Today's Thought

24th April 2006

HOPE (1)

HOPE (2)

In the morning . . .

wwy's piano concerto recital

23rd April 2006

如果 · 愛 is a very good movie, especially the music and songs.

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Lucky Bamboo (1)

Lucky Bamboo (2)

22nd April 2006

Just know the news at the end of the seminar that one composer TA will be teaching the Freshman theory course (5 credits) for next school year!  As M said, it is quite disappointed in this case that NO Theory TAs are considered to take this job, especially it is decided by a Theory Professor. 

M thinks that any of Theory TAs would have enough experience to take the job because they either have been the Freshman/Sophomore theory TAs for a few years and one even studied here since her undergraduate.  On top of that some of us are already ABD, but compared to that composer TA, he neither hasn't finished his required courses, nor taken comp exam yet. 

The most tricky way is he will be taking a one-year (student) leave and take this instructor/lecturer post, and resume his TA assistantship and whatever fellowships this comes along in the following year!  Ridiculously FUCK!

It will be interesting to see who will be that composer TA's TAs and he will have three TAs to help him.  I said hopefully I won't be his TA, then M said, if it is the case, it is very insulting!

Anyway, although I am a bit surprised by the news, I don't have much reaction for this as the Golden Rule is Composers have all sorts of power, methods, skills to do whatever they want (this is only the general statement, I do love my composer friends in HK ^__^)....

Hopefully I will be Professor Jonathan Dunsby's TA for the Sophomore Theory class.

19th April 2006

Slee/Visiting Artist Series

Midori, violin

Robert McDonald, piano

PROGRAM

taken by wwy

18th April 2006

Easter Lily, before Easter USD 5.99 to 6.99 per plant; after Easter USD 2.50 per plant, so we bought one yesterday night:

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15th April 2006 (part 2)

This morning we have a rehearsal in Church for tmr's Easter service, a play performed by children, wwy is playing the piano there:

Here is the fellowship hall, not the main hall...

And there is a super lovely little girl:

Really kill people @___@

One and only one clear close-up

Not enough light, her movement is so quick, high zoom and hand shake,

thus all in "Wong Ka Wai" Style  !____!

Children are killing the Pizza, especially the Cheese and Pepperoni one.

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wwy's new products:

Cup Cake -- Honey, Butter and Walnut

Macro close-up

Overall, 2 trays of cakes (24 cups)

Hehe, the BIG pineapple costs USD 3.99!

I think we can eat it after one week, now is still too green ^__^

[好, 好, 好, 好, 好, 好食呀!]

15th April 2006 (part 1)

"出得o黎行, 預o左要還" is a very true statement!

Stayed very late night on Thur (due to 2 phone calls), negative energy on Friday whole day!  During classes, I always fell asleep.....after school, we went back home asap for dinner  AND SLEEP from 7pm to 1:30am and 3am to 8am (Sat).....feeling a bit better now ^___^

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But i found sth interesting yesterday morning in another library, which is related to my dissertation.  Since I am reading Messiaen's Eclairs, I think it would be better for me to study a bit Revelation (the last book in Bible), then I went to the library and searched, there are many books related to God/Nature/Time(lessness)...WOWOW!!!  That's what I need for the coming conference proposal, as well as for my understanding in Messiaen's works!  I borrowed many many books and felt a bit satisfied in seemingly finding a new path to go @___@

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Forwarded from my old student:

Excellent!!!

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Forward from Ginny about last Friday CC Choir's Brahms German Requiem's performance:

Video Clip

Just a very short clip but you can feel the atmosphere!

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PhD really will make people crazy?

What I can observe here is Student M needs to take his comp exam 3 times until he passed; Student J has family problems, church-people problems, study problems. as well as Korean community problems.  All these things almost cause them become MAD........

Luckly, this is still not yet come to me....because I am a P-Egg-豬 ^_^

13 April 2006

From 亞洲週刊 Vol 20, No. 15:

首位華裔《西貢小姐》香港女生許佩珊當主角

著名百老匯歌劇《西貢小姐》（Miss Saigon）選出首位華裔女主角，由留美的香港中文大學音樂系畢業生許佩珊（Pui-shan Hui）擔綱。現年二十六歲的許佩珊兩年前負笈美國紐約大學攻讀聲樂碩士，經過艱苦的半工讀奮鬥，近日在紐約大放異彩。過往《西貢小姐》的女主角多由菲律賓或越南裔歌手擔綱，這次許佩珊能夠脫穎而出，希望為該長青的音樂劇注入新的元素和中國風味。

由瑞吉歌劇團（The Ridge Chorale）監製的《西貢小姐》，三月二十四日至四月一日一連五場在紐約布碌侖的貝瑞吉地區公演。紐約州參議員區高頓（Maryt Golden）更特別向許佩珊和瑞吉歌劇團頒發傑出社區服務獎。

11th April 2006

I am so regret that I didn't bring my DC with me yesterday.  Nevertheless, today is still in a very good climate (just a tiny bit "cloudy"):

The right hand side shorter building is the Department of Music (Baird Hall)

An aeroplane is dropping down?

@ Parking Lot, Can you see where is wwy?

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Fianlly booked most the trip stuff for next month: (wwy did all that, I really hate this job @____@)

1) Amtrak (Train) from Buffalo to NYC

2) Hotel @ NYC

3) Bus-Round-Trip to Washington, DC (will book soon)

4) Hotel @ Washington, DC

5) Flight back to Buffalo

9th April 2006

I feel shame to play the violin in Joan Tower's Amazon in the Contemporary Music Ensemble.

Many years ago, this piece was premiered by Da Capo Chamber Players, where Joel Lester was playing there (he is a very fine violinist, as well as an excellent music theorist).

Many years after (17th April 2006 @ Slee Concert Hall 8pm), this piece will be played again, where I will be playing there (I am a poor violinist [as all of you know], as well as a low-rated music theorist).

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Last night, wwy made 3 kinds of cookies and 1 cake.  Although some minor mistakes happened during the process, all products are very good and tasteful!  Well...don't worry, not all products will go to my stomach, most of them are packed and will be mailed on Monday to Janet (LA) and Chia-En (NYC)....hehe.....

8th April 2006

First time real lecture teaching (because my Prof needs to chair a session in MTSNYS conference).  Finished 15 min earlier than the official time, all people happy!

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Busy day....after teaching, rehearse a hard piece -- Amazon by Joan Tower.

I think the sound, treatment of instruments and formal structure is similar to Messiaen but my composer friend and the piano Prof can't agree with my statement @___@  am I too addicted to Messiaen?

NO, i am correct, from Grove Online:

Tower's oeuvre is comprised exclusively of instrumental compositions. Her works of the 1960s are serial, influenced by contemporaries such as Babbitt and Wuorinen. With Black Topaz (1976) she moved towards a style influenced by the music of Messiaen and Crumb. Compositions written for the Da Capo Chamber Players, such as Hexachords (1972), Platinum Spirals (1976), Amazon I (1977), Petroushskates (1980) and Wings (1981), are informed by and reflect her experiences as a performer accustomed to close interaction with a small chamber group.

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Received the letter from SMT, my proposal for this Nov annual meeting was not selected (as usual).  I know it is very hard to get in but SMT conference presentation really means something to a theorist in US.  It is still a regret that I can present in regional and international conferences but NOT the national one....sigh!

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Several deadlines are coming:

1) Dissertation proposal (should be done before Profs on their ways for vacations, as well as before I return to HK)

2) June 1, a proposal for a conference about Music and Nature in Sept.  Definitely, this time is Messiaen, and which should be related to my dissertation, what about this title:

"Transformations of God, Stars and Birdsongs in Messiaen's

Eclairs sur l'au-dela . . . (or Concert a quartre)."

3) June 2, a full version paper to the Second International Conference of Music and Gesture for CD-Rom Conference Proceedings publication (but it also should be done before Profs on their ways for vacations, as well as before I return to HK)

5th April 2006

Why I don't have much time for my own things?  Schedule is very tight today:

Lecture --> Practise ensemble pieces (super hard) --> TA Meeting --> 2 Rehearsals --> Dinner @ School --> Concert going

Back home: Prepare for Aural Labs tmr, prepare teaching a lecture for my Prof on Fri, readings for Friday seminar, etc...

But all these are not my ultimate goals @___@

My goals before leaving here are:

1) finish the musical gesture paper for publication

2) dissertation proposal

3) hence, to submit a conference proposal about Music and Nature

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I am glad to hear Fiona's debut as the main character on stage was successful:

Kim, by Fiona, in Miss Saigon @ NYC

2nd April 2006

Finally I have time to write my diary!

I don't know why after the terrible comp exam, I am even more busy than the time I was studying!  After the oral defense, I have to grade 2 sets of student assignments . . .

Last Sat --> drove to Toronto for lunch, dinner and food [unfortunately, those beef product, e.g. cooked beef ball, root products, e.g. carrot and lucky bamboo, and the things that are not indicated made in USA/Canada, e.g. corns and pears, were all taken away and dropped into the rubbish bin by the staff ! ! ! ]

I discovered something stupid in Toronto's Chinese mall:

白金 = White Gold ? !

Also, the lo-fan DVDs were super common in the mall, they sell as if the DVDs are the official/real copies!

Canadian $25:

1) Moonlight in Tokyo

2) 2 Young

3) Perhaps Love

4) All About Love

5) Drink Drank Drunk

6) 2 Become 1

7) McDull Story III

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Last Sun --> wwy's entertaining time:

In progress

Honey Butter Pound Cake

Try to make some chewy cookies, not quite success

but they are also very tasteful and crispy, like biscuits

After cut

With chocolate chips, walnut and rasins

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Last Fri night:

林海峰是但噏發花癲 (from sister's airmail, together with 2 VCDs)

Today:

大戰過後:

泰汁, 蜜糖烤雞翼 --> 雞骨

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