends playing somewhere below us on the Great Wall, the music we all love. Talk about phenomenal acoustics!
We climbed one of the towers and discovered we could hear the jazz band playing even more clearly, our very, very favorite jazz piece (because it brings back our great memories of our MYA trip to Spain two years ago) “Sing Sing Sing.” Immediately, we began to dance to the music.When we had finished jammin’ we saw a few people from MYA and they said that we were close to the top. We high-fived our friends and decided to go for it.When the end was in sight, we ran for it. Reaching the top of the wall was so exhilarating after sweating our way up the rugged 1,500 worn smooth, uneven steps. At the peak we were all panting and soaking wet. It was a little less humiliating to see a group of very cute Chinese teenage guys (cutes ones, too!) covered in perspiration and shirtless. We took the time to celebrate our victory with many pictures of the view (a.k.a the fog and clouds) and were stopped, as we were on the way up, to take pictures with various Chinese people who were fascinated by blonds and redheads.
Looking at our watches we realized it took us an hour and a half to reach the top and we had only 30 minutes to descend the slippery steep steps and be on our tour bus (in flip flops, of course!). No one wanted to be late and face Dr. D! As we began our way downward, we happily ran into our favorite jazz players scurrying up the wall, followed sort of close behind by Nic and lastly Doug, carrying a very heavy backpack. Why Doug?? We cheered them on upward and told them they had only one more tower to go, breathed a sigh of relief that we wouldn’t be the last ones on the bus, and made it down with time left over to buy Magnum ice cream bars. Dr. Dennis was so proud of the jazz performance that he didn’t even look at his watch when the last couple jazz players came running down the wall barely 10 minutes late. Our pictures cannot begin to tell our great Great Wall story.
Hannah A. & Elisabeth

climbing our way through the clouds to the top of the Wall.
Today the Big Band played another show, but this venue was quite unique. In fact, this venue is said to be the only man made object visible from space. Today we played jazz on the Great Wall of China. The band set up under a pagoda while the rest of the MYA clan began the arduous walk up the wall. We played another great set to an international crowd of appreciative listeners. When we finished we began our hike up the wall, and as we passed our MYA friends on their way down they assured us that you could hear the music all the way to the top of the wall. You’ll have to take our word for it when we tell you it was a serious trek, since our pictures will be little more than fog, but just think of how cool it is that we were the soundtrack for so many people’s climb today. Truly a life-long memory for us!
Nic
Resting on the wall in front of one of the 6 towers we passed to reached the top.

The first group to reach the top heading down!

The jazz players making their way up the wall after providing the rest of us climbers inspiration music as we ascending the Great Wall. All our jazz players made it to the top of the wall! Wow! It felt good, but we don't have the photos, just our memories, to show the magic MYA experienced at the Great Wall.

The Forbidden City & Summer Palace

2007-08-06T13:52:00.001-05:00

We marched through the hot stone streets of the Forbidden city (No trees! Archers can hide behind trees) and the Summer Palace (very pretty) to the tune of, "sticky rice everyone". Both historical sites were very hot and crowded. At the end of our tour of the Summer Palace we found a little shop and gorged on popsicles, a new discovery James S. shared with us (frozen lemonade chunks), and icy bottles of water. Even though most of us thought the summer palace was very beautiful, we decided we'd rather visit it in October to avoid the 100+ degree heat. As you can see below, we rode across the lake in a very interesting boat.

Tian An Men Square

2007-08-06T13:51:00.000-05:00

Sunday, August 5th

Whew! What else can I say after two hours in a Chinese market? We’re on the bus on our way to a Peking Duck lunch, and we’re hungry after haggling, bargaining, pulling away from vendors who literally pull you into their stalls, and constantly wondering if you’ve finally gotten them down to the lowest price. I think there’s a certain amount of self-consciousness involved with admitting how much you’ve spent on a silk tie, a pearl necklace, or an “Armani :)” dress shirt, because what could be worse than finding out someone else bought the same thing for less?

We’re in Beijing for the third day, and we’re doing really well. I’m constantly amazed at our students’ willingness to go with the flow, even when it resembles molasses, or when it feels like we’re trying to herd cats. Our last two tourist visits, to the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace in Beijing, have been quite hectic due to the massive amount of people, but the students have been awesome. We’ve only lost two students, so we’re well below budget. Obviously I’m kidding – everyone has been great about sticking together and taking care of one another – we call it sticky rice.
Last night we played in the concert hall inside the Forbidden City. The jazz combo played a pre-concert reception held by Northern Trust, and I was especially proud of them because they ran the entire set by themselves. They’re really running the show on their own by this point, which is sort of scary, since it makes me a bit obsolete! The combo sounds great everywhere we go, even when they’re on their third gig of the day. The big band is getting better with every performance. We really gelled well two days ago when the big band played for the students who became our home stay hosts. I keep stressing to them the importance of being musically aware at all times, regardless of what is going on around them. What we are trying to achieve is so elusive, like a western toilet at an ancient Chinese garden. We’re trying to play every beat of every tune as if we are one solitary, swinging organism. What I love about these trips is that we live together and get to perform so often together that we can’t help but become more familiar with each other, both personally and musically. I’m humbled to be able to refer to these students as “mine”, since the truth is that their talents are theirs alone. Nonetheless, the band is swinging and I’m having a blast performing and exploring with them. I will miss the routine when we’re all back to our normal crazy lives.
Nic

Us taking pictures of a cute group of Chinese students in Tian An Men Square.

The Chinese (and Ed) taking pictures of cute MYA students in Tian An Men Square.

More Home Stay Comments

2007-08-06T13:13:00.000-05:00

Tonight we performed with string players from the Ren Min University High School at the National Library. We had a full stage of musicians and the music jointly created by our two orchestras was magnificent.

Emily Lutter
The home stay in Beijing was a great opportunity for me. My family was so welcoming and I learned a lot from them. When we first got to the home the grandfather told me about their culture and his daughter who lives in Boston. Later I learned how to make Chinese dumplings. It was really fun. After that we went to the grocery store to buy breakfast for the morning. When we got back home we ate dinner. We had duck and it was delicious (how chur). Later, after dinner, we played violin together. It was cool to see what music she played. I am so happy I got to have such an experience and I would do it again.

Alyssa Schardt
My home stay was really fun. My student’s name was Tracy, and she played the violin just like me. Tracy won a violin competition last year that was open for everyone in China. Her English wasn’t that good, but her aunt came over and she spoke English well. We went out for dinner and it was delicious. It was called “hot pot”. It was a lot like fondue. When we got back to the apartment we showed each other pictures of family and friends. The home stay was a wonderful experience and I’m so glad I got to learn more about the Chinese lifestyle.

Eric Leventhal
The home stay in Beijing was a truly amazing experience. My family welcomed me eagerly into their home, even though they had learned about me just one day prior to my arrival. I honestly felt like I was at home. They took me out to dinner and then bought me a lot of food at the super market. My family treated me so well. It was hard to say, “No, it’s okay.” Although all three people spoke English, it would not have mattered if they didn’t. The home stay was the best night I had in China.

Michael Fatum
I am happy to say that my Chinese home stay experience was one of the best on the trip. I was paired with a 12 year old boy named Jerry, chosen for his love of the Tome & Jerry Show. His dad, Mr. Jiang, played bass in the Beijing National Orchestra and his mom was a nurse at a local hospital. Even though Jerry’s parent held highly respected positions, they were overly gracious and humble. As their guest, I was taken under their wing, as if I were the second son that the government would never let them have. We hit it off, and had no problem keeping the conversation rolling. We ate at a fantastic Korean BBQ restaurant, (Yes! It was more than edible!) and then went to an underground pool hall for a little Jiang family fun. The experience crushed every assumption that I ever had about Chinese culture and opened my eyes to the fact that there are many more striking similarities between Chinese and American family life than there are differences. I was sad to leave my family, but I know that I will always have an incredible memory that I cannot lose.

After our concert we joined together for a group photo of the Chicago Midwest Young Artist Orchestra and the Ren Min High School Orchestra.

Sid Samberg
Staying with a Chinese family was a wonderful experience, as I am extremely interested in both Chinese culture and making new friends. When I first met William and his parents, they greeted me in Chinese and although they were surprised that I responded in Chinese I could tell that they were happy with me for breaking the language barrier. The Beijing roast duck was as INCREDIBLE as I thought it would be. I was taken to a fencing school to watch William fence, which was intense. At home I played a few of my compositions for the family, another wonderful experience. I played computer games with William well into the night. I had a wonderful time.

Gabe Medd
My home stay was an experience that will never be replicated. Even though I was laughed at for not holding my chopsticks correctly, my “family” and I had a lot in common. All in all, we shared great lalughs, delicious food, and an idea that a language barrier isn’t everything.

Adam Kromelow
My home stay was a great experience. My family was very nice and we played music for each other. I learned about modern Chinese culture and was surprised to find how similar it is to ours. I would definitely do a home stay again.

Sam Selinger
I couldn’t have enjoyed the home stay more. I was taken out to dinner, in what was possibly, the best meal of the trip. Afterwards, I was given a driving tour of Beijing. When I asked to use their washing machine, the mother did all of my laundry for me! It was really a great experience.

Austin Fisher
The home stay was awesome. The son was a bit shy at first and spoke very little English. His friend came over to the apartment and was very interested in me and the United States. The friend spoke very good English and translated for me at dinner. We went out and hot “hot pot”. It was basically the equivalent of a Chinese fondue. My family was very gracious and hospitable. I would do something like this again in a heartbeat. You don’t really experience a country unless you lilve there; even if it is only for a day.

Drew Banzhaf
Right away I found I had a bond with my host family. My host was a double bass teacher and his son played bass, as well. So even when I was thousands of miles away from home, in a foreign city, with three people I had never met, I was comfortable. They were extremely gracious, feeding me well. But, the highlight was when I played bass and so did my host’s son, Wang Zhou. We communicated with a different language we could both speak.

Two small families become one big family after enjoying an overnight home stay.

More home stay comments tomorrow…

Ren Min University High School

2007-08-05T12:14:00.000-05:00

We arrived at the Ren Min High School and were immediately led to a huge computer lab and told to check our email by the director of the school. The room was soon filled with 123 smiling faces as everyone logged in to their email accounts and caught up on news from home.

After checking our email one of our jazz combos performed for members of the school and then it was time to meet our host families. The staff of Ren Min tried their best to match our students with their students close to our age, the same sex and with the same instrument we play.

Kathy A.
The initial thoughts that flooded my mind when I found out about the home stays were apprehensive worries about cultural misunderstandings and trust. When we pulled into the parking lot my worries were immediately replaced by excitement. I felt honored that the community women were fan dancing for us and actually taught us the footwork. That night in the villas was one of the most fun and memorable experiences of the trip. The authentic food was delicious and I loved dancing in the square during the jazz concert. All of the community members were sources of pure intentions and warm hearts. After one shower in the villa, I have a deeper appreciation for the luxury of a shower curtain and a constant flow of warm water.

My home stay in Beijing was a very different experience than the villas, but a pleasant one. My host, Fiona and her family, were very generous and eager to learn from me as well. In the taxi to her house from the school I met her friend, Lily. It was funny when the taxi driver asked me what time of day it is appropriate to say “good evening”. Fiona’s father is a neurologist so his family lives in an apartment adjacent to the hospital within a gated community. The house was exquisite with a kitchen, two bathrooms, a living room and four bedrooms. We ate dinner at a Korean barbeque restaurant and then went shopping at the Chinese super market. Later we returned home to surf the Internet and listen to Fiona’s favorite American singer, Carrie Underwood. I learned a lot about her interest in politics and the differences between the American and Chinese school systems. When I left she had yet to work on the six diverse projects assigned as her summer homework. I know that Fiona and I will continue to communicate through email!

Both home stays were spectacular opportunities that I thoroughly appreciated!

Andrea Sterenstein
The home stays were a wonderful experience. My family in the villa was very difficult to communicate with because there wasn’t anyone in the family who spoke good English, or who even understood the real basic English we were speaking to them. At first I was getting a bit frustrated due to the difficulty my roommates and I were faced with. In the end and later throughout that night, however, I chose to take the more wise and optimistic approach and realized that this huge communication barrier only added to my home stay experience, making it more unique and in the end, more enjoyable.

My second home stay was also a wonder experience. It showed me a totally different lifestyle than my first home stay. Both home stays were truly unique and very fun. I’m very happy we had the opportunity to do them. Thank you so much for planning this entire trip. It has been nothing short of amazing. Thanks for everything you have done – you have really showed me just how powerful music can be in my life and I’m very grateful for this.

Jasmine Lee
Home stay experience - so cool!! The first one really exceeded my expectations (I thought we were going to stay on a farm…Moo!) The public square with the playground was cool. I liked the springy balance beam. The jazz dancing was an experience (the villa ladies did a fan dance…unexpected, but again, pleasant. The house was really nice - western toilets with toilet paper…ENOUGH said!! The shower was interesting…right next to the toilet. But, the food was SO YUMMY! I would have had a sick gorge fest if I weren’t feeling so icky (missed opportunity). It was very hot, but I’m really glad I did it.

My second home stay was also so cool! The home was really big and all wooden. I think they were rich. If communism is supposed to be that no one is so much richer than all, why are there so obvious discrepancies in wealth everywhere? Serious pondering aside – wow! It felt like an American house (says the privileged westerner). The food for dinner was live fresh seafood. I saw a stingray and a tiny shark and I think I ate a crab’s brain, but all was good. Freshly squeezed mango juice!! Yum! But then, the next morning…hot soymilk – an experience, for sure. The host’s oldest daughter studies English, so she had two bookcases filled with books (Harry Potter 1-7). I learned hot to play LIFE and MONOPOLY. The slideshow that showed off the RMF2 School was really intimidating, but everyone turned out to be really nice. The language barrier was less than I had anticipated, so actual understanding commenced. Overall, thumbs up all around!
(Home stay + food = best of trip so far). We still have Korea to go!!

Elisabeth O.
My new Chinese friend took me shopping. I bought a skirt and earrings. We hung out at her house and went on the computer. Later we went out to a good dinner. She plays clarinet and hopes she'll be get to come to Chicago in December with her orchestra. They have to audition to see who gets to go on the trip. I'm hoping she'll get to come and stay with me. In the meantime we exchanged emails.

Patrick A. Pearson
My host family experience was quite pleasant. I had the pleasure of staying with Wing Ho, the Orchestra Director, along with Dr. D, Mrs. D, the Lee twins and Jackie Reilly. We cleaned up at the penthouse suite to be later treated with the most amazing dinner. We went to a famous restaurant with private rooms. We (Maestro & myself) chose the various entrees in the massive fish market. I counted 39 different dishes that made their way to the lazy susan. It was indeed a pleasure to be treated with the utmost respect and hospitality. China has been a wonderful and interesting country to visit. I’m glad we had the opportunity to make this a true exchange.

Billy T.
I ate dinner then went swimming and played my trumpet.

Richard D.
Wonderful people who were extremely nice and thoughtful. We had great home cooked food.

Rian W.
It was a fantastic experience with great people. Very unique and fun – very authentic.

Theresa P.
Had Peking duck (of course) and went to watch a Tae-kwon-do class where the instructor performed some Tai chi at the end. Very lovely experience.

Dr. Dennis
We had a fabulous Chinese dinner in a huge restaurant, complete with private dinner room, an arboretum in the center with a stream and goldfish and a huge room filled with fish tanks where you could pick out your dinner.

Eric B.
I had Chinese roast duck dinner (like almost everyone else) followed by a ride in a large tricycle – driver + 2 passengers – around the old allies and streets of Beijing.

Dan B.
We played our instruments for each other and then played basketball.

David
I ate the best meal ever, Peking duck!

James R.
I ate a nice home-cooked meal and then went shopping for a ping-pong paddle and badminton birdies. We kind of communicated in Chinese + English.

Party on the Orient Express

2007-08-04T13:56:00.000-05:00

To the Xi'an train station-when you imagine us in China this is what you see, the crowded, pushy streets. Once managing to fight our way through the crowds and getting safely situated, we started our eleven hour-long train ride to Beijing. Although the train station was crowded and a bit confusing, we were "sticky rice" and everyone (including our 123 backpacks, instruments and luggage) navigated safely onto our train cars. We had cars #11, 12, 13 & 15. Time to PARTY!

Late night train reflections...
It’s quite an experience to be in China for the first time, and in 2007. Midori and I have spent much time in Japan, but none yet in either China or Korea. My godmother visited China about 15 years ago, recalling to us images of poverty, sewage running in street gutters, beggars, and people generally living simple, traditional and isolated lives without very much modern technology.

To see now a country which makes probably 60% or more of the entire world’s goods, with all the city skyscrapers, highways, trains and jobs to go with that, is simply astounding to me. I expected to see a much more modern country, but the skyscraper rooftop designs and TV towers made Shanghai seem like the Jetsons could appear in the sky in their flying saucer ‘car’ and zoom home to their skyscraper condo after a night out on the town.

Although the audience’s receptions to MYA’s great performances haven’t been that enthusiastic, they were more so in Xi’An and I think over time, the Chinese will learn to appreciate western classical music more and more. The Terra Cotta Warriors’ archaeological pits were fantastic; I’m glad I didn’t read too much in advance about what I was going to see entering those buildings. It made the impact even stronger.

I look forward to our journeys next to Beijing and Seoul as I sit here on the overnight train ride to Beijing with our friends Pam and Pedro and all the wonderful kids, parents, teachers and chaperones that make MYA such a magical and unique family.

Kevin O. (Parent)

Early morning train reflections...
Overall it’s been an amazing experience. We have 3 tour buses full of students and parents. The cities, like Kevin wrote, are so modern and the architecture very avant guard. One of the parents, Gary K., joked that it’s like “pimp my roof”: one roof is more fantastic than the next – especially in Shangahi. In Xi’An, there is a female architect who has designed modern buildings with the lovely traditional upturned roofs to make a downtown area that is both dramatically modern and traditionally Chinese and compliments the remaining historical Bell Tower and Drum Tower. Ed took a group picture there, so you will see it.

I have particularly enjoyed visiting the temples. I had read part of Journey to the West, an early Chinese mythological novel about a Chinese Buddhist priest who travels to India to get some Buddhist texts. He was actually a historical figure, too, and I loved visiting the Big Goose Temple in Si’An, where his relics are and he and his mission are honored. It was very serene and understated, not very commercial.

We visited several other temples, too. I enjoyed seeing the Taoist temples. To be continued………Pam C.

11 hours later - BEIJING Train Station!

The Terra Cotta Warriors

2007-08-04T13:25:00.000-05:00

After going to a small terra cotta warrior sculpture factory we took the bus to the famous terra cotta warrior excavation site. Upon arrival, we had a quick lunch and of course the string players had to drop off their instruments in a cool place as well. Then we were rushed back outside for a 30-minute head count (ha-ha!). At the brink of heat exhaustion, we trudged though the 90% humidity to the breathtaking rows of soldiers and horses protecting the tomb of the Emperor Qin. Hearing about the 2,000 year old statues is amazing, but seeing them is an experience that is not to be forgotten. With only an hour and a half to see three pits and a museum, we briskly viewed and photographed the historically imperative discoveries.

First stop, the terra cotta factory where reproductions of all sizes are molded and carved into warriors.

The faces of the warriors were each uniquely carved using a real human model.

After the sites, we met up in the teahouse for a quick tea ceremony and another head count then off to the buses. With the pits not being air conditioned, we were all pretty excited to get back to the bus and go on the overnight train ride.

Jackie, Olivia, Emily & Katie (The Chorale Crowd)

Yu Kai School Exchange & Wild Goose Pagoda

2007-08-04T12:42:00.000-05:00

We received a very warm welcome from the students at Yu Kai School. The boys lined up on one side and the girls on the other to greet each of us when we arrived at Yu Kai School in Xi'an. Yu Kai School specializes on developing talent in the fine arts for middle school and high school aged students.

Time to Blog-er-size! J

Hi, it’s Clare S. It’s our 8th day here today; it has only been a week, which feels like so much longer. We just got back on the bus from visiting a school that preformed for us; it was AMAZING! One girl sang some type of traditional Chinese song, and even though I couldn’t understand the words, I loved it. She was doing something that she really loved and I could easily see that. Dr. Dennis is right; we are so similar even though we are from completely different places. Today I finally fully understand it.

The art students demonstrated their drawing and painting talents for us. Stepping inside of a Chinese art classroom was not that different from our classrooms back home.

We watched a ballet class demonstrate dance movements. The dancers were very elegant and graceful. Later the dancers put on colorful costumes. One student performed a solo ballet dance and then there was a group dance that seemed to be a combination of ballet and jazz movements.

The singer in the red dress from the Yu Kai School joined our chorale performers for our evening concert.

Right now, we are on our way to a pagoda. I think it’s going to be pretty neat. It is was cooler here than it was in any other city, I don’t know whether it is because of the climate or if the weather has just simply changed. We just got back from the pagoda; it was so cool! I went to the gift shop and experienced my first real bargaining session with my brother Peter. Wow, we got the price down 60 Yuan.

Some of us climbed the 278 steps up the Wild Goose Pagoda.

Near the top level we watched one of the monks stamp red ink on this carving to make a print of Buddha's footprints. Of course, the print was for sale afterwards.

What I have really noticed here is that everything is a lot cheaper, or at least it seems like it. It took me an entire week to go through 100 U.S. dollars, which is around 700 Yuan. A bottle of water can cost from 3 to 10 Yuan. One thing is that people try to rip you off all the time, especially the street vendors. Like today, I was buying a bottle of water and an ice cream bar, and the woman tried to give, what I’m pretty sure was Tai money for part of my change. I’m so glad that our tour guides told us about this scam, because I’m sure that the vendors would be scamming a lot of uninformed people.
We got 2 new tour guides a couple days ago. Our old ones, Vivien and Leslie, were amazing! Vivien was so cool. I wish she were here L. I cannot wait until we get to Beijing! It’s been so hot for the past week, and to be honest, all our clothes are pretty gross! So in Beijing, I can finally wash my clothes and that right there is REALLY exciting! AND!!! And!!! There is tons of shopping there! J

That’s all for now!

Hi mom! J miss you

(I’m actually not even sure if she will see that or not…but oh well. J)

~Clare

Xi'an

2007-08-04T03:41:00.000-05:00

Family & friends waking on this Saturday morning...
We have been on the road for the last couple of days. Here's a quick blog update with more to follow in about 6 hours - after we finish our BIG concert in Beijing (it is supposed to be broadcast nationally on television).
This is my second blog. I finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows. I loved it! It is by far my favorite of the seven HP books. China is still hot and I lost another 5 lbs. There is so much history here it is unbelievable. I don’t think I will be able to remember everything that I have learned so far. The other day we lived in villas with other families. It was really cool. The food was the best Chinese food so far. It was some type of Chinese burrito with some spicy stuff on it. It was really good! We played a concert last night that I thought went really well. I hope all is going well back at home I hear the Cubs are a game out of first!!!! GO CUBS!!!!!!!!
Billy

The Bell Tower in Xi'an about a block away from our hotel.

The Xi'an Concert

Lincolnshire students

Deerfield students

Wow, a half of the whole trip has passed. I’m Daniel, new to this blog. First stop to our tour after all the hours of flying was Shanghai. It’s a city of 18 millions, with a relatively short history of two hundred years. It first started as a little port with a lot of fishers, but developed into a big port by the influence of the British and the French. Shanghai is a very special city to me. As a Korean, I read a lot of stories about the Koreans setting up a temporary government in the French quarters during the Japanese occupation. What amazed me the most are its modern buildings. The atmosphere of the city was amazing and the city was very westernized.

The next city was Suzhou, a very popular traveling spot for the Chinese, Suzhou was a very hot southern city. My impression on Suzhou was its rather slow modernization. Visiting a school in Suzhou was very interesting too. It was very nice to share our music with them.

As a next stop Hangzhou was a very beautiful, natural city. We visited a lake called West Lake, and not only the foreign travelers, a lot of locals came to visit the lake. Hangzhou was a very interesting city. It seemed like it was between Shanghai and Suzhou in the sense of modernization.

The last city and the current city I’m at is Xian. This city was the biggest city in the world at a point with more than a million houses. Xian was a capital city of Chinese empires for a thousand years. There is a proverb, “One must get Xian to get china.” Such an ancient city seems very interesting. Within hours I will go see the terra cotta soldiers. Since it’s a revisit of mine in 4 years, I can’t wait to go and watch.

Although the trip is so much fun, I’m very depressed due to two reasons. First one is the execution of Korean hostages in Afghanistan, and the other is the bridge collapsing in Minneapolis. I feel so sorry for the families of the sacrifices to the tragedies.

Village of Hu Xi'an Home Stay

2007-08-01T12:18:00.000-05:00

Wednesday, August 1st
8:00 AM

Ni Hao! We have just left our host families at the Hu Xi’an village, where we spent the night with some of the nicest people we have met so far on this trip. The fun started last night when we met our host family. Hannah started calling her “Ma”, or mother, and it stuck. She lives with her husband, who we called Ba Ba, her son, and her grandson, Hao Hao. He is eleven and very intimidated by the thought of four American teenage girls staying in his house. Ma made us a ding ding ding ding ding ding hao dinner. (the more dings, the better). It was like a Chinese burrito. The “tortilla” was made of egg and chives, and the fillings were noodles, egg, tomato, cucumber, and peanuts. It was really good. We have never been so full from one meal our entire trip. Ma kept coming in and telling us to eat more, putting more food on our plates until we were way past satisfaction and dangerously close to uncomfortable. The dining room was small, with only a table, a refrigerator, and a bookshelf. And a lazy susan on the table. Big surprise. On the bookshelf was a potholder tile with the White House and an American Flag on it. Ba Ba picked it up and motioned to us that he had been there. He was very proud of it and it was proudly displayed on the shelf.

When we had finished eating, Ba Ba came in with an erhu (air – hoo), a traditional Chinese instrument. It’s the size of a violin, you play it like a cello, and it only has 2 strings. He held it out to Hannah and motioned for her to play. Being a cello player, she had no problem figuring out how to play a song. We passed it around the table, where Elisabeth proceeded to play Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, and Evelyn, who is also a violin player, had no problem. As it came to Cala, we all realized why she plays the french horn and not a string instrument – when she does, she sounds like a dying frog. She eventually got a little better, and was able to play her solo from the second movement of Tchaik 5 on the erhu. Well, she tried anyways. Then Ba Ba played a song and made it seem so easy to play, and after attempting to play, we appreciated his talent and music all the more.

After dinner, Ma led us to the village square, which was literally a giant concrete square with a playground next to it and a fountain. A few of us taught the children traditional American dances, such as the Macerena, the Hokey Pokey, and the Chicken Dance. Then the women of the village enlightened us with their culture by performing a traditional fan dance. Some women were selling man-made flowers over on the side. We decided to buy one for Ma, and settled on a purple one. Then the jazz band began to play.

A chaperone and a student from MYA began to swing dance to the jazz, and soon others joined in. We tried, and made fools of ourselves. So we got Dan B. to teach us the proper jitterbug. We spent 20 minutes practicing and listening to jazz music, and by the time the last song rolled around, ‘Sing Sing Sing’, more commonly known as “The Chips Ahoy Song”, we were ready to show off our sweet dance moves. We could twirl properly, and even do some tricks, such as the pretzel and the dip. Everyone was very impressed, considering how we had looked 20 minutes earlier.

Jazz finished up and we returned to our host houses. We gave Ma the flower and said, “wo ai ni”, which means I love you. She and Ba Ba accepted it with a smile and a hearty laugh, repeating “wo ai ni”

We were all hot and sweaty from our intense swing dancing, and wanted to take showers. However, we soon discovered that the shower wasn’t exactly what we imagined. Picture a bathroom with a toilet and sink, and then randomly stick a showerhead on the wall. Ta-da! Our bathroom. Let’s just say it was interesting. After 3 showers, the drain in the floor had not collected all of the water and the bathroom was flooded in about 3 inches of water. We fell asleep as soon as our heads hit the pillow because of our eventful and exhausting night. Oh, and because we got up at 4:00 in the morning to go to the airport. Maybe that was it too.

The next morning, Ma woke us up at 6:30 so we could have breakfast at 7. For breakfast there was fried bread, hard-boiled eggs, and bloody rice gruel. Yes, we said bloody rice gruel. Ma came in holding a small picture in her hands. It was of the four of us with her in front of her house that had been taken by one of the chaperones in our group last night. She showed it to us and said “Wo ai ni”, kissed it, and placed it on her heart. She then put it next to Ba Ba’s White House tile on the bookshelf.

We left for the buses, and when it was time for us to leave, we all gave her hugs and said “wo ai ni”. She laughed and said, “sank you” before going back to her house. We will miss Ma and her hospitality. We can’t imagine how weird it is to let random American girls just stay in your house, but her warm and welcoming nature made us feel right at home and more than welcome, something we soon won’t forget.

Love, Cala and Hannah A.

PS – Wo ai ni Vivien! Ni hao gorgeous! And Ni hao sexy, Leslie

What a great experience! What was so incredibly daunting on the bus ride to Xi’an, turned to be one of our most cherished memories of this tour. Staying with a host family in a Chinese farmer’s village seemed like such a heavy chore to us at first, but with the warmest hospitality imaginable from our gracious hosts, that thought was quickly extinguished. We drove up in our three large tour busses, and were welcomed with the locals dancing with ornamental fans to a heavy drumbeat. Then we were matched up with our hosts “ma's (moms) and led back to their homes, Austin, Spencer, Matt, and I (James) stayed with a farmer’s wife and her daughter. The dinner they served was amazing! Frankly, it was my favorite meal in China so far. We felt so guilty for not eating everything on the table, but our stomachs were close to bursting point. Then we went to the town square and enjoyed some jazz and dancing. Back home, I ventured a shower. Beside from the game of Russian roulette I played with the water temperature (the water randomly shifted from sub-arctic cold to molten lava hot), the night was very nice. We watched some Korean drama with our ma’s daughter, Wo-Shu and went to bed. My bed was a wooden coffee table with a pillow top, but I slept like a log! (Factoring in the 4:00 AM wake-up call earlier that day could only explain this.) We woke up to a huge breakfast and, after some pictures, we were walked back to our fellow MYA-ers. BONG!

-James F., violist

PS – Shout out to everyone back at home! See you soon!

China Hu Xi'an Peasants' Painting by Pan Xiaoling, member of the China Artist Association.

The village we stayed in has several local artists in residence. We were able to view the art galleries and watch Pan Xiaoling create one of her paintings for us. Of course, we were encouraged to make purchases of the artwork and some of us took advantage of this great opportunity to own an original painting by a Chinese artist.

Countryside Village of Hu Xi'an

2007-08-01T12:03:00.000-05:00

After receiving a startling wake-up call at 4:30 AM, we reluctantly rolled out of bed and were coaxed to the airport. We boarded a flight from Hangzhou (Hong-joe)to Xi’an (She-ahn) and arrived around 9:30 AM, local time. From the airport, we drove to a downtown area where they offered good food such as McDonald’s, KFC, and various bakeries. As we walked back from lunch, my mom, my friends, and I realized that everybody would stop on the street just to watch us walk past! A large group of roughly 30 English-speaking students bravely walked up to us and asked, “Will you make picture with me?” and we smiled as the cameras flashed and more and more people surrounded us and joined in the picture.

We spent a few hours at the Xi’an Museum, where a tour guide told us about ancient artifacts such as food and wine vessels, ancient weapons, and gold currency. Back on the bus, we changed course to a scenic route through the beautiful Chinese countryside on new tour busses. Our local guides told us that we were going to stay in the well-to-do farmers’ homes. This area is considered to be rich compared to the rest of cities we had passed.

We finally arrived at a town center where the local women, in beautiful blue costumes, doing a fan dance, warmly welcomed our 3 busses!

We were invited to dance along with the locals (which was a proposition that some of us gladly accepted). The local women kept their patience as they taught us the four steps in their traditional fan dance. It was basically a diagonal box step to the beat of large drums.

Four to six MYA students and parents were assigned to one villa where a local family kindly opened up their doors for us. One of the fan dancers took four of us to her home, where it was among the best homes in the vast area of Xi’an, as the tour guide had explained. She was so kind, and immediately made us feel more at home than ever, even though we are halfway across the world. She was constantly offering assistance and helped us carry our bags up the stairs, and brought us a snack. Even though she spoke very, very little English, I still felt like we could understand each other without using words. It was amazing to see how much communication took place without literally saying anything. Nonverbal communication was a critical point of getting through to each other. We began to introduce ourselves, and she must’ve understood because she introduced herself in return. She went outside on the back porch to fold sheets, and we saw that she was struggling to complete that task all by herself. She was blatantly surprised when she found us standing beside her, and motioning toward the sheet, offering some helping hands. She gave us each a very pretty necklace with a heart on it that was handmade! Everybody received one, but each was slightly different. They were all stuffed with some sort of herb or tealeaf because it smelled delicious. We serenaded her our instruments because we knew that music was a universal language that everybody can understand.

Hao Yi Lee cooked us a delicious gourmet meal and we departed for a jazz concert. All of the locals and MYA students, and even high-school students part of the “People to People Student Ambassadors” program from New York were in attendance. There were the cutest little kids there who were so friendly to all of the foreigners and newcomers. Some of them spoke a little English so it was very interesting to communicate with them. There were little girls who would come up to strangers in their town and hold their hands and ask to play tag or a card game. They also loved to be picked up and tickled.

July 31st 10:20 PM Xi’an, China
The jazz concert was fantastic and all of the Chinese people were eager to hear “Western” music, as they called it. The children were dancing with us and playing games like they had known us forever. It gave us a very comforting feeling to be welcomed without the slightest bit of uncertainty or hesitation by the locals.

I met a bunch of kids who were our age and some of them spoke great English. After talking to them for a while, I realized that even though many things about us are different, including our culture, appearance, or even beliefs, and even though we live on completely different sides of the world and don’t speak the same language, there are so many similarities between us. We play the same games, enjoy the same music, laugh at the same things, and we all know how to have fun with each other.

Being surrounded in their culture and simply experiencing their way of life makes me realize that we still have a lot to learn. We might think that there’s only one-way to do something and that we have all the answers. But the truth is, that no matter what age, gender, nationality or religion somebody is, we are all still learning. Going to a completely new place and experiencing unthinkable things opens up many opportunities of learning about somebody else’s culture. Basically, we all have a lot to learn. So when you visit a brand new place, open up your eyes and ears and get as much out of the experience as you possibly can.

Goodnight! Or as they say...Wan Shang Hao!
Devon & Jorie

Zhe Jiang concert

2007-08-01T11:28:00.000-05:00

Our concert in Hangzhou was in the heart of the city in the Zhe Jiang Concert Hall. The chorale presented a wonderful performance featuring Mo Li Hua, Jasmine and Old American Songs. The faces in the audience lit up and their were murmurs of excitement when the chorale began to sing Mo Li Hua.

Anna was our program announcer. We were all proud of her as she spoke Mandarin fluently in front of our Chinese audience.

At the conclusion of the concert a boy presented Dr. Dennis, Caroline and Mr. Pearson with beautiful bouquets of flowers.