Researsal-Chinese New Year Show

Practiced with the members of the troupe for the Chinese Lunar New Year show. Deciding on blocking, staging and clothes.

RK playing butterfly lovers in the 1st rehearsal.

TV station team joined the final rehearsal.

Haiti

2010 is not even a month old and there is already a terrible natural disaster – the 7.0 earthquake in Haiti. The devastation is so appalling and the hospitals and even Doctors without Borders are unable to function. It reminds us of other disasters such as the Sichuan earthquake in 2008, the Tsunami in 2004 and the 921 earthquake in Taiwan in 1999. These events tell us that even with all our technology, humans are fragile creatures at the mercy of Mother Nature. I experienced a 5.0 earthquake once in Tokyo. I was asleep in my bed when it shook the house at 3am. The feeling was like the house was on the back of an elephant that just decided to stand up. That earthquake was only 15 seconds but it felt to me like 15 minutes. Our thoughts are with the victims today and we hope international relief will be quick and effective.

Recording Session

Recorded Liana’s violin parts at Qmusic Studios in Toronto. Added string to some new Asian and Celtic pieces.

Film Shoot at Buddhist Temple

Did an interview with film director Kagan Goh who is a Chinese man from Singapore. He is making a documentary called "Stolen Memories" about my family history through the Japanese internment in Canada during World War Two to be shown on TV in April. It traces the purchase of a photo album of my Aunt Kay at a garage sale 14 years ago. Kagan sought to return the album and documented the search.

Nameless Decade in Review

     The period from 2000 to 2009 seems to be a decade without an identity. Society has not even bothered to give it a name. The few who have tried have suggested names like the zeros, the naughties but nothing has stuck. Considering all the paranoia preceding Y2K, and then 911, a bubble stock market followed by a complete collapse, The Terminator as governor of California, a war in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the first Afro-American president but still we cannot put a name to the era.

     They say that music is a measuring stick for society and social change. Although there was a lot of good music being produced there were no original major trends that occurred. Many people still listen to the bands from the 60’s, 70s and 80, etc. I have asked many people which bands define the past ten years. Most people are unable to come up with anything. For me, I would say Coldplay comes the closest but that is only one band.

     So what is new about the 21st Centurie's first decade? The internet or cell phones are is not new. What is different is the manner and extent the technology is used. Now social media has become an integral part of life. We text rather than call our friends and stay in touch through Twitter, Facebook or Myspace. The way we access news and find information is by googling. Ten years ago no one was talking about newspapers, and television stations being displaced. Now many major newspapers are eliminating workers while others are going bankrupt. In this decade, most of us have gone from CDs to listening on iPods. Even if the music hasn’t changed the way we listen has. I find myself flipping between songs when I listen on mp3 (even in the middle of the track if I get bored) whereas I would listen to a whole song on CD and a whole side on LP.

Will this new decade be a nameless one as well?

Launch of Ron Korb blog

Ron Korb is a musician who has been called the flute shaman, fluto no kikoshi (prince of flutes), and flute traveller. Ron's music transcends cultural boundaries and speaks to people of all nations and races, reflecting his travels to five continents and 27 countries including USA, Europe, Australia, China, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, Thailand, and Cambodia.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year. This is my first blog entry and I would just like to wish everyone the best for 2010.