{Composers}

What do composers do?

What a great question! What do we do? Besides teaching, I believe we don't do anything much. I dreamed about being composer as my career. Not teaching theory or stupid stuff. I personally actually like teaching composition. Of course not teaching from level 1 theory. I have my plan if I have some students. Would love to start teaching right now even anyone would like to take it privately. Well, I'm not that famous so someone would ask me to teach privately.

Back to something not related to teaching. As a composer, I believe we need certain level of arts and literature appreciation. This is the only moment I would say a bit of history of everything is important. This is something I should work on myself. Personal aesthetic, personal philosophy and some kind of self-esteem is essential, especially the later one. Be confident somehow make yourself and your music stand out. However, the more important elements still go back to the substances of the person and the piece.

Why do we write music? Composition should be meaningful itself. It doesn't mean all the pieces should be programatic. It can be logical and theoretical as the base. However, the quintessential thing is how and why the audience would keep listening to your music. What would be impressive to audience? Nowaday, the internet become extremely important and convenient to everybody. YouTube is one of the most amazing source for checking out all the recordings and videos.  Concerts going is also important. The reaction from the audience is very direct. They show what they really like. Learn what is the essence that people would go for that kind of music. Keep being open-minded. Everything is possible and would be something you can learn. One should absorb as much as he or she can, to elaborate something to represent himself or herself. It is a bonus if people recognize your style, like someone would recognize that's a piece by Mahler, or, Jay Chou's or Sigur Ros' song.

There is almost nothing is new. Try to express yourself in your music is the only way to stand out in the world.

Happy composing!

{Two Sides}

I really don't miss living in Hong Kong. I'm dead serious! No homesick at all. I would miss Pittsburgh whenever I went back Hong Kong. I kind of believe I am belong to here, but then of course I don't think I will stay here forever and ever.

So many thing that people would be very interested in, like pop culture, news, who was killed by who, who kicked a dog to death, who devoiced, who win anything, what happened somewhere in the world, etc etc. Too much politics, and there are so much things that not related to anybody. I have no particular one that is my idol. I would side I really like Thomas Ades' music but still not all of them. Why I can't really like Stravinsky? Why Mozart and Beethoven can't have bad pieces? Why I have to like Lady Gaga? Why do I need to care about what the stupid goverment is doing? As an artist, yes, we need to be sensitive to the world. In the same time, we need to choose what we have to concern. You can't spend all your time to do everything with all the things happening in the world. Why do you care that much that's not related to you? Why you would want to spend your most expensive thing in your life on something not even worth to mention? Is there so much time for yourself? The mayor got devoiced. That's none of your business. etc.

Someone got caught who performed some crime, ok, thanks for letting people who did that. Would there be anyone would remember that happened? Who would remember how that guy looks so they would prevent him/her? There are a lot of sad things in the world already. No one would wanna get more and more sadness from all the news and TV program.

Human being are all sick. There is no one perfect. If you like to spend time argue about this, I won't stop you at all because I would rather save time for myself to do whatever I wanna do, like playing stupid facebook game. Yes, that's freaking lame and wasted me a huge amount of time, but I kind of enjoy it. I should have spent those time on doing exercise or read all the books that I have or do through some CDs or write as much as music that I could.

Time management is not something you can just say. You need to plan and do it. Time flies so fast that you can't grab it at any particular moment. Enjoy your life and be happy with everything!

{Done with....}

Done with the piano concerto and sent. Sent 45 letters to churches.
No reply at all, besides one church turned me down.

The contemporary ensemble concert seems pretty well done. It's like my keyboard recital. I play all the piece in a roll, 2nd, 3rd and 4th piece in a program with 5 pieces. Next one will be the celesta part of Music for String Percussion and Celesta. Looking forward to it.

I'm not sure if this decision is good. AD of composition in CMU... seems super stupid... PRP of piano... they may not need any PRP pianist... Somehow I would wanna take PRP of piano in CMU. Sergey kind of already said yes. Need to prepare myself now!

The stupid confusion is actually kind of clear but whenever there are only us feel weird.
No more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's Thanksgiving!!! No turkey this year. It's been a year. I still remember to have Thanksgiving dinner at Trever's mom's place, with Aly and Lokky. Carol was here a week before Thanksgiving last year. Tuned Riccardo's piano. All the stuff seems not long time ago.

TT is back for the Thanksgiving. So happy to see her!!!! Gushiken is around but I don't think he will show up. Just Kevin is not in town this Thanksgiving.

Hope things will go well!!!
Happy Thanksgiving!!!

{Random Stuff}

Ok. I have no time to put much things here.

1) Piano concerto is almost done!!!! Hopefully will send it on friday!!!

2) Home is finally settle after the change of windows. change of carpet in Aly's room and the blinds!!!!

3) Confusion again!... stupid....

4) Happy Holloween! Time changed!

5) Those pieces I play in Contemporary Ensemble are crazy!!!

6) Still didn't send any letter out yet..... TOO LAZY!!!

7) Will come back and write something meaningful asap!!!

CIAO!

{Noble Prize}

坐火車時看關於中大開放日的新聞，有受訪者表示受高錕啟發，希望日後報考中大的電子工程學系。看到這裏，實在忍不住笑了︰不愧是未經歷練、對中大毫無認識的中學生。

當然，年青人是理應充滿理想和夢想的。

閱世未深的中學生，也許亦會被中大早幾天的抽水大會所感動。你看，一群中大員生齊集，祝賀前校長榮獲諾貝爾獎，站得最前的有金耀基前校長、李國章前校長……且慢！他們不就是當天齊齊合力趕高錕下台的人嗎？不就是那群咬牙切齒、恨不得誅高錕九族的人嗎？

諾貝爾獎真神奇，能把一個學系起死回生，把敵人化作朋友。這獎項本身就應該得到諾貝爾和平獎。

<轉載自舊同房 xanga>

Copy from a friend, Stephen.
This entry is such a great one with message. I'm not a writing major. I only use musical notes to express myself.

However, I'm going to write something about Mr. Obama got the Noble Prize.
This is seriously ridiculous!!! How would he get that prize? What make him to be worth to get that? Being the President at the right moment? Thanks for stupid Bush? He is just getting his own army back to their country. He is just getting the shit clean. He is just saving his face in the politics show. He is just saving the freaking money of USA. He is just not being stupid. What else can that be? Everyone got to his position and agree to cut that expenditure would get that Noble Prize? The most ridiculous thing happened in the freaking whole world. I should be focus on myself more. These kind of stupid show is just a show. Politics is just a show to the world.