Central Conservatory "hot pot"!

Today marked our in-person introduction to the Beijing Central Conservatory. This campus, 13 buildings and approximately 2,000 students, is the site of our first master classes and concerts. First, we were taken there to warm-up by three delightful conservatory viola freshmen. Ellen and I rehearsed a little (the music feels great!) and then she gave a terrific class on orchestral excerpts.

Afterwards, the viola professor at the Beijing Conservatory, our "handlers," Bob, Ellen, and I (and the viola) were taken out to eat to "Hot Pot," for a traditional Chinese dinner, from the Szechuan province. "Soup," begins *in* the table: one half spicy, one half mild. Ingredients ranging from expected (mushrooms) to exotic (bamboo) are added to the pot of your choice. Other ingredients included tube-shrimp (shrimp that has been ground up, and that will re-expand upon contact with the hot water), squid (!), lamb, fish, ribbon tofu, noodles, water chestnuts. We also made our own "paste," before starting the soup-creation. My paste, sort of copied from the girl in line in front of me (it looked pretty good!) was: fried beans, sesame jam, coriander, minced garlic, green onion.

(Half of the reason that I'm writing these down and then "blogging" them is to remember how to re-create these once I'm States-side again!)

The hospitality that we have been shown by *everyone* has been absolutely astonishing. I have found our hosts to be delightful, enthusiastic to share their country, their stories, and especially their FOOD. Thank you!

(I could not have imagined the things that I have eaten already!).

Of special note tonight was the "noodle-man" - he did a dance with the noodles before throwing them into the soup!