exhaustion

Not much to say except that i'm physically and mentally exhausted. Soundless sleep is something i crave a lot of the times, and i finally got it last night...due to the stresses of deadlines.

I had 2 articles due for April Issue of Fine Music Magazine and honestly, I forget how stressful the deadlines are!
I had them done but it's the whole fine-tuning and re-working and MORE re-working of the piece which drove me into the wall. They say you yourself are the hardest critique which i completely agree...that's why I drove myself crazy reading the pieces over and over.

The first was about the YouTube Symphony Orchestra and after calling everyone I possibly knew who could have entered the audition online, I was stuck with noone ... noone i knew from Australia did this audition?! How could that be when SSO apparently sent out promo for it all to the Philharmonic and SYO and Sinfonia? Oh well...I had to spin my article a different angle.
Then there was my 2nd article on dearest John Allison. This was most difficult to remove myself and not become too emotional...

It all got done and thank god for that. I love being able to put the music and writing together. It just makes the reflection process that much more enjoyable :0

Anyways, that's all from me now. Hopefully another soundless sleep is just around the corner :)
Stay smiling,
V-A

Child prodigy meets Australian Idol

Sunday 1st March, 2009
Castle Towers Level 3, Grand Piano
11am-1pm

Dynamic duo Van-Anh Nguyen (concert pianist) and Thanh Bui (Australian Idol Top 8 2008) collaborate to give you a mind-blowing sneak preview to the up and coming Victorian Bushfire Relief Concert (The Hills Centre, March 27th 2009). The performances consist of classical piano pieces, pop tunes, jazz standards and a fun improvisatory trip through favourites.

Come along and support us!!! Would love to see you all there :)

V-day weekend

I sort of started to write in the wee-hours of Valentine's Day morning but i thought, why bother? It's just one of those days...just another day really. This year for some reason, I don't know if it's just me, capitalism, commercialism of everything possible for those 'big' days or a combination of all of the above but Valentine's Day was plastered everywhere. Everywhere I turn, red this, love you that, teddy bear this, heart-shaped balloons that. I walked into the Chocolate Box store down in Melbourne on the weekend and what's the first thing I see? a candy-bra.
I did my kind deeds to the community by playing at Castle Towers for Valentine's Day...in the red dress. Glammed it up and had fun before flying to Melbourne for the weekend.

Melbourne never siezes to amaze me...fun every single time! It was very busy and quite irritating at the start since Qantas decided to have a baggage strike that morning plus flights were delayed by 45 minutes. Waiting and Van-Anh does NOT go in the same sentence, let me tell you that! Flying into Melbourne, you could see a film of smog and the realisation that the fires were in this State hit. The air smelt of smoke and friends told me it was only 50kms away from the city. Kind of a daunting fact but I guess the firefighters are doing all that they can. Alas, I made it to the Rendezvous after a dead phone battery and impatiently and the weekend consisted of much food, chocolate, amazingly fun friends, music, dancing, sore feet and last minute shopping to support my love of Australian designers :)

It all ended too soon when Monday morning came and calls came in for Vivo Music School and Vivo Entertainment Agency as well as the Bushfire Relief Concert plans go full force ahead. The Hills Centre, Friday 27th March 2009 is the scheduled date and venue! Line-up to be confirmed but it will definitely be a BIG concert!
There is so much that is happening right now that i'd like to classify it as organised frenzy!!!! there's an energy around. there's people i connect with like never before. i'm excited about life.
back to work.
xx
V-A

going the hard yards..

Sorry it's been a while since my last entry. The days leading up to the weekend was hectic as ever, getting last minute things ready for the Sydney Bridal Fashion Week. Then, the aftermath came with the calls to follow up and bookings for gigs this weekend which was perfectly fine because it just showed that the hard work paid off.
Hard work or not, I was very satisfied with how my feet held up. In 4 1/2 inch heels from 9am-3am with barely a moment to sit down on the Saturday, then back into the heels for more promo work for Vivo Entertainment Agency on Sunday from about 9am to 1:30am (including the parties and clubs each night to mingle with the Melbournites who visited!). Next day, brunched at Blackbird, meandered down to Lindt Cafe and then played tour guide for the Melbournites, walking from Darling Harbour all the way to The Rocks......IN HEELS :)
Oh well, yesterday, i spent the day in flat shoes....felt a bit strange :)

Amidst all of that, of course there was the Victorian Bush Fires. I can't believe how terrible it has been and not watching much TV, the only updates I get are from friends. The death toll keeps rising and all I can say is that my thoughts are out to those who have lost friends and family. Australia is one weird country. 60% flooding up in QLD, bushfires down south, all on the East Coast. Which country has such a strange topsy-turvy weatherman?!?!?!

This coming week is just as hectic, with the plannings for the Agency picking up as well as concerts to rehearse for and music to practice, write and play.
I'm so so so excited about life right now, everything seems to be falling into place and I'm living life at about 1000000000 miles an hour. I was so excited yesterday that my head was spinning, then it started hurting and I couldn't wipe the grin off my face.
It's nice to feel that happy once in a while...you should ALWAYS feel that happy.

Anyways, back to work. Stay smiling,
Van-Anh

revamp time

I've finally taken the time to do a quick browse and revamp my blogspot layouts. Nothing too fancy, nothing too overtly trivial - just pianos, cupcakes and diamonds :) 3 of the most important things.... ;)

Unfortunately in the last 24 hours, I have had to visit the hospital once again after vowing not to go back there (after last year's stint...or 4 stints to the hospital). There was nothing much I could do, except get them to operate. It seems to be my constant reminder to wind down, have a bit of ME time but that doesn't seem to be possible. Hospitals are like enforced rest time for me. Sitting in emergency and waiting for like 4 hours = light reading time. Almost finished One Fifth Avenue :) I'm now back home and back to the usual workaholic state in the world of Van-Anh. Thank you to everyone and their lovely messages, support and care, especially to Alex for driving me there and back and waiting in emergency. That's what business partners are for aren't they? ;) Kidding, couldn't have done it without you and thank you for your care.

A dear friend did recall those wise wise words, health is gold. And I'd have to agree, it is. Once you run yourself down to the ground, those steps you took forward end up rewinding and you'll find yourself having to pick up those loose ends and ammending them again.

~EXPECTATIONS~
The other thing I've noticed recently has to do with expectations. I hold fairly high expectations on myself and sometimes, impose those onto others. Some may think this is unfair, but at least it means everything around me would be of a higher level wouldn't it?

~PASSION~
If anyone knows me even the slightest, they'll know the passion and the energy I'll put into everything I do. I'm close to a perfectionist and I know in this world, if things are perfect, they are wrong. So i strive to make things 'perfect'...to the point of exhaustion. That is where the fine line will lie. Finding a happy medium to create a perfect thing, yet maintain your own insanity and health.

~ME TIME~
I guess 'me' time is spent reading and writing. As arbitrary as some of this may sound, I enjoy it.

It's early so I should go back to my limbering state. 3 days of bed rest (yeah right..). Maybe I SHOULD stick to what the docs say for once, and get better!

keep smilin',
V-A

not having what you want

I've neglected this blog completely, almost forgetting that it existed until today. Blogs are funny things. When interesting things happen to you, you never have time to jot them down. Then when you have time, it's more of a reflection than anything.

So, am I in a reflective mood? Pretty much.

The past week has been ridiculously tumultuous. Vivo Music School is excelling as the days go by which just shows that if you put the effort in, anything is possible. We hit our target before the start of term, and Vivo Entertainment Agency is picking up gigs for weddings. Speaking of weddings, we will be showcasing our musicians as well as our special wedding packages at the Sydney Bridal Fashion Week (6th - 8th February 2009) held at Sydney Olympic Park, Sports Centre. It is the biggest bridal show in the Southern Hemisphere so come along!

As a musician, travel is a big part and inspiration is even a bigger part. I have to say that having opened myself into the Vietnamese community will bring a variety of things this year.

As a musician growing up on classical foundations but personality not really fitting that mould, I'm finding a happy medium of doing both. Classical music can be enjoyed by youths and I plan to make that happen. Just watch this space ;)It makes a huge difference when you bump into people who share just as much passion and love for music.

Living in a world which is built around routine and discipline, musicians really fall into the category of Bohemians, breaking down the walls of routine. Sure, discipline would be at its height for anyone wanting to succeed to their fullest capacity but routine. It is truly a breath of fresh air when you surround yourself with people who work hard but play hard as well.

That's the way I've lived life, and i continue to do so.

Signing out on the first day of February.

Stay smiling,

V-A