In tune with IE

5pm sharp, Tuesday. I packed up my stuff and got off work. 6pm, I sat in the middle of the first row, on the square of Tung Chong Street in front of Taikoo Place, quietly waiting for the first show of In tune with Island East, at 6:30pm.



This is another corporation between Swire and HKPO, which specially brings the serious classic music from the music hall, to this small open-air stage of Island East. Last year, the performance “Symphony Under the Stars”, had astonished me deeply with classic music, making me realize the charisma of classic live concert. Within one year, I have been to different live concerts, outdoor or indoor, big or small, all of them were so adorable.



A long sound of Winds brought me back from my own peaceful memory.



The first show was about Serenade by DVORAK, which was divided into two instrumentation teams: one for Winds in D minor, with two Oboes, two Clarinets, three Bassoons, three horns and two Cellos; one for Strings in E major, with Violins, Violas, Cellos and Basses. It lasted for more than 50 mins.



I don’t wanna talk too much about the Serenade itself. Or rather, SOUND, this particular object, can only be recognized by ears. No matter what delicate words, in front of that divine music, are all pale and powerless. Right at the moment, all you can do, is to open your heart wild, open your ears wild, enjoy the music going through your skin and into your body, gently touch your soul. All you can do, is to listen to, to feel, to experience this unique sense of happiness.



In the performance, I always get lost in thoughts unconsciously. All of a sudden, I feel that, symphony is composed for people who can enjoy being alone. The composer was alone, he imagined a group of performers using different musical instruments and play together, the combination of high, mid and low gamut melt together, representing a great carnival, with great ecstasy or great sorrow, wavy and majestic; while people who listen to are being alone, no matter how many people seated around, how many music lovers you meet, the moment you are enjoying the music, you are always keep your mouth shut and listen with your own ears. Music in different gamut and scale run into your ears, your expanded blood vessels and in your body, shuttle, reverberate and echo. Right at that moment, your brain is free, all kinds of thoughts sweep you like a tornado, jump with the musical notes and develop infinitely; your heart is free, running like a wild car on the highway, you feel like running through infinite desert, infinite jungle, to an extreme which you have never experienced before. Right at that moment, you will love your loneliness. Your body is full of excitement; your soul is pure and fearless.



In the color of the dark blue night, my thoughts have never been clearer. Lifted up, I saw the skyline shimmering with the light.



And my consciousness was gone; the whole world contains only music and me.



December is at the corner, with the strong atmosphere of Christmas. A colorful Oriental Pearl with Christmas lighting is counting down. Get off work around 6, taking the tram on the lane from a busy Central to a relaxing Island East. Freely seated in an bar outdoor, enjoy some special performance or event or exhibition, having a fine dinning, later, go jogging at the Quarry Bay Park with fresh air. At weekends, an enlightening movie, an attractive book, a happy gathering, a relaxing chill; or an outdoor activity, an eat-out gathering, shopping, dancing, listen to light music and have a sound sleep, preparing for the coming week’s work.



That’s a kind of ideal life. That’s what my beloved city should give me. But some don’t know how to enjoy their life, or they cannot enjoy life like this due to career and money. To some extent, HK indeed is a desert of culture, but meanwhile it is full of Greenland. The point is, too many people are over taking the excuse of BUSY for everything, covering themselves in the sand, difficult to see, to hear, to breathe, only dig for gold rush.



Grief. Sometimes it is the grief we have to compromise begging for survival, sometimes we sell ourselves to life but don’t know to take good use of the cash we exchange with life. This society, with the increase of materialism and desire, more and more people, are those poor with only money left.



Cannot wait for the second show on next Tuesday, cannot wait for the Symphony Under the Stars at Happy Valley on next Friday.



Deeply deeply in love.



P.S. Writing on today, the Thanksgiving Day, thank you all for making me who I am today.