Tag Archives: Hanoi

En La Mezcla Starts Latin Grammy in Las Vegas!

20 Wednesday Nov 2013

Posted by in Composers, Contemporary Music, Food, LA International New Music Festival, Latin Grammy Awards, Mexico, Music, Southwest Chamber Music, Travel, Uncategorized

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Gabriela Ortiz waiting for Latin Grammy...

Gabriela Ortiz waiting for Latin Grammy…

The Latin Grammy week started last night. When I found out about the nomination in Hanoi, Vietnam, I knew I’d be in for some serious contrast from Southeast Asia to the Nevada desert. The parties started last night with En La Mezcla!, the first event for producers and engineers at the Palms Casino.

Jan and I arrived yesterday morning. Breakfast at Peggy Sue’s in Yermo CA breaks up the trip nicely from LA. But Vegas is its own world.

Disneyland with Booze… Continue reading →

Got Dragon Fruit? Street Food Strategies in Hà Nội, Vietnam, Pt. 2

06 Wednesday Nov 2013

Posted by in Composers, Contemporary Music, Food, LA International New Music Festival, Music, Southwest Chamber Music, Travel, Uncategorized, Vietnam

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The Hanoi Opera House.

The Hà Nội Opera House.

Modeled on the Palais Garnier in Paris and begun in 1901, the Hà Nội Opera House opened in December, 1911. But for the purposes of this post, its history is not significant. Southwest has performed here in 2006 and 2010, both highlights of our Southeast Asian tours. The acoustics are jewel box superb.

But for this post about Hà Nội’s Street Food what’s important is the vantage point of my photo. Hope you’re hungry…

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Cộng Cà Phê in Hà Nội: The Greatest Coffee in the World

04 Monday Nov 2013

Posted by in Composers, Cong CaPhe, Contemporary Music, Food, LA International New Music Festival, Music, Southwest Chamber Music, Travel, Uncategorized, Vietnam

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Above the French Quarter.

Bird’s eye view of a section of Hà Nội’s French Quarter.

I am dreaming of one beverage the Vietnamese do better than anyone else on earth. Having spent a lot of time in Asia, jet lag has arrived for me in LA with a ferocity that is a reminder of having been on the other side of the world. Doing this without coffee is impossible.  The jet lag always lifts, but my memory takes me back quickly to Hà Nội.

If you like coffee please read on – Cộng Cà Phê (Cong Coffee) in Hà Nội is the greatest coffee on Planet Earth.  Thank God I brought a pound back with me!

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Street Food Strategy in Hà Nội, Việt Nam, Pt. 1

26 Saturday Oct 2013

Posted by in Composers, Contemporary Music, Food, LA International New Music Festival, Music, Southwest Chamber Music, Travel, Uncategorized, Vietnam

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Street food heaven in Hanoi's Old Quarter.

Street food heaven in Hanoi’s Old Quarter.

Forgive me, but I’m in Hong Kong for a few days before flying back to Los Angeles. So food, great food, is on my mind. Everyone knows that musicians know the best spots for a meal. You might bookmark this post for future reference if you plan a trip to Hanoi, Vietnam.

So here are the some of the spots where thoughts and plots for the next LA International New Music Festival took shape. Hope you’re hungry!

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The First New Moon of October: Đom Đóm Lights up the Night

08 Tuesday Oct 2013

Posted by in Composers, Contemporary Music, Food, LA International New Music Festival, Music, Southwest Chamber Music, Travel, Uncategorized, Vietnam

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Dom Dom's opening night at Zone 9, October 5.

Đom Đóm’s opening night at Zone 9, October 5 with Jakob Riis & Friends in Hà Nội.

Now it’s official. To a packed house of creative music fans, Trần Kim Ngọc’s Đom Đóm Music, the hub for experimental music and art in Hà Nội, opened on Saturday night October 5 to great acclaim. Set for the auspicious date of the first new moon in the lunar cycle for this month, a sense of event was in the air between the numerous Vietnamese and a few eager Europeans and Americans in attendance.

Đom Đóm at Zone 9 is a breaking point for a serious Vietnamese musical avant garde movement to take hold and move onto the international scene in the next decade.

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The Dragon Awakes: New Music in Hà Nội

05 Saturday Oct 2013

Posted by in Composers, Contemporary Music, Education, LA International New Music Festival, Uncategorized

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The Temple of Literature in Hanoi

The Temple of Literature in Hà Nội.

Việt Nam exists in a world of continuity brought together by a reverence for teachers. The second major holiday here, the Thanksgiving to our Christmas, is Teacher’s Day each November.  The country shifts its gears.  Everyone is obligated to bring a gift to their teacher as a thank you to be guided in life by their example.

That’s right. By national obligation going back for centuries, the person who teaches you in school to talk, add and subtract, write and study, remains important to you for your entire life. No wonder Việt Nam has prevailed over foreign invasion from China (for a 1,000 years), France then Japan then France again, and then us during the Việt Nam War.

The whole country is a Temple of Literature…

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The Autumn Winds of Tam Cốc

03 Thursday Oct 2013

Posted by in Composers, Contemporary Music, LA International New Music Festival, Latin Grammy Awards, Music, Southwest Chamber Music, Travel, Uncategorized, Vietnam

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A Vietnamese boat ride into another world..

A Vietnamese boat ride into another world.

As you’ve been following my blog from Hà Nội you’ve met a lot of new people and places.  But there is another side of Vietnam. Its landscape is one of the most sensual and magical places on earth. Once encountered its inspiration never leaves you.

If you are like me, you keep coming back for more.

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Returning to Hà Nội!

17 Tuesday Sep 2013

Posted by in Composers, Contemporary Music, Food, Music, Travel, Uncategorized, Vietnam

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Hi Everyone!

I am beginning this blog today as my wife Jan Karlin and I prepare to return to Hà Nội, Việt Nam!  Southwest’s  Ascending Dragon Festival was in 2010 and composer Vũ Nhật Tân was in Los Angeles for a two month residency in 2012.

So it is time to begin the next chapter in this love affair I have with Southeast Asia, meeting new contacts and renewing old friendships.  This blog will follow us through the streets of the Old Quarter of Hà Nội (foodies beware!), reunions and adventures.  I am sure this trip will shape part of the next LA International New Music Festival!

Confucius was right:  the greatest joy is visiting with a friend from afar!

Best, best, best,

Jeff von der Schmidt