• About Jeff von der Schmidt, the Hà Nội New Music Ensemble & LA International New Music Festival

Sound Travels with Jeff von der Schmidt

~ A blog about new music, travel and food

Sound Travels with Jeff von der Schmidt

Category Archives: Taipei

One Ocean, Two Coasts: The Dragon Bridge of Taiwan and the Bixby Bridge of Big Sur

17 Monday Mar 2014

Posted by Jeff von der Schmidt in Big Sur, Composers, Contemporary Music, Elliott Carter, LA International New Music Festival, Music, Southwest Chamber Music, Taipei, Travel, Uncategorized

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Asia, Baxian Caves, Big Sur, East Coast of Taiwan, Elliott Carter, Henry Miller, Highway 1, LA International New Music Festival, Pt. Lobos, San Francisco, Sanxiantai Bridge, Toru Takemitsu

The Pacific Ocean touching Big Sur.

The Pacific Ocean touching Big Sur.

A few weeks before he passed away, Toru Takemitsu wrote postcards to his friends with a poignant message concerning his approaching reincarnation.

“I’d like to become a whale that swims in an ocean that knows no east nor west.”

I’ve reflected on this idea often since my friend Peter Grilli made me aware of Takemitsu’s last thoughts.  As you know, I’ve been traveling up Highway 1 from Santa Barbara to Big Sur for an important meeting about the next LA International New Music Festival. Jan and I have been talking about Elliott Carter with his friend Virgil Blackwell near Pt. Lobos and Big Sur. Composing brilliantly until 103, Carter is one of the greats. There is a sage wisdom in all the late works waiting to be explored. And we will be doing just that as part of future festivals.

Finding Carter in Big Sur and Pt. Lobos felt just right.

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From the Fragrant Harbor of Hong Kong: Thank You, Harry Woo!

18 Wednesday Dec 2013

Posted by Jeff von der Schmidt in Contemporary Music, Food, Hong Kong, LA International New Music Festival, Music, Southwest Chamber Music, Taipei, Tea, Travel

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Asia, China, Chinese, Chinese tea, Cong Caphe, Hanoi, Health, Hong Kong, Hongkong, Katz's Deli, Kowloon, Lin Heung Kui, Lin Heung Kui Dim Sum, Los Angeles, MIng Cha Tea, Phoenix Deli, Star Ferry

Hong Kong & Kowloon.

Hong Kong & Kowloon.

Trying to describe Hong Kong is like writing an encyclopedia – you’re going to need a lot of pages to cover all the subjects and possibilities. My marriage is a combination of Hollywood and Broadway: I’m from Los Angeles, California and my wife Jan is from Newark, New Jersey. Which means she spent all her teenage weekends in the Big Apple, as in attending the first Earth Day. Grandma took her to Radio City Music Hall with, of course, white gloves. She still has family in Brooklyn. I used to wait in the parking lot of 20th Century Fox with my uncle for my mom to get off work. Between the two of us, we know the two largest cities in the U.S. from childhood.

Each major city holds a lifetime of experience. I don’t think you’d get tired of any of them. Worn down by traffic and congestion, sure. But tired? Not me. Big cities equal endless opportunity. And just crossing from Kowloon to Hong Kong on the Star Ferry is the single greatest commute on Planet Earth.

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In the Month of Wintersweet Tea

11 Wednesday Dec 2013

Posted by Jeff von der Schmidt in Contemporary Music, Food, Hong Kong, LA International New Music Festival, Music, Taipei, Travel, Uncategorized

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Asia, De Ye Cha Chi, Hong Kong, Kenting National Park, Marilyn Monroe, New York Times, Taipei, Tea, Teapot

The Autumn Fire Dragon in Shanghai.

The Autumn Fire Dragon in Shanghai.

Maybe it’s because my wife’s family is from Western Massachusetts. Perhaps it’s good luck or a gravitational pull that is mysterious and karmic. But we’ve now been pulled three times to Asia in the autumn. Be it China, Taiwan or Hong Kong, it’s a mirror image of my wife’s New England fascination with changing light and color this time of year. And now with the last final days of autumn leading into winter, we’ve arrived at the month of Wintersweet Tea.

I like epiphanies. Mine with tea happened in Taipei.

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Tea For Two in Kyoto, Shanghai, Hanzhou, Taipei & Hong Kong

01 Sunday Dec 2013

Posted by Jeff von der Schmidt in Composers, Contemporary Music, Education, Food, Hanzhou, Hong Kong, Kyoto, LA International New Music Festival, Southwest Chamber Music, Taipei, Travel, Uncategorized

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Asia, Hanzhou, Hong Kong, Ippodo, John Cage, Kyoto, Ling Yin Temple, Ming Cha, Ryoanji Temple, Shanghai, Taiwan, Tea

The viewing & tea of Haiku master Basho in Kanazawa, Japan.

The viewing & tea pavilion of Haiku poet master Basho in Kanazawa, Japan.

I’ve started writing this post the day after Thanksgiving here in the U.S. I’m so gratified that over 50 countries have followed my blog in its first three months. Holidays are good moments to rest and reflect. After an energetic trip to Hanoi, Luang Prabang and Hong Kong married to a trip to the Latin Grammy Awards in Las Vegas last week, the combination of Thanksgiving with Hanukkah – Thanksgivakkuh – has put me in a mood to unwind.

And there is no better way to do that than with a slow gong-fu (read complicated) tea ceremony…

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