Gloria's Musical Musings: Teluk Intan, July 30

This is the last concert we performed. I had to make one demand that I felt like I had to. I wanted the grand to be moved from Ipoh to Teluk Intan (Anson Bay). In this process, we found out what piano movers charge here. There isn't a recommended rate and it was like dealing with cutthroats. They would keep changing their minds about the prices and it was haggling over the phone for hours.

Teluk Intan is the place where my father grew up and where my grandpa's house was. Known for its leaning clock tower, famous lotus seed caramel filled biscuits & not to mention seafood, it is about a 45 minute drive from Kampar. My brother Justin's godparents, Mr and Mrs Loh live there and they were our hosts. Mr Loh is the life of any party and he is one person that can tell a joke after another, and make them up as he goes along. I think Mr Loh met his match in Mr T. We had many good laughs at the dinner table. Hmmm dinner was .. steamed river crabs, prawns, fried eel and all with fresh sugar cane juice. Very interesting!

Mr & Mrs Loh, My Dad, Mr & Mrs T & I. All wearing traditional Malaysian batik considered formal attire in my country, except Mrs T and I in concert black. I misplaced my other gowns in Ipoh else I'd be in red!

I used to be very active with school choirs although my knowledge of choirs back then would be considered amateurish now. I still receive phone calls when I'm home asking me to go coach a choir. So this time, I had Mr. T do that with a school choir in Teluk Intan. It was fun, as I watched how excited the kiddos were and how they stayed back after school just to work with him. We offered the students a discounted admission to our recital and they showed up. After the coaching session, the "Check Engine" light came on.. ugh.. I suspected the alternator was giving out, and that was confirmed by the mechanic. So we had to make do with other transport arrangements.

Besides student tickets, the other marketing strategy for this concert was that there would be a full-course Chinese dinner prior to the recital. The guests would eat, tables cleared and then we would perform. I'm not sure whether I've mentioned this but in Chinese culture, food is very important. (Thanksgiving in the USA is nothing compared to what I get to eat!)

Our audience and the dinner tables at the City Hall.

We waited at the guest house since we skipped the dinner. Just before my dad came to get us we saw two rainbows in the sky. Although rainbows are fairly common here, we very seldom see them in Malaysia. I was reminded by God's promise and that He would be faithful to us.

My former Mathematics teacher was the master of ceremony that evening. After my solo set, he said he was glad I dropped my ambition to be a pharmacist. The audience clapped! My life would not be so interesting if I didn't become who I am. It was a little embarassing to have some of your childhood revealed at a recital. ;) Most people in the audience have seen me as a toddler, little girl & a teenager!

The recital went fairly smoothly other than the fact the air-conditioning was pretty loud and in the middle of the German lied set, there was a Muslim prayer call. We forged on and the audience loved this performance. Very seldom do classical artists make their way to this tiny little town. They gave us a standing ovation and we had to do an encore. If we kept going, they wouldn't have left. I'm glad we brought classical music especially voice and piano to the many music students who have never had the chance to hear it live. We were inundated with gifts, bouquets and mobbed for autographs.