English Blog

A Movie: Exhibition on Screen “Rembrandt from the National Gallery, London, and Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam” 6/9/19 June 9, 2019

This is one of my favorite nights at the movie theater, ‘The Exhibition on Screen”. This exhibition focuses on the highlights from the final years of Rembrandt’s life, commonly thought to be his finest years. The masterpieces he produced during this final period could be called his defining works, with each piece so soulful, sincere, […]

Robert Schumann “Humoreske” Op. 20 5/30/19 May 30, 2019

My affection to Schumann’s music continues. Now it is Humoreske, Op. 20. The music of Humoreske is very organic to me. The music flows so naturally that I often forget it is a lengthy cycle. Schumann tells his Belgian music-lover friend that the word “Humoreske” is hard to translate to French. He said it is […]

A Movie “Non-Fiction” (French Title: Doubles vies ) 5/26/19 May 26, 2019

The French title “Double Lives” describes this movie better than “Non-Fiction”. A celebrated publisher, Alain, runs a famous publishing company. One day he refuses to publish a book by a controversial author, Léonard. They are friends! Alain’s company adapts to the digital age. From there the story will start slowly and go around their circle […]

A Movie “Être et Avoir” 5/5/19 May 5, 2019

It is a 2002 French documentary film. The title translates as “to be and to have”, the two auxiliary verbs in the French language which I have been studying. It portrays a primary school in the commune (population of about 200) of Saint-Êtienne-sur-Usson, Puy-de-Dôme, France. The school has one small class room for mixed ages, from four […]

Good Friday April 19, 2019

It was very beautiful during Good Friday Service. O vos omnes                 Pablo Casals O vos omnes qui transitis per viam: attendite et videte si est dolor sicut dolor meus. (O all ye that pass by the way, attend and see if there be any sorrow like to […]

Performance Opportunity at Académie internationale d’été de musique de Lyon, from July 27 to August 5 April 16, 2019

Hello! I would like to extend my invitation to come to Lyon, France, to study piano and perform this summer. I will be a piano faculty at Académie internationale d’été de musique de Lyon. It will be my second time to be at this festival! The festival is fantastic and Lyon is a beautiful city […]

Beethoven Piano Sonata Op. 78 “Therese” 3/25/19 March 25, 2019

This sonata has been living in the special part of my heart since I first learned. Actually I learned it when I was in high school, and the first day I started to study I was totally attracted and mesmerized. What a charm, how tender and sweet… and humor too! And there is no conflict […]

A Movie “Cinema Paradiso” 3/6/19 March 6, 2019

This movie is one of my lifetime favorites, and I have already seen it so many times. Again I saw it the other day. This time on my computer! It was my first time to purchase a movie online to watch. I prefer movies at the theater though…. The movie is just wonderful. I cried […]

Ash Wednesday 3/6/19 March 6, 2019

Psalm 102.9  “For I eat ashes like bread, and mingle tears with my drink”

Music Performance! Subjective? Objective? 2/24/19 February 25, 2019

I played Beethoven Piano Sonata Concert last week. I was deeply moved by Beethoven’s mind during my performance. Op. 109 is one of my favorite sonatas. I have already written about my thought on this piece. We can feel Beethoven’s tender mind in Op. 109. The last movement is written in variation form, and at […]