Thursday, September 15, 2016

Reflecting on Mid-Autumn Festival

I had lost track until a friend mentioned that the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival was today.  I had a whirlwind of a summer and am just getting back to my routine here. 
The festival reminded me on an image I had taken over the summer, at Big Sky Lake in Montana.  I had the incredible luck to visit a former English teacher of mine from middle school, she has now retired and lives by the lake.  My last evening there was spent photographing sunset on the lake, and long after the sun was down, I continued to photograph as the night sky settled in.  This feeling of timelessness and how small we are in relation to the universe is just incredible.  It's also a relief to feel this, and more importantly for me to realize that it is indeed true. 

Being effortless is the key to everything.  I see all my training is actually to undo the training.

我完全忘記中秋節這件事,直到一位朋友突然提起。經過這夏天在美國收集了那麼多的體驗 ,我現在才慢慢回復平常的生活。

 說中秋讓我想起這夏天在 Montana 州 Big Sky 湖的一個景觀。我很辛運地能夠拜訪我中學時的英文老師,她與師丈已退修並長期住在湖邊。在那最後一晚我專注與湖上的夕陽攝影,就算太陽早已沉在山後,夜色俏俏來臨,我還是被那夜景吸引著而繼續按快門。這超越時空,人事是多渺小的感覺是無法形容的。  這對我來說也是一種安慰感,而且最重要的是,一個人生的真理。

一切要不費力,這是一個人生關鍵。所有的訓練和修養都是要解開我們的訓練和修養。





Thursday, June 9, 2016

No Stamping

I found this to be very inspiring and I particularly like Laurie Anderson's honest expression.  It's not always easy to find your inner voice, and it's perhaps a life-long journey.  Release your own pressure and be who you are.  Easier said than done, but maybe let's all give it a try and then it might be easier?? 

我很欣賞Laurie Anderson 真誠的分享 。找出自我內心的聲音並不容易,也許是一輩子的
旅程。釋放自己的壓力,走自己的路,做自己的人。說到容易,但也許大家一起嘗試,為每個人打氣呢??


Friday, May 6, 2016

New and Old

For the month of May, I'm contemplating on pieces which I've played often in my life.  Even if it's so familiar, the fascination for them continues.  Like telling a story each time in a slightly different way.

Appropriately, here's a new take on an old motif of mine.  The exchange between old and new is endless.



這個月裡,我回顧一些我常詮釋的作品。就算再怎麼熟悉,曲子的魅力和新鮮感還是存在的。每一次故事的敘述都會稍稍不一樣。

在這裡很貼切地,我的舊攝影主題以新概念來詮釋。新與舊的互相替換是無止盡的。

Saturday, April 2, 2016

CD of the Month


For the month of April, I'd like to share a new CD release which may not be known to many. Gambist Gerald Stempfel is a great colleague and friend of mine.  With lutenist Thorsten Bleich, their new release circles around music by the famous French gambist and composer Marin Marais.  But it's not so much about the actual pieces but rather, the musicians' improvisations over the themes that are particularly noteworthy.  Here we enter a very special world of sound that is personal and timeless.  This kind of emotional, boundary crossing expression is what I also find as one of the greatest potentials in baroque music.  

Please take the time for a quiet listen, the most beautiful moments happen between the notes:

 

這四月我來分享一張大家可能還不知道的新專集。古大提琴家(viola da gamba )Gerald Stempfel 是我要好的同事和朋友,他和魯特琴手Thorsten Bleich 最近推出一張CD,環繞著法國最著名的巴洛克古大提琴家和作曲家Marin Marais 的作品。專集最特別的並不是在作曲本身,而是詮釋者運用Marais的音樂做為即興的靈感源頭。在這裡,聆聽者進入一場非常獨特和跨越時光的音響世界。這種多情感,跨越性的表達方式也是我覺得巴洛克音樂最與眾不同的潛力。

請找個時間安靜的欣賞這音樂,音樂最美的時刻是在音符與音符之間的。

CD available on Conditura Records.


Thursday, March 3, 2016

Drink the Sound

Some things that I keep reminding myself about historical flute playing:

最近喜歡把重點寫在黑板上,練習時可以一邊思考和體驗:





Friday, February 5, 2016

392 in silver, please.

Slight wintery blues made me feel uninspired for January.  But recently I realized that playing in A=392 has been an enlightening experience.  I feel like I'm retreating to my natural self and discovering what I have neglected.  The sound envelopes me with immense warmth and the gentle vibrations work like an inner massage.  Please don't hesitate to try it when you have a chance!

Chinese New Year is coming up so I have another opportunity to start the new year with a quote from Wilbert Hazelzet, one of his many wisdoms on the art of the traverso:


"Can you find the silver in your sound?"



稍稍的冬天憂鬱讓我在一月時沒什麼靈感。但最近練習早期法國巴洛克音樂時,我體驗到吹奏音準A=392是非常有啟發性的。 我感覺回到了我自己,回到被我遺忘的一部分。溫暖的長笛音環繞著我,極其細微的共鳴感如內在的按摩。  假如有機會嘗試的話請別錯過哦!


農曆新年即到來,再次給我一個機會獻上新年新希望的分享。來自Wilbert Hazelzet許多吹奏古長笛的智慧之一:


“找得到你音色裡的銀色嗎?”