The second day of school was even better than the first and this is quite a surprise since the sleep factor was missing =) We got back from the concert just before midnight and my little sleepy head thinks I should get more sleep than that on a school night.
There were 8 of us from the school who made the hour and a half trip by subway and bus to the Korean Art Center and the Mannes College of Music's Alumni concert. Haewan is the choir teacher here and she played a "world premiere" piece by a composer who sat a couple rows in front of me =) The whole concert was great. Lots of classical Mozart along with some spiced up contemp. jazz arrangements and even a collection of Mozart operas played with percussion instruments (marimba, xylophone, bells, and timpany)-- dry humor, symphony style =) Of course, the MC gave the introductions for each piece in Korean, so I just tried to look mildly interested until Sylvia translated the important stuff for me.
On our long subway trip, I did some great people watching, a little journaling, and even got close to becoming a pillow for the very large Korean next to me (lots of people snooze on the subway to pass the time). There's not really any personal "bubble" here like in America, takes a little getting used to, but I figure as long as no one drools on me while they nap, I'll be fine =)
The time NOT doing school was time well spent as I got to know some of my co-workers better, saw more of Seoul, and got to hear some beautiful music. There's something mysterious that happens in a concert where the music is not just performed, but really communicated-- it hits this strange re-set button deep inside-- makes me more alive, and peaceful at the same time. And it lasts beyond the final note of the strings or even the neon-lighted drive home with graphic rap/R&B coming through the speakers (of all things why does THAT have to be in English?!?). The soul-level harmony lasts for days. Like a kind note from a friend, a Toffee Crunch Haagen-dazs bar on a hot and sticky evening, or a breathtaking sunset after a near-perfect day. All is well with the world.
Of course, reality does inch back in; but even the bad news or the string of frustrations can't completely break the spell, because after beauty resets your internal rhythm, it becomes part of your reality so that all the rest is just bad news or frustration-- nothing peace-altering or able to ruin the order that has been restored inside.
OK, so maybe I'm on "new experience" overload. But you should try a good concert, or at least a Toffee Crunch Haagen-dazs bar. After all, it couldn't hurt!
Which brings us to...
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