Malaysia, Taiwan, Hong Kong & China
Preface
If someone had told me two years ago that I would go on a concert tour of Asia, I wouldn’t have believed them. Let’s fast-forward in time – I am now married to a Thai woman and I knew I would be spending the winter there, so it was a good opportunity to try and organize a tour in that part of the world. As usual, I left it too late, but somehow I managed to line up quite a few concerts, workshops, and lectures; I have to admit I was pleased with the results – which, considering my ever-present and loud inner critic, was quite an achievement in itself.
Malaysia
It all started in Malaysia – I performed at the Khatulistiwa venue there alongside Yong Yandsen (saxophone) and Jonas Engel (saxophone, electronics). The audience was small, but the atmosphere and the music were great.
Just before the trip, I had updated my LSe system and wasn’t yet used to the new features, which made my performance a bit raw; however, my wife Dada recorded a video, and you can watch a short clip of it here. It was her first time ever attending a concert of experimental music, and I have to say, she took to it very well :)
Taiwan
The second leg of the tour lasted two weeks. It began with a visit to Taipei, Taiwan. Upon arrival, we stopped at the train station and sat on the floor in the main hall. Many others were doing the same, so we simply admired the old architecture. At one point, I lay down, but a security guard soon approached and told me to sit up—apparently, lying down isn’t allowed there… It’s similar with drinking coffee on public transport: you can hold it in your hand, but you aren’t allowed to sip it…
We stayed in an artists’ village—a place rich in history, art, and beautiful scenery. You can read about it here. According to accounts, the site was occupied by military veterans in the late 1940s and initially served as an anti-aircraft position.
I gave a guest lecture at the Taipei National University of Arts, in the New Media Art department. The campus is situated in a picturesque area, quite a distance from the city center. We set off an hour or two early, yet I still arrived almost at the last minute.
Here is a great recording of my presentation by Lien-cheng Wang; his phone once took a tumble, and ever since, it has automatically created these interesting videos with a “glitch” effect.
After a short break, I performed at the Lacking Sounds Fest (LSF). It was a wonderful event with excellent sound and a diverse lineup. Lisa Cay Miler and the band Praed also performed. You can find a short clip of my performance here. I had met Lai Tsung Yun (LTY), the founder of LSF, a year earlier in Dresden at the Circuit Control festival; the concert at LSF was the starting point around which I built the entire tour.
After the performance, we met with local instrument makers and musicians, and then set out to explore the area a bit. Taiwan turned out to be our favorite stop on the tour: great food, affordable prices, a wealth of cultures and people, and a blend of traditional and modern art.
Hong Kong
The next stop was Hong Kong, where I gave a concert and led an instrument design workshop—both events took place at the School of Creative Media at the City University of Hong Kong.
With Dr. Ryo Ikeshiro, who has been a great help during our stay
We also found time for some sightseeing and took a trip to a nearby island.
China – Guangzhou
The final stop on our tour was Guangzhou, China. It was quite unreal – like another planet, but I really enjoyed it. What’s interesting is that the venue where we performed could easily have been in Berlin or London, and the audience and atmosphere were outstanding. I would also like to send my regards to Dr. Micolo Merendino for his help in making this event happen.
Closing remarks
When visiting new places, it is impossible to avoid having certain expectations or preconceptions. Yet, time and again, reality turns out to be vastly different from any prior imaginings.
