Howdy! I know that you have probably been waiting for this for a while, but we have been so busy. I am writing this on the bus as we leave Shanghai for Suzhou. Shanghai was incredible. I must admit that at first, I really didn’t like it. Overwhelming might be a good word to describe it. As a city of 18 million, it is double the size of New York. If you have ever been to New York you might remember a feeling of awe that you might have experienced while driving through the Burroughs.
Now double it.
This city is very much like New York, in the fact that it is one of biggest economic centers in the entire world. It has also been expanding and growing at one of the fastest rates of any other city in the world. Over the last ten years, Shanghai has had more cranes for construction than all the other cities in the world combined in that same time period.
After three days though, the city has really grown on me. Instead of looking at the city and feeling small and insignificant, I like to look at all the opportunities that are in a city of such magnitude. The people in this city are very crafty and clever, and work very hard and have been very gracious.
I love you very much and I can’t wait to see you in Door County!
Love, Michael Fatum
Dear Shirley,
Howdy! I hope you are having as much fun as I am having. I haven’t had to resort to eating Gummy bears yet, but I must admit that some of the foods have been very difficult to consume. Let’s just say that I am eating, but I may lose 20 pounds on this trip. Oh well, I needed to work out anyways.
We have played one Orchestra Concert and three jazz combo concerts so far. The Orchestra Concert took place in the Shanghai Concert Hall, and was a sold out performance. It was an interesting audience because it was filled with young children. The concert was sponsored by several organizations so that so many little children could attend it. I know you would have loved to see all of their little smiling faces. They gave us a great full and heartfelt applause and would not stop clapping until we played another tune.
Yesterday the Jazz combo ran all across Shanghais and had three performances! We first played at the Shanghai Library, which resulted in us bringing the house down. We packed the room where we performed and thrilled our audience. By the end, we had them on the edge of their seats hooting and hollering, something that I don’t think is normal for most Chinese musical concerts. We then ran across town and played at a bar of a French restaurant. Several of the people from the Library followed us over there to hear us a second time. I took some great solos and the band sounded terrific. I find playing in a jazz combo to be one of the most rewarding experiences musically. The music that is played is all about interaction between the musicians as well as the audience. So when I play a riff or a melody, you are speaking to your audience. One line may translate to, “How you doing?” The audience may respond with a laugh or a grunt. Then as a soloist you begin to tell a musical story. The next line may translate to, “So I flew in from Shanghai yesterday, and the size of thief city swept me off my feet!” Before you know it, a musical conversation has started, which can be conveyed through tempos, dynamics, rhythms, harmonic choices, and melodic lines. I may not speak Chinese, but I’m really not having a hard time communicating.
Hopefully I will write again very soon. I have your address so I can send Grandad and you a postcard. See you soon!
Love,
Michael Fatum
Dear Maria and Stephen,
I must admit that I wish you were here. We have done so many interesting things, and in such a short time we have had so many eye-opening experiences. You definitely made the correct decision to stay home though. John and I were reminiscing about the last time we were in such a hot place, (MOM’S WOMB!). This is way worse than Cordoba, Spain, and it’s just as hot at night as it is during the day.
I thought that I would tell you about a little old man who went to our second jazz combo performance yesterday, which took place at a bar in a French restaurant. After I took my first solo, and then went to the back of the bar to listen to different members of the ensemble play two tunes, in the back there was a little old Chinese man. He must have been in his high eighties and his face was crinkled like an old scroll. As I went to sit down next to him, as there were no other seats available, I turned to him and smiled. “Ni How,” I greeted him. That’s all I knew. But it was enough because coupled with my beaming smile, he suddenly came alive. As if he had lost 50 years of age, the man sat up and let a large smile creep across his face. He motioned with his hands in an attempt to make a trumpet and giggled like a kid in a candy shop.
After about 15 minutes I jumped up and grabbed my horn to play a tune. Natalie and I played, “There is No Greater Love,” and we took it at a faster tempo than usual, but I still took a burnin’ solo. It was probably my best one on the trip so far. It seemed at each turn my musical lines got better and better, and the audience started to join in on the interaction. When I finally finished, I got a thunderous applause. Once again, I let a long smile creep across my face. While listening to the other soloists, I couldn’t erase that smile, Happiness is contagious.
After the tune, I went back to my seat next to my little friend, and this time, he was beaming as brightly as a light bulb. He grabbed my shoulder and pulled me over and stuck his finger right on my chest. “You..are..number 1!” Thanking him profusely, I sat down next to him once again. I am sure that both of us never stopped smiling for the entire day.
This story is important and moving on two levels. It is easy to talk about the power of music, but something that I believed is completely overlooked is the power of a good smile. When you make eye contact with someone, and smile, no words are really needed. Such an action speaks for itself. I remember when I was younger and I would play all of my little piano recitals at the Music Institute. In an attempt to be professional, I would always try be very serious after each performance. As I took my bow, I always strained to hide any smile fighting to pop out. But now, I can see how foolish that really was. Each and every one of us has a very special power, but I am sure that we rarely consider it. Sometimes the simplest gestures are the ones that speak volumes.
Love,
Michael Fatum
