Music is Medicine, Music is Sanity

My friend e-mailed me a letter from a middle-aged woman from Taiwan who is seeking helps. I felt pain on reading this lady’s letter. Without personally knowing her and just from the descriptions of her symptoms, e.g. hearing voices, I guess that she may suffer certain degree of schizophrenia — 十多年不斷攪擾我的聲音, 我被那些聲音弄得數不清多少次自殺危機. 那些聲音也是持鬼附, 或是精神疾病本就會有的爭論點. (The voice…

Selection of Wedding Songs

I have been invited to play violin solos in a wedding ceremony for a church couple. During the selection of songs, I came up with Bach’s “Arioso” from Cantata “Ich steh mit einem Fuß im Grabe!” (BWV 156) which is a beautiful song and had been played in weddings. It was originally for “tenor” singing and…

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Categorized as Culture

Church Architecture — Influence of Church Culture

In our small group meeting, we have discussed “World Views” and how they influence our Christian beliefs such as “Where we came from?” We have discussed Darwin’s biological “Evolution Theory” in the group study. My thinking is that we seem to neglect the “Cultural Evolution” and its influence in our worldviews. History of the past…

Reference Books for Violin Playing:

“Principles of Violin Playing & Teaching” by Ivan Galamian. The pictures and the examples are valuable references. Conclusion chapter “A few words for the teacher” helped my teaching. Postscript “Galamian in the studio” presents keys on practicing.

Self Improvement in Violin Playing

Today, Vivaldi is recognized as the master of the violin concerto…. (http://www.artsjournal.com/palace/2012/04/lamentations-and-ululations-notes-before-a-program.html) (I). My Journey as An Amateur Violinist I have taken private violin lessons in my teenage years. My teacher, Mr. Liu Chen was a member of the Taiwan Provincial Symphony Orchestra. He is very kind and patient. He guided me through the Suzuki books and…

NTU Chamber Group 2008 Annual Recital

NTU Chamber group historically hosts an annual recital of remembrance & Thanksgiving to serve the community. The annual recital provided an opportunity for the students to perform in public. It provided a platform for the musicians to learn from each other and the event also served as a social gathering for the parents and the…

Music Education in Taiwan

I was fortunate to learn violin playing in private lessons 50 years ago when this considered being the privilege of the elites and the rich class. Today, I am asking the same question “Is playing violin only the rights of the elite and the rich?”

2007 Annual Recital

NTU Chamber group historically hosts an annual recital of remembrance & Thanksgiving to serve the community. The annual recital provided an opportunity for the students to perform in public. It provided a platform for the musicians to learn from each other and the event also served as a social gathering for the parents and the…