This year instead of the usual festivities for the holidays I took a two week tour to China. This was with the American Hollywood Film Sinfonietta, a group that plays classic film scores to clips of the film projected on a large screen. The music and clips aren't synced up in any way, though, so it can lead to a few pretty funny juxtapositions, like the plaintive theme of the Shire playing as on screen the Ring Wraiths descend on the Fellowship.
(Me with the Shanghai skyline in the background)
We played in 9 different cities, some well known here, like Shanghai and Beijing, and others I'd never heard of, such as Taizhou and Zhangjiagang, which nonetheless have millions of people.
(Me with the Shanghai skyline in the background)
We played in 9 different cities, some well known here, like Shanghai and Beijing, and others I'd never heard of, such as Taizhou and Zhangjiagang, which nonetheless have millions of people.
The tour was not without challenges. Evidently people from the U.S. have the highest standard requirements when it comes the hotel rooms. So, having a glass bathroom in a room the size of a closet shared by two adult men who aren't dating is what we call a "sticking point" Here I am laughing with my roommate Matt and good buddy Alex. Alex had been banished from his room while his roommate used the facilities, because there was no privacy at all.
Our performances were fun. We had some classic film music scores including Schindler's List, Superman, Harry Potter, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Star Wars and also things not written by John Williams.
We used mostly rented equipment, which was a decidedly mixed bag, from professional level Adams instruments to aluminum bell kits and timpani that seemed to have been made by someone who had only heard about timpani, but had never actually seen one.
Pollution was a major factor in every city. Most of the musicians wore face masks at one point or another on the trip with some of the Wind and Brass players and the singers wearing heavy duty masks whenever we were outside.
This picture is from inside a concert hall, and no, there was no fog machine. That is visible smog indoors. (Also pictured, our wonderful singer Jaclyn Shaw!)
This picture is from inside a concert hall, and no, there was no fog machine. That is visible smog indoors. (Also pictured, our wonderful singer Jaclyn Shaw!)
After a pretty grueling 8 days of travel and concerts every night we had a day off in Shanghai. Jaclyn and her husband Caleb Shaw (the singers) are Disneyland Cast Members and were nice enough to invite a few of us to the Disney Shanghai Resort with them.
Here you can see the fabulous Enchanted Storybook Castle, the tallest Disney castle in the world. It is very impressive, especially compared to the particularly small one at Disneyland in Anaheim. It was a great time visiting the park, and because it was raining, the lines were very short.
We also got to spend the night at the Toy Story hotel, which is decorated a bit like every room is a 7 year old boy's room.
So an adventure was had by all, and I got to have a once in a lifetime experience. Glad to be back home, though and sleeping in my own bed.
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