Arriving in the Chinese capital, I was disappointed in a way to find everything almost more westernized than in the west! So it was that it felt much the same as being anywhere else in the world. I came across one very disturbing aspect – due mainly to the lack of control by ushers in the Honoured Liberation Army Hall where all proceedings took place -- 75% of the kids which formed the audience for the recital of Joaquin Achucarro (the first of four invited fellow-Masters) had his/her mobile phone in hand during the performance, lights shining all over the dark place. Be it for communicating from row-to-row via text messages, playing games, taking pictures or even videoing parts of the Spanish-half on offer…  Even though muted, some mobiles had accessories of rustling beads or tiny bells, their owner completely unaware of the noise but very annoying to people ... like me! This multi-task-generation doesn’t seem interested in concentrating on only one subject at any time: I wouldn’t put it past the ultra-technical-Chinese, being capable of managing emailing, homework, playing an instrument one-handed and possibly composing a new computer-generated work with the other, all at once!

Otherwise, everything worked to Swiss precision. In order to experience China’s mysterious ways one would have to go back a few centuries or have plenty of free time to visit islands or small fishing villages. One day, perhaps …
From Beijing I flew to Hong Kong for the pleasure of working with Wing-sie, conductor of the HK Sinfonietta. In the program was the Paganini Variations known as “Rach-Pag”; the concert was cleverly entitled Rhapsody since it happened to coincide with her birthday. After the performance this charming lady was being presented with a celebratory medal awarded by the French Government for her contribution to French music within China. Everyone concerned was indeed in ‘party-mood’, a factor which added a welcome light touch to the otherwise serious business of music-making.

The Grainger Quartet (from Australia) and I, soloists involved in that original evening – had also been asked to perform at a fund-raiser for the Sinfonietta playing Schuman’s Piano Quintet a few days later for the delight of a very select and duly rich audience at the China Club. Its owner, tycoon David Tang is a most enthusiastic music-lover and charming but fierce businessman. An Oxbridge graduate who lived in the UK in the early 70s, had heard many a concert of mine in London, was most entertaining over a luncheon he hosted in order to meet up. I had brought along a few CDs which we decided to auction as an added contribution. On each table there were forms so people could fill in their details. Fun was had by all but mostly me: I was to play a few samples from the CD. The elected master of ceremonies (his first time ever) started the bidding at HK$ 5,000!!  When each time I was asked to play another I suggested the bid be raised he decided to up it … by another 1000!! Apparently they made more than HK$ 100,000!!  Brilliant! Money is only paper for people who ‘bathe’ in it … images of Walt Disney’s Uncle $crooge come to mind…

Instead of embarking on to Australia, I had to go back to London for all of 5 days -- no sponsor ever wants to hear of facilitating the life of an artist. From there I flew to Brisbane, where I played at A. Thompson’s series to start my itinerary of 3 long weeks with the formula of recital + Master-Class. It’s always a pleasure to spend time with Ann, loyal friend and admirer, who this time had actually helped to get opportunities elsewhere. Also in Brisbane I met Natasha and husband -- whose pupils played in my MC. Next I found Margaret Farren-Price in Melbourne where she and her renowned musicologist-husband Ronald reign supreme! I have hardly met a more convivial person with whom I have so much in common! How sorry I was to leave “Mme Impresaria” –the clever name of her very successful piano series. I had also given a particularly stimulating Master Class to students of Rita R. -- who like me had been a student of Rudolf Serkin’s at Curtis in Philadelphia, many years ago.

The moment came when I was to fly to Adelaide (pronounced Ai-de-lllai-de!) to play the last of my 3 recitals. Rather pressed and coping with a horrible jet-lag (it gets worse with age) that same evening I somehow played my best recital ever, I thought. At the reception following that ‘personal’ triumph, upon meeting the lady-teacher in whose house I was due to teach next day, I mentioned that I found her proposed program far too long (6 or 7 students in the space of 2 hours) but equally a bit of a problem because it consisted mainly of transcriptions which I refuse to coach, as a matter of principle. I asked whether the kids couldn’t play any real music, written originally for the instrument. Whereupon she became most distant and on the defense ie aggressive… Arriving at her house the following afternoon --- I usually choose only the pieces I want to work with in whichever order I think fit – and unaware of her manner in de-selecting her various pupils -- for the first time in my life I found out that she had decided to ‘display’ 3 pupils, 2 of which were doing … transcriptions and so inadequately that it was not to be believed!! The whole situation was a joke, to say the least.

Considering these kids apparently have been playing the same stuff to different visiting artists, over and over, one must wonder: to what purpose if they can’t even play the simplest of toccatas? What will they learn from such complex scores, written by accomplished pianists for the purpose of showing-off the transcriber’s monumental technical prowess, something most of us can only dream of possessing? Why not get youngsters to earn their bread-and-butter from Bach’s Preludes & Fugues, Partitas or Suites, or any of Mozart or Beethoven Sonatas? I find this type of behaviour simply criminal, coming from someone who is paid to guide and inspire! Wake up, you lot!
By the way: I had told the promoter who drove me away that I would waive my fee for the Class-Which-Wasn’t…On hindsight I do realize how badly I mishandled the whole thing by not explaining to the few listeners and students alike, my position as to why I refused to comment, perplexed and crowded in that horribly airless and low-ceilinged garage-type studio… This sad chapter will figure in my books under the name of “a disastrous saga”. So it was that I left Adelaide to fly to my final destination, Sydney, with a sour taste in my mouth but without a hint of what was to follow: a chain of abusive emails were sent right-and-left to the agency in London, no doubt instigated by her ladyship…

I would just say: win some, lose some …
My dear friend Earl Owen – brilliant micro-surgeon -- had kindly offered me to stay at a flat he owns, across the bay from the Opera House, what a view. With swimming pool and only a short 5 minute ride from Circular-Quay on the Star ferry. He had kindly taken upon himself as well, to fix various Master Classes at different girls-schools around town, in the 5 free days before starting rehearsals with the Sydney Symphony. A busy schedule lay ahead of me, Earl driving/accompanying me to each of these places, where I am glad when I find the right thing to say about whatever piece is heard; then practice a bit, on my own…  I had also agreed to play mini-recitals at the end of each class, providing an idea of what it is that makes a performing musician!  But oh, what lovely hours I passed in the company of the various head-mistresses (one master) either of the School or of its Music Department and then of the chosen best ‘candidates’ – candidly wearing their school-uniforms and eager to show how hard they worked in preparation to my visit!
Down memory-lane: all those uniformed girls reminded me of my own school days in Rio at the Colégio Santa Marcelina*, or indeed the Colégio N. Sra. da Misericórdia (both nuns schools)… what a shame one loses contact with one’s peers! “Is any of you, reading this, I wonder?”

*Janice (v. September 2007) and I were at this Primary school together, aged 10-11! She has lived in Paris with her two daughters for over 20 years; we ‘found’ each other through Ivan – my close friend, gaúcho from Porto Alegre, the in south of Brazil who worked a while for me when I needed help with ‘servicing’. He had taught piano to her youngest.  Small world! A very talented painter as well, she’s possibly the person I’ve known longest … than anyone else in the world, family apart! Happy thought.