We are safe and sound in a lovely hotel, very comfortable. Beijing is an enormous city (20 million souls), very vibrant. We move around freely, though there is not much English available. Without Zheng, Ellen's student from last year, we would have a much harder time.
If the blog is less coherent than we would like, it is because I cannot read it back. Blogger is blocked by China, part of the ongoing feud between the government and Google, which owns Blogger. I am posting these updates via a special email address provided for that purpose. We are relying on wi-fi in the hotel lobby.
Naturally, there are other things about traveling here that make it different from staying in Dallas, for instance, the global phone we obtained from Verizon does not work. But the trade is worth it.
It is cold here but no snow at this time.
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
We have a big week
We have a big week in front of us. Our friend Zheng has arranged two
big outings for us, Monday to the Forbidden City and Tuesday to the
Great Wall. So, more on those events soon.
big outings for us, Monday to the Forbidden City and Tuesday to the
Great Wall. So, more on those events soon.
Monday, November 19, 2012
We're here!
We're here!
... which, if you think about it is always true. Still, "here" is China today, and that Is extraordinary for us. The next picture simply a brightly-lit street in Beijing.
Joining us for our first Chinese meal is Zheng, Ellen's student last year and our guide during our stay here and in Shanghai. Much more about this later.
Sunday, November 18, 2012
We're here!
... which, if you think about it is always true. Still, "here" is China today, and that Is extraordinary for us. The next picture simply a brightly-lit street in Beijing. Joining us for our first Chinese meal is Zheng, Ellen's student last year and our guide during our stay here and in Shanghai. Much more about this later.
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Monday, November 12, 2012
Welcome to the Rose-Adams China Trip blog
It is still a bit early to write about our experiences abroad, but I can at least give a little background.
The whole notion of a trip to China came about through meeting some musicians at the Crescendo Summer Institute in Sarospatak, Hungary, summer of 2011, our second year at that festival. From listening to the experiences of those who had traveled to China and performed there, it became clear that we could do something similar. When we came back home, Ellen applied to the Dallas Symphony's grant program for funds to make the trip. Shortly after, we heard that the funds were granted, and we were off!
One particularly significant event also happened at the Summer Institute, 2011: we met Kristin Ditlow the first day we were there (actually in the van on the way there from the Budapest airport). Kristin is a marvelous artist whose specialties include collaborative piano. Ellen and Kristin teamed up to perform "Praise to the eternity of Jesus," from Quartet for the End of Time, by Olivier Messiaen, during chapel. It was one of those magical moments when anything is possible. Ellen and Kristin gave us the sort of musical performance that searches the soul. So, it was natural that when the China trip became a possibility, Ellen wanted Kristin to come with us.
After the grant came through, Ellen selected a program, as follows
Sonata No. 6 in A for Viola and Piano, by Luigi Boccherini
Romance for Viola and Piano, opus posth., by R. Vaughan Williams
Puerta de Tierra, by Isaac Albeniz
Concertpiece for Viola and Piano, by Georges Enesco
[Intermission]
"Praise to the Eternity of Jesus," by Olivier Messaien
Sonata for Viola and Piano, by Rebecca Clarke
plus encores
Ellen and Kristin will present this program in public venues on each of the three cities we visit.
Kristin came to Dallas last spring (2012) to rehearse the music with Ellen, and then at the Summer Institute 2012, they again had the chance to rehearse and present a couple of the works at chapel and the faculty recital. Finally, Kristin returned to Dallas in late October, 2012, to join Ellen in presenting two "practice" recitals, one at the home of our dear friends, Jerry and Jinna Lancourt, and the other at Mount Vernon Music, a music series in that east Texas town, at the invitation of Ellen's colleague, Ute Miller.
So, now, passports, visas, plane tickets, bags, music, and fiddle in hand, we are finally ready to embark. The schedule takes us to Beijing for a week, Shanghai for a week, Kunming for ten days, and then back to Beijing and home. I will introduce you to the details as we go along.
We are all anticipation.
The whole notion of a trip to China came about through meeting some musicians at the Crescendo Summer Institute in Sarospatak, Hungary, summer of 2011, our second year at that festival. From listening to the experiences of those who had traveled to China and performed there, it became clear that we could do something similar. When we came back home, Ellen applied to the Dallas Symphony's grant program for funds to make the trip. Shortly after, we heard that the funds were granted, and we were off!
One particularly significant event also happened at the Summer Institute, 2011: we met Kristin Ditlow the first day we were there (actually in the van on the way there from the Budapest airport). Kristin is a marvelous artist whose specialties include collaborative piano. Ellen and Kristin teamed up to perform "Praise to the eternity of Jesus," from Quartet for the End of Time, by Olivier Messiaen, during chapel. It was one of those magical moments when anything is possible. Ellen and Kristin gave us the sort of musical performance that searches the soul. So, it was natural that when the China trip became a possibility, Ellen wanted Kristin to come with us.
After the grant came through, Ellen selected a program, as follows
Sonata No. 6 in A for Viola and Piano, by Luigi Boccherini
Romance for Viola and Piano, opus posth., by R. Vaughan Williams
Puerta de Tierra, by Isaac Albeniz
Concertpiece for Viola and Piano, by Georges Enesco
[Intermission]
"Praise to the Eternity of Jesus," by Olivier Messaien
Sonata for Viola and Piano, by Rebecca Clarke
plus encores
Ellen and Kristin will present this program in public venues on each of the three cities we visit.
Kristin came to Dallas last spring (2012) to rehearse the music with Ellen, and then at the Summer Institute 2012, they again had the chance to rehearse and present a couple of the works at chapel and the faculty recital. Finally, Kristin returned to Dallas in late October, 2012, to join Ellen in presenting two "practice" recitals, one at the home of our dear friends, Jerry and Jinna Lancourt, and the other at Mount Vernon Music, a music series in that east Texas town, at the invitation of Ellen's colleague, Ute Miller.
So, now, passports, visas, plane tickets, bags, music, and fiddle in hand, we are finally ready to embark. The schedule takes us to Beijing for a week, Shanghai for a week, Kunming for ten days, and then back to Beijing and home. I will introduce you to the details as we go along.
We are all anticipation.
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