Return Home

After having pleasant weather in China I was surprised by the cold in Oregon. It even snowed at my home near Howard Prairie. Now that I'm home I have better internet access. My blogspot and many things google have a difficult firewall to get around in China. Ironically Brent can't view this blog in China. The first posts were done by emailing everything to Jody who then posted it for me. I skyped our Siskiyou Saxophone Orchestra Senior Computer Security Analyst, Andrew Krug. He was able to get me through the firewall. I could then post from China but the amount of data was restricted. Mostly that affected video. Over the weekend I'll add the missing videos and more content so you may want to look at older posts. I especially like the video from the saxophone association banquet of the teachers describing the earthquake.

Here are some pictures from Brent taken the evening of the May 12th earthquake in Chengdu.






There first thing I did when I returned home was to take a walk in the woods and find some morels for dinner.Here is a bootleg video of me performing TAG at the SOAR concert.

Central Conservatory

Today it was time to work. Thanks to John Bleuel I was able to connect with Li Manlong. Manlong is the saxophone professor at the Beijing Central Conservatory–one of nine conservatories of music in China. I taught four of Manlong’s students in a master class before performing TAG. The saxophone studio is much smaller than in Sichuan. Manlong has only nine students. After four hours of teaching we had a late lunch. Manlong gave me several gifts including his own invention, a saxophone resonance device, trade-named “dragon.” It is intriguing radar shaped piece of brass that fastens to the receiver area of the saxophone.

In the late afternoon we walked through many hutongs (alleyways) in Beijing. I found a few nice gifts for my friends back in Oregon. We found an area with many music stores. We checked out several until we were drawn to a couple of saxophonists playing outside of a store specializing in saxophone. Brent haggled for a Vandoren-copy ligature. On the walk back to the hotel we stopped an ate jaozai and drank Yanjing.

Tomorrow I fly back to Medford and Brent heads back to Chengdu. Due to the Sichuan Earthquake and cancellation of the Piano Institute, my trip to China was very different than I’d planned. Nevertheless, I enjoyed seeing friends and teaching in Chengdu. It was comforting to see them after the earthquake. The planned trip to Beijing was more successful than I’d hoped in spite of Brent and I being on our own. We had a spectacular time seeing Beijing, visiting and teaching at the Central Conservatory and meeting Li Manlong. It was fun to see Brent again catch up after nearly three years since he left SOU. I learned that aside from saxophone we share a passion for the Braves, exploring, eating strange street food and listening to Johnny Cash.

Rainy day in Beijing

It was pouring rain today so Brent and I spent a lot of time riding the subway to different areas of Beijing. After eating sushi for lunch, we traveled as far north as possible by train. We then took a taxi to reach the Olympics Sports venue in the northern most part of Beijing. The grounds were still under construction and off limits but we got a glimpse of the track and field “birds nest” and the aquatics center. For dinner we ate at Hakka along Qianhai lake.

The Great Wall

In five years of travel in China this is the first time I’ve gone to the Great Wall. After first visiting the Ming Tombs we arrived at the Ba da ling part of the Great Wall. Wow. It is spectacular. I knew it would require some climbing but it was steeper than I expected.

We returned in the afternoon and traveled to the north sector of town to eat at a Xinjaing Uiger (Muslim) restaurant – another incredible meal. Afterwards we covered a lot of Beijing taking the subway and walking over ten miles.

Snakes, Scorpions and Insects for Dinner

We arrived in Beijing, found a hotel and hit the streets. Brent and I like street food and Beijing has a lot of vendors. Our beverage was dry-ice chilled fruit juice. We dined on snake and silk worm but skipped the scorpions and grass hoppers—maybe tomorrow. See if you can name the kebobs below and email me your answers:

Saturday in Chengdu

Today is Saturday. Brent and I had breakfast at an “expat” restaurant, Peter’s. We then walked in the city a bit and met Qi Wenjun (Chi Chi) and Gao Xin for lunch. I first met Gao Xin as a high school student before he went to Duquesne to study saxophone with James Houlik. He finished his bachelor’s degree last month and returned home to Chengdu just before the earthquake. Now he is preparing to do his Master’s at Tennessee with Connie Frigo. Gao Xin has been very successful obtaining a US student visa so I wanted Wenjun to meet him. He talked her through the process and thought she seemed very prepared. Wenjun’s appointment is June 12 and Gao Xin’s appointment is June 19.

After lunch Gao Xin and Brent relaxed and listened to Gao Xin’s senior recital. Gao Xin is playing very well. We discussed his recital and many other saxophone topics.

My original plan was to meet another SOU prospective student He Jing-shan in Beijing at the Central Conservatory. She unsuccessfully attempted to obtain a visa four times at $130 each. Consequently we advised her to go to Shanghai, enter the ELS center there and attempt to get a visa in Shanghai. Since He Jing-shan is now in Shanghai I won’t be able to meet her but we were able to talk on the phone yesterday and she is still optimistic about studying conducting at SOU perhaps as early as spring quarter.

Morning Walk

Yesterday I went to Wang Jiang Lou Park on my morning walk. It is a nice walk and when I need to get out of the urban environment I often head there for a rest and tea. I found the park to be much cleaner than in the past. There are six ancient buildings from the Qing Dynasty and a new commemoration of Xue Tao, a poet from the Tang dynasty. Every morning locals exercise tai chi and many martial arts along the canal and in Wang Jiang Lou.

My favorite dish

SOU's future guitar student Qi Wenjun translated while I taught. Translating a music lesson or master class is always a test for a translator. Tomorrow Qi Wenjun and I will meet with an alum of SCCM who is an expert at obtaining a US visa. In the afternoon we had a working meeting of the International Saxophone Workshop. Li and I are laying the ground-work for this future project.

After lunch while resting in my 16th floor room, I felt an aftershock. Chengdu is getting back to normal and the tent cities I witnessed a few days ago are disappearing. I was told that students have been asked to go back to school and the government has set a deadline for tents to be removed.
Normally I would teach in a master class setting with 1 student performing and 30-50 watching. Because of the earthquake I have been teaching individual lessons at Li’s apartment. Several students are still away, having gone home to be with family during this stressful time. Others gather at Li’s home to watch me teach. It is a casual and relaxing environment. I taught one student as several others sat on the sofa and observed. Between lessons we drink tea and discuss all topics saxophone and music.

My favorite restaurant with my favorite dish–chicken cooked in chilies and peppercorns.

Preparing to Leave for China

I leave early tomorrow morning for Beijing. From there I will take a domestic flight to Chengdu. My original plan was to teach 5 days in Chengdu at the Sichuan Conservatory and then 3 days in Beijing at the Central Conservatory. Because of the massive earthquake in Sichuan it is clear that it won't be a normal trip. I'm afraid I may not be able to get to Chengdu. Teaching saxophone is not deemed essential earthquake relief. After talking with Brent last night I was gaining confidence I'd be able to get to Chengdu. This morning I heard on the news of a major after shock, 5.4, and a death from the aftershock. Many citizens of Chengdu are sleeping outside afraid of devastating aftershocks. I will probably talk to China one more time tonight before I leave. I picked up a tent at Costco to deliver to Mr. Li.

John Darling at the Medford Tribune wrote an informative piece published today (click here). Thanks John. A few corrections:
Qi Wenjen plays guitar
Tang's parents are not "homeless." Their home is fine but they are afraid to stay in it.

When I find internet, I'll update this blog. Students, keep studying and practicing while I'm away. I will be!