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Gave it some serious thought and have made up my mind. Will be closing down some of my social network account before March. They have done more harm than good to me in recent years.
Why? - In recent years, I felt like I have been "fed" news, rather than actively reading news, and it has seriously affected my active reading and writing habits. Most of my students realize I do keep a personal writing notebook, and I used to keep a good reading habit as well - at least reading a chapter every 2-3 days. This has not been the case in the past 2-3 years and has seriously affected my "spiritual nourishment" (I cant find a better word lol). The recent privacy issue and silicon valley giants abusing their power also play some role in the decision, but not heavily. WHICH MEANS, I will not be opening a MeWe account. I am more inclined to withdrawing from these social networks completely rather than just migrating. Below is a summary of my coming up changes - Social Network apps: Facebook- shutting down by 1st of March. (I will open another anonymous account for work page management purpose) Instagram - wlwchung - removing all followers and followings, and remaining a private account(Until I find a way to backup all the photos, eventually will close) Instagram - choirmaster.william - remaining open for students Instagram - photonionology - remaining open for my photography interest, but open to migration. Any suggestions? Twitter - wlwchung - remaining open until further notice (Friends overseas are welcome to follow this account for keeping in touch) Communication apps: Whatsapp - aiming to completely abandon by March. Line/WeChat - never used, will not use. If you would still like to keep in touch with me, here are several ways - Phone call - the good old fashioned way - why not? If you know me in person you should have my number anyway. Email - wlwchung@gmail.com (personal) / mail@williamchung.hk (professional work) - I maintain a good habit of clearing my email every single day. I should read your email unless its been sent to trash RSS Feed - http://www.williamchung.hk/gibberish - yes! I have a personal website with a blog application! Will probably resume some writing. Signal - I have a signal account with my Hong Kong mobile phone number. You are welcome to contact me through signal as well. That's it my friends. Looking forward to completely saying good bye to this platform, a fresh new start. P.S. Gibberish are really rubbish lol.... don't expect to see any intellectually stimulating idea from the blog. (original post on Facebook)
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每次入場聽俄羅斯樂團演出就如一場賭博。今晚，是一場勝利。
演出者：莫斯科國立交響樂團及Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg (小提琴) 日期：二零一四年十一月九日 地點：密歇根州立大學 Wharton Center, Cobb Great Hall 音樂會前 向來對俄羅斯樂團無甚好感，因為普遍都非常有個性，即使著名如聖彼德堡愛樂管弦樂團，往往在外巡迴演出時都總有幾場「揸流攤」，又或對非俄系的樂曲作出「異乎常人」的演繹。我親歷過兩次後，對俄國樂團的音樂會往往都抱有一兩分戒心。再加上我對俄國樂團向來不太熟悉，音樂會又疑似門票濟銷般向音樂學院學生推銷，故我在俄籍同學提及樂團為俄羅斯第三大樂團後最後一刻才買了張價值二十美金的學生票，抱住「聽港樂都唔止呢個價錢」的心態入場。 上半場 柴可夫斯基 － 羅密歐與茱麗葉 根據自己過往經驗，即使俄國樂團演出表現如何不濟，演出柴可斯基的樂曲往往都有出人意表的效果，今晚卻令我摸不著頭腦。我在這個音樂廳大部分時候都在台上合唱團演唱，幾次在台下都是欣賞學院管樂團的演出，故一直都不太清楚聲效如何。 是晚整套羅密歐與茱麗葉演出期間，我聽到樂團的聲音非常工整，卻彷如隔了層紗般，一直都有點朦朧的感覺，感覺奇奇怪怪，加上鄰座聽眾(一位老伯伯)不斷調整自己的助聽器，導致發出弱小但極高頻的聲音，令我無法集中欣賞樂團的演出，心情極速變壞。幸好老伯在近曲終時終於調整完自己的助聽器不再發出高頻噪音，心情才稍為平復。 布魯赫 － 第一小提琴協奏曲 協奏曲向來都不是我喜愛的曲式，自己亦不能作出任何解釋為何有這種感覺。本晚的小提琴獨奏Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg 風格非常豪邁，技術水平極高，樂曲中經常出現獨奏雙音／三音中帶有旋律的寫作手法，Nadja 的演出把旋律精準的帶出同時沒有放棄和弦中其他音符的準確性，仍然保持住帶點狂野的演出台風，實非常吸引。奈何，整體獨奏及樂團演出依然如首曲帶點朦朧弱小的感覺，令自己更覺得可能是音樂廳聲效有問題，加上自己有點疲累，最後竟然在第二樂章中後段小睡了片刻，醒來後朦朦朧朧中聽完第三樂章衝出小食部買了條朱古力補充糖份提神。 下半場 柴可夫斯基 － 第四交響曲 經歷了上半場後本以為場地聲效不佳致自己無法欣賞得到樂團精彩的演出，下半場銅管樂部開首第一句卻把我一巴掌刮醒了一般，帶來了精彩極的四個樂章！四個樂章分別帶出了樂團多個優秀的特點出來。 第一樂章：音樂結構、處理、音色 柴可夫斯基第四交響曲第一個樂章中有幾個重要的主題貫穿，而且會帶入後三個樂章，故指揮及樂團對樂句及樂章結構的處理非常重要。可幸我在欣賞這個樂章時根本無需刻意留意幾個主題的佈置，因為樂團及指揮對數個主題前、中、後景的擺佈非常清晰，聽眾猶如被指揮在幾個主題當中玩弄一般，而且每個主題的處理都非常細緻，充滿著美感。 樂團的音色在下半場煥然一新，彷彿把上半場遮蓋的布幕撕掉，銅管樂部的第一主題聲音飽滿、圓潤而具穿透力，弦樂極工整，若果不是浪漫非常的樂句處理我差點以為自己在聽德國的樂團演出。第一個樂章完畢下來我精神完全煥發過來，期待著接下來的樂章。 第二樂章：樂手個人技術水平 樂團的音色在齊奏部分固然出色，但在第二樂章中的獨奏段落把樂手的個人水平清晰地展現於觀眾面前，而是晚的獨奏段落演出非常精彩，完全沒有絲毫令觀眾覺得第二樂章因為較薄的織體而流於沈悶。 第三樂章：樂團融合度 第三樂章弦樂完全以撥弦演奏，若果大型樂團融合度不足，很容易出現不工整的情況，而這晚的演出我基本上一刻也沒有察覺這個情況出現過。更甚的是指揮在許多樂句中都對樂速作出微細彈性的處理，樂團能完全配合得上，我心入邊在高呼精彩，聽得非常過癮！更有趣的是我向來無法了解俄籍指揮的手法，根本無法在指揮的動作中看得清楚節拍的長短，但樂團卻依然工整，我暗喊佩服... 第四樂章：爆炸力與速度 第四樂章作為終章，充滿了爆炸力。指揮彷彿為了加強這感覺，又或為了炫技，採用了極快的樂速。俄籍小提琴博士生朋友的評論為「ridiculously fast」，但樂團在快的同時卻依然保持著整晚一貫的工整，感覺就如坐在一輛超跑當中，速度快得彷如要解體一般，但依然加速下去衝過終點，結果我在終章一刻彈離座椅報以熱烈的掌聲，全場觀眾亦同一刻起立為樂團下半場精彩的演出而喝彩！Standing Ovation 在美國向來不是什麼特別的事，但我今晚感覺到的卻是立刻、不帶猶疑的起立鼓掌，應該是人生第一次。 安歌 這個部分其實沒什麼特別好提，我甚至有點寧願不要安歌的感覺。樂團的表現依然精彩，但卻有點把第四樂章完後的興奮感覺沖淡。曲目為典型一慢一快兩首小品，我對管弦樂團的曲目認識不太深，沒有認得出是什麼。完場後又抵著寒風走了二十多分鐘才回到家...orz... Finally watched Once the movie, two weeks after watching the musical at Wharton centre on MSU Campus, and like all other original VS arrangements, the original almost always win, i.e. I like the movie so much more.
The pace in the movie is much more natural, no more musical silly scenes in an attempt of creating a humorous environment, and the ending is not as abrupt. It's the same ending (and story line) in both the musical and the film, but the way that the movie approached it just feel more humane to me, on the sad side. <Once> is actually quite a realistic romance film. Not one single kiss (one gentleman kiss doesn't count), no "hanky panky" scene. Just one "noor ho tebbe", which I have to look it up for translation on the internet after the film to confirm the answer, makes me feel as stupid as Glen Hansard. Brutal, but brilliant. On the side note, this is the way to show life's reality, instead of Richard Linklater's attempt in creating a "reality" in <Boyhood>. For me he just failed miserably, and I have not idea why did I even bother to watch the film. Using the same cast for 11 years is a brilliant idea, I do admit that, but so is <Harry Potter>! I'd rather watch the entire <Harry Potter> again than <Boyhood>, IT'S JUST BORING! 香港節慶管弦樂團 呈獻
Hong Kong Festival Orchestra Presents http://www.hkfo.org Chankai Vision 全力支持 In collaboration with Chankai Vision http://www.chankai.hk 《勁歌交響曲》 The Young Person’s Guide to HKFO 香港節慶管弦樂團一直以創意、激情、活力推動本土文化藝術發展，在城市的角落埋藏驚喜，與大眾一同分享音樂的喜悦。為慶祝樂團成立 5 周年，節樂 2014 樂季為廣大樂迷錄製全球首個大型合唱交響樂串燒歌音樂影片 -《勁歌交響曲》。由委約作曲家編曲，由得獎導演陳楷主理，走遍香港意想不到的地點演奏拍攝，配合節樂的嶄新演繹，《勁歌交響曲》集合古典音樂 400 年來膾炙人口的經典名曲，帶領樂迷重溫一首又一首難以忘懷的醉人美樂。負笈英倫的鋼琴神童沈靖韜亦強勢回港加入鋼琴曲目的錄製過程。 In celebration of Hong Kong Festival Orchestra’s (HKFO’s) 5th anniversary, HKFO presents the world’s first large-scale choral-orchestral music video - “The Young Person’s Guide to HKFO”, putting on record classical music performed at impossible places. Directed by the award-winning director Chankai, “The Young Person’s Guide to HKFO” is a commissioned work in remembrance of the past 400 years of Western Classical Music, taking you on this voyage through time and set sail across your favourite tunes. The music video features Hong Kong’s prodigious pianist Aristo Sham as soloist for the piano excerpts in the masterpiece. 作為一位藝（偽）文人，自然關心白皮書內與文化有關著墨的準確，特別聽完鼠王於翡翠臺節目《講清講楚》中指出白皮書有提及香港每方面回歸後的發展。在《“一國兩制”在香港特別行政區的實踐》白皮書中有提及文化內容主要有四處，內容如下：
…香港還著力培育和發展文化及創意、創新及科技、檢測認證、環保等產業。… ...文化、體育事業蓬勃發展。香港中外文化薈萃，特別行政區政府鼓勵文化藝術多元發展，促進相互交流。香港已有潮人盂蘭勝會、大坑舞火龍、大澳端午龍舟游湧、長洲太平清醮等4個獨有項目被列入第三批國家級非物質文化遺產名錄。… ...支持香港特別行政區與內地加強教育、科技、文化等領域交流合作。支持香港與內地高校開展跨地招收學生；… ..2005年，內地與香港簽署《內地與香港特別行政區更緊密文化關係安排協議書》，在文化保育、產業發展和交流等方面展開全面合作。支持香港、澳門與廣東共同申報並成功將粵劇列入聯合國教科文組織《人類非物質文化遺產代表作名錄》；支持香港西貢地質公園成功申報為世界地質公園；支持香港與內地合拍電影，自CEPA簽署以來香港與內地合拍影片共322部，佔內地與境外合拍影片總量的70%。… 閱畢，內容可總結為「多元發展」、「非物質文化遺產」、「兩地院校互相收生」及「電影合作」四項。
整體而言，以上四項皆掃除香港獨特性，令香港成為內地城市另一倒模。當一個地方喪失其獨特性，又何來文化？ I am very honored to have been accepted to two festivals this year, Rolf Beck and Helmuth Rilling's masterclass in Hong Kong SingFest 2014 and Dr. Jan Harrington's Masterclass in Princeton Festival 2014. Unfortunately, I have to turn down the Princeton Festival one due to family issues.
I will be conducting a concert while coming back to Hong Kong during the summer as well, which is on 26th August, conducting Hong Kong Festival Orchestra and Voices performing Bernstein's Chichester Psalms. Have your calendar marked! ;-) Attended a fabulous performance of La Boheme produced by the MSU Opera today. Congratulations to all MSU Opera casts and production team for their fantastic work! Was so moved especially by the end of Act I and Act 4. Wonder how would Puccini set that missing Act 3/4? The story would probably make more sense with that act.
I was never an opera fan actually. This is my seventh opera, and it seems to me there is something really special about the MSU opera. As a college production, I felt more vitality from the casts. Although there may be some technical errors, such as today's subtitle screen is not functioning normally and occasionally obstructed the set itself, but the energy of the casts makes the opera so young, and attractive. Probably there is something we could learn from the MSU Opera production and revive this classic art of music and theatre? Thinking of opera production I have watched in the theatre: Aida (Opera Hong Kong) Cavalleria rusticana/Pagliacci: Double Opera (Musica Viva (HK)) The Heart of Coral (Hong Kong Arts Festival 2013) Magic Flute (MSU Opera) Falstaff (Produced by MET) La Boheme (MSU Opera) After attending the pre-Carnegie concert, 10th anniversary performance of John Corigliano's "Circus Maximus", presented by MSU Wind Symphony, I decided to google the reviews of the premiere of this piece, because I am simply speechless, overwhelmed, excited, deafened, knocked down.... and the list goes on and on. "It was a symphonic portrait of a world of extremes, of fragments competing for primacy, of a barrage of eclectic elements assaulting the senses." "...Corigliano has deftly instantiated an era of spectacle, noise, violence, and disorder." "...Circus Maximus employs the sonic and theatrical language of American popular mythology..." " Circus Maximus is, without question, the most important piece of music to hit the repertoire during my conscious lifetime." <---This is exactly how I feel right now. MSU Wind Symphony, GREAT JOB! Have a blast at NYC Carnegie Hall, blast it off while celebrating the piece's 10th anniversary LoL I have never been so overwhelmed by one single concert (especially when I don't much like the first half), John Corigliano's name now engraved in my memory. Here is a recording of MSU Wind Symphony performing the piece 4 years ago during John Corigliano's residency at MSU: Dr. Hightower was at Michigan State University these two days for the MSU Choir Invitational Festival and workshops with us. Worked on Mozart's Requiem - "Hostias" with State Singers. It was definitely an interesting experience to be in a masterclass for the first time, working with someone you have just met. I think I have a bigger picture of what the choral conducting field (especially in the academic field) is like.
I have to say the State Singers are improving recently, and they sounded amazing in the concert we just had on Sunday! They sounded amazing on Pamintuan's Dulcis Maria and Hark I hear the Harps eternal (conducted by me and Meredith...lol). Recordings will be on youtube tonight hopefully. Fur Alina
composer: Arvo Part One of the most serene piano piece on earth. Whenever I am feel uncertain, need a peace of mind, unsettled, this will be my piece. Listen to the sound of your heart. |
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