Brahmn’s music speaks love. And the story goes: [The story] has been pieced together from personal letters between Clara, Brahms, and friends. Robert Schumann was Brahms’ mentor. Brahms got close to Schumann’s wife Clara as Robert was drifting off into madness (likely related to syphilis). Clara and Brahms wrote letters to one another as if lovers, but after Schumann’s death, Brahms left Clara to move on with his career, although they still kept in touch, and were affectionate whenever the met. Brahms insinuated they never had sex, that Clara was more like a beloved mentor or muse. Letters show that Clara really thought Brahms would marry her after Robert’s death, but that didn’t happen. The story has circulated in musical anecdotes for ages, and several films have been based on the story. ...

Updated my CV and about me page. Goodnight!

I spend the weekend in Los Angeles. UCLA is mountainous. Its campus design has layers and depth. Impressively beautiful. LA is flamboyant, loud, of beautiful, bold contrasts—definitely one of a kind. Beneath the Hollywood glam and tourist traps, there’s a real depth to the city. I walked throught its most diverse neighborhoods in the world—Koreatown, Little Tokyo, Boyle Heights, and the Arts District all have their own unique cultures and communities. I think all will find a niche in LA that their heart recide. ...

Attending the admitted PhD open house at USC Marshall’s DSO department was an invaluable experience. It was a rare opportunity to engage with multiple faculty members. USC has a beautiful campus located in a delightful and convenient neighborhood. One of the most interesting thing was when I tried to crowdsource representative attributes for a good PhD student by asking everyone the question: What makes a popular job market candidate? Their responses provided a well-rounded view of what it takes to stand out. Below are the key takeaways: ...

I was at the opening night of Cosi Fan Tutte by the LA Opera, March 07 2025 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion theater: The pre-show lecture given by conductor James Conlon, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, featuring the amazing Chandelier. Pro Tips for classical performances, especially grand productions like Ballet and Opera: Arrive early (1 hour+) to attend pre-show lectures, explore the venue, take a glass of wine, or just chill in the bathroom. Read the synopsis on the handouts. It’s generally a good idea to read the plot before attending an opera or ballet. Operas are often performed in languages other than English, while ballets don’t even have language. It can be challenging to follow every detail of the story while also appreciating the music and staging. The title “Così fan tutte” is Italian for “Thus do all women”, often interpreted as “All women are like that.” The opera, composed by Mozart with a libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte, is a comedic yet thought-provoking exploration of love, fidelity, and human nature. It tells the story of two young soldiers, Ferrando and Guglielmo, who make a bet with the cynical philosopher Don Alfonso that their fiancées, Dorabella and Fiordiligi, will remain faithful to them. To test their lovers, the men pretend to go off to war, only to return in disguise and attempt to seduce each other’s fiancée. ...

Dianping, an affiliate of Meituan, is essentially the monopoly version of China’s Yelp. It primarily serves as a restaurant rating platform where users review their experiences on a five-star scale with optional pictures and videos. From a business perspective, it allows sellers to register their establishments while buyers provide feedback. At its core, a rating platform is a dynamic ecosystem where sellers, buyers, and the platform’s algorithms all interact—a playground that any mechanism designer would love to experiment with. ...

This is from Classical FM: We break down Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo’s Oscars duet from a classical music perspective https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/music-theory/ariana-grande-cynthia-erivo-oscars-duet-analysis/ > From a classical perspective, taking a breath in the middle of the word ‘over’ in her first line seems like an unusual technical choice. But, after accepting that this is a pop-R&B take on Arlen’s classic song of hope, filled with Grande’s personal stylings, it makes more musical sense. > > As typifies many of her performances, Grande might not have the same breath control of a classical soprano, but she never throws a breath away – instead, using it as a technique to communicate emotion and add texture to her sound. > > — Classical FM Ariana Grande’s vocal position switch—that she shifts between using head voice and mix and full belt registers—there are always skilfully and smoothly delivered. She’s an awesome vocalist. But alright—here’s the real talk version: ...

By selling Ice Lemonade priced less than $1… See the previous post: A Sweet Lemon Tale — How MiXue Dominates China’s Lemonade Scene via Supply Chain Mixue - known for its cheap drinks and red-cloaked Snow King mascot - raised 444 million USD in an initial public offering by selling 17 million shares in the deal at a fixed price of HKD 202.5 each. Reuters. ...

Bach’s Badinerie is a lively, charming flute piece that has become a favorite for virtuoso (or fancy) adaptations. Badinerie is a music term frequently used in the Baroque era used to describe light, lively, and playful pieces. It’s basically a French word meaning “playfulness” or “jesting.” Bach used the title Badinerie for only one piece—the last movement of his Orchestral Suite No. 2 in B Minor, BWV 1067. It’s a short, bouncy small piece full of joyful rapid notes, originally meant for flute solo, with strings and continuo (harpsichord + bass line). ...

2025’s Oscar opening is amazing. Ariana Grande sang “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”: The performance is classy. A lot of information is hidden in the references. Particularly, at the very beginning before everything starts, the Orchestra tuned (on the key A). I think this is a remarkable and important signal that showcase realness and nostalgia. And of course, flashing cash like “yeahhh we oscar hires a live orchestra”…