White Christmas

Day in the Museum

ROM Tyrannosaurus rex

Visited the Royal Ontario Museum on Thursday with the idea of seeing the Terra Cotta Warriors.  Spent my time actually enjoying the permanent galleries. I haven't been there for a while and I noticed some nice improvements.
It is really interesting how dinosaurs and ancient history put our modern lives in perspective.

Sir Ian Thomas

Ian Thomas perform at Hugh's Room ably supported by Paul Intson on acoustic bass and Kevin Adamson on keyboards. A great retrospective of his work spanning from the 70's right up until songs he wrote last week.

Canada

Back in Canada after a 14 hour flight it is nice to feel the cold snap of winter and the beauty, peace and quiet of my neighbourhood. It will be some days before I get over the jet lag.

End Of Tour - Kao Yuan University, Kaohsiung

The last date of the tour was in Kaohsiung at Kao Yuan University. Kaohsiung is in the Southern part of Taiwan. The motorcycle parking lot was quite interesting as that kind of parking lot doesn't exist in the West.
This concert was simple. Just Amanda on piano, Cyrille on bass and RK on his various flutes. It was beautiful facility and a great way to end the month of activities in Asia.


 

Gum Wun Haah Finale

The second half ends with the whole audience singing Gam Wun Haah also know as Kaohsiung My Friend from the new album Once Upon a Time. After that we did three encores. Fields of Home, Jay Chou's Faraway and Green Light. In Faraway RK grabbed a person in the front row and brought her up on stage to the screams and cheers of her fellow students. The autograph session at the end of the show took over an hour.

Singing Gam Wun Haah and getting the students to join in the chorus



Singing Chien Li Zhu Wai (Faraway) as an encore

Students buying CDs

Autographs after the show

Fans and volunteers pose for a shot after the autograph session

On Stage At KSU

  

a piece on the white penny whistle

 The two hour concert begins simply with a piece for flute and piano. The crowd seems very receptive to the different styles and instruments RK and the band is showcasing.

Testing the black Guo flute in front of the audience

A Gift from the University

Before the concert started their was an introduction by the students then the University President. After that the 90 year old university founder Mr. Tsen- Ho Lee presented Ron with a gift from KSU. Later the founder and his wife generously sent RK a crystal logo from the school along with expensive vintage teas from Taiwan. 

 

Kun Shan University - Bodyguards

We arrived around 2pm for set up and soundcheck at Kun Shan University in Tainan. When we arrived our dressing room and the stage was already set up. They even supplied us with these bodyguards to watch our equipment and clothes etc. while we were on stage.

Audience

 The audience proved to be a very enthusiastic crowd. Many of them waited afterwards to get autographs. Some of them even brought CDs from home they had bought years ago in the shops.

Pei-Ying Lin violin and Amanda's Oboe

The venue actually suggested the violinist Pei-Ying Lin to be included in our presentation. Although she is primarily a classical violinist she worked out very well in this concert. I always enjoy playing with another lead instrument on stage.

Our pianist Amanda Wu played the oboe on one song. She excelled on oboe during her childhood winning several competitions but then left it in favor of studying jazz piano. This was the first time she has played it seven years. She really enjoyed rediscovering the instrument and hopefully she will start to incorporate it in her regular performances. 

Chang Gung University today in Taoyuan

Performed at Chang Gung University today in Taoyuan with the new band. Upon arriving at the University I realized I had played there before in 2005.  Nice stage and a good piano. The musicians all showed up early and we were able to run through all the songs again at soundcheck.

Chang Gung University Taoyuan, Taiwan

8:30 Taipei, Taiwan: preparing all the gear for driving out to Chang Gung University today in Taoyuan, Taiwan. Today I will be playing with four musicians from Taiwan. Violin, piano, bass and drums.

leaving Shanghai for Taiwan

All good things must come to an end. We made some great new friends and had some wonderful experiences in Shanghai but now it is time to continue the rest of our tour in Taiwan.



Peace Hotel on the Bund

 Since its completion in 1929 the Peace Hotel has been an important landmark along the Bund. Noel Coward began work on Private Lives while recovering from influenza in 1930. Other famous guests include Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford. The classic hotel is now owned by Fairmont who closed the building down for a major 3 year renovation. The hotel reopened this year and has been brought back to its 1930's glory.  Even the hotel staff wear period attire.  This hotel is also well known for its legendary vintage dance band where the average age is 76.

Puxi Side of the Huangpu River

On the West side (Puxi) you have the stately European style buildings from China's colonial past. Once old banks these buildings now host stylish restaurants, and chic clothing boutiques. At night they have bright floodlights that create a dramatic effect. The boardwalk has been expanded along with some other improvements for this years Expo. Along the boardwalk you can see fantastic views of the east side of the river.

Two side of Huangpu

My favorite part of Shanghai is down by the Huangpu river. On the East side (Pudong) you have the ultra modern space age skyscrapers. This side of the river is home to the largest building in China called the Shanghai World Financial Center which is 101 floors. SWFC will soon be surpassed by another building presently under construction that will be 140 floors

Lunch at Chef Louis

The next day after the event we all had brunch at Chef Louis who is one of the big supporters of the Charity Carnival. Chef Louis said he has worked in 127 countries but he feels Shanghai is going to be his home forever.

Pipa Virtuso Li Jia and Ron Korb

Pipa virtuoso Li jia played a challenging piece from the classical pipa literature and then I joined her to play one of my pieces Dark Eyes. Li Jia plays in the womens' five memeber music group the Oriental Angels which my band and I played with in 2007 so she know this piece by heart. Li Jia is the first woman to receive a PhD in Chinese classical music.

Ron on stage

Ron performed several pieces whith the different flutes in his collection.

Children Choir

Shanghai Honey Kids Children's Choir performed a few lovely pieces which really helped focus the meaning of the Charity Carnival for the audience.

Michael Jackson loses his costume

An incredible Chinese Michael Jackson impersonator surprized everyone by opening the show with his amazing rendition of Jam. His name is Zhu Hai and he runs a belly dancing school. Later in the show he performed a belly dancing number as well. I never knew there was such a thing as male belly dancing. A few days later we heard that he unfortunately lost his MJ costume at the event.

Charity Carnival

 The Charity Carnival is a very grand annual event held at the Millenium Hotel in Hongqiao. This event raises money to pay for operations for children from poor families with congenital heart disease. The administration are all volunteers and the entire proceeds go directly to sponsor the children. This year's concert raised over 1,000,000 RMB (approx. $165,000 USD)
The event has not only a concert but also has a silent auction, live auction, raffles and a five course dinner. The event is now in its ninth year but this is the first year it featured live performance.

Arrival in Shanghai

Another day, another flight. This time to Shanghai where we are picked up at Pudong Airport and taken to our friend's place where she has arranged to have my suit altered that I am going to wear at the Charity Carnival event on Saturday. I originally had this jacket made in July and I left it at Alice's because I knew I wouldn't need it until then. Here you can see expert tailor Mrs. Wang at work. While I was there she measured me for a Mandarin jacket she made out of white silk which I also wore on Saturday .

Guo Flutes

Since we are staying in Taichung what better way to spend an afternoon than to vist Taichiung's own Guo flutes. It is a fascinating place where they make flutes from a composite material. Very creative designs that are partly futuristic and partly inspired by the wooden flutes of the past. Their main business is making concert flutes but they also make G flutes as well as piccolos and now bass flutes.
The company is owned by two brothers and they graciously let me borrow one of their black Grenaditte models to take on the road to Shanghai.

Concert at National Taiwan University of Arts (NTUA)

NTUA is an arts university with courses in music, dance, theatre and film near Banciao station in Taipei. One of its famous old pupils is director Ang Lee. The theatre at NTUA is very nice with its beautiful Steinway piano and nicely designed stage.
I really enjoyed playing this noon hour concert with just flute and piano. No microphones or amplifiers and therefore no feedback or distortion. Of course classical musicians normally perform this way and it makes me realize I should do more performances like this in the future.

Rehearsal with Amanda

Still fighting jet lag of the 12 hour time change it is time to rehearse for the concert on Thursday. The rehearsal is at 2pm which isn't bad. Around 7pm I start to fell really tired. It is always hard for me to play an evening concert just after arriving in Asia from North America. The accompanist is Amanda Wu a young Taiwanese pianist. She is a  recent graduate from McGill Universities jazz program.

Arrive in Taiwan

After a 14 hour direct flight from Toronto it feels good to arrive in Taoyuen Airport. Can feel the humidity as Taiwan basically has two seasons. Summer and Summer. 

Neve

Noticing the night before the Q had a Neve mixing desk on loan I booked myself in the next day to finish off some of my own mixes.  Quite remarkable how much better this desk sounded than others I have used recently. We managed to mix three songs including Gypsy Cove.

Q Music

Recording at Q music for an album by Donald Quan called Spirit Earth. Donald played the Native flutes on this CD and I was called in to play some silver and bass flute. The session was masterfully recorded by Gary Honess.

Canadian Immune Deficiency Society's Fundraiser

Perfoming today at the Canadian Immune Deficiency Society's annual Golf Tournament fundraiser. This organization helps children with immune deficiencies. For more information about the good works of this organization visit http://www.cisociety.com/



Recording with Yuri

Recording session with Russian composer Yuri Sazonoff at Phase One Studios in Toronto. Yuri has put together an album with a full orchestra recorded in Moscow. My part was just to put some world flutes to several of the pieces. Right after my session some singers came in to do some choral parts.

Lil Crow Cafe

At the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory, Kim and David Maracle have created an outdoor performance space behind their Lil Crow Cafe. Donald Quan, Rakesh Tewari and Ron joined David in the evening on stage. Donald and Ron did extended improvisations on some of their older repertoire. The beauitful bonfires and the nearby river created a great setting. 


Add caption





Guilin

They say Yangshou is the most beautiful place in Guilin and Guilin is the most beautiful place on Earth. A lofty claim but still not far off the mark. To look at the mountains in Yangshou is to be reminded of all the Chinese bruch paintings and Shuimohwa that you have gazed at thorough one's life.

Suzhou

Had a great day sightseeing in Pan Men park in historic Suzhou. The temperature was around 39 degrees but still it was lovely. After Pan Men park we went for a stroll in Wang Shi Yuen or "Master of Nets Garden". This was a beautiful place to explore and escape the heat as the refection pond is the central feature.

Xitang Water Village, China

After the fan meeting at Kento's it was time to go for some sightseeing. My interest in culture and history drew me to the picturesque ancient water town of Xitang 2hrs outside of Shanghai. The 39 degree heat and humidity was really punishing brutal that day. The town with its beautiful bridges and canalas is really quite remarkable. There are many historic attractions like vintage gardens, temples and my favorite - the doctor's house. The gondola rides are of course a highlight. Xitang posed in Mission Imposssible III as Shanghai. In modern Shanghai nowadaysareas like this really no longer exist. However, using Xitang really added a lot of visual impact and character.

Finale

At the end of the night, the fans who had stayed until the bitter end all gathered for a photo. About 2am by the time we returned to Sun Island. 

Flute advice

Asking for pointers on the flute a fan plays his version of Fields Of Home from Behind The Mask He says it is the song that inspired him to take up the bamboo flute.  RK tells him to try to play with less tension in his hands.

After Party

After the concert there was a videotaped Q&A for the fans and an autograph session.