First Concert

so we had our first concert this weekend.  it was with the international choir and the vietnam national ballet.  it turned out really nice.  i dont know how, but the level of playing and professionalism was way better! the orchestra did not sound or feel the same at all.  it was a really cool experience getting to know the choir also.  since it is international there were people from all over the world.  the piece we played, 'margnificat,' featured 5 soloists and they came from england, germany, sweden, japan, and vietnam.  we actually made really good friends with Ryoko, the mezzo soprano soloist from japan as well as others in the group.  it was a really amazing experience meeting people from all over and even when we couldent communicate that well we were still united with music.  

a word about the opera house.  it is BEAUTIFUL!  built in 1911 by the french and it is the most sought after venue in all of south east asia.  i recently found out that the vietnamese were the first in history to use pearl inlays in architecture and this was the first opera house to ever have that.