Where do I begin?
who were on the trip that you find someone in your life that you can talk with and work with like I have with Karen. It makes the journey so wonderful, albeit sometimes stressful!
Lastly, I want thank the parents of all the students who traveled with us. Thank you for raising such wonderful young adults, for teaching them about cooperation and for trusting us to have them in China and Korea. You cannot believe what excellent ambassadors they have been. 
This, combined with the extreme heat at some of the venues, simply forced us to concentrate that much harder. While it was disheartening at first, it was a lesson in cultural difference that allowed us to reflect on what our music means to us and what it might mean for a new audience thousands of miles from home. In the “small” (6 million inhabitants!) city of Xi’an, for example, it may likely have been the first classical concert for much of the audience, including our local tour guide! The audience noise during the extremely quiet and subtle opening to the second movement of the Tchaikovksy was so loud that Dr. D was visibly shaken and considered starting over. Yet the concentration required to overcome the distraction translated into Cala O’Conner’s most marvelous rendition of the horn solo in that movement. The audience soon quieted and their applause at the end of the movement demonstrated that we had reached some sort of common understanding.
We were frustrated because we knew we could do better and with each performance we improved. Before our second to last performance in Beijing, Barbara Butler shared a story with us about the importance of focusing on the overall musical experience rather than each individual note. That night we played Appalachian Spring better than we ever had. It was clearly a turning point for the orchestra.
I had also gotten used to the foods, smells, and sounds of a world that only a month ago was so foreign and strange. Did I even remember the way normal life worked? What did a hamburger taste like? Homework? What is that? There are so many things that I will have to re-adjust to, but that’s ok. If you can get used to China, the United States will be a piece of cake.
The truth is that China and South Korea really are not that different from the U.S. Ok, I know what you are thinking. In the U.S., fish balls are not a part of our diet, and we do not ride our bikes from our home to Wrigley Field, but look at the greater picture. The details may be different but everyone’s goals are remarkably similar.
When I stayed in my two home stays, it was obvious to me that my host family had many of the same concerns and values that my own family had millions of miles away.They valued education, family time, health, and a safe home environment. Yes, while “family time,” with my host family was going to an underground pool hall with a bunch of teenage rebels, which might be very different from what the Fatums would do on a Saturday night, the goal of going out and having fun is exactly the same. 
In a time when so many parts of the world seem shockingly foreign, strange, and even dangerous, it is important to remember that most families around the world share the same fundamental values as you and me. While there may be different economic, governmental, or societal barriers that impede a person from achieving these goals in different cultures, we all strive for the same things. It really is a small world after all.As human beings we each have our own stories, and I am happy to be adding such an exciting chapter to my own growing story! This has been a fantastic experience, and I cannot wait to be a part of the next MYA trip!
I had been reading Journey to the West which is an early novel, based on the historical journey of a Chinese Tang Dynasty priest who was sent to India by the Emperor to bring back more Buddhist knowledge and help to spread Buddhism in China (and then Korea & Japan). I visited the Pagoda in Xi’an, which was built to store the books of sutras or knowledge he brought back and also contains his relics. It was so lovely and not commercial in the least. 
I was wondering how the temple would be set up and how ceremonies would be conducted. The Daoist temple we visited in Souzhu was set up very much like a Buddhist temple, complete with statues of Buddha, the 2 bodhisattvas and protecting beings which flank them. THEN in nearby shrines were temples to the gods of longevity, luck, Guanyin (the Chinese Buddhist and others. Apparently, Lao Tzu never wanted to write down his teachings, but just before his death his students begged him to write things down and so he finally relented. 
He probably figured what would happen after he died. When the religion developed it included all the shamanistic elements of nature powers, superstitions (good luck god), occult and alchemy. Now most temples I visited (be they Buddhist, or Daoist ) include shrines to honored figures of the eastern triad: Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. This morning I went to a Buddhist temple and among the shrines was one with the whole pantheon. Also the home of the fortuneteller at the Korean folk museum, this was the case. 
During the chant, worshippers bowed (from standing to kneeling with hands and forehead on the floor, which is the traditional kowtow or way of showing respect. One woman near me had a notebook with a drawing and some Korean words written in beautiful calligraphy on her pillow as she did her bowing. This temple, which was across the street from the COEX Mall, ironically, (though you would never know it when you are inside—it feels so tranquil and serene) is a Zen Buddhist temple. 
There were about 7 or 8 shrines at different levels of the lower portion of the mountain. And there were probably 100 or more people worshiping when I was there between 7:45 to 9:45 a.m. There was a clear majority of women, but about 1/3 were men – in their 40’s or older. The women appeared to be between late 20’s –to 70’s or so. I think I was the only westerner – although I saw a sign for a Temple Stay program of 2 or more days, where you can live among the monks as they do –eating and following the same schedule, so maybe there were more tourists or westerners I did not see.
As we countdown the hours until we fly back home, we have so much to be thankful for. We are grateful to all the parents who supported and encouraged their students to participate on this concert tour. We know that the students learned so much and that their lives will be touched in ways we don’t even know yet. 
For two days she went to the U.S. Embassy and Chinese security offices, waited in lines, and adroitly and fortuitously managed to get a new passport and visa, and onto another flight to Korea yesterday. How can we ever say thank you enough for what she gave up to help out an MYA student! (note from PAM: What to do when left behind in China? First, go to the American Embassy and then call your 8 year old Chinese friend, Cynthia. Take full advantage of your extra time in China and go to the best Peking Duck restaurant in China with Cynthia's grandfather and get a certificate saying you were served their 1,150,249,510 roasted duck.)
Yvette never stopped helping the whole time we were in Shanghai. She brought us herbal medicine to prevent heat stroke, took the parents on a fabulous tour, complete with hairdos and massages, arranged for a tailor to come to the hotel and take measurements and orders for suits and clothing, invited fourteen young musicians to join our orchestra for the Chinese folk songs we performed at the Shanghai Concert Hall, and was just on top of every aspect of our time in Shanghai!!!
Mee Kim also arranged for us to tour the Kim Koo Museum which opened in 2002 to recognize and honor the work of her grandfather as an educator and leader of Korea when its provisional government was in Shanghai while Korea was occupied by Japan, and his return to Korea after the Japanese surrendered in WW II before he was assassinated in 1949. After the tour, we were all treated at the museum to the best buffet we had had yet on the tour, complete with unlimited, fabulous ice cream. We all thought Binggrae should start marketing this ice cream in the States. 
Finally, you have no idea how proud we were of the music directors and leaders on this tour! I really think that of all the concerts I’ve seen Dr. D conduct over our last 35 years together, his conducting at the National Library in Beijing was the best yet! Audiences in China are less sophisticated than in the States because classical music is not part of their tradition, yet our students under his direction had the audience engaged throughout the all-classical program. 
To hear the band and see how our students have developed under his and Bruce Daughterty’s leadership and direction brought tears even from me, especially I watched a young Chinese student just naturally dancing to the music the whole time. It was so special. John Fatum’s drum solos in Sing Sing Sing were outstanding, and he knew, and the band knew, he had nailed them. They had to be so proud of their performance!
As I type this, we are on the way to a Korean folk village, about an hour from Seoul. Leaving the hotel was a small ordeal due to a sudden downpour. But I waited about a minute, and the rain all but stopped. That seems to be how rain works here – completely unpredictable. If you’re not sure, carry an umbrella wherever you go.
Sure, we saw a few accidents in our time there, but considering the lack of rules (that are followed) I’d say that’s pretty good. To us, it may seem a barbarous way to go about, but it all somehow flows. You can bet people don’t sit idling at red lights if there’s no one coming the other way. The pedestrians don’t flinch when the cars and trucks are mere inches from hitting them. When our three-bus caravan would run red lights (which was often), there wasn’t any honking or outward signs of anger. They let you do what you need to do, but they may get very close before they stop. It can be a little unnerving, but traffic actually seems to flow a little more smoothly because of these unspoken rules of the road.
Although when we’d try to arrange tables or move our luggage, someone would jump in to take care of it. There were a lot of people that would work at the hotels and the shops, and they must want something to do. I have a Chinese friend back home, and a couple years ago we were walking down the street eating some burgers. When he finished, he just threw his trash in a ditch on the side of the road. I yelled at him until he picked it up, but now I understand why he did that.
Another difference that I liked is the buyer/seller relationship, where the seller is very active in trying to reel in buyers. Sure, all the hassling can be quite obnoxious, especially in the confines of the Silk Road Market (the one with 7 floors of mostly fake stuff), but the relationship is more open and honest. Yes, honest. The sellers want you to buy stuff, and they let you know it. As the buyer, you can share exactly what you think about their wares, and exactly how much you think it’s worth (or more likely, how much you want to pay). They open with an absurdly high price, which is what they’d love you to pay for it, but of course you wouldn’t. So you let them know what you’d like to pay, and eventually, after threatening to leave, you get to a price you like. Or, if you don’t want their stuff, you just tell them, or walk away.
This open dialogue is how I imagine commerce took place in past eras. But today, in the US and in other developed and commercialized countries, this aspect has all but disappeared in the small- and medium-ticket market. Our prices are mostly locked down (and to be fair, kept reasonable) by larger chain stores. So where should we, the nascent consumers, learn to bargain when it comes to big-ticket items like cars or even furniture? Thanks to my time in China, I’ve learned how to save myself money on purchases, and to not be afraid to ask. I have also learned to leave emotion out of the equation. I won’t be surprised if the next time I go to buy something in the States, I’ll try the walk-out trick, but they’ll happily show me the door.
Arriving in Korea was such a radical change from China; the most obvious change of course was the weather. Monsoon season has been longer than expected so we have had occasional showers everyday. The cooler weather coupled with the return to Western style toilets have lifted everyone’s spirits! Seoul is a beautiful city with lush forests, seas, and mountains in addition to the stark contrast between traditional and modern architectural landscapes. 
We had a longer rehearsal than normal because we wanted to dissect and perfect each phrase. The dedication of Dr. Dennis, Mr. Pearson, and each orchestra member was tested and demonstrated during the performance because the Tchaikovsky sounded spectacular. We received applause after each movement and relished in the standing ovation and cheers after the final note rang through the audience. We spent so much time living the music during this trip that it was rewarding to see our hard work and calloused fingers recognized and appreciated.
We all owe so much to Dr. Dennis for teaching us how to embrace music for all of its possibilities and for giving us an accepting place for us to play our hearts out. This concert would not be possible without the benevolence of Ms. Mee Kim and her family, who has treated us with such generosity throughout our stay in Korea.
Barrington High School
New Trier High School
Lake Forest High School Students
Mark Zinger (DePaul University Professor) students
Evanston High School Students
Stevenson High School Students
Glenbrook South High School
Glenbrook North High School
Highland Park High School
The highlight of the concert for me was seeing all the Chinese kids in the audience bobbing along to the music. Jazz is still quite new here, and this was likely the first time any of them had heard a live jazz band. I know they will remember those awesome American kids playing jazz when they hear it again later in life.
Dear Aunt Joanne…and everyone else who likes reading our blog,
When we had finished jammin’ we saw a few people from MYA and they said that we were close to the top. We high-fived our friends and decided to go for it.
When the end was in sight, we ran for it. Reaching the top of the wall was so exhilarating after sweating our way up the rugged 1,500 worn smooth, uneven steps. At the peak we were all panting and soaking wet. It was a little less humiliating to see a group of very cute Chinese teenage guys (cutes ones, too!) covered in perspiration and shirtless. We took the time to celebrate our victory with many pictures of the view (a.k.a the fog and clouds) and were stopped, as we were on the way up, to take pictures with various Chinese people who were fascinated by blonds and redheads. 
Looking at our watches we realized it took us an hour and a half to reach the top and we had only 30 minutes to descend the slippery steep steps and be on our tour bus (in flip flops, of course!). No one wanted to be late and face Dr. D! As we began our way downward, we happily ran into our favorite jazz players scurrying up the wall, followed sort of close behind by Nic and lastly Doug, carrying a very heavy backpack. Why Doug?? We cheered them on upward and told them they had only one more tower to go, breathed a sigh of relief that we wouldn’t be the last ones on the bus, and made it down with time left over to buy Magnum ice cream bars. Dr. Dennis was so proud of the jazz performance that he didn’t even look at his watch when the last couple jazz players came running down the wall barely 10 minutes late. Our pictures cannot begin to tell our great Great Wall story.
Today the Big Band played another show, but this venue was quite unique. In fact, this venue is said to be the only man made object visible from space. Today we played jazz on the Great Wall of China. The band set up under a pagoda while the rest of the MYA clan began the arduous walk up the wall. We played another great set to an international crowd of appreciative listeners. When we finished we began our hike up the wall, and as we passed our MYA friends on their way down they assured us that you could hear the music all the way to the top of the wall. You’ll have to take our word for it when we tell you it was a serious trek, since our pictures will be little more than fog, but just think of how cool it is that we were the soundtrack for so many people’s climb today. Truly a life-long memory for us! 
All our jazz players made it to the top of the wall! Wow! It felt good, but we don't have the photos, just our memories, to show the magic MYA experienced at the Great Wall.
We marched through the hot stone streets of the Forbidden city (No trees! Archers can hide behind trees) and the Summer Palace (very pretty) to the tune of, "sticky rice everyone". Both historical sites were very hot and crowded. At the end of our tour of the Summer Palace we found a little shop and gorged on popsicles, a new discovery James S. shared with us (frozen lemonade chunks), and icy bottles of water. Even though most of us thought the summer palace was very beautiful, we decided we'd rather visit it in October to avoid the 100+ degree heat. As you can see below, we rode across the lake in a very interesting boat.
