My deep connection with Mahler

From a young age, falling in love with classical music has been one of the greatest blessings of my life!

Born into a poor family, I was fortunate that my parents wholeheartedly supported every step of my dream of becoming a musician. Unlike many Chinese families where children are often pressured into learning an instrument, I wanted it myself. My passion for music was entirely my own, as well as my passion for science. My parents gave me their best support, allowing me to explore the violin, a breathtaking instrument whose beauty in shape/sound and complexity have profoundly shaped me as a human-being.

Practicing the violin, despite sometimes very challenging, was a transformative experience. Its difficulty instilled in me a strong sense of perseverance and a relentless pursuit of excellence —- after many years, I still learn from it —- strive for the best and never give up. I have greatly benefited from learning the violin for my academic career. 

Classical music, with its incredibly breathtaking beauty and sometimes heart-breaking emotional upside down,  enriches my daily life much like sugar and salt enhance a meal/desert. It energizes my spirits and profoundly influences my mood. When faced with all the Ups and Downs in life —- whether it is a failure in experiment, a rejection in manuscript, or the pressures of grant writing, I find piece in music. In fact, during all these academic tasks, I am listening to ClassicFM, which provides me with a sanctuary where I can reflect and think, and find new perspectives. 

My brain runs much more efficiently with ClassicFM. 

Throughout my journey, I have been inspired by many great composers. Early on, I was captivated by Mozart and Brahms, and lately, Mendelssohn and Sibelius, who have deeply resonated with me. However, it was  moving to Boston that allowed Mahler’s music to become a cornerstone of my life. Mahler’s symphonies offer a fresh lens on life, with each one providing a profound emotional experience: offering very fresh perspectives and deep emotional resonance on something that we might be experiencing or we will experience. His compositions have the power to change lives, and they have certainly changed mine. —- I have another post on my Mahler experience, counting how many times of each live concerts specifically on Mahler.

My passion in research is naturally inherited from my passion in music. Both have given me the opportunity to engage with investigators and friends all over the world. Often, I am able to spend an extra day or two to explore the historical homes of some of the greatest composers of all-time, like Dvorak in Prague and Mozart in Salzburg.

Visiting the world’s major symphony halls has become my lifelong dream —- this is a project for me. These magnificent venues are more than just places to hear music; they are sacred spaces where the spirit of classical music comes to life, connecting me to a form of art that transcends time and culture. It is a extraordinary experience to me, that the echoes of many great musics performed there continue to resonate, bridging the past with the present in a truly extraordinary way.

A few famous symphony halls and opera houses that I have visted (meaning that I have see these orchestras playing in their homes):

• Boston Symphony Hall, Boston (1900 – ) —- the home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra
• Wiener Musikverein, Vienna (1870 – ) —- the home of the Vienna Philharmonic orchestra
• The Philharmonie de Paris, Paris (2015 – ) —- the home of the Orchestre de Paris
• The Smetana Hall, Prague (1912 – ) —- the home of each year’s Prague Spring Festival Opening evening
• Rudolfinum concert hall, Prague (1885 – ) —- the home of the Czech Philharmonic
• Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Hong Kong SAR (1989 – ) —- the home of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
• Copenhagen Concert Hall, Copenhagen (2009 – ) —- the home of the Danish National Symphony Orchestra
• Copenhagen Opera House, Copenhagen (2005 – ) —- the home of the Royal Danish Opera Orchestra
• Philharmonie am Gasteig (1985 – ) —- the home of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
• Montreal Symphony House, Monstreal (2011 – ) —- the home of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra
• Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco (1980 – ) — the home of the San Francisco Symphony
• Benaroya Hall, Seattle (1998 – ) —- the home of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra
• Boston Opera House, Boston (1928 – ) —- the home of the Boston Ballet
• David Geffen Hall, New York (1965 – ) —- the home of the New York Philharmonic
• Metropolitan Opera House, New York (1966 – ) —- the home of the Metropolitan Opera
• Severance Hall, Cleveland (1931 – ) —- the home of the Cleveland Orchestra
• Orchestra Hall, Chicago (1904 – ) —- the home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra

And this is a grow list…