During the fifteen minute descent to the Shenzhen airport, the plane piped in some soothing music…ironically, it was a new single from that famed artist formerly known as the Chinese Kenny G. Safely cushioned by the music’s numbing effects, the landing was extremely smooth.

Our Cantonese guide (I’ll explain the concept of Mandarin vs. Cantonese tomorrow) described Shenzhen as the business center of China.  It is a very young city, especially by Chinese standards, but it rapidly grows, due to the influx of aspiring businessmen.  Since Shenzhen wasn’t so much a main point of our trip as a stopover en route to Hong Kong, I won’t spend several entries describing its delights; I will, however, tell – in full mellifluous detail – what happened the day after we arrived.  Keep in mind that the sky was still dropping buckets of that peculiar Chinese rain.

Our original schedule intended us to visit a theme park (with an appropriately splendid title). You will, I am sure, find it interesting to know that a Chinese ‘theme park’ does not fit our American image of a theme park.  It is literally a themed park (we have amusement parks, in case you were wondering)…this particular park was based on Chinese history and featured miniatures and a mini-train, and, in a brilliant move, was named Splendid China. Sadly, the splendor was lost on us, for, just as we pulled into the driveway, the rain began to pick up (still in mist form, but more like a shower). You, my dear reader, may picture the amount of said rain when I tell you that it even fazed our hardy YOSA leaders – rather than brave the storm, we fled to an underground shopping mall, partially in the open, but mostly covered.

This mall was made up of several buildings built over and beneath the ground; we went into the main building, which had a subway on the lowest level and eight stories above it. The main shape was a giant circle, with paths like the spokes of a wagon radiating out into the back alleys. The entire place seemed very underground (besides the literal meaning), yet we could see that it was a busy livelihood for the vendors.  In this mall, the vendors were closer to those of Shanghai, but with Beijing personalities. They owned small shops packed together on each floor and stood outside on the landing, chasing unsuspecting tourists. One particularly determined man chased my group around the entire perimeter! Sadly, it was soon time to go, and, laden with chopsticks and several bags of tea leaves (which I have yet to try), we boarded the bus to the final leg of the journey – Hong Kong.

Michael Vybiral

http://kpac883.blogspot.com/2010/07/gtoc-radio-special.html

I also thought going to the Hong Kong night market was fun.  I didn’t enjoy oversleeping and almost missing the bus, but at least I got really cheap silk shirts!  Overall, I think the ride to the harbor was the best part of Hong Kong because of the scenery of the mountain ranges.  The boat ride wasn’t bad either.  I hope my blogs have shown you a little bit of what we experienced in China and all the fun we were having. This was a great trip!

Michael Villarreal

YOSA Performing in Hong Kong

Hangzhou is famous for its West Lake, a very large (yet shallow) natural lake in the middle of the mountains.  According to our guide, it is the most romantic spot in all of China: in the spring, young lovers may be seen cavorting about the banks; in the heat of summer, it is a popular location for wedding portraits; in autumn and winter, it remains a scenic location; and, for us, the West Lake did in fact fit the image of China as presented by Hollywood.

The Lake is such an iconic picture of China that it is featured on the back of the one yuan bill.  Now, before I tell all about the splendor of the Lake, allow me to state that this particular hotel at which we only stayed a day provided the greatest breakfast I had in China.  Delightful pastries filled with seasonal fruit, fresh corn, and – wonder of wonders -  a toaster machine that took less than five minutes to produce perfectly toasted golden brown bread, sans burnt edges or uncooked spots.  Even the bok choy tasted somewhat fresher.  But I digress…

After we alighted in the lobby (having become splendidly full), it became apparent that the light misty rain that had been falling ever since the rest stop still continued.  Taking this in stride, we were informed that cruises on the West Lake were canceled…except, as a special treat, ours.  So, with mist ahead, mist behind, and mist all around, we began a 10 minute journey around the West Lake to get to our cruise.  Keep in mind that this mist was not uncomfortable.  It felt closer to the misters at theme parks; it is chiefly for this reason that I had not yet bought an umbrella.  However, with the prospect of 10 minutes outside, I considered the idea enough to venture into one of the vendors’ stalls. (Remember that each city had a different system of vending?  From what I saw, it seemed that most vendors in Hangzhou had small shops around the West Lake.)  The price, though, was 50 yuan (about $7) and I had no time to bargain the vendor down, so I decided that the rain wasn’t harming me – if anything, it added to the experience – and continued on.

Skipping ahead to the cruise, the scenery fulfilled my expectations.  I looked out at the far off banks and images of ancient China looked back.  By this time, the clouds had progressed in such a way as to gradually cover the mountains.  As they blew by, different peaks loomed out from the distance.  Once our eyes adjusted to seeing through the mist, we could find many pagodas.  This truly was the most scenic spot I had seen in China – it was so affecting, in fact, that I sat in my seat (at the prow of the boat, away from the cabin’s cover), turned around, and just gazed, completely oblivious to the gradual wetting of my shirt and of my seat.  When one is on a moving boat, on a lake, water is likely to spurt up from the surface onto the front of the boat.  I, however, failed to care; I was completely immersed in the scene.  (I did join a friend underneath an umbrella before I became too wet.)  About an hour later, the cruise sadly came to an end, we strolled back to the buses, I once again failed to purchase an umbrella, and we were off to our next adventure.

Michael Vybiral

Michael and Tina at West Lake

Hangzhou is the polar opposite of Shanghai; considered the healthiest city in China, it has also been voted the happiest city three years running.  Rain falls more than half the year, which leads to a proliferation of grasses and trees. Indeed, the entire city, even the more commercial areas, reminded me more of the tree lined residential and light shopping areas of small towns than any big cities.  Curiously, while Shanghai covered the trees and light poles along the streets with flashing lights and color-changing flowers, Hangzhou put up green posters of leaves and environmentally healthy vehicles.  We didn’t have much time to browse, however.  The buses arrived rather late due to traffic, so the tour leaders considered skipping our visit to the Chinese school.  It proved to be a very good thing that we didn’t; had we known the extent to which they went to prepare for our arrival…  An envoy of several traditionally dressed Chinese girls with umbrellas stood on the sidewalk to greet us as we drove through the gates.  They escorted us into the school’s performance hall, where they gave us curiously square bottles of water.  After looking at the sizable banner greeting us with: Welcome Youth Orchestras of San Antonio! that was draped over the stage, several officials of the school made speeches (very polished speeches, I’m sure) and Mr. Peters replied in kind.

The school’s orchestra (made up of wind and brass instruments) played several short pieces which seemed to show a higher experience level than what it actually was (only a year).  Afterward, the Jasmine Flower group (myself included) rose to play two of the pieces we had learned earlier: Jasmine Flower itself, arranged by our conductor and a Joplin rag.

We exchanged gifts (they gave us hand painted silk handkerchiefs, we gave them YOSA bumper stickers and pencils) and hastily departed for the concert hall, escorted again by the blue clad Chinese girls. Now please allow me to skip ahead to the performance, in the interest of fascinating tales. The concert itself was the best full concert we gave, as well as the most energetic (possibly due to the fact that the crowd was comprised almost entirely of members of the school; not only that, but predominately female.)  After the concert (and indeed, during intermission), these girls stormed the stage.  I was not quite in the mood for the chaos, so I departed to the dressing room to change, having only heard rumors of popularity among certain male orchestral members.  Now wearing plainclothes, I came backstage, prepared myself by breathing some of Hangzhou’s wonderful air, and propelled myself into the chaos.  I was immediately accosted by a girl who wanted a picture.  I complied, and suddenly they multiplied until I had given out some 15-odd pictures, followed by some 15-odd hugs.  I bowed, excused myself, and returned backstage.  It was necessary to leave, however, so I emerged once again not unnoticed – Tina announced my arrival (apparently the majority of guys had departed already).  The students, however, also had to depart to the landing outside of the hall.  Upon getting on the bus, we were all bid a tearful goodbye… Talking of the experience afterward, we likened it to a rock concert.  And I had just gotten a haircut, too…forgot my KISS mask at home, sadly.  I wonder what the reaction would have been…?

Michael Vybiral

Playing in front of so many people was exhilarating, and making so many people happy was right up my alley (I tend to be a bit of a people pleaser – one of those who thinks they can please everyone ).  Having had that experience was so amazing that it, in part, reminded me of the joy I can bring others through music, how much better a musician can make another’s life.

Playing in Hangzhou was a reminder of the excitement music can bring to others. I was reminded of this in the intermission and the end of our concert. I do think that Alejandro, Nico, Oliver, Tina and Abby got the biggest reminder, considering how they were basically attacked with fans during these two periods of the concert. It was fun to watch, but also just scary enough to where I chose to stay on stage ;-D

The concert in Shanghai exemplified how connected people could become through music. During the Spring Festival Overture the people in the audience began clapping, which definitely made me feel more connected to the audience. After we finished they were saying “thank you” and some of us were saying “Xie Xie.”

The concert in Hong Kong was intriguing, the HKYS is different but also very similar to YOSA, similarities in the people, differences in the culture. Let’s just say that I doubt I will be forgetting my dinner that night anytime soon… XD But I was reminded of how friends can be developed through playing music together. Even aside from all of the concerts, having so much fun, meeting so many people, being able to travel so far – none of it would have happened had I not been involved in music/YOSA, so in order to have a chance of having any similar experience later on I have to stay in music… Besides, I love music. Why not do something I love, especially if it can bring me so much happiness, and can bring so much joy to others? I loved China and I love YOSA for letting me have such an experience.

-Darian

Darian, Serena and Nico

Michael Villarreal