two economists walk into a bar | a little reflection on Susan Athey's 'Why Do Companies Need Economists?'

Here’s Susan Athey’s remarkably refreshing ideas on economists’ career in industry: (Stanford GSB wrote in the introduction of the YouTube video) “Economists are finding purpose outside of academia as their perspective becomes more valuable to technology companies… Susan Athey explains how economists offer new ways of mapping business objectives to metrics, incentives, and success.” Very refreshing pov: One of the things that’s been really interesting about the tech companies of the last 15 to 20 years is that, they’ve not only been innovating in terms of their technology, but also in terms of their business models. ...

October 30, 2024 · Ariana Tang

Presto with Emmanuel Pahud

The Berliner Philharmonic has been messing with cool marketing campaigns these days. Here’s one interview featuring Emmanuel Pahud, the principal flute: The flute to me is just the extension of my breath. I determine the length with the fingering I’m playing. But actually I’m a singer. It’s an open instrument, there’s no resistance from the instrument itself unlike any other woodwind instrument or brass instrument. And it creates an open sound, that is truly the extension of my breath, and the projection , the resonance is something that you create in your own body. ...

October 29, 2024 · Ariana Tang

online algorithm seminar | week 8

For the suppose-to-be-continuous series of online algorithm’s seminar course note (see a pervious note here), here’s a latest one. Today’s theme is introduction to online learning. the so-called “expert setting” There is a decision maker who makes decisions over time horizon $t = 1, 2, \ldots, T$. We expect $T\to \infty$ to be asymptotic in our analysis. There is a set of “actions” — $\lbrace L, H\rbrace$ (assume two for now). ...

October 28, 2024 · Ariana Tang

when to clap during classical concerts | tiny piece of etiquette

The Easiest Solution: Follow along when everyone else starts clapping. This rule works surprisingly well! In any audience, there are usually seasoned aficionados who know the piece well enough to clap at just the right moments. Following their lead generally does the trick. By Genre: Concert In classical concerts, it’s customary not to clap between movements of a single piece—especially in large, serious works like symphonies, concertos, or sonatas. These pieces are designed to flow uninterrupted, creating a cohesive experience for the listener. ...

October 27, 2024 · Ariana Tang

Sonatina for Flute and Piano | I. Moderato

A small piece for midnight metropolitan, messed with rain and blurred neons.

October 26, 2024 · Ariana Tang

the famous Abbado-Agerich recording, featuring work of Prokofiev and Ravel

The famous Abbado-Agerich 1974 recording includes one Prokofiev and two Ravels. All three are splendid piano works. Argerich performed Ravel Piano Concerto in G at Nobel Prize Concert 2009: “a snippet of the concerto that shows a lot of an incredible ability to create dialogue, with herself on the piano, if not with the orchestra” (YouTube comment)

October 25, 2024 · Ariana Tang

Prokofiev Plays his Prelude Op.12 No.7 'Harp'

“This piece was recorded between 1930 and 1935 and this isn’t a scamm, it really is Prokofiev who is playing the piano!!”

October 24, 2024 · Ariana Tang

a snippet of Don Quixote Act II pas de deux of Mariinsky Ballet at Shanghai

Mariinsky Ballet at Shanghai, Oct. 23 2024. Ballet Gala. Don Quixote Act II pas de deux. One nice thing about ballet is that you can cheer and applause during the performance—so it’s worthwhile to watch it live (even from the third floor)—to be among the audience and enjoy the awe. The ballerina wasn’t technically 100% perfect—you can observe a tiny trip at 11s. Yet the audience was ignited and she got thundering applause. ...

October 23, 2024 · Ariana Tang

La Bayadère

La Bayadère is a three-act ballet. It was premiered by the Imperial Ballet at Bolshoi Kamenny, St. Petersburg, Russia in 1877. Music by Ludwig Minkus. Synopsis Set in the Royal India of the past, La Bayadère is a story of eternal love, mystery, fate, vengeance, and justice. The ballet relates the drama of a temple dancer (bayadère), Nikiya, who is loved by Solor, a noble warrior. She is also loved by the High Brahmin, but does not love him in return, as she does Solor. ...

October 22, 2024 · Ariana Tang

two interesting Mendelssohn paraphrases

Here are two interesting pieces: both are from Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream—overture or the incidental music suit, arranged for solo/duet piano. 1. Martha Argerich and Cristina Marton play Ouverture and Scherzo Summernight Dream: 2. the famous Scherzo, paraphrased by Rachmaninov ester egg: the flute solo of the Scherzo is a very difficult solo

October 21, 2024 · Ariana Tang